ML25198A228
| ML25198A228 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Framatome ANP Richland |
| Issue date: | 07/24/2025 |
| From: | Eric Michel NRC/RGN-II/DFRSS/FOB2 |
| To: | Vance B Framatome |
| References | |
| IR 2025002 | |
| Download: ML25198A228 (6) | |
Text
Brian Vance Site Manager Framatome 2101 Horn Rapids Road Richland, WA 99354
SUBJECT:
FRAMATOME - CORE INSPECTION REPORT 07001257/2025002
Dear Brian Vance:
This letter refers to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection activities conducted from April 1 to June 30, 2025, for the Framatome facility. On April 30, 2025, the NRC completed an inspection at Framatome and discussed the results of this inspection with members of your staff. The results of this inspection are documented in the enclosed report.
No violations of more than minor significance were identified during this inspection.
This letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be made available for public inspection and copying at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html and at the NRC Public Document Room in accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations 2.390, Public Inspections, Exemptions, Requests for Withholding.
Sincerely, Eric C. Michel, Chief Fuels Oversight Branch 2 Division of Fuels, Radiological Safety, and Security Docket No. 07001257 License No. SNM-1227
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/ encl: Distribution via LISTSERV July 23, 2025 Signed by Michel, Eric on 07/23/25
SUNSI Review X
Non-Sensitive
Sensitive X
Publicly Available
Non-Publicly Available OFFICE RII/DFRSS RII/DFRSS NAME Cynthia Taylor Eric C. Michel DATE 07/23/25 07/23/25
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Inspection Report Docket Number:
07001257 License Number:
SNM-1227 Report Number:
07001257/2025002 Enterprise Identifier: I-2025-002-0031 Licensee:
Framatome Facility:
Framatome Location:
Richland, WA Inspection Dates:
April 28, 2025, to April 30, 2025 Inspectors:
G. Goff, Fuel Facilities Inspector J. Raudabaugh, Fuel Facilities Inspector K. Sullivan, Fuel Facilities Inspector Approved By:
Eric C. Michel, Chief Fuels Oversight Branch 2 Division of Fuels, Radiological Safety, and Security
2
SUMMARY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees performance by conducting a core inspection at Framatome, in accordance with the fuel cycle facility inspection program. This is the NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of licensed fuel cycle facilities. Refer to https://www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac.html for more information.
List of Violations No violations of more than minor significance were identified.
Additional Tracking Items None.
3 PLANT STATUS The Framatome facility converts uranium hexafluoride (UF6) into uranium dioxide (UO2) for the fabrication of low-enriched fuel assemblies used in commercial light water reactors. During the inspection period, normal production activities were ongoing.
INSPECTION SCOPES Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. Inspections were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2600, Fuel Cycle Facility Operational Safety and Safeguards Inspection Program. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.
FACILITY SUPPORT 88051 - Evaluation of Exercises and Drills The inspectors observed and evaluated the licensees graded biennial exercise conducted on April 30, 2025, as well as briefings and critiques involving both onsite and offsite participants, to verify compliance with 10 CFR 70.32(i), the Emergency Plan, and Chapter 9 of the license application. The scenario included a fire, an explosion, a deflagration, an airborne release of radioactive materials, personnel injuries, and a personnel fatality.
Exercise Planning (IP Section 02.01)
The inspectors reviewed the emergency exercise scenario, discussed the exercise objectives with licensee personnel, observed controller and pre-exercise briefings, and walked down the plant areas before the exercise to verify compliance with the Emergency Plan, Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures, and 10 CFR 70.32(i). The inspectors reviewed or inspected the following:
exercise packet, which included exercise objectives details related to the scenario controller messages and injects exercise rules and expectations frequency of exercises conducted by the licensee scenario as it related to testing all elements of the Emergency Plan including probability pre-staging of equipment in preparation for the exercise duties and responsibilities for exercise personnel including controllers, evaluators, and observers confidentiality of the scenario and objectives
4 Exercise Execution and Emergency Plan Implementation (IP Section 02.02)
The inspectors observed the initiation of the emergency exercise; the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC); assembly of the plant emergency response team (PERT) and plant emergency response management team (PERMT) and reviewed offsite dose assessments to verify compliance with the Emergency Plan, Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures, and 10 CFR 70.32(i). The inspectors reviewed the following:
licensees analysis of plant conditions including assessment and classification of the accident scenario within the time allotment staffing for all EOC positions protective action recommendations (PARs) implemented by the EOC drafting of offsite notifications including a review of content and time of issuance onsite communication to occupational workers as it related to PARs occupational workers participation in protective actions and the process to conduct personnel accountability Emergency Director command and control of the EOC Incident Commander command and control of the scene including PERT and coordination of actions with offsite emergency responders dose assessor use of applicable Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) and Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis (RASCAL) software for dose assessment, radiation survey results, environmental monitoring results during the accident scenario recommendations regarding conditions for terminating the event and restarting normal operations recovery and re-entry recommendations implemented by the EOC members of the PERT and PERMT assembly at designated assembly areas and the arrival of offsite emergency responders including fire, EMT, and police PERT's and fire department actions including search and rescue activities for casualties and assessment of the affected area response to emerging situations to address the exercise scenario and meet the exercise objectives Critiques, Exercise Control, and Identification and Resolution of Problems (IP Section 02.03)
The inspectors observed the staff critiques of the emergency exercise and reviewed the licensees related corrective action program entries to verify compliance with the Emergency Plan, Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures, and 10 CFR 70.32(i). The inspectors reviewed the following:
critiques conducted by the licensee such as "hotwash" shortly after the exercise and evaluator inputs after the hotwash documented deficiencies identified during critiques including items planned for entry into the licensees corrective action program INSPECTION RESULTS No issues were identified.
5 EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS The inspectors confirmed that proprietary information was controlled to protect from public disclosure.
On April 30, 2025, the inspectors presented the core inspection results to Lance Stephens and other members of the licensee staff.
6 DOCUMENTS REVIEWED Inspection Procedure Type Designation Description or Title Revision or Date After Action Report for Framatome Richland Facility Emergency Field Exercise Conducted on April 26, 2023 09/06/2023 Corrective Action Documents CR-2023-1241 Corrective actions from 2023 NRC evaluated, biennial emergency exercise 04/26/2023 Corrective Action Documents Resulting from Inspection CR 2025-1417 Corrective actions from 2025 NRC evaluated, biennial emergency exercise 2025 Emergency Plan Exercise - Final Controller Meeting 04/29/2025 US NRC Inspector Reference Material - NRC-Evaluated Emergency Plan Exercise Inspection 02/27/2025 E08-01-1.0 Emergency Plan Version 17.0 Miscellaneous E10-08-008 SNM-1227 - Chapter 8 - Emergency Management Version 2.1 E08-03-1.1 Classifying an Emergency Version 9 E08-03-3.1 Plant Emergency Director Version 14 E08-03-3.8 PERT Incident Commander Version 9.0 E08-03-6.3 Personnel Monitoring Version 5.0 E08-03-6.5 Chemical Spill Response Plan Version 9.0 E08-03-8.7 Emergency Action Guides Version 5.0 SOP-40052 Treatment of Injuries Version 12.0 88051 Procedures SOP-41159 HST Incident Response Version 4.0