ML20154R010
| ML20154R010 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Framatome ANP Richland |
| Issue date: | 10/19/1998 |
| From: | Harry Felsher NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Emeigh C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9810260135 | |
| Download: ML20154R010 (3) | |
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j UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 4' WASHINGTON, D.C. 20566-0001
% October 19, 1998 MEMORANDUM TO: Chuck Emeigh, Chief Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS THRU: Dan Martin, Chief i Licensing Section 2 Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS FROM: Harry Felsher Licensing Section 2 ydh ID 6 Licensing Branch ,
Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS
SUBJECT:
SIEMENS POWER CORPORATION MEETING ON OCTOBER 14,1998 i
On October 14,1998, staff from the Fuel Cycle Licensing Branch (FCLB) met with staff from Siemens Power Corporation (SPC) facility to discuss licensing requirements associated with production of nuclear power plant fuel assemblies using slightly irradiated material.
From downblended and converted U-AI, Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) has produced about 2000 kg of low-enriched uranium product. This material will be used to create four Lead Test Assemblies (LTAs) to confirm computer code predictions (e.g., burnup and shutdown margin) about fuel made from the product. NFS plans to produce 30 metric tons of the product over the next several years. NFS is storing the 2000 kg of product onsite untilit can be shipped to SPC. j SPC plans to (1) receive the material from NFS, (2) dissolve the product to produce UO2 , I (3) process the UO2 to produce fuel pellets, and (4) ship the fuel pellets to Framatome Cogema l Fuels (FCF). FCF will produce the LTAs for use in Tennessee Valley Authority commercial j power plants. By license Amendment No. 34, FCF is licensed to accept the fuel pellets made j from the NFS product and produce fuel assemblies with those fuel pellets. j i
There are two issues of regulatory concem regarding SPC receiving and processing the product. The two issues are (1) the alpha activity requirements for plutonium and neptunium (SPC License Application Section 1.6.2.1) and (2) the definition of a production facility (10CFR50.2). Both issues deal with health physics considerations of worker and public doses.
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Section 1.6.2.1, " Plutonium Contaminated Feedstock," of the SPC license requires that ASTM specification C996-90 be met in that "the alpha activity for plutonium and neptunium (transuranics) shall be less than 3.3 Bq/g uranium." From sample testing, NFS has determined that the specific activity level for the product to be shipped to SPC may be as high as l approximately 6 Bq/g uranium. SPC plans to request a license amendment to increase the i licensed specific activity above the ASTM C996-90 limit using the same argument that FCF i 9810260135 981$1 [ '"
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V used. The basis for approval of the FCF amendment was that there would be no significant impact on the radiation dose to workers or the public.
Among other descriptions,10CFR50.2 defines a " production facility" as "(3) Any facility designed or used for the processing of irradiated materials containing special nuclear material, except (ii) facilities in which the only special nuclear materials contained in the irradiated material to be processed are uranium enriched in the isotope U-235 and plutonium produced by the irradiation, if the material processed contains not more than 104 grams of plutonium per gram of U-235 and has fission product activity not in excess of 0.25 millicuries of fission products per gram of U-235." BWX Technologies (BWXT) plans to perform other downblending work and has requested an exemption to the 10CFR50.2 requirement by changing the quantities from being based on "per gram of U-235" to "per gram of uranium." BWXT's analysis concludes that worker and public doses would essentially not be different. The BWXT exemption request is being reviewed. SPC plans to investigate the need for an exemption to 10CFR50.2.
SPC plans to use its current building and equipment to process the LTA fuel. Within the next I six months, SPC will determine whether there will be a need for a new building and equipment to produce pellets using the 30 metric tons of product. If a new bu!! ding and equipment is necessary, SPC will submit another amendment request, which will likely require an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant impact (FONSI). Based on the approved FCF amendment and proposed BWXT exemption, there probably would be no need for an EA or FONSI for the SPC amendment to produce the LTA fuel pellets.
For the LTA fuel, the timeline that SPC is using is very short. SPC expects to (1) send an amendment request by mid-November 1998, (2) receive amendment approval by mid-January 1999, (3) receive the material by mid-January 1999, (4) process the material in a few days by mid-February 1999, and (5) ship the pellets in mid-February 1999.
Before SPC submits an amendment request, FCLB will be contacted so that the documentation needed for amendment approval will be in the initial amendment request and the schedule the licensing action can be set.
Meeting Attendance:
FCLB: D. Martin, H. Felsher, E. Flack, and T. Cox SPC: J. Edgar and C. Manning cc: L. J. Maas Manager, Regulatory Compliance Siemens Power Corporation 2101 Horn Rapids Road Richland, Washington 99352-0130 Distribution:
Docket No. 70-1257 NRC File Center PUBLIC Region IV WBritz, RIV NMSS r/f FCSS r/f FCLB r/f HAstwood Plain
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used. The basis for approval of the FCF amendment was that there would be no significant irrlpact op the radiation dose to workers or the public.
Among other descriptions,10CFR50.2 defines a " production facility" as "(3) Any facility l designed or used for the proce sing of irradiated materials containing special nuclear material, except (ii) facilities in which the only special nuclear materials contained in the irradiated material to be processed are uranium enriched in the isotope U-235 and plutonium produced by the irradiation, if the material processed contains not more than 104 grams of plutonium per i gram of U-235 and has fission product activity not in excess of 0.25 millicuries of fission products per gram of U-235." BWX Technologies (BWXT) plans to perform other downblending work and has requested an exemption to the 10CFR50.2 requirement by changing the quantities from being based on "per gram of U-235" to "per gram of uranium." BWXT's analysis concludes that worker and public doses would essentially not be different. The BWXT exemption request is being reviewed. SPC plans to investigate the need for an exemption to 10CFR50.2.
SPC plans to use its current building and equipment to process the LTA fuel. Within the next six months, SPC will determine whether there will be a need for a new building and equipment to produce pellets using the 30 metric tons of product. If a new building and equipment is necessary, SPC will submit another amendment request, which will likely require an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Based on the approved FCF amendment and proposed BWXT exemption, there probably would be no need for an EA or FONSI for the SPC amendment to produce the LTA fuel pellets.
For the LTA fuel, the timeline that SPC is using is very short. SPC expects to (1) send an amendment request by mid-November 1998, (2) receive amendment approval by mid-January 1999, (3) receive the material by mid-January 1999, (4) procrus the materialin a few days by mid-February 1999, and (5) ship the pellets in mid-Februc 1999.
Before SPC submits an amendment request, FCLB will be contacted so that the documentation needed for amendment approval will be in the initial amendment request and the schedule the licensing at, Son can be set.
Meeting Attendance:
FCLB: D. Martin, H. Felsher, E. Flack, and T. Cox SPC: J. Edgar and C. Manning cc: L. J. Maas Manager, Regulatory Compliance Siemens Power Corporation 2101 Horn Rapids Road Richland, Washington 99352-0130