ML24318C241
| ML24318C241 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003103 |
| Issue date: | 12/11/2024 |
| From: | James Downs NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB |
| To: | Lorskulsint P Louisiana Energy Services |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24318C240 | List: |
| References | |
| EPID L-2023-LLA-0168 | |
| Download: ML24318C241 (1) | |
Text
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Paul Lorskulsint, Chief Nuclear Officer and Head of Compliance Louisiana Energy Services, LLC P.O. Box 1789 Eunice, NM 88231
SUBJECT:
LOUISIANA ENERGY SERVICES, LLC, - AMENDMENT 105, APPROVAL OF URENCO USA LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST TO RAISE THE ENRICHMENT LIMIT TO LESS THAN 10 WEIGHT PERCENT FOR LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM PLUS PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND CORRESPONDING CHANGES TO LICENSE CONDITIONS (ENTERPRISE PROJECT IDENTIFIER L-2023-LLA-0168)
Dear Paul Lorskulsint:
By letter dated November 30, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
[ADAMS] Accession No. ML23334A122), Louisiana Energy Services, LLC, dba Urenco USA (UUSA), requested the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval of a license amendment request to increase the enrichment limit in special nuclear material (SNM) license SNM-2010 from 5.5 weight (wt.) percent uranium-235 (U-235) to less than 10.0 wt. percent U-235. The NRC staff accepted the submittal for formal review by letter dated March 1, 2024 (ML24052A385). The NRC staff also reviewed the responses to the requests for additional information (ML24214A300 and ML24288A009). The NRC staff has completed its review of the submittals identified above and has found them to be acceptable.
The details associated with the NRC staff reviews are documented in the non-public Safety Evaluation Report (Enclosure 1). The NRC will release a public version of the Safety Evaluation Report in ADAMS shortly and on the NRC Public Website. Enclosure 2 contains Amendment 105 to Materials License SNM-2010 (non-public) for UUSA and Enclosure 3 contains the redacted version of Amendment 105 (public). Amendment 105 to Materials License SNM-2010 is effective immediately. The Environmental Assessment (ADAMS Accession No. ML24331A260) associated with this license amendment was published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2024.
The NRC staff grants the license amendment request to increase the enrichment limit in materials license SNM-2010 from 5.5 wt. percent U-235 to less than 10.0 wt. percent U-235 be approved. Enterprise Project Identifier number L-2023-LLA-0168 is considered closed.
Enclosures 1 and 2 transmitted by this letter contain Security Related Information. When separated from Enclosures 1 and 2, this letter, and are decontrolled.
December 11, 2024
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION P. Lorskulsint 2
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION As part of this licensing action, minor changes to Materials License SNM-2010 are being made as follow: License Condition 6B is modified by removing U-235 up to 5.5 and adding U-235 less than 10 and License Condition 32 is modified by removing (48Y and 30B) and adding (48Y, 30B, and 30B-10).
License Condition 6B is modified to increase the enrichment limit of special nuclear material to less than 10.0 wt. percent U-235.
Constraints for License Conditions 6B.and 6B.1 is also modified to stipulate that the production of material for the assay above 5.0 wt. percent limit may not be undertaken until the NRC has completed an operational readiness review.
License Condition 6B.1 is amended as follows:
6B.1 Grams of U-235 contained in uranium enriched to 10 wt. percent or more but less than or equal to 10.8 wt. percent in the U-235 isotope subject to the following additional constraints below:
Constraints for License Conditions 6B and 6B.1 URENCO USA facility (UUSA) shall not input parameters into the plant control system (PCS) to produce material for the assay above 5.0 wt. percent limit until the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has completed an operational readiness review (ORR) to verify the necessary changes have been implemented and the facility will be operated safely and in accordance with the requirements of the license. UUSA shall notify the NRC for scheduling the ORR at least 60 days prior to the planned production. UUSA shall not produce product material at or above 10 wt. percent U-235 other than in the course of cascade performance adjustments, thus providing the operational flexibility to generate material to satisfactorily fulfill customer orders up to the less than 10 wt. percent U-235 limit. UUSA shall not at any time input parameters into the PCS to produce material for the assay at or above 10 wt. percent U-235.
License Condition 8B.1, modifies UUSAs possession limits:
8B.1 Less than or equal to 10,000 grams U-235 (to be included in License Condition 8.B total)
License Condition 33 is modified by addition of the underlined text:
33.
The licensee is exempted from the specific requirement in 10 CFR Paragraph 70.24(a) requiring gamma or neutron sensitive radiation detectors in the existing Cascade Halls and proposed future Cascade Halls that are designed consistent with the halls analyzed in LAR 13-01. This exemption is also granted for Outdoor 30B Cylinder Storage Areas as discussed in LAR 17-03.
In addition, no filled 30B product cylinders containing greater than 5 wt. percent U-235 are permitted to be stored in the Outdoor Cylinder Storage Areas.
License Condition 42 is added to the License:
42.
With the exception of the Gaseous Effluent Vent System, there shall be no processing of, or storage of components exposed to, U-235 enriched from 5.5 wt. percent to less
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION P. Lorskulsint 3
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION than 10 wt. percent in any installed recycling systems or support systems, including the Ventilated Room, Decontamination Workshop, Liquid Effluent Collection and Transfer System Room, or Solid Waste Collection Room. Components that have been exposed to U-235 enriched from 5.5 wt. percent to less than 10 wt. percent shall be segregated from systems and components that have not been exposed to U-235 enriched from 5.5 wt. percent to less than 10 wt. percent.
An administrative error in the license is also being corrected. License Condition 41 was added to the license with Amendment 101 (ML24061A223), but was omitted from the license in Amendments 102, 103, and 104.
License Condition 41 is being reinserted into the license with this amendment:
41.
2 months prior to possession of special nuclear material of moderate strategic significance, UUSA will establish, maintain, and implement a maintenance, testing and calibration program to ensure that security systems and equipment are tested for operability and performance at predetermined intervals, maintained in operable condition, and are capable of performing their intended functions.
Additionally, by letter dated August 20, 2024 (ML24233A310), UUSA requested prior approval to reassign foreign obligations for its uranium inventory. The NRC staff evaluated the request and provided recommendation to the U.S. Government interagency partners, the Department of State and Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The NRCs recommendation is still under the review of the U.S. interagency partners. Until the interagency partners complete their review, License Condition SG-2.5 will be in effect.
License Condition SG-2.5 is being added as follows:
SG-2.5 Prior US Government approval is needed before foreign obligations can be reassigned from E1 to E2 material, as described in 10 CFR 74.15, Nuclear material transaction reports, and Appendix F of NUREG/BR-0006, Instructions for Completing Nuclear Material Transaction Reports.
In accordance with 10 CFR Part 2, Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) or from the Publicly Available Records component of the NRCs ADAMS. The ADAMS database is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
The PDR is open by appointment. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION P. Lorskulsint 4
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact me or Jonathan Rowley by telephone at 301-415-4053 or via email at jonathan.rowley@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, James R. Downs, Acting Chief Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 70-3103 License No. SNM-2010
Enclosures:
1.
Safety Evaluation Report (Non-public) 2.
Amended License (Non-public) 3.
Amended License (Public) cc: les@listmgr.nrc.gov Signed by Downs, James on 12/11/24
ML24318C240 (pkg); ML24318C241 (Ltr); ML24318C244 (encl 1, non-public), ML24318C242 (encl 2, non-public), ML24318C243 (encl 3)
OFFICE NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM OGC/NLO NMSS/DFM NAME JRowley JGoodridge PJehle JDowns DATE 11/19/2024 11/20/2024 12/10/2024 12/11/2024