ML20134M364
| ML20134M364 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/22/1996 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PR-96-168, NUDOCS 9611250056 | |
| Download: ML20134M364 (1) | |
Text
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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs Washington, DC 20555 l
Phone 301-415-8200 Fax 301-415-2234 Internet:opa@nrc. gov i
No.96-168 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE l
(Friday, November 22, 1996).
l NRC ISSUES INITIAL CERTIFICATION DECISION FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANTS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has denied petitions requesting review of an initial decision by its Office of Nuclear i
L Material Safety and Safeguards to issue certificates to the U.S.
l Enrichment Corporation (USEC) for uranium enrichment plants l
located near Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio.
The Director, NRC Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, will sign and issue the initial certificates l
shortly.
After a transition period following issuance of the certificates, regulatory authority over plant operations will be l
l transferred from the Department of Energy (DOE) to the NRC on March 3, 1997.
-i E
The two enrichment plants are owned, and were formerly l
operated, by DOE.
USEC now operates them under a lease from DOE.
~
The plants use a gaseous diffusion process to enrich uranium j
hexafluoride gas in the uranium-235 isotope, so that the material-can be used to produce nuclear fuel for civilian nuclear power plants.
4 The Energy Policy Act of 1992, which directed USEC operation of the enrichment plants, required the NRC to establish a certification process and safety and safeguards standards for the 7 certification of the plants.
NRC will certify the facilities periodically in the future for compliance with the standards.
USEC must apply for certificate renewal by April 15, 1998.
l l
The NRC staff published a Federal Register notice on l
September 19 announcing its initial decision to certify the l
plants and offering an opportunity for certain persons whose l
interest may be affected to request Commission review.
The five l
petitions received were not approved, for the reasons discussed in a memorandum and order issued today by the Commission.
The NRC announced prior opportunities for public comment in I
the Federal Register on September 21 and November 14, 1995, and i
i held public meetings on November 28, 1995, in Piketon, Ohio, and I
on December 5, 1995, in Paducah.
Opportunities for public comment will be provided in the future for any certification j
-renewal.
9611250056 961122 PDR PRESS R He-96-168 PDR O{l l
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