ML20154D590

Safety Evaluation Supporting Amend 34 to License SNM-1168

ML20154D590
Person / Time
Site:	07001201
Issue date:	09/28/1998
From:	Emeigh C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:
Shared Package
ML20154D555	List: ML20154D552 ML20154D581 ML20154D590
References
NUDOCS 9810070270
Download: ML20154D590 (2)

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g 1 UNITED STATES lr E NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION f' WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 4001

%***,+# September 28, 1998' l DOCKET: 70-1201 LICENSEE: Framateme Cogema Fuels (Framatome)

Lynchburg Manufacturing Facility Lynchburg, Virginia

SUBJECT:

3AFETY EVALUATION REPORT: APPLICATION DATED JUNE 25,1998, REQUEST TO REVISE SAFETY CONDITION S-9 l i BACKGROUND ,

By application dated June 25,1998, and letters dated August 14, and September 14,1998, the ]

licensee requested Materials License SNM-1168 be amended to change Safety Condition S-9 l and Section 1.4.11 to allow the receipt, rod loading, downloading, assembly, storage, and shipment of processed uranium containing plutonium and other transuranic isotopes up to 50 i bequerels (Bq) per gram of uranium. In addition, the licensee requested the deletion of Safety _

Condition S-6 and correction of minor editorial and typographical errors found in the license.

DISCUSSION The modifications proposed by Framatome are as follows:  ;

1. Change Safety Condition S-9 and Section 1.4.11 of the license application to allow the receipt, rod loading, downloading, assembly, storage, and shipment of enriched processed uranium containing plutonium and other transuranic isotopes up to 50 Bq per gram of uranium. This material will only be used for loading Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) fuel assemblies, and the licensee will ensure that WA obtains all necessary NRC approvals prior to shipping the processed fuel to WA reactor sites.

I Framatome is currently limited to 3.3 Bq of alpha activity from plutonium and neptunium per gram of uranium. This value was taken from Section 4," Safety, Health, and Criticality Requirements," of ASTM C996-90," Standard Specnications of Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to Less than 5% 23sU." The staff has determined that loading and using the pellets containing up to 50 Bq per gram of plutonium and other transuranic isotopes willincrease the specific activity of the pellets by less than 0.1 percent and accordingly have no significant impact on the radiation dose to workers or the public and is acceptable.

l In addition, in order to ensure that Framatome's use of processed uranium does not l meet the definition of production facility in 10 CFR 50.2, the staff is requiring that the enrichment of the processed uranium be at least 2.5 percent U-235.

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2. Delete Safety Condition S-6, which states:

l -S-6. The incumbent, Manager, Fuel Manufacturing, identified in the amendment l application dated September 25,1991, is deemed to satisfy the education l

l requirements for the position because of the incumbent's experience in the 1 l position since 1985 and his nuclear plant experience since 1970.

l Because the new Manager, Fuel Manufacturing satisfies the education and experience requirements set forth in Section 2.1.2 of the license application, Safety Condition S-6 is no longer necessary. This is an administrative change and is acceptable. ,

3. Correct minor editorial and typographical errors throughout the license application to 1 improve consistency. The modifications were the following: (1) in the Table of

{

Contents, changed revision and date of Chapter 1 to Revision 16 dated June 25,1998, '

and changed the last page for Chapter 11 from 11-32 to 11-21 (typographical error);

l. (2) in Section 1.2, changed Babcock and Wilcox NNFD and Nuclear Technology Center to BWX Technology; and (3) in Section 1.7.1, changed 20.1904(e) to 20.1904(:)

(typographical error). These are administrative changes and are acceptable.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

This amendment constitutes a change in process operations that meet the following provisions

1 (i) there is no significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite, (ii) there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation l exposure, (iii) there is no significant construction impact, (iv) there is no significant increase in the potential for or consequences from radiological accidents.

Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11), neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is warranted for the proposed action.

CONCLUSIOfJ/ RECOMMENDATION The staff concludes that the amendment meets the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20 and can be issued without undue risk to workers, the public, or the environment. Therefore, approval of the amendment is recommended.

The Region ll Principal Inspector has no objection to this proposed action.

Princioal Contributors:

i Harry Felsher

- Michael Lamastra g M p,tch 9/,//9/

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