ML23255A178

Amendment 19 Approval of Uranium Purification and Conversion Services (U-Metal Project) (Enterprise Project Identifier L-2021-LLA-0213)

ML23255A178
Person / Time
Site:	Erwin
Issue date:	11/07/2023
From:	Lav S NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB
To:	Knowles T Nuclear Fuel Services
Shared Package
ML23255A177	List: ML23255A178 ML23255A179 ML23255A182
References
EPID L-2021-LLA-0213
Download: ML23255A178 (4)

Text

OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 November 7, 2023 Timothy Knowles, Director Safety and Safeguards Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.

1205 Banner Hill Road Erwin, TN 37650

SUBJECT:

AMENDMENT 19 - APPROVAL OF URANIUM PURIFICATION AND CONVERSION SERVICES (U-METAL PROJECT) (ENTERPRISE PROJECT IDENTIFIER L-2021-LLA-0213)

Dear Timothy Knowles:

In accordance with your license amendment request related to the uranium purification and conversion services (U-metal project), which was transmitted by letter dated November 18, 2021 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS]

Accession No. ML21327A099), as supplemented by two letters dated February 24, 2022 (ML22066B006 and ML22069A315), two letters dated January 31, 2023 (ML23041A235 and ML23040A067), a letter dated August 25, 2023 (ML23244A053), and page changes received on April 19, 2023 (ML23251A224) and September 15, 2023 (ML23258A073), and pursuant to Part 70 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Materials License SNM-124 is hereby amended to approve the associated revision to the Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) license application.

The review of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is documented in the enclosed safety evaluation report and in the Environmental Assessment dated October 26, 2023 (ML23299A062). Pursuant to 10 CFR Part 70, Materials License SNM-124 is hereby amended to add Condition S-9 as follows:

S-9 Introduction of special nuclear material into the new portions of the processes to be used for U-metal services shall not occur until the NRC provides written notice to the licensee that the NRC has completed an operational readiness review. The operational readiness review will verify whether: (1) commitments in the amendment request have been fulfilled; (2) management measures for IROFS have been implemented; (3) the new processes have been constructed in accordance with design requirements and startup plans reflect as-built conditions; and (4) other actions necessary for safe operations are complete, including but not limited to: (a) the process safety information and integrated safety analysis summaries are updated for all nodes of the U-metal services to reflect final design, including those nodes that are not part of the license amendment application; (b) the items relied on for safety are fully defined (e.g.,

completed boundary packages) and based on as-built conditions (e.g., set points Documents transmitted by this letter contain Security-Related Information. When separated from Enclosures 2 & 3, this letter and Enclosures 1 and 4 are decontrolled.

OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION

OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION T. Knowles 2 established); (c) the plans referenced in the license (e.g., Fundamental Nuclear Material Control Plan, physical protection plans, emergency plan) are updated and appropriately documented, in accordance with the applicable provisions of 10 CFR 70.32, to reflect the as-built conditions and any changes needed for U-metal services; (d) the material control and accounting controls, as specified in the updated Fundamental Nuclear Material Control Plan and applicable to the U-metal services, are in place; and (e) the license amendment to update financial assurance instruments for the decommissioning of U-metal services has been approved by the NRC staff.

All other license conditions shall remain the same.

Furthermore, the NRC staff approves the estimate of $16,054,655 for the cost of decommissioning of the U-metal project. We request that you submit the following documents within 30 days of the date of this letter:

• Signed originals of the financial instruments that guarantee the funds,

• An updated certification of financial assurance, and

• Any changes needed to Chapter 10, Decommissioning, of your license application.

The enclosures to this letter provide the amended Materials License SNM-124 and the safety evaluation report from the review of the license amendment request. The letter concludes action on this application and Enterprise Project Identifier (EPID) L-2021-LLA-0213 is now CLOSED. A new EPID will be assigned for the review and approval of the updated financial assurance instruments and certification of financial assurance.

Enclosures 2 and 3 contain sensitive security-related information. Accordingly, it is marked as Official Use Only, and is withheld from public disclosure. When separated from Enclosures 2 and 3, this letter and Enclosures 1 and 4 are decontrolled and publicly available, in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRCs "Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure."

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter and Enclosures 1 and 4 will be available for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) or electronically from the publicly available records component of ADAMS. The PDR is currently open Monday-Friday by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, you may submit your request to the PDR via email at PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The ADAMS database is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION

OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION T. Knowles 3 If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact James Downs of my staff at 301-415-7744, or via email to: James.Downs@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Lav, Samantha on 11/07/23 Samantha C. Lav, Chief Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No.70-143 License No. SNM-124

Enclosures:

1. Amendment 19 to Materials License SNM-124

2. Amendment 19 to Materials License SNM-124 (Non-Public)

3. Safety Evaluation Report (Non-Public)

4. Safety Evaluation Report cc: nfs@listmgr.nrc.gov OFFICIAL USE ONLY SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION

ML23255A177 (Pkg), ML23255A178 (Letter),

ML23255A179 (Enclosure 1), ML23255A180 (Enclosure 2 - non-public),

ML23255A181 (Enclosure 3 - non-public), ML23255A182 (Enclosure 4)

OFFICE NMSS/DFM/FFLB/PM NMSS/DFM/FFLB/LA NMSS/DFM/FFLB/PM NAME JDowns JGoodridge JDowns DATE 09/14/2023 09/15/2023 10/04/2023 OFFICE OGC/LHE/MFW NMSS/DFM/FFLB/PM NMSS/DFM/FFLB/BC NAME KRoach JDowns SLav DATE 11/25/2023 11/06/2023 11/07/2023