ML20202C965

Requests Facility to Provide in Writing short-term & long-term Corrective Action Plan for Nuclear Criticality Safety Program.Progress of Corrective Actions Will Be Monitored

ML20202C965
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Issue date:	12/01/1997
From:	Pederson C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
References
NUDOCS 9712040109
Download: ML20202C965 (3)

Text

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o December ~1, 1997 Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President - Production United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817

SUBJECT:

CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN FOR THE PORTSMOUTH GDP NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY PROGRAM

References:

a. November 5,1997 USEC letter to NRC (GDP 97 2027)

b. November 7,1997 USEC letter to NRC (GDP 97 2028)

c. November 10,1997 USEC letter to NRC (GDP 97 2030)

Dear Mr. Miller:

On November 3,1997, you identified that nuclear criticality safety approval (NCSA) controls were not properly implemen:ed for fifteen cells in the enrichment cascade at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). Additionally, sever 61 events have been reported since then concerning the loss of nuclear criticality safety controls.

On November 4,1997, a teleconference was held between the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) and NRC to address the current issues regarding the nuclear criticality safety program at PORTS. NRC considered the recent events to be significant onough to request that your staff provide to NRC, in wri ting, your short term and long term Corrective Action Plan for your nuclear criticality safety program. Upon issuance of your Corrective Action Plans (GDP 97 2028 and GDP 97 2030), teleconferences between USEC and NRC were held November 12 and 18,1997, to clarify your plans, and to discuss the current safety status of PORTS.

The Plan for Achieving Compliance with NRC Regulations at the Portsmouth Gaseous l Diffusion Plant (DOE /ORO 2027), included issue 9, " Nuclear Criticality Safety Approval implementation," which stated in part that there were inconsistencies between the specifications in NCSAs and the supportiry implemantation proc.edures and work sito postings. The known inconsistencies were characterized as minor amt uities, small discrepancies in dimensions, and variances in format or location of postings. Your Compliance Plan Quarterly Update (GDP 97 0158), dated September 12,1997, indicated that the actions necessary to bring PORTS into compliance with all NCSAs had been successfully completed.

I Since March 3,1997, about 300 problem reports were identified by your staff and NRC f) l has identified ten instances of non-ccmpliance with NCSA controls at PORTS, as documented in our inspection reports and accompanying Notices of Violation. As a result l

9712040109 971201 PDR ADOCK 07007002 C ppR -

m J. Miller 2-of recent NRC inspection find;ngs, your staff has become more sensitive to the proper implementation of '.he nuclear critica'ity safety program. NRC believes the recent discoveries regarding your implementation deficiencies in the PORTS nuclear criticality safety program coupled with the identified violations are indicative of inadequate implementation of NCS requiraments and commitments.

in order to assure NRC has an accurate understanding of your corrective action commitments, as discussed between Mr. Ron Gaston of your staff and Mr. Pat Hiland of my staff via telecon on November 21,1997, we are requesting that you submit, within ten working days of the date of this letter, a revised Corrective Action Plan which integrates your November 7 and 10,1997 co:respondence (GDP-97 2028 and GDP 97 2030). Additionally, the revised plan shallincorporate the specific commitments, including schedules and completion dates, made by your staff during the teleconferences held on November 12 and 18,1997, in addition, we request that in your correspondence you identify those areas involving the initial development of the nuclear criticality safety evaluations /NCSAs and the implementation of NCSA requirements in the field, where additional corrective or compensatory actions may be warranted. In this regard, particular ettention should be directed toward any interim compensatory measures that you deem warranted to assure that management and staff, especially those principally responsible for operational safety features and particularly for those involving single contingency systems, understand their responsibilities and are implementing the controls in accordance with management's expectations. We also request that you describe and provide supporting justification for any interim compensatory actions which you rely upon until your long term corrective act;ons become fully effective in correcting root causes and preventing the recurrence of similar nuclear criticality safety problems.

We will monitor the progress of your corrective actions thrcugh our field inspections.

Should you have any questions or concerns with the commitments described in this letter, please contact Patrick Hiland of my staff at (630) 829 9603.

Sincerely, Original Signed by Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 70-7002 Certif cate No GDP-2 DOCUMENT NAME: G:\SEC\PORTSCRT.LTR T. ,=. . ., ., m. soewn.nunu i. in ui. bo. c . coey wnw nuw.nce t . cm ww en.cw.nce v . No copy OFFICE Rill:DNMS 6 HQ:NMSS U Rlll:DNM$f NAME Hiland:k}c:ihh 2 Ten Eyck M h Pederson DATE 12/t /97 12///97 12/I/97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

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J. H. Miller 3-cc: R. Gaston, Portsmouth GDP R. DeVault, DOE /ORNL 1

bbc: A. 8. Beach, hill  !

J. L. Caldwell, Rill {

D. J. Hertiend, Portsmo.sth NRC Resident Office  ;

K. G. O'Brien, Paducah NRC Resident Office R. C. Pierson, NMSS P. Ting, NMSS ,

PUBLIC (IE 07) l L