ML20202E541
| ML20202E541 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant |
| Issue date: | 11/26/1997 |
| From: | Paperiello C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20202E530 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9712080070 | |
| Download: ML20202E541 (12) | |
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- 1 7590-01
' U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE GDP 2 FOR THE U.S.i ENRICHMENT CORPORATION PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUS!ON PLANT PORTSMOUTH, OHIO DOCKET 70 7002 The Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, has made a determination that 1 the following amendment request is not significant in accordance with 10 CFR 76.45. In making that determination, the staff concluded that: (1) there is no change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite; (2) there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure; (3) there 4
is no significant construction impact; (4) there is no significant increase in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, previously analyzed accidents; (5) the proposed changes do not result in the possibility of a new or different kind of acident; (6) there is no significant reduction in any margin of safety; and (7) the proposed changes will not result in an overall decrease in the effcetiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards, or security programs. The basis for this determination for the amendment request is described below.
The NRC staff has reviewed the certificate amendment application and concluded that it provides reasonable assurance of adequate safety, safeguards, and security and compliance with 4
NRC requirements. Therefore, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, is prepared to issue an amendment to the Certificate of Compliance for the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). The staff has prepared a Compliance Evaluation Report which provides details of the staff's evaluation.
9712080070 PDR 971126 C
ADOCK 07007002 PDR
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- 2 The NRC staff has determined that this amendment satisfies the criteria for a categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmentalimpact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for this amendment.
USEC or any person whose interest may be affected may file a petition, not cxceeding 30 pages, requesting review of the Director's Decision. The petition must be filed with the Commission not later than 15 days after publication of this Federal Reaister Notice. A petition for review of the Director's Decision shall set forth with particularity the interest of the petitioner and how that interest may be affected by the results of the decision. The petition should specifically explain the reasons why review of the Decision should be permitted with particular reference to the following factors: (1) the interest of the petitioner; (2) how that interest may be affected by the Decision, including the reasons why the petitioner should be permitted a review of the Decision; and (3) the petitioner's areas of concern about the activity that is the subject matter of the Daclsion. Any person described in this paragraph (USEC or any person who filed a petition) may file a response to any petition for review, not to exceed 30 pages, within 10 days after filing of the petition. If no petition is received within the designated 15-day period, the Director willissue the final amendment to the Certificate of Compliance without further delay. If a petition for review is received, the decision on the amendment application will become fina;in 60 days, unless the Commission grants the petition for review or otherwise acts within 60 days after publication of this Federal Reaister Notice.
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i A petition for ravlew must be filed with the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building,2120 t
L Street, NW, Washington, DC, by the above date,
< For further details with respect to the action see: (1) the application for amendment and (2) the Commission's Compliance Evaluation Report. These items are available for public l inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building,2120 L Street, NW, l Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room.
Date of amendment request: July 1,1997 Brief description of amendment: On July 1,1997, United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) submitted a request to revise issue 3 of the Plan for Achieving Compliance with NRC Regulations at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (Compliance Plan) and Chapter 3 of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR). The proposed amendment corrects statements made in Issue 3 of the Compliance Plan and Chapter 3 of the SAR which incorrectly depict the Autoclave Locking Ring Interlock System as having two redundant pressure " switches" set at +0.5 psig to prevent the autoclave from being inadvertently opened while under pressure. In fact, the autoclaves have always had only one " switch" set at +0.5 psig.
The existing Commitments section of issue 3 of the Compliance Plan states:
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, "In addition to the safety systems summarized above, the following systems and limits are present to enhance safety:
The Locking Ring Interlock contains pressure limit switches which interlock with the hydraulic system to prevent opening the autoclave shell while under pressure (above 0.5 psig). Although only ..."
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USEC has proposed to replace the phrase " pressure limit switches" with "a pressure limit I switch."
The existing Justification for Continued Operation secuon of issue 3 of the Compliance Plan states:
"4. ... alarm condition. Also, the autoclave locking ring interlock contains pressure limit switches which lock out the hydraulics to prevent the autoclaves from being opened when the internal pressure is greater than 0.5 psig. The autoclave ..."
USEC has proposed to replace the phrese " pressure limit switches which lock" with "a pressure limit switch which locks."
