ML25260A574
| ML25260A574 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/26/1978 |
| From: | James Shea NRC/OIP |
| To: | Commissioners NRC/OCM |
| References | |
| SECY-78-360F | |
| Download: ML25260A574 (1) | |
Text
October 26, 1978 SECY-78-36~F COMMISSIONER ACTION For:
From:
Thru:
Subject:
Purpose :
Discussion:
The Commissioners James R. Shea, Director Office of International Programs f Executive Director for Operations SAFEGUARDS ARRANGEMENT FOR HEU TO ROMANIA (SECY 78-360)
To request that the Commission approve issuance of export license XSNM-885, and associated conditions for pre-irradiation verification and accounting.
The staff has received the attached letter (Appendix A) from L. Nosenzo (State) in response to our letter of September 5, 1978 (Appendix B) concerning safe-guards arrangements for the highly enriched uranium proposed to be exported to Romania under license application XSNM-885.
Mr. Nosenzo states that the facility attachment for the TRIGA reactor in which this fuel is to be used has now been completed.
The letter proposes two alternative methods to ensure accounting for the fuel upon its arrival in Romania.
Under both of these alternatives, seals would be affixed to the fuel containers by the U.S. Government before their shipment from General Atomic. If IAEA seals are used, (Alternative I), the Agency would TI ONAL SECURIT'i1 FORMATlON Unautho '
ti Disclosure Subject I o SUBJECT TO GEN ERAL DECLASS!F:C.'I.T, EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652 AUTOMAT
-Al,1WQ 1.E:.8R lNTERVALS AND D
~,,minat Sanction
{insert year~
assume responsibility for accounting for the material thereafter. If US seals were used, (Alternative II),
they would be replaced with IAEA seals by an Agency inspector after arrival in Romania.
In either case, the IAEA seals would thereafter be verified by IAEA inspectors "at frequencies commensurate with the IAEA's verification objectives for the type of material on hand at the time, until the fuel is loaded into the reactor." The letter notes that GOV/1911 establishes a detection time of one to three weeks as the Agency's verification objective for a quantity of "safeguards significance" of 25 kgs U-235 in HEU, and says that it is State's understanding that the Agency plans to have its inspectors present at the time the fuel is loaded into the reactor.
The letter {Appendix A) also indicates that State is discussing with the IAEA its preference between the two alternatives, but does not explicitly say whether the Agency has accepted either of them.
In response to the staff's inquiry on this point, Hoyle (State) said that the Agency itself has proposed Alternative II, that State suggested Alternative I, and that the Agency is presently considering its preference.
The staff believes that either alternative is acceptable and would meet the concerns which the NRC has raised concerning the pre-irradiation protection of this fuel.
NMSS believes Alternative I is more straightforward and more easily administered than Alternative II,
- but has no strong preference.
Attached (Appendix C) are two recent cables which stress the urgency of prompt action on this pending export.
Recommendation:
The staff recommends:
(a) that the Commission approve a response to Mr. Nosenzo along the lines of the draft letter at Appendix D, and (b) that the Commission expeditiously authorize issuance of the export license as soon as General Atomic and the IAEA have confirmed the acceptability of either of these alternatives. The license would be conditioned upon the affixing of seals to the containers under NRC supervision prior to ship-ment from General Atomic.
(i 31 ~ ~~
~ ~* ?' ~ ~~!! ;,
' ~J -~,.1-::..i*~ Ll1.i.
Coordination:
NMSS concurs.
ELD has no legal objection.
i
/
t ~
'\
., I, '
~ ~
J
~* James R. Shea, Dir~ctor Office of International Programs
Enclosures:
- l. Appendix A -
- 2. Appendix B -
- 3. Appendix C -
- 4.
Appendix D -
Ltr from Nosenzo to Shea dtd 10/12/78 Ltr from Chainnan Hendrie t~ Nosenzo dtd 9/5/78 Cable Bucharest #7129 dtd 10/6/78 (CONF.)
