ML20154P510

Forwards Insp Rept 70-7001/98-13 on 980721-0901 & Notice of Violations Re Continued Weaknesses in Some of Staff Knowledge & Understanding of Design Basis

ML20154P510
Person / Time
Site:	07007001
Issue date:	10/16/1998
From:	Caniano R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
Shared Package
ML20154P513	List: ML20154P510 ML20154P514 ML20154P518
References
70-7001-98-13, EA-98-455, EA-98-457, NUDOCS 9810230003
Download: ML20154P510 (3)

Text

. . ~ , ~ . . . .- -. ~ . . - . - - . - . - . . - - .-. - --

October 16, 1998

.H EAs98-455; 98-457-Mr. J.- H. Miller Vice President - Production E United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive 4 Bethesda,' MD 20817

SUBJECT:

. NRC INSPECTION REPORT 70-7001/98013(DNMS) AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION

Dear Mr. Miller:

c On September 1,1998, the NRC completed a routine resident inspection at your Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of the inspection. During -

the period covered by the inspection report, the conduct of activities at the Paducah Gaseous ,

Diffusion Plant was generally adequate.

~ Based on the results of this inspection, one apparent violation was identified and is being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600, Revision 1. The apparent violation occurred on August 26,1998, when the Number 2

. Normetex Pump in Building C-315 (Tails Withdrawal) tripped while running onstream following an inadvertent closure of the discharge block valve and the pump discharge pressure rose to a 2

pressure in excess of the Technical Safety Requirement specified Safety Limit. The circumstances surrounding the apparent violation, the significance of the issue, and the need for lasting and effective corrective action were discussed with members of your staff during the inspection, as a part of your staff's request for Enforcement Discretion, and at the exit meeting

'on September 1. You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations on this matter and offered the opportunity for a pre-decisional enforcement conference, if a conference is necessary.

In' addition to the apparent violation described above, the NRC has determined that other violations of NRC requirements occurred. The violations are cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice) and the circumstances surrounding the violations are described in detail in the enclosed report. The first vio;ation was of concem because the violation indicates continued

-weaknesses in some of your staff's knowledge and understanding of the design basis for some plant safety systems and of the processes for making changes to the plant's design basis. As a l result, an inadequate original design of the Normetex Pump discharge pressure safety system

- was not identified until after being self-revealed during a pressure transient that culminated in

the associated Safety Limit being exceeded. In addition, changes to the plant's design basis were proposed to preclude a second pressure transient from exceeding the Safety Limit without

-- the concurrent development of a written safety analysis. The second violation is of concern 9910230003 991016 "

{DR ADOCK 07007001 4 '

PDR .

.- - _. _ ___ . . - _ _ . . . - _ _ _ _ . - _ ._.._______._.m.

.,:t ,

J. Miller because the violation indicates weaknesses in some precertification efforts necessary to fully implement regulatory requirements.

You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part, to -

determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, its enclosures, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

We will gladly discu'ss any questions you have conceming these observations.

Sincerely, Original Signed by Patrick L. Hiland for ]

Roy J. Caniano, Acting Director Division of Nuclear Materials Safety 1 Docket No. 70-7001 Certificate No. GDP-1

Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. Inspection Report 70-7001/98013(DNMS) ,

I cc w/encis: H. Pulley, Paducah General Manager  !

L. L. Jackson, Paducah Regulatory Affairs Manager -

J. M. Brown, Portsmouth General Manager S. A. Toelle, Manager, Nuclear Regulatory  ;

Assurance cnd Policy, USEC i Paducah Resident inspector Office Portsmouth Resident inspector Office R. M. DeVault, Regulatory Oversight Manager, DOE J. C. Hodges, Paducah Site Manager, DOE

/

/

9 j

MCUMENT NAME: G:\SEC\ PAD 98013.DNM To receive a co py of this document Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy w/o attach / encl"E" = Copy w/ attach /enci"N" = No copy l OFFICE Rill:DNMS , Rill:EICS 1 (ti Rill:DNMS _ JN l lNAME Reidinoer:ib TTI __ ClaytonedhW Caniano M4t? -

l DATE 10/IF/98 - 10/W/98\J 10/l4198 Y~

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

,.. l-1 J. Miller >

Djf,tribution: _ '

Docket File w/encls .

PUBLIC IE-07 w/encls J. Lieberman, OE w/encls N. Mamish, OE w/encls '

J. Goldberg, OGC w/encls E. Ten Eyck, NMSS w/encls R. Pierson, NMSS w/encls P. Ting, NMSS w/encls 1.

W. Schwink, NMSS w/encls -

P. Harich, NMSS w/encls M. L. Hom, NMSS w/encis J. L. Caldwell, Rlli w/encls C. D. Pederson, Rlil w/encls R. J. Canlano, Rlli w/encls Rlli Enf. Coordinator w/encls -

R. Bellamy, RI w/encls EJM, Ril (e-mail) i

- D. B. Spitzberg, RIV/WFCO w/encls IEO (e-mail)

DOCDESK (e-mail)

Greens w/o encls-1 220009

--