Press Release-97-062, NRC Releases Inspection Results for Sierra Nuclear Dry Storage Cask, Press Release-97-062, NRC Releases Inspection Results for Sierra Nuclear Dry Storage Cask

Press Release-97-062, NRC Releases Inspection Results for Sierra Nuclear Dry Storage Cask

ML003706644
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Issue date:	04/16/1997
From:	Office of Public Affairs
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Category:Press Release
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Press Release-97-062
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1UnitedStatesNuclearRegulatoryCommissionOfficeofPublicAffairsWashington,DC20555Phone301-415-8200Fax301-415-2234 Internet:opa@nrc.govNo.97-062FORIMMEDIATERELEASE(Wednesday,April16,1997)NRCRELEASESINSPECTIONRESULTSFORSIERRANUCLEARDRYSTORAGECASKTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionhasissuedareportonitsrecentinspectionofSierraNuclearCorporation'sfacilitiesforfabricationoftheVSC-24drycaskstorage systemforspentnuclearfuel.Theinspectionidentifiedfouritemsofnonconformancewith NRCrequirements.TheNRCstaffhasscheduledameetingwithSierraNuclearanditscustomersMay6inRockville,Maryland,todiscusstheinspectionfindings.Themeeting,whichisopento thepublic,willbeginat9a.m.inRoom1-F-7/9oftheNRC'sOneWhiteFlintNorth buildingat11555RockvillePike.TheSierraNuclearcasksystemiscurrentlyusedtostorespentfuelattheArkansasNuclearOnenuclearpowerplantsitenearRussellville,Arkansas;thePalisadesnuclear powerplantnearSouthHaven,Michigan;andthePointBeachplantnearManitowoc, Wisconsin.ThecompanyholdsanNRCcertificateapprovingtheuseoftheVSC-24.NRCconductsinspectionstodeterminewhetherthesystemisbeingmanufacturedinaccordance withtheNRC-certifieddesign.TheNRCperformedtheinspectionMarch17-21toreviewcaskseal-weldfailuresatPalisades(inMarch1995)andArkansas(inNovember1996),andtoseekthecauseofthe failures.Inspectorsalsoassessedtheadequacyofcorrectiveactionstakenafterearlier

inspections.Afewdaysafterthisinspection,EntergyOperations,Inc.,licenseefortheArkansas 2facility,detectedaweldcrackinanotherVSC-24cask.AseparateNRCteamconductedaninspectionthere.ItisstillreviewingthisissueatArkansasandwillissueaninspection reportsoon.TwoitemsofnonconformanceidentifiedduringtheMarch17-21SierraNuclearinspectionraisesafetyconcerns.NRCdeterminedthatSierraNuclearfailedtoexamine therootcausesandpotentialgenericaspectsoftheweldfailuresatArkansasNuclearand Palisades.InspectorsalsofoundthatSierraNuclearfailedtosubmitdocumentationto changethetimelimitspecifiedinthecertificateofcompliancetodrainwateroutofa loadedspentfuelcask.Twoother,proceduralnonconformanceswerealsoidentified.SierraNuclear'slackoftimelyandcomprehensiveaction,indealingwiththeseimportantsafetyissues,isasignificantregulatoryconcern.Theinspectionresultsdonot raiseconcernsaboutoff-sitepublichealthandsafety;however,theycouldresultinfuture fuelhandlingandretrievabilityproblems.SierraNuclearmustrespondtothenoticeof nonconformanceswithin30days.CopiesoftheinspectionreportareavailableforcopyingattheNRCPublicDocumentRoom,2120LStreet,NW,Washington,DC20555.Thereportalsowillbe postedontheNRChomepageathttp://www.nrc.gov/OPA/reports.