Cable Vienna #9205 dtd 10/12/78 ( CONF.)
Proposed ltr to State Commissioners' comments should be provided directly to the Office of the Secretary by c.o.b. Wednesday, November 1, 1978.
Commission Staff Office comments, if any, should be submitted to the Commissioners NLT October 30, 1978, with an information copy to the Office of the Secretary. If the paper is of such a nature that it requires additional time for analytical review and comment, the Commissioners and the Secretariat should be apprised of when comments may be expected.
DISTRIBUTION Commissioners Commission Staff Offices Exec Dir for Operations Sec re ta ri at
I.AL ATOMIC COMPANY
)X 81608 EGO. CALIFORNIA 92138 55-3000 Dixon Hoyle ctor ce of Program Implementation
. 7830 rtment of State ington, D.C.
20520 Mr. Hoyle:
October 5, 1978 ccordance with our discussion yesterday, enclosed are 3 copies of drawings of fuel shipping containers and container licenses.
There be 60 of these containers shipped to Romania.
Our approximate dule is to initiate shipments starting approximately one week after ipt of the export license and making a shipment once a week for eeks.
The first 2 shipments will be of 12 containers each and will ain the 20% enriched material used in the Annular Core Pulsing Reactor.
aext 9 shipments will be in groups of 4 containers and will contain 93% enriched material used in the 14 MW reactor.
The shipment of atainers will result in less than 5 kg of HEU being shipped at any time.
ral Atomic does not have any objection to a government agency applying iditional seal to these shipping containers.
The General Atomic seal
?Plied across the bolted joint which attaches the barrel cover to
)arrel with the closure ring.
Our only condition is we will appreciate the government agency be prepared to apply the seals upon short notice 1at the fuel shipments are not unduly delayed.
Lvg Very truly yours,
~
~~Law Project Manager TRIGA Reactor Division
>sures:
IAEA Cert. of Competent Authority #9034 (3)
II II II II II 1!9037 (3)
Draw-ing #TOS396C160 (3) 11 IJTOS396C161 (3)
r\
u
~
~
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION BU~EAU WASHINGTON, 0.C. 20$90
.* :0
\.,-**.
Qi J
,,,, ~i....
1 1~\> ~r..,-r~1
~.. \1
-~.~*'" "
\ \I 1 v
!AEA CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENT AUTHOR!'!'~*... \;,*;.:,~ * -,'"' ~
l
..:_J y
,. 9 ~j:)
Fissile Radioactive Material Package -BesiV~"( ~ C,,
Certificate Number USA/:934/Af'.~~/
i:,..\)WI\\\\'\.
(Revis ion l)
- ,. -;,;/~~,.. ) ~l"r-r-
~ ~T\..,
~his establishes that the packaging design described here.~.-.,~~
loaded with the authorized radioactive contents, has been certified by the National Competent Authority of the United States as meeting the ~egulatory requirements for packaging for fissile radioactive materials as prescribed in IAEAl Regulations and SS 49 CFR 173.393a, band l73.396(b) (4) of the USA2 Regulations for the transport of radioactive materials.
- 1.
Package Identification - General Atomic Company Model TRIGA 1.
II. **Packaging Description - Packaging authorized by this certificate consists of an outer steel drum approximately 22-1/2" in diameter and 36" high, meeting the requirements of DOT Spec 6J with an inner vessel which is a 5-inch diameter schedule 40 carbon steel pipe with a threaded cap closure centered and supported by eight spacer rods with vermiculite insulation in the void between inner and outer vessel.
III. Authorized Radioactive Contents - The authorized contents consists of fissile radioactive material as clad fuel elements containing not more than 1.95 kilograms of Uranium-235 as further limited in U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Certificate 9034 (Appendix A).
Shipment is authorized as Fissile Class II with a minimum Transport Index of 2.7 assigned to each package.
IV.
General Conditions -
- a.