Accordingly, the pertinent SAR Chapter 3 sections have alto been modified to address th!s oversight made when the initial certificate application was submitted, s
PORTS uses thirteen cylindrical (6, 7, and 8 foot diameter) steam autoclaves in buildings n
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X 342, X-343 and X-344 to feed, transfer and sample UP6 cr'tained in cylinders. These autoclaves were designed and constructed in accordance with ASME Section Vill and provid s safety by confining UF6 and any reacticn products in the event of a major UF6 release irside an autoclave. Steam used to heat UF6 cylinders within autoclaves is typically contre l led at
! approximately 5 psig. This pressure differtential between the autoclave and the outside environment is maintained by way of a locking ring between the autoclave's hydraulically mobile shell and fixed head. An Autoclave Locking Ring Interlock (ALRI) system, which permits steam to be supplied to an autoclave only while it is closed, also contains a pressuro switch set at +0.5 psig, which prevents the opening of an autoclave while it has an internal pressure greater than 0.5 psig. This system protects workers, who may be located in close proximity to the autoclave, from steam burns and possible contamination, in the event an autoclave is inadvertently opened while its internal pressure is greater than 0.5 psig. This pressure switch is considered to be important to safety. The ALRI system includes another pressure switch set at -0.5 psig to prevent possible da .1 age to the autoclave hydraulic system if the autoclave is opened at a sign;ficant interna! vacuum. This pressure switch is not considered to be important to safety.
Basis for finding of no significance:
- 1. The proposed amendment will not result in a change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluent:: that may 'ce reieasco cifvite.
The ALPIis designed to protect workers, from exposures to UF6 and the products of its reaction with steam, while they are in close proximity to a closed autoclave. Such exposures could only
6 cccur following an inadvertent opening of the autoclave while it is pretsurized with UF6 and its reaction products resulting from a UF6 release accident in a closed autoclave, in addition, the ALR1 is designed to protect workers from steam burns while they are in close proximity to an inadvertently opened autoclave that was pressurized with steam.
USEC has identified the ALRI systems, including the pressure switches and control relays, as I Augmented Quality (AQ) systems. As such, USEC is required to apply a high level of quality control (portions of ASME NOA-1) as committed to in the Quality Assurance Plan. Application i
of additional QA requirements to the ALR! augments the reliability of the system (no such failure events have been reported since March 3,1997). In addition, the interlocks are fail safe in that while the autoclave is closed, an electrical interruption to the interlock would cause the pressure switch contact and the control re!ay contact to remain open, which in turn would deactivate the hydraulic system keeping the locking ring from disengaging.
The UF6 containment bounderies provided by the cylinder, pigtail and valves inside en autoclave, and steam and UF6 reaction product confinement boundaries provided by the autcclave shell and piping and valves out to and including the second containment valve, are designated as "O" systems. As such, USEC is required to apply the highest level of quality control (ASME NOA 1) to ensure that the pressure boundaries within these systems are maintained. Taking into consideration the applicable safety requirements (administrativa and installed hardwere) for preventing and/or mitigating UF6 releases associated with autoclaves, and past operational history at PORTS, the staff concludes that a major accidental release of UF6 inside a closed
- autoclave is highly unlikely. However, if such an accident were to occur, the pressure rise inside the autoclave would activate the autoclave containment system and the operators would
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be promptly alerted. Small releases of UF6 are also unlikely to occur in a closad autoclave.
However, in the event of a small release, the condensate conductivity monitoring cells, which are not considered as important to safety but rather as enhancements to safety, would also activate the autoclave containment system and the operators would be promptly alerted.
t The staff has concluded that having a single pressure switch in the ALRI set at +0.5 psig, l
which has always been the operating condition at PORTS, as opposed to having redundant pressure switches, which is indicated in USEC's Compliance Plan and SAR approved by the NRC, will not significantly increase the risk of an inadvertent release of UF6, or of the products of its reaction with steam, from the autoclave. Therefore, this amendment will not result in a significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite.
- 2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase in individual or I - cumulative occupational rcdiation exposure.
For the reasons provided in the assessment of criterion 1, the proposed amendment wiR not significantly increase the risk of a UF6 release. Therefore, having a sirale pressure switch in the ALR1 set at +0.5 psig, as opposed to having redundant pressure switches, will not result in a significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposures.
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- 3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant construction impact.
The proposed amendment does not involve any construction, therefore, there will be no i
8 construction impacts.
- 4. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase in the potential for, or I
radiological or chemical consequences from, previously analyzed accidents.
