ML20202B537

Forwards Insp Rept 70-7002/97-13 on 971208-980109.Twelve Apparent Violations Involving Deficiencies in Nuclear Criticality Safety Program as Characterized by non-rigorous Definition of Overall Program Being Considered for EA

ML20202B537
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Issue date:	02/04/1998
From:	Pederson C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
Shared Package
ML20202B540	List: ML20202B537 ML20202B551
References
70-7002-97-13, EA-98-012, EA-98-12, NUDOCS 9802120042
Download: ML20202B537 (3)

Text

Y February 4, 1998 EA 98 012 Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President - Production United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 StJBJECT: NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION OF THE NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY  :

PROGRAM AT THE PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT-INSPECTION REPORT 070-07002/97013 (DNMS)

Dear Mr. Miller,

This refers to a special team inspection conducted by Messrs, K, G. O'Brien, R. G. Krsek, and J. R. Davis, of the NRC, and Ms S. Larson, an NRC contractor, on December 8,1997, through January 9,1998 The inspection included a review of activities authorized for your Portsmouth Gaseous Diffus'on Plant, At the conclusion of the inspection, the findings were discussed with ,

those members of your staff identified in the enclosed report.

The purpose of the inspection was to determine whether activities authorized by your certificate were conducted safely and in accordance with NRC requirements. Areas examined during the inspection are identified in the report. Within these areas, the inspection team assessed the

- adequacy of your staff's implementation of nuclear criticality safety controls for a uranium deposit '

/

in excess of the minimum critical mass. In addition, your staff's root cause evaluations of and corrective actions in response to several other nuclear criticality safety issues were reviewed, as {J i

well as, the effectiveness of other aspects of tne nuclear criticality safety program. ,[ .

Based on the results of this inspection, twelve apparent violations were identified and are being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions"(Enforcement Policy), NUREG-1600. The first apparent violation involves a failure to implement defined nuclear criticality safety controls for a uranium deposit that was in excess of the minimum critical mass for the enrichment present.

The remaining apparent violations involve deficiencies in your nuclear criticality safety program as characterized by a non-rigorous definition and implementation of the overall program, ineffective independent and line self assessment processes, and ineffective root cause evaluations of and corrective actions foridentified issues. Accordingly, no Notice of Victation is presently being issued for these inspection findings. In addition, please be advised that the number and characterization of apparent violations described in the enclosed inspection report may cnange as a result of further NRC review.

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J. H. Miller -2 February 4, 1998 As a part of the special team inspection, your immediate and interim correctiva actions for the recent nuclear criticality safety issues, as documented in several correspondence with the NRC between November 10,1997, and January 13,1998, were reviewed. The corrective actions, as proposed and implemented to date, appeared to be adequate pending the completion of your comprehensive root cause evaluation for the recent issues and subsequent modifications, as necessary, in addition, your short-toim corrective actions have identified a number of NRC reportable events at both Portsmouth and Paducah. We will review your response to the recent events and compare the as-found conditions to the original compliance plan, A public predecisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations has been -

scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (CST), on February 19,1998, in the NRC Region 111 Offices in Lisle,

- Illinois The decision to hold an enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. The conference is being he'd to discuss the apparent violations, their causes and safety significance; to provide you the opportunity to point out any errors in our inspection report; and to provide an opportunity for you to present your proposed corrective actions, in particular, we expect you to address the status of your comprehensive root cause evaluation, the revised corrective action plan, and any recent issues which may have arisen as a result of your corrective actions implementation. In addition, this predecisional enforcement conference is an opportunity for you to provide any information concoming your perspectives on 1) the severity of the violation (s), _

. 2) the application of the factors that the NRC considers when it determines the amount of a civil penalty that may be assessed in accordance with Section VI.B.2 of the Enfwcoment Policy, and

3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise of discretion in accordance with Section Vll. - You will be advised by separate correspondence of <

the results of our deliberations on this matter, No response regarding the apparent violations highlighted in the report is required at this time, j In accordance with 10 CFR 2,790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter and its

- enclosure will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.

Sincerely,

/s/ C. D. Pederson Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Nuclear Materials safety Docket No. 070-07002 Certificate No. GDP-02

Enclosures:

1. Inspection Report 070-07002/97013(DNMS) 2._ Enforcement Policy: Section V, "Predecisional Enforcement Conferences" See Attached Distribution

DOCUMENT NAME: G: SEC\POR97013.DNM

- T= seeelve e eee r of this desunennt. Indisete b, the bes: *C* = Copy without ettechtmot/ enclosure 'E' = Copyhh attachment /eractosure *N* = No copy n 0FFICE RIII )_lE RIII lC NMSSc#f.Tl2 NMSS,#"" 16 RIII 3 6 HIF NAME OBri%iWdr Hiland 94 Troskoski'dv^ Ting %x^ (Claytog-W PederGn DATE- 025/98 02/4/98 02/9/98 02i4/98 DMV 02/4 /98- 'i 02/4/98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

. - _ _________ - _ _ _ _J

J. H. Miller -3 February 4, 1998 cc w/encls: S. A. Polston, Paducah General Manager J. B. Morgan, Acting Portsmouth General Manager R. W. Gaston, Portsmouth Nuclear Regulatory Affairs Manager S. A. Toelle, Manager, Nuclear Regulatory Assurance and Policy, USEC Paducah Resident inspector Office .

Portsmouth Resident inspector Office E. W. Gillespie, Portsmouth Site Manager, DOE bec w/encis: J, Lieberman, OE J. Goldberg, OGC E. Ten Eyck, NMSS R. Pierson, NMSS W. Schwink, NMOS Y. H. Faraz, Project Manager-Portsmouth, NMSS P. Harich, NMSS R. Bellamy, RI E. McAlpine, Ril F. Wenslawski, RIV/WCFO m

- Distribution K UBLIC (IE 07) w/encls R. J. Canlano, Rlli w/encls OCFoltARFB w/encls Riti Enf. Coordinator w/encls A. B. Beach, Rlli w/encls CAA1 w/encls J. L. Caldwell, Rllt w/encls DOCDESK w/encls

- -______________.