Each user of this certificate must have in his possession a copy of this certificate.
- b.
Each user of this certificate, other than General Atomid Company, San Diego, California shall register his identity in writing to the Office of Hazardous Materials Operations, Materials Transportation Bureau, U.S. Department of Transport~tion, Washington, D. C.
20590.
- c.
This certificate doe~ not reli~ve any consirynor or carrier from compl i ance with any requirement of the Government of any country through or into which the package is to be transported.
Certificate Number USA/9034/AF Page 2 V.
Markinq and Labelina -
The ~ackage must also Dear the marking USA/9034/AF as well as the other marking and labels prescribed by the USA Regulations.
VI.
E~piration Date - This certificate, unless renewed, expires on March 31, 1980.
This certificate is issued in accordance witb the requirements of the IAEA and USA Regulations and in response tc the April 7, 1975 and February 22, 1978 petitions by General Atomic Company, San Diego, California and in consideration of the associated inforr.,.ation provided in u. s. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Certificate 9034 (Appendix A) *
- Certified by:
A. W. G~lla Chief, Technology Division
.Office of Hazardous Materials Operations Y.aterials Transportation Bureau U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, o. c.
20590
??/a,,zd 2~ ~;,?'
(DATE) l"safety Series No. 6, Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials," 1967 Edition published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna, Austria.
2Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 100-199, USA.
Revision 1 issued to extend expiration date.
~
ld. P~!)C No.
le. lo:.r rJ'l. P, 1
2 Thi, CtTtifi(:ate is inued to s.:,tisfv Sec:tioc,s 17::l.~J.l. 17:J.3~4. 17:J.:r.>5. 11'1d 17:3.:196 of th* o~:i.,rtrn*~nt of Transoo,utio,, HJ:-Jrdo~
~tr-r~la Re<Jvl.atit1ns 149 CF R 1 i'0-1 S9 l"d 14 CF R 103!.\nd $'.C:t*ons 146-19-10J and 146-19-100 ol tl'\e OCP-ltlmenr of T 1.-inspcn:atic
. C.ngcro"' Carg~s ncgul.it,onl l46 Cr R 1.;&,-1.;'JI, u amended.
The packaging al'ld COl'\tenu d~scrib"!d in irem S betow. me-eu tht s.iftty srand;irds set iof1h in Subp.art C or Title 10. Code 01 Fe-tier.al
- RC9ul1tion,, Part 7l, -p,~~g*ng ol R.ad,oacttve '-!at:11.al 1or Transpcrt and Tr,nscion,11.on of n.ad10ac:t1w Material Under Cenaan Conditio,u:*
Thia c:ettificate d~ not ~ticw the consignor from c:ompli.ance v.itl\ anv rtQuirerTent of th: re-gulationt of the US. De0,,1rtn-:nt of T1anspot1ati0n or otl".er,apphQble re-gul.itory.igencies, includit19 tne government ol any C9untry througn or into whic:n tn1 p,icx~e
,..,;n be tr.ans~rted.
s c:ertific,ce is issu~ on tne :::as,s ot, s.,lety,~IY',is rri:,ort ol the paclc..i;1 de,ign o, a;,phauon-Prcpare-d bv (N~m. *nd *aoru1J:
(2J Title and ldentificnion of reix,,\ or 1;:;>1ia1i0n:
General Atomic Company P.O. Box 81608 General Atomic Company application <lated December 26, 1974, as supplemented.
San Diego. California 92138
-~
')
\3) Docket Humber 71-9034 INOITJONS rh:s ee-nific.atc is c:onditional ui:,on the h.1lfill;ng of the reQuirements of Subl)lrt O of 10 CFR 71 *.as-applicable. and the c:oncicions specmed n h.em S b:low.
