ML20198T299

Ack Receipt of Informing NRC of Steps Taken to Correct Violations Noted in Insp Rept 70-7002/97-04 on 970718.Reviewed C/As for Violations 97004-01 & 03 & Have No Further Questions.Violation 97004-02 Withdrawn After Review

ML20198T299
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Issue date:	11/10/1997
From:	Pederson C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:	John Miller UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORP. (USEC)
References
70-7002-97-04, 70-7002-97-4, NUDOCS 9711140251
Download: ML20198T299 (3)

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November 10, 1997 Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President - Production United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democracy Center 6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 SUBJE",T: RESPONSE TO INSPECTION REPORT 70 7002/97004

Dear Mr. Miller:

This refers to your August 18,1997, response to Notice of Violation (NOV) transmitted to you by our letter dated July 18,1997, with inspection Report 70 7002/97004. In your response, you acknowledged two cited violations 70 7002/04-01 and 70 7002/04-03 and denied Violation 70 7002/97004 02. We have reviewed your corrective ?ctions for violations 97004 01 and 03 and have no further questions at this time. Your corrective actions will be examined during future inspections.

We havc reviewed your response and basis for disagreement with violation C7004-02.

After careful consideration of the information provided by you, your corrective actions and ,

enhancements to XP2 EG NS1030, we withdraw this violation, Your responso adequately provided additionalinformation which was the basis for our withdrawing the violation, We cited procedure XP2 EG-NS1030 as failing to contain criteria to ensure proper determination of a Unresolved Safety Question (USO) for an "as found" candition. After further review, we agree that this procedure was not intended to determine whether or not an "as found" condition constituted a USO.

Additionally, in our cover letter to inspection Report 70 7002/97004 we suggested that there were fundamental weaknesses in your control process for ensuring the plant Sperates within the design basis. We requested that you respond to our concern regarding the adequacy of procedural controls for high risk evolutions. We acknowledge that you believe your procedural controls are adequate to ensure that the plant operates within its design basis. We also acknowledge the additional enhancements to the valving order procedure which you indicate you made. We are still concerned about your staff's ability to consistently implement all procedural controls and will continue to evaluate this area during future inspections,

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if you have any questions, please contact Patrick Hiland of my staff at (630) 829-9603.

Sincerely, ,

Original signed c,y Cynthla D. Pederson, Director Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 70 7002 cc: R. M. DeVault, DOE S. A. Polston, Paducah General Manager J. Morgan, Portsmouth Acting General Manager R. W. Gaston, Portsmouth Nuclear Regulatory L Affairs Manager S. Toelle, Manager, Nuclear Regulatory Assurance and Policy, USEC Paducah Resident inspector Office Portsmouth Resident inspector Office bec w/itr dtd 8/18/97: E. Ten Eyck, FCSS Y. Faraz, NMSS P. Harich, NMSS J. Caldwell, Rlli T. Simmons, Rill PUBLIC (IE 07)

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OFFICE ~ Rill Rlli EICS Rlli l NAME Kniceley:ib Hiland Clayton Pede n  !  ;

DATE 11/ /97 11/ /97 11/ /97 11/1997 l OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

Mr. J. H. Miller Vice President Production  :

United States Enrichment Corporation Two Democra?y Center ^

6903 Rockledge Drive Bethesda, MD 20817

SUBJECT:

FIESPONSE TO INSPECTION REPORT 70 7002/97004

Dear Mr. Miller:

This will acknowledge receipt of a response letter from Mr. Dale Allen, Portsmouth General '

Manager, dated August 18,1997,in response to our letter dated July 18,1997, transmitting Inspection Report (IR) 70 7002/97004 that contained three violations (NOVs 70 7002/97004 01,02, and 03). We have reviewed your corrective actions for 1 violations 97004 01 and 03 and have no further quastions at this time. .

Additionally, we have reviewed your response and basis for disagteement with violation 97004-02. Based on your response, our further review of this violation, and your corrective actions and enhancements to XP2 EG NS1030 we withdraw this violation.

If you have any questions, please contact Patrick Hiland of my staff at (630) 829 9603.

Sincerely, Cynthia D. Pederson, Director 4 Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Docket No. 70 7002 cc: R. M. DeVault, DOE ,

S. A. Polstca, Paducah General Manager J. Morcan, Portsmouth Acting General Manager R. W. Gaston, Portsmouth Nuclear Hegulatory Affairs Manager R. L. Woolloy, Manager, Nuclear Regulatory Assurance and Policy, USEC Paducah Resident inspector Office Portsmouth Resident inspector Of fice DOCUMENT NAME: G:\SEC\97POR.t.01 To e. .s. . cop, .e w. e eum.ni. indic.i. in in. 6.. c . cop, nhoe. .ri.ch/.nci r . coe, .nh .tir shi.nci u . w. ...,

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