ML20141F456
| ML20141F456 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000734 |
| Issue date: | 04/09/1986 |
| From: | Ketzlach N NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8604230028 | |
| Download: ML20141F456 (2) | |
Text
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l APR9 1986 i
MEMORANDUM FOR: W. T. Crow, Acting Chief Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety i FROM: Nonnan Ketzlach Uranium Process Licensing Section t Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch
SUBJECT:
SITE VISIT TO GA TECHNOLOGIES INC, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA i (MARCH 31-APRIL 2, 1986) l I. INTRODUCTION At the request of Region V, N. Ketzlach visited the facilities of GA 4
Technologies, Inc. (GA) to review the operations related to the fabrication of fuel rods using a sol-gel process. Because the Region V principal Fuel Facility Inspector, B. L. Brock, had expressed several concerns regarding the safety of the fuel fabrication operations and the recent reorganizations within GA, N. Ketzlach joined Mr. Brock in the review.
, II. DISCUSSION A. Facility Tour Prior to the facility tour, a meeting was held with GA personnel (see list of attendees below)'to review the purpose of the visit. Dr. R. A. Dean, Senior Vice President, and all attendees with the exception of B. Pound attended the closecut meeting at the conclusion of the site visit.
CA E N. Rademacher, Division Director Human Resources J. P. Hogan, Legal Counsel R. C. Noren, Director Fuel Operations Division R.P. Vanek, Manager, Fuel Fabrication (HTGR)
R. De Valasco, Project Engineer, North Warning System K. Asmussen, Manager, Licensing and Nuclear Materials Control V. Malakhof, Manager, Nuclear Safety B. Pound (Nuclear Safety Consultant)
NRC F L Brock, RV NKetzlach, NMSS, HQ C
g4 APR0 1986 W. T. Crow 2 R. De Valasco conducted the tour of the SVB facility in which the kernels for the qualifying fuel rods are made for the North Warning System Reactor. The process, including the handling of the liquid wastes, which was of concern to Region V, was reviewed. Several areas were observed in which poor practices exist (e.g., use of a sink next to the work station in which the U0, feed material is dissolved and a criticality safety work station sign with inappropriate limits). GA is taking corrective action on the identified operations.
R. P. Vanek conducted the tour of the SVA Building areas where the qualifying
. fuel rods are coated and pressed and from which one liquid waste stream is to be disposed.
B. Licensing and Safety Reviews A meeting was held with K. Asmussen and V. Malakhof to discuss license conditions and authorized activities. There wss an apparent misunderstandin GA personnel of what constitutes a research and developmentand (R&D)g by the present pilot-scale process development without requiring a license amendment. The sections in the license were identified that cover a "new production process" ( requiring an amendment) and the scale of R&D and pilot plant development (not requiring an amendment). Clarification was provided as to: (1) what constitutes an independent second party review of a nuclear safety analysis, (2) the minimum qualifications required for those making the initial nuclear safety analysis, and (3) the minimum qualifications for those performing the independent nuclear safety reviews.
The iuportance of understanding the fuel fabrication operations as well as the methods of nuclear criticality safety analysis was emphasized. Discussions were also held with A. Baxter (the new independent nuclear criticality safety reviewer on the Criticality and Radiation Safety Committee (CRSC)) and with Dr. W. Whittemore, Chairman of the CRSC.
The content of a license amendment request for authorization to make the most recent organizational changes was also discussed.
CONCLUSION The site visit provided Region V and GA personnel with a better understanding of the identified sections of the license that specify authorized activities, minimum personnel qualifications for performing nuclear criticality safety functions and additional training needed for improving nuclear criticality practices. g.p
. DISTRIBUTION NKetzlach (2) LCobb, IE Norman Ketzlach Region V BLBrock, RV Uranium Process Licensing Section PDR , SH0 Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch eDocket?70-734
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