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For the reasons provided in the assessment of criterion 1, the proposed amendment will not significantly increase the risk of a release of UF6 or of the products of its reaction with I
steam. Therefore, having a single pressure switch in the ALRI set at +0.5 psig, as opposed to having redundant pressure switches, will not result in a significant increase in the potential i
l for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, previously analyzed accidents.
- 5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a new or different kind of accident.
Based on the staff's review of the propoself amendment, no new or different accidents were identified.
- 6. The proposed amendment will not result in a tignificant reduction in any margin of safety.
For the reasons provided in the assessment of criterion 1, the proposed amendment will not significantly increase the risk of a release of UF6 or of the products of its reaction with steam. Based on the staff's review of the proposed amendrnent, the staff concludes that there will be no significant reduction of any margin of safety.
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- 7. The proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards, or security programs. l For similar reasons provided in the assessment of criterion 1, the proposed amendment will not significantly increase the risk of a release of UF6 or of the products of its reaction with steam, in addition, the staff has not identified any criticality related implications from the proposed amendment. Based on the staff's review of the proposed amendment, the staff concludes that there will be no W., crease in the effectiveness of the overall plant's safety program.
The staff has not identified any safeguards or security related implications from the proposed amendment. Therefore, the proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of the plant's safeguards or security programs.
10 Effective date: The amendment to GDP 2 will become effective 5 days after issuance by NRC.
l Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-2: The amendment will revise the Compliance Plan and the SAR.
Local Public Document Room location: Portsmouth Public Library,1220 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.
l Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this k day of
- 1997.
FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Original Signed By Carl J.' Paperiello, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards DISTRIBUTION:
Docket 70-7002 NRC FILE CENTER PUBLIC NMSS r/f NMSS Dir. Off. r/f FCSS r/f SPB r/f K'OBrien, Rlll: CCox WSchwink, FCOB PHiland, Rlli DHartland, Rlll
'SEE PREVIOUS CONCURHENCE OP/ PROOFED /NOVERASER 28,1997 OFC SFB' 'SPB 'SPB' SPB' FCSS*
NM%j /_)
NAME YFaraz:ij DHoadley '
DMartin RPierson ETenEyck - CPaperielle DATE 11/24/97 11/21/97 11/24/97 11/24/97 11/24/97
/ /97 // //O97 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = NO COPY t G:\AMD10FR.POR OI:FICIAL RECORD COPY
,, ,, 10 i'
Ef fective date:
The amerrJment to GDP-2 will becomo effective 30 days after issuance by NRb.
Certificate of Compliance No. GDP 2: The amendment wi!! revise the Co liance Plan and the SAR.
Local Public Document Room location: Portsmouth Public ibrary,1220 Gallia Street, Portsmout, Ohio 45662.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this day o' 1997.
F THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Carl J. Paperiello, Director ^
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards ISIRIBUIlON:
Docket 70 7002 NRC FILE CENTER PUBLIC FCSS rif NMSS r/f NMSS Dir. Off. r/f SPB r/f K'OBrien, Rill CCox WSchwink, FCOB PHiland, Rlli DHartland, Rlli OFC SPB I 'SPB SPB. SPk -' FCS NMSS NAME YFaraz DHoadley tin ETen yck CPaperiello DATE tt /24/97 / /97
///2///97 /t /1f/97 / /97 l/ 6 /97 / /97 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = NO COPY G:\AMD10FR.POR OFFICIAL RECORD COPY ////fi/ d.
, . . 11 Effective date: The amendment to GDP-2 will become effective 30 days after issuance by NRC, Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-2: Amendment will revise the Complia7ce an and the SAR.
Local Public Document Room location: Portsmouth Public Library, 220 Gallia Street, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this day of 97.
FOR THE CLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION rl J. Paperiello, Director Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards OlS UIlON:
Doc et 70-7002 NRC FILE CENTER PUBLIC NMSS :/f NMSS Dir. Off. r/f F S r/f SPB r/f K'OBrien, Rlli CCox Schwink, FCOB PHiland, Rlli DHartland, Rlli O SPB E SSPB b SPB SPB FCSS NMSS
!NAME YF :ij Hoadley DMartin RPierson ETenEyck CPaperiulo DATE if /fo/97 b /9/97 / /97 / /97 / /97 / /97 / /97 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = NO COPY G:\AMD10FR.POR OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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