~Q"i~ion of Pac:k..a~*ng :and Autnorizrd Conte nu, MC'ldcl Nu~r, F issiie Class, Oth~r C0nd11i011,, 11n~ Rt?!erenc:es:
(a) Packaging (1) Hodel flo.:
TR1'1A 1 (2) Description '
TRIGA fuel e1eent shipping container. The outer packagin" is fabricated to DOT Spec. 6J require~ents.
The outer dinensions are approximately 22.5 inches in riiarneter by 36 inches high.
The inner vessel is a 5-inch Schedule 40 carbon steel pipe.
Di ensions of the.
inner vessel are approxi~ately 31 inches in height with a 1/4-inch-tfiick wa11 and a 5-inch inside diaQeter. The top of the inner vessel is a threaded pipe cap and the bottom is a welcierl 1/4-inch-thick flat disc.
The inner vessel is centered and supported within the outer packaging by ei9ht 3/3-inch-diameter braced, support spacer rods.
The void bet\'tecn the inner vesse 1 and the outer pacr.agi ng is filled vti th vermiculite tanpcd to. a minir.iuri den.sity of 4.5 lbs/ft3.
r~aximum gross weight including contents is apprdxiMatcly 235 pounds.
Page 2 - Certificate No. 9034 - Revision no. O - Docket No. 71-9034
- 5.
- (a) Packaging ( continued)
J (3) Drawing The packaging is constructed in accordance with the General Atornic Company Drawing no.. TOS396Cl60, Rev. o.
(b) Contents (1) Type and fonn of material (2)
TRIGA fuel eleMents containing uranium-zirconium-hydride or erbiu~-uranium-zirconiun-hydride and clad with stainless steel, aluminum, or Incoloy.
The Zr to H atoQiC ratio within the fuel meat shall not exceed 1.65.
Maximum* quantity of material per package 1.95 kg U-235 contained within twenty-five (25) fuel elements.
(c) Fissile Class II i
Minimum transport index to be shown on label for Class II 2.7
- 6. The packa~e authorized by this certificate is herebi approved for use under the general license provisions of Paragraph 71.12(b) of 10 CFR Part 71.
- 7. Expiration date: March 31, 1980.
.r..
-*... ::--.=~~ -*-.
REFERENCES General Ato~ic Company application dated December 26, 1974.
Supplement dated February 7, 1975.
FOR THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY connrss1m:
~
f' )!~ ~
- Charles E. MacDonald, Chief Transportation Branch
- Division of Materials and
~.. _, r....,...
C' -,.,., 1,+-u I ;,..nnc::inn
APPENDIX B
UI\IIIC:U;)l>\IC:;:>
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 September 5, 1978 CHAIRMAN
~w. Louis *V. Nosenzo Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy and Energy Technology Affairs Room 7830 Department of State Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Mr. Nosenzo:
In considering license application XSNM-885, involving the proposed export of hi°ghly-enriched uranium fuel to Romania, the Commission wishes to ensure that criterion one is met and that a finding of non-inimicality in this case is justified. The staff has already corrrnunicated to you our concern about the fact that no facility attachment on specific safeguards arrangements has yet been con-cluded t>et~~n the IAEA and Romania with respect to the TRIGA research reactor. It is our understanding that you are presently seeking infonnation concerning the facility attachment situation, and wi 11 infonn us when* an a*greement is reached.
In addition, infonnation available to the Commission at present does not appear to establish clearly what safeguards or other protective measures would be applied to this material from the time of its receipt in Romania until it is loaded into the reactor and irradiated.
As we understand the situation, delivery of the fuel will be spread over at least ten weeks, and then, dependi_ng on the availability of General Atomic personnel~ the actual date of start-up of the reactor could be delayed until the first part of next year. It would be help-ful if we could receive infonnation on specific measures which will be taken to help ensure timely detection of any possible diversion of material during this period.
In particular, is it known whether the IAEA intends to carry out any* inspection or verification measures*
during this period? Since similar questions could arise in connection with future exports, it would also be helpful if you could provide us with infonnation concerning what IAEA i~spection and other safeguards measures are routinely initiated upon receipt of the transferred item to achieve timely warning.
-88NFlDENT~
~ SUBJECT TO GENERAL DECLASSIFICATION sc~eouu=::
="'.F.:Ct i,"r;:* (')R~::-o 1, 6"-2 All f('l~ir.T*(";.t-.1' V,...,..,_,N("
/9~4-(insert year)
APPENDIX B
U.S. NRC Declassification Review 1STREVIEW - DATE:.JIZ:jL..!'-L-_....~
REVIEWER 6'5'41 /
AUTHORITY: 0 DC MbD
-r REVIEW-DATE: '42*4*lo'2S-ICVIEWER 3':i 70 AUTHORITY: {:J DETERMINATION
[CIRCLE NUMBER(S)i
- 1. CLASSIFICATION RETAINED
- 2. CLASSIFICATION CHANGED TO: __ _
- 3. CONTAINS NO NRC CLASSIFIED INFO
- 4. COORDINATE WITH: _____
DECLASSIFIED
. CLASSIFIED INFO BRACKETED
- 7. OTHER (SPECIFY):
Mr. Louis We would appreciate being infonned of the views of the Executive Branch as to what safeguards measures might be considered in order to provide for inspection during the interim period between fuel delivery and loading should the IAEA not plan to undertake such inspection of Romania's TRIGA reactor.
Sincerely, L~
Joseph M. Hendrie
APPENDIX C
Uepart111.ent oj ~*tate TELEGRAM BUCHAR 07129 081019!
- -09 01 EUR-12 IS0-00 ACOA-12 CIAE-00 INR*HJ 10*14 NSAE-iHl use-es EB-cra ~
SOE-02 OOOE-00 IS SS-lS SP-02 CEQ*Ol PM*OS SAS-02
/121 II
077635 090S32! /12 OCT 7 8 SY BUCHAREST E 1/~SHDC 2il0S VIENNA 0 E H T I A L BUCHAREST 7129 GOS G, TECH, AU, I AEA, RO EXPORT LICEHS~ FOR ROMANIAH T~IGA FUEL STATE 214129, STATE 233722, STATE 24011, BUCHAREST 6751, STATE 2Sll333 181 BUCHAREST. 59S4.
ID)
BUCHAREST 6402,
!Fl VI EUNA 08592, (H) VIENNA a8712, OR OF FOREIGN RELATIONS, ROMANIAN STATE FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY, IOUESCU CONVOKED SCIENCE TOBER 5 TO OFFICIALLY I NF ORM U.S. THU
- ILITIES ATTACHMENT HAO ENTERED IN TO FORCE
- 2.
IONESCU ST~TEO THAT ROMANIA HAO 1TH ALL U. S. A:lO IAEA REQUIREMEHTS FOR
- EXPORT LICENSE ANO GOR CAHNOT UNDERSTAND
- HAS NOT em1 I SSUEO.
THE -RESEARCH FULLY COMPLETED ANO ONLY FUEL ASSEMBLIES
- o TO BEG It~ !,;O~IL HE :A:O THAT AT rtt:s IS BEGINNING TO SUSPECT THAT DELAYS ARE
. RATHER THAN TECHNICAL ANO TH AT TRIGA COULD BECOME OISTRUPTIVE ELEMENT IN OTHER-
.ENT U.S. - ROMANIAN RELATIOl,S.
RCMMIIAN
\./ILL SE INSTRUCTED TO PRESS THIS ISSUE 10 OTHER CO!lCERtlED U. S. AGENCIES, AUD IEO THAT EMBASSY ALSO COUVEY SER19US CCN*
1 ABOUT INORDINATE DELAY IN ISSUING EXPORT t TRIGA FUEL.
l ALSO ELABORATED ON "FORCE MAJEURE" iSSUE CU 111TH GENERAL ATOMIC'S PREPARATION OF IE REACTOR.
HE SAID THAT GCR STILL DOES GA HAS SUPPLIED URITTEN CERTIFICATION OF
- QUANTITY ANO EHRICHMEUT OF THE FUEL I IAEA ANO OEPARTMEHT OF EHER~Y AS C~LLED 1RTICLE 1, S-ECTION 3, PARA (61 OF THE SUPPLY AGREEMENT OF 12 JUNE 1974, AND, OF THE EX?ORT LICEUSE IS BEltlG DEL~YED S INFORM.~TICU IS LACKING, THHI GEHERAL
- ESPONSIBLE RATHER THAN THE GOR.
IN COURSE OF DISCUSSION, IONESCU AT GENERAL ATOMIC HAO FIRST RAISED "FORCE SUE, CCtHEllOl!IG THAT *DELAYS IN ISSU.~NCE OF NSE WERE BEYOND GENERAL ATOMIC'S COUTROL, ORE, THE COMPMiY COULD HOT BE SUBJECT TO USES I~ CONTRACT.
IT WOULD NOi/ APPEAR MAHEUVERING TO OFFSET GENERAL ATONIC'S URE" PCS IT I ON,.~tlO TO PROTECT I TS AB I LI TY ENALTIES IF tlECESSARY, BY TRYING TO DIRECTLY N APPROVAL OF THE EXPORT LICENSE BY NRC ATOMIC'S FAILURE TO SUPPLY REQUIRED INFOR*
IMELY WAY.
ENO COMMENT.
7161
,._J\ II I BUCHAR 07129 0810192
- 4.
SCIENCE ATTACHE POINTED OUT THAT ACCORDING TO INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE EMBASSY, GENERAL ATOMIC HAS FABRICATED FUEL READY FOR SHIPMENT AS SOON AS LICENSE APFROVEO, AHO COMPANY HAS PRESSED HARD FOR APPROVAL OF EXPORT LICENSE.
MOREOVER, GENERAL ATOMIC HAS AGREED TO SE~D FUEL OUAHTITY ANO EHRICHMENT INFORMATION TO IAEA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SAFEGUARDS
!ti VERY !IEAR FU TUR~, THCUGH TH I 3 GENERALLY IS r/OT DONE UtlTIL FUEL IS SHIPPED.
SCIE1lCE ATTACHE ALSO STATED THAT TO BEST OF HIS KNO\/LEOGE, THERE IS NO DIRECT CAUSE AND EFFECT PELATIONSHIP BET\/EEN COMPLE-TIOH OFF/A AND ISSUANCE OF LICENSE; THOUGH THIS QUEST I Otl HAS BEEU RA I SEO I ti GENERAL 1/AY BY /;RC COM*
MISSIONERS \/HILE STUOYHJG THE CASE.
MEtlTION \/AS ALSO MADE THAT THERE \/AS SOME OISCUSSIOtt ABOUT SAFEGUAROIHG FUEL DURING SHIPMENT, BUT THIS PRIMARILY IS A TECHNICAL PROELEM INVOLVING IAEA AND GENERAL ATOMIC AND \./AS IN PROCESS OF BEING 1/0RKED CUT.
- 5.
EMBASSY 1/0ULD APPRECIATE UPDATE ON STATUS OF EXPORT LICENSE FOR TRIGA FUEL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AGGREY
..-:------:----==-=-----=:===:-;;::::----*--*-
U.S. NRC Declassification Review C(
lll 0i DETERMINATION
[CIRCLE ~Utv17ER(S/
~EW-DATE ti" -
1 CLASSIFICATION RETA\tJb).
~ ;-Gt(
') r;, 1\SS!*'Cf,TION Cl \f,N1,,r rv: __ _
~ITY: C' 1,C
~
r
\ ~ l,(;'* i A't<S NO NhC ';LASS 1,IED !N~C
\.1 C)nriOINATt= WITH----- -
2-ro REVIEW - C, ', t..,..q.. 1015 f' ULCL/\SSIFIED CL/\SSIFIED INFO ElRACKETED REVCEVICR
,in~-*-
7 OTHER (SPECIFY)
AUTHORITY V
-=---_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-__;:-__;:-__;:--_-=-=-==-=-=
A I lie I I
ft nnr-atnT"
0 U I I I I 0 c,,._, I rn.
lllUVllllltU Departrnent of State TELEGRAM PAGE 01 VIENNA 09205
- 1209452 ACTION OES-09 INFO OCT-01 EUR-1 2 L-03 NSAE-00 SP-02 CE0-01 R 1209392 OCT 78 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA IS0-00 ACDA-12 CIAE-00 INR-10 I0-14 NSC-05 EB-08 NRC-05 DODE-00 SS-15 PM-05 SAS-02
/ 104 W
122404 1313402 / 40 TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8357 INFO AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST USDOEHO FORRESTAL WASHDC USDOEHO GERMANTOWN
-e e ** F I
B L l<I I I...... L VIENNA 09205 USIAEA E. 0.
11652:
GOS TAGS:
I AEA,
- TECH, ENRG,
SUBJECT:
EXPORT LICENSE FOR ROMANIAN TRIGA FUEL
REFERENCE:
BUCHAREST 7129
- 1.
BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WI TH ROMANI AN REP BOHOARA, WITH WHOM MISOFF HAS VERY CORDIAL AND FRANK RELATIONS, IT IS CLEAR* THAT ROMANIANS HAVE REACHED A STATE OF COMPLETE EXASPERATION OVER THE QUESTION OF THE EXPORT LICENSE FOR ROMANIAN TRIGA FUEL.
IN INFORMING MISOFF THAT FACILITY ATTACHMENT HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND ENTERED INTO FORCE, HE WONDERED WHAT NEW " CONDITION" THE U. S.
MIGHT REQUIRE NEXT?
- 2.
IONESCU AND BOHOARA HAD ALSO APPEALED TO MISOFF DURING GENERAL CONFERENCE RECENTLY HELD IN VIENNA TO HELP,
IF POSSIBLE,
OBTAIN THE NECESSARY EXPORT LICENSE FOR THEIR FUEL.
MISOFF SENSED AT THAT TIME THAT THE MATTER HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO CAUSE SERIOUS CONCERN IN ROMANIA.
- 3.
FYI.
MISSION NOTES THAT FAILURE TO APPROVE THIS EXPORT LICENSE FOR ROMANIA COULD HAVE VERY SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS VIS-A-VIS IAEA, SINCE THE MATERIAL IS TO BE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO A SUPPLY AGREEMENT THROUGH IAEA UNDER THE U. S. -IAEA AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION.
END FYI.
KIRK 1374
APPENDIX D
[DRAFT]
Mr. Louis V. Nosenzo Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy* and Energy Technology Affairs U.S. Department of State Washington, D.C.
20520
Dear Mr. Nosenzo:
Thank you for your letter of October 12, 1978, concerning arrange-ments for the protection of highly enriched uranium fuel proposed to be exported to Romania under license application XSNM-885.
The Commission has considered the alternative methods proposed in your letter for sealing the fuel.
While either of these alternatives would be satisfactory, the Commission believes that Alternative I would be more straightforward and somewhat 7asier to administer from the NRC's viewpoint.
The staff has been authorized to issue the proposed export license as soon as you have notified us which of the two procedures is preferred by the IAEA.
In approving issuance of this license, the Commission attaches particular importance to the assurance contained in your letter that under either ~lternative, IAEA seals would be verified by IAEA inspectors while the fresh highly enriched uranium is present in Romania at frequencies commensurate with the IAEA's verification objectives for this type of material (i.e., one to three weeks for quantities in excess of 25 kilograms of U-235 in HEU).
r----------------..,,-----,--------- Sincerely, U.S. NRC DedasslficatJon Review APPENDIX D