ML20198H873

Forwards Insp Rept 70-7001/98-17 on 981015-1130.Violation Noted Being Considered for Escalated Enforcement Action

ML20198H873
Person / Time
Site:	07007001
Issue date:	12/21/1998
From:	Caniano R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
Shared Package
ML20198H878	List: ML20198H873 ML20198H889
References
70-7001-98-17, EA-98-556, NUDOCS 9812300047
Download: ML20198H873 (3)

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D - h=r 21, 1998 ,

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- EA 98-556

.Mrc J. H. Miller Vice President- Production United States Enrichment Corporation ,

Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive

. Bethesda, MD 20817

SUBJECT:

NRC INSPECTION REPORT 70-7001/98017(DNMS)

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Dear Mr. Miller:

l- ~On November 30,1998, the NRC completed a routine resident inspection at your Paducah  !

l Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of the inspection. During j l:

. the period covered by the inspection report, the conduct of activities at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant was generally adequate. l 1

Based on the results of this inspection, one apparent violation was identified and is being l considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement of L Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions" (Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600, Revision 1; The apparent violation occurred on October 17,1998, when the Number 1 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 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 November 30. You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our

! deliberations on this matter and offered the opportunity for a predecisional enforcement L conference, if a conference is necessary, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter, and its j enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

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PDR l

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i J. Miller We will gladly discuss any questions you have concerning these observations. j Sincerely, t

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

Enclosure:

Inspection Report 70-7001/98017(DNMS) l cc w/ encl: 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 and 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

!- DOCUMENT NAME: G:\SEC\ PAD 98017.DNM

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To receive a copy of this document, Indicate in the box:"C" = Co)y without enclosure *E"= Copy with enclosure"N"= No co >y OFFICE Rlli oil / Rlll:DNMS , , l NAME O'Brien:ib /T'[/ Caniano @

DATE 13$; /98 @' 12/1A/98 I 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY

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J. Miller Distribution:

Docket File'w/enct PUBLIC IE-07 w/enci J. Lieberman, OE w/enci N. Mamish, OE w/enci J. Goldberg, OGC w/enci E. Ten Eyck, NMSS w/enci R. Pierson, NMSS w/enct P. Ting, NMSS w/enci W. Schwink, NMSS w/ encl P. Harich, NMSS w/enci .

M. L. Horn, NMSS w/enct J. L. Caldwell, Rill w/enci C. D. Pederson, Rlli w/enci R. J. Caniano, Rlll w/ enc!

. Rlli Enf. P.oordinator w/enci R. Bellamy, RI w/enci EJM, Ril (e-mail)

D. 8. Spitzberg, RIV/WFCO w/enci LEO (e-mail)

DOCDESK (e-mail)

Greens w/o encl 1

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