ML20141H574

Discusses Us Enrichment Corp Ltr Re Seismic Risks & Mods at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.Nrc Has Not Approved Any Changes to Dec Completion Date Leaving 971231, as Completion Date to Which Licensee Remains Committed

ML20141H574
Person / Time
Site:	07007001
Issue date:	07/24/1997
From:	Pierson R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
References
NUDOCS 9707310157
Download: ML20141H574 (3)

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'p g#"toq\ UNITED STATES g j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20565 4 001

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July 24, 1997

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Mr. James H. Miller D U.S. Enrichment Corporation I 2 Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive i Bethesda, MD 20817 i l

SUBJECT:

U.S. ENRICHMENT CORPORATION LETTER DATED JUNE 30,1997, SEISMIC RISKS AND MODIFICATIONS AT PGDP i

in a letter dated April 23,1997, you submitted a Certificate Amendment Request concerning issue 36 in the Plan for Achieving Compliance With NRC Regulations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Compliance Plan), Seismic Capability of Buildings C-331 j and C-335. In the Compliance Plan, the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) committed to j upgrade the seismic capacity of these buildings by December 31,1997. The amendment i request seeks NRC approval of: 1) three Unreviewed Safety Questions; 2) a change to the modification completion date from December 31,1997, to 15 months following NRC approval of the amendment request; and 3) a change to the emergency responce following a seismic event. The staff is currently review? g your requests.

Subsequently, you submitted a letter dated June 30,1997, in which you indicated that new information received during 1997 as work proceeded on the committed modifications I has caused USEC to question whether the committed modifications will effectively manage j seismic risk at PGDP. In the letter, you concluded that work on the committed structural modifications to the '00' buildings should be suspended immediately and state that USEC will submit an amendment request by July 31,1997, for a change to Compliance Plan issue 36. The amendment request, as I understand it from your letter, will seek NRC approval to delay work on the seismic modifications until December 1,1997, at which time USEC would either identify the need for a different set of modifications or proceed with the current modifications. If new modifications are appropriate, then USEC would provide a new schedule; however, if on December 1,1997, it is concluded that the current modifications are still appropriate, then they would be completed in 18 months, by June 1999. The staff will consider your request upon receipt. In the June 30 letter, you further state that USEC will stop work on these modifications pending NRC's review of USEC's forthcoming request. The June 30 letter does not seek NRC approval of any USEC actions. Consequently, the staff considers that letter as infonnational only and does not approve any USEC actions described in that letter.

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97073101'57 970724 PDR ADOCK 07007001 ,

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J. H. Miller The current schedule contained in the Compliance Plan for issue 36, committed to by -

USEC, requires that the structural modifications to the '00' buildings be completed by December 31,1997. Thus far, the NRC has not approved any change to the December completion date leaving December 31,1997, as th'e completion date to which USEC remairis committed. Therefore, any actions taken by you which may jeopardize meeting that date, such as, stopping work on the structural modifications, are taken at your own risk.

Sincerely, M

Robert C. Pierson Special Projects Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards DISTRIBUTION:

Docket 70-7001 1NRC File CenterJ PUBLIC Region lll NMSS r/f FCSS r/f SPB r/f G:\PADSEIS2.702

• See Previous Concurrence OFC SPB' SPB' l SPB' SPB' SPB' j FCSS* tydfS5)[

NAME DPersinko/ij MHorn DHoadley DMartin RP on ETen Eyck C W ello DATE 7/11/97 7/11/97 / /97 7/11/97 ___

7/11/97 7/18/97 7 b)D7 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOS'URE N = NO COPY OFTICIAL RECORD COPY 7//gfg

f J. H. Miller The current schedule contained in the Compliance Plan for issue 36, committed to by USEC, requires that the structural modifications to the '00' buildings be completed by December 31,1997. Thus far, the NRC has not approved any change to the December completion d' ate leaving December 31,1997 as the completion date to which USEC remains committed. Therefore, any actions taken by you which may jeopardize meeting that date, such\as, stopping work on the structural modifications, are taken at your own risk. \

Sincerely, Robert C. Pierson Special Projects Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

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DISTRIBUTION Docket 70-7001 NRC File Center PUBLIC Region lli NMSS r/f l FCSS r/f SPB r/f i G:\PADSEIS2.702 l OFC SPB C, SPB., p SPB SPS f , \SPB f FCS[ NMSS NAIAE DPersinko/ij fk DHoadley [ n don ETe Eyck CPaperiello DATE 7 /fj/97 7 ///97 / /97 // V97 1A\/h7 1 (f/97 / /97 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N .. NO COPY OFFICIAL RECORD COPY