ML24018A147

Request for Additional Information Regarding Physical Security of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium at the American Centrifuge Plant

ML24018A147
Person / Time
Site:	07007004
Issue date:	01/19/2024
From:	Yawar Faraz NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB
To:	Karen Fitch American Centrifuge Operating
Shared Package
ML24018A146	List: ML24018A147
References
EPID L-2023-LLA-0024
Download: ML24018A147 (3)

Text

OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY - RELATED INFORMATIONOFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY - RELATED INFORMATION UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Kelly L. Fitch, Regulatory Manager American Centrifuge Operating, LLC P.O. Box 628 Mail Stop 7560 3930 U.S. 23 South Piketon, OH 45661

SUBJECT:

REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING PHYSICAL SECURITY OF HIGH-ASSAY LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM AT THE AMERICAN CENTRIFUGE PLANT (ENTERPRISE PROJECT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:

L-2023-LLA-0024)

Dear Kelly L. Fitch:

This request for additional information (RAI) pertains to the physical protection of increased quantities of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) requested in your license amendment request (LAR) letter dated February 13, 2023 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS] Accession No. ML23047A046). The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff first discussed the need for a certain security measure with the American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO) staff in a conference call on May 16, 2023 (ML23138A083). In a conference call on November 15, 2023, ACO and the NRC staff further discussed the security measure including potential alternatives (ML23334A115, non-public).

During the call, ACO staff requested the NRC staff to review its risk-informed approach for protecting HALEU. On December 4, 2023, the NRC staff reviewed ACOs risk-informed approach.

Our review of this issue has identified that additional information is needed before final action can be taken on your February 13, 2023, LAR. We previously provided you a draft of the RAI via email, on December 13, 2023 (ML23356A118). The RAI was modified based on discussions that took place during a conference call on January 17, 2024 (ML24017A276). Please provide your response by February 16, 2024.

Pending your response, we anticipate completing our review within 60 days of receiving an acceptable RAI response. This estimate could change depending on the findings of our technical review, urgent assignments, or other factors. We will promptly communicate any significant changes to this schedule.

The enclosure transmitted herewith contains Security Related Information. When this document is separated from the security related conditions in the enclosure, this document is decontