ML20197B888

IE Inspec Rept 70-1113/78-16 on 780828-0901 During Which No Items of Noncompliance Were Noted.Areas Inspected: Organization,Nuc Criticality Safety & Nonroutine Events

ML20197B888
Person / Time
Site:	07001113
Issue date:	10/10/1978
From:	Kahle J, Potter J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
Shared Package
ML20197B871	List: ML20197B866 ML20197B883 ML20197B888
References
70-1113-78-16, NUDOCS 7811080121
Download: ML20197B888 (5)

Text

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Report No. 70-1113/78-16

' Docket No. 70-1113 License No. SNM-1097 Licensee: General Electric Company P. O. Box 780 Wilmington, Nort h Carolina 28401 Facility Name: Wilmington Nuclear Fuel Facility Inspection at: Wilmington, North Carolina Inspection conducted: August 28 - September 1, 1978 Inspector: J. B. Kahle Reviewed by:

J. P. Potter, C ef MdM tef Fuel Facilitie. and Materials Safety Section Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch Inspection Summary Inspection on Au. gust 28 - September h 1978 (Report No. 70-1113/78-16)

Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of organization, nuclear criticality safety and nonroutine events.

Results: No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.

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RII Report No. 70-1113/78-16 DETAILS Prepared by: - 7$ $ _] 1 Lc,gg/_7g J. B. Kajile,' Fuel Facilities Inspector Date FuelFa/ilitiesandMaterialsSafety Section Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch Dates of Inspecti e. 98 - September 'l, 1978 Reviewed by: -

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J. P. > ter, Chief Da e Fuel cilities and Materials Safety Section Fuel Facility and Materials Safety Branch

1. Persons Contacted General Electric Company (GEC)

• J. E. Bergman, Fuel Manuf acturing Manager

• E. A. Lees, Quality Assurance Manager

• L. E. Short, Fuel Chemical Operations Manager 4W. J. Hendry, Regulatory Compliance Manager

• P. J. von Herrmann, Fuel Process Technology Manager

• A. L. Kaplan, Licensing and Compliance Audits Manager W. B. Haverty, Comp'liance Auditor

• G. F. Finders, Compliance Auditor

• W. C. Peters, Senior Criticality Engineer

• J. A. Mohrbacher, Nuclear Safety Engineering Manager B. F. Bentley, Unranium fuel Fabrication Maniger J. R. Watkins, Shop Operations Foreman W. H. Long, Shop Operations Foreman E. A. Schaefer, Senior Engineer B. J. Beane, HVAC Engineer J. L. Nixon, Nuclear Materials Management Teciclician M. K. Sharples, Accountability Clerk R. L. Torres, Radiation Protection Supervisor D. L. Waley, Nuclear Safety Technician C. M. Vaughn, Nuclear Materials Management Manager A. W. Cameron, Shop Operations Supervisor E M. Rollins, Nuclear Safety Eng;neer T. P. Winslow, Chemet I.aboratories Manager L. A. Divins, Special Projects Engineer The inspe 't or also interviewed eleven operators.

• Denotes those present at the exit interview.

RII Report No. 70-1113/78-16 2. Licensee Actica on Previous Inspection findings i

Not inspected during this inspection.

3. Unresolved Items None

4. Organization and Personnel

a. Effective July 1, 1978, Mr. W. J. Hendry replaced Mr. D. A. Domey as Manager of Regulatory Compliance. Mr. Hendry is responsible for Nuclear Safety Engineering, Nuclear Material Management, Licensing and Compliance Audits, Environmental Engineering and Document Control.

b. Hsin-Ching Hsu, Criticality Safety Engineer, terminated his employment with the licensee on August 30, 1978. Licensee repre-sentatives stated that a nuclear safety engineer who is scheduled to start employment with the licensee in October will assume his duties.

5. Nuclear Criticality % u iv

a. Analyses The inspector examined two nuclear criticality safety analyses which had been completed since the last inspection. Calculations and computer inputs were verified. The methods used were authorized by conditions of the license The calculations and results had been overchecked by an authorized individual. Documentation was available to show that a physical inspection had been performed verifying that the equipment was designed and installed as described and in accordance with the design specifications. The master plan showing the locations of facilities and equipment reflected the latest changes.

b. Audits The inspettor verified that quarterly audits had been conducted by the nuclear criticality safety function as required by conditions of the license Audits reports were furnished to area managers and prompt corrective actions were taken when nonconformance was identifled.

, e RII Report No. 70-1113/78-16 c. Pa ting and Procedures

'The inspector verified that methods parameters pertaining to nuclear criticality safety were available at work stations and that mass and geometry limits were posted where applicable Discussions with personnel revealed that they were knowledgeable and cognizant of the criticality rules and limitations.

d. Isolations and Arrars_

During tours of the plant the inspector observed that special nuclear material was stored in designated containers and locations.

Controls were in existence to prevent accumulations of special nuclear materials in unsafe geometry containers. Containers of material were placed in approved marked locations or on conveyors.

Fuel assemblies were stored in accordance with approved storage arrays and procedures. Shipping containers were handled and stored as required by nuclear safety analyses, procedures and

• conditions of the license,

e. Safety Systems The inspector examined documentation to verify that the vaporiza-tion safety systems relating to temperature and pressure controls were calibrated and checked in accordance with the licensee's procedures. Discussions with operators revealed that the pressure and temperature sensors and alarm units are checked each time for I operability. The operators demonstrated the procedure they l follow to assure the operability of these alarm and indicating u systems,

f. Nuclear Criticality Monitoring _ System Documentation was examined to verify that the criticality warning system was tested, source checked, calibrated and repaired in -

accordance with the calibration and source check procedures. A licensee representative stated that plans are underway to install V a new criticality warning system. It will be several months before installation begins. f, .

g. Waste and Scrap (1) The inspector examined the records showing the uranium concentrations prior to release of the liquid wastes from the Q-tanks to the large unsafe geomet ry waste process tanks or chemical lagoons. The records showed that the concentra-tions were below the limits established in the licensee's ,

procedures and were well below the specifications in the conditions of the license

RII Report No. 70-1113/78-16 (2) The inspector examined the areas where boxes of scrap and waste materials contaminated with uranium were stored.

Licensee representatives explained the procedures for measuring, storing and controlling the boxes prior to burial, resorting or placing in a hold condition until the incinerator facility becomes operational. The storage areas were secured, posted with appropriate procedures and equipped with detector units for the criticality monitoring system.

6. Incinerator Status Licensee representatives stated that management has decided to construct a new incinerator facility. Detail design has not begun; however, projections are that the facility will be ready sometime between July and December 1980. They stated that this incinerator facility will not use a shredder where the explosion occurred in the old incinerator facility. Forecasts for accumulation and final disposition of 4' x 4' wooden boxes of waste have been made Control procedures and inspection criteria are being developed. They stated that a letter giving detall information regarding the accumulation of boxes of waste would be forthcoming to the NRC.

7. Nonroutine Events

a. An examination of the incident log record showed that there had not been any occurrences of substantial magnitude or consequence to be considered nonroutine events.

b. The inspector discussed the details of an occurrence where it had been reported by a trucking company official to DOT that a truck hauling radioactive materials from NFS to GE was leaking radioac-tive material at Wilmington, North Carolina. The report was passed along to the NRC office in Atlanta, the EPA office in Atlanta and the North Carolina Water Quality Office. Actually, the load consisted of empty containers and the truck was not immediately unloaded and released because a preliminary survey showed contamination levels greater than the licensee's internal control limit. However, the contamination levels were less than DOT and NRC release limits. Because an immediate radiation protection clearance was not granted, erroneous information, based upon misunderstandings and misinterpretations, was reported to the DOT. The licensee investigated the occurrence and has established corrective measures to assure that timely releases of trucks are granted or that correct and complete information is forwarded to responsible agencies.

7

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RII Report No. 70-1113/78-16 8. Exit Interview At the conclusion of the inspection on September 1, 1978, the inspector met with licensee representatives, denoted in paragraph 1, to discuss the scope and findings of the inspection.