ML20247L061

Forwards Insp Rept 70-7002/98-05 on 980309-0508 & Notice of Violation.Purpose of Insp Was to Determine Whether Activities Authorized by License Were Conducted Safely & IAW NRC Requirements

ML20247L061
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Issue date:	05/18/1998
From:	Pederson C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
Shared Package
ML20247L066	List: ML20247L061 ML20247L071 ML20247L075
References
70-7002-98-05, 70-7002-98-5, EA-98-249, EA-98-250, EA-98-251, NUDOCS 9805220305
Download: ML20247L061 (3)

Text

i .

3 May 18, 1998 EA 98-249;98-250; 98-251 ,

i Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President- Production i United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817

SUBJECT:

NRC INSPECTION REPORT 70-7002/98005(DNMS) AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION

Dear Mr. Miller:

Between March 9 and May 8,1998, the NRC completed a routine resident and Regional specialist inspection at your Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The enclosed report presents the results of both of these inspections.

The purpose of the inspections was to determine whether activities authorized by your license were conducted safely and in accordance with NRC requirements. Areas examined during the inspections are identified in the report.

Based on the results of these inspections, seven apparent violations were identified and are .

being considered for escalated enforcement action in accordance with the " General Statement i of Policy and Procedure for NRC Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy)," NUREG-1600.

The seven apparent violations involve four issues. First, two apparent violations were identified regarding the control of plant components that contain uranium deposits greater-than-safe-mass. Second, three apparent violations were identified regarding the maintenance, testing, i and operation of an autoclave with a safety valve actuator installed backwards. Third, an apparent violation was identified regarding the maintenance and surveillance activities associated with air operated safety valves on the autoclaves. The fourth issue is an apparent violation involving exceedance of possession limits for a Category ill NRC facility and raises concerns regarding the bases for the completion of Compliance Plan item A.4, and what actbns you will take in the future. Accordingly, no Notice of Violation (Notice) is presently i being issued for these seven inspection findings. In addition, please be advised that the number and characterization of apparent violations described in the enclosed inspection report may change as a result of further NRC review.

A pubt:c predecisional enforcement conference to discuss these apparent violations has been scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (CDT), on June 2,1998, in the NRC Region 111 Offices in Lisle, Illinois. 1 The decision to hold an enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined 1 l

that a violation has occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. The conference is being .

j held to obtain information such as a common understanding of the facts, root causes, missed l opportunities to identify the apparent violations sooner, corrective actions, significance of the issues and the need for lasting and effective corrective actions to enable the NRC to make an enforcement decision. During the conference, we request that you address the reasons past 9805220305 980518 l PDR ADOCK 07007002 C PDR

J. Miller l corrective actions taken for Violation 98003-01 in inspection Report 70-7002/98003(DNMS), did not prevent the recurrences identified in this report regarding the failure to implement Technical Safety Requirements for process equipment which contains uranium deposits of greater-than-safe-mass. Also, we request that you discuss the most recent as-found testing results for the air-to-close safety valves onsite. In addition, this is an opportunity for you to point out any errors in our inspection report and for you to provide any information conceming your perspectives on: 1) the severity of the violations; 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 Enforcement Policy; and,3) any other application of the Enforcement Policy to this case, including the exercise of discretion in accordance with .

~

l Section Vll. You will be advised by separate correspondence of the results of our deliberations l on this matter.

The NRC has also determined that one violation of NRC requirements had occurred during the inspection period. The violation is cited in the enclosed Notice and the circumstances surrounding the violation are described in detail in the enclosed report. The violation indicated a deficiency in your staff's implementation of the onsite training program.

You are required to respond to the one cited violation in this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice for the cited violation when preparing your response. The NRC will use your response, in part, to determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. No response regarding the apparent violations highlighted in the report is required at this time.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's " Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter,its enclosures, and your response will be placed in the NRC Public Document Rnom.

We will gladly discuss any questions you have conceming these observations.

Sincerely, Original Signed by Cynthia D. Pederson, Director Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 70-7002 l

Enclosures:

1. Notice of Violation

2. Inspection Report 70-7002/98005(DNMS)

3. Enforcement Policy: Section V "Predecisional Enforcement Conferences" See Attached Distribution DOCUMENT NAME: G:\SEC\POR98005.DNM To receive a co py of this document, Indicate in the box: "C" = Copy w/o attadt/end *E' = Copy w/ attach /end *N* = No mpy OFFICE Rlil:DNMS b/ Rlll:DNMS lV Rlli:EICS _ lf Rill:DNMS r) lF - 2c s NAME Krsek/kje (WL Hiland RW Clayton /sc.- Pedersor{7 Cl / EC)

DATE 05/11/98 I' 05/IV98 05/lf/98 05/18/98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY w__-___-_ _-__ _ -

i J. Miller cc w/encis: J. M. Brown, Portsmouth General Manager l D. B. Waters, Acting Manager, Portsmouth Regulatory Affairs l S. A. Polston, Paducah General Manager S. A. Toelle, Manager, Nucle ir Regulatory Assurance and Policy, USEC Portsmouth Resident inspector Office Paducah Resident inspector Office i R. M. DeVault, Regulatory Oversight Manager, DOE l E. W. Gillespie, Portsmouth Site Manager, DOE j 1

Distribution:

l Docket File w/encls 1 & 2 l PUBLIC IE-07 w/encls 1 & 2 .

OCFO/LFARB w/encia 1 & 2

( J. Lieberman, OE w/encls 1 & 2 l J. Goldberg, OGC w/encls 1 & 2 E. Ten Eyck, NMSS w/encls 1 & 2 R. Pierson, NMSS w/encls 1 & 2 P. Ting, NMSS w/encls 1 & 2 l W. Troskoski, NMSS w/encls 1 & 2 l P. Harich, NMSS w/encis 1 & 2 l Y. H. Faraz, NMSS w/encls 1 & 2 A. B. Beach, Rlli w/encls 1 & 2 i

J. L. Caldwell, Rlll w/encls 1 & 2 l C. D. Pederson, Rlll w/encls 1 & 2 i I

Rlll Enf. Coordinator w/encls 1 & 2

{ R. Bellamy, RI w/encls 1 & 2 l EJM, Ril (e-mail)

! F. Wenslawski, RIV/WCFO w/encls 1 & 2 ,

IEO (e-mail) I

DOCDESK (e-mail) J j Greens w/o enci l

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