ML20134M364

Press Release 96-168, NRC Issues Initial Certification Decision for U Enrichment Plants

ML20134M364
Person / Time
Issue date:	11/22/1996
From:	NRC OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OPA)
To:
References
PR-96-168, NUDOCS 9611250056
Download: ML20134M364 (1)

Text

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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs Washington, DC 20555 l Phone 301-415-8200 Fax 301-415-2234 '

Internet:opa@nrc. gov i No.96-168 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE '

l (Friday, November 22, 1996).  ;

l NRC ISSUES INITIAL CERTIFICATION DECISION FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT PLANTS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has denied petitions  ;

! requesting review of an initial decision by its Office of Nuclear i L Material Safety and Safeguards to issue certificates to the U.S.

l Enrichment Corporation (USEC) for uranium enrichment plants l located near Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio.

! The Director, NRC Office of Nuclear Material Safety and  ;

! Safeguards, will sign and issue the initial certificates ,

l shortly. After a transition period following issuance of the  !

! certificates, regulatory authority over plant operations will be l l transferred from the Department of Energy (DOE) to the NRC on  ;

E March 3, 1997. -i The two enrichment plants are owned, and were formerly l

~

operated, by DOE. USEC now operates them under a lease from DOE.  ;

The plants use a gaseous diffusion process to enrich uranium j hexafluoride gas in the uranium-235 isotope, so that the material- '

can be used to produce nuclear fuel for civilian nuclear power plants. .

4 The Energy Policy Act of 1992, which directed USEC operation of the enrichment plants, required the NRC to establish a certification process and safety and safeguards standards for the 7 certification of the plants. NRC will certify the facilities periodically in the future for compliance with the standards.

USEC must apply for certificate renewal by April 15, 1998.

l l The NRC staff published a Federal Register notice on l September 19 announcing its initial decision to certify the l plants and offering an opportunity for certain persons whose l interest may be affected to request Commission review. The five l petitions received were not approved, for the reasons discussed in a memorandum and order issued today by the Commission.  ;

l The NRC announced prior opportunities for public comment in I the Federal Register on September 21 and November 14, 1995, and i i held public meetings on November 28, 1995, in Piketon, Ohio, and I on December 5, 1995, in Paducah. Opportunities for public comment will be provided in the future for any certification j

-renewal.

9611250056 961122  ;

PDR PRESS R $

He-96-168 PDR l .. .

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