ML21085A211
| ML21085A211 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07109330 |
| Issue date: | 03/26/2021 |
| From: | Pierre Saverot Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch |
| To: | Christopher Regan Division of Fuel Management |
| Shared Package | |
| ML21085A213 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2021-LLA-0020 | |
| Download: ML21085A211 (4) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 March 26, 2021 MEMORANDUM TO: Christopher Regan, Deputy Director Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Signed by Saverot, Pierre FROM: Pierre Saverot, Project Manager on 03/26/21 Storage and Transportation Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MARCH 11, 2021 MEETING WITH ORANO FEDERAL SERVICES LLC
Background
On March 11, 2021, a Category 1 public meeting was held by video conference between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives from ORANO Federal Services, LLC, DOE, NNSA, SRNL, and INL to discuss the transport of low enriched uranium (LEU) research reactor fuel elements in the Model No. ATR-FFSC package.
The March 11, 2021, meeting was noticed on February 22, 2021 (ML21053A089). The meeting attendance list and public presentation are provided as Enclosure Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
Discussion The Model No. ATR-FFSC package is an insulated stainless-steel package designed for the transport of unirradiated research reactor fuel, including intact fuel elements or fuel plates. Air transport of fuel elements or loose plates is authorized. All payloads have a Type A fissile quantity, and most are high enriched uranium (HEU) material.
DOE is preparing an amendment request for new contents, i.e., LEU fuel elements (ATR, MIT, MURR prototype elements) enriched up to 20% U235, as well as for design demonstration elements (DDE) with a fissile mass and element weight being bounded by their associated LEU prototype elements; only the DDE end fittings are different from the prototype elements.
CONTACT: Pierre Saverot 301-415-7505
C. Regan 2 Because LEU fuel elements are heavier than HEU elements, two new fuel handling enclosures are required, and new licensing drawings for those enclosures will be provided in the application. The applicant explained the licensing approach that will be used for the criticality analysis, in line with what had been accepted by the NRC staff in previous revisions of the certificate of compliance (CoC), i.e., the fuel mass will be maximized (beyond tolerances) while the non-fuel material will be minimized; credit will be taken for restricting the movement of fuel plates in accordance with the existing HEU analysis; all available space will be filled with variable-density moderator, etc. This classic licensing approach did not elicit any specific comment from staff. Staff only said that it was not familiar with the use of the Whisper module for the USL calculation.
The structural chapter of the application will not be modified because there is no change in either the packaging or the weight of the payload, and assumptions used for post-HAC plate configuration are highly conservative. The applicant explained that the effect of the HAC fire on the balsa wood will be considered in the thermal chapter and that it will show that the pressure increase is negligible.
Staff concluded the meeting by noting that the Model No. ATR-FFSC has already been reviewed multiple times (the current CoC is under Revision No. 14) and that the DOE requested date of December 2021 for the issuance of the revision No. 15 of the CoC appears achievable.
Staff made no regulatory commitment during the meeting.
Docket No. 71-9330 EPID L-2021-LLA-0020
Enclosures:
- 1. Meeting Attendees Presentation
Meeting Between ORANO FEDERAL SERVICES LLC and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission March 11, 2021 Meeting Attendees NRC/NMSS/DFM Pierre Saverot Jeremy Smith Bernard White ORANO FEDERAL SERVICES Phil Noss Rich Smith Erik Gonsiorowski INL Eric Woolstenhulme Don Darrington DOE Larry Gelder Michael McAnulty NNSA Brian Waud Scott Ravenhill Brett Cox SRNL Mike Cercy Enclosure 1
ML21085A213; Memo ML21085A211 OFFICE NMSS/DFM/STLB NMSS/DFM/STLB NMSS/DFM/STLB NAME SFigueroa SF JMcKirgan JM PSaverot PS DATE Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021 Mar 26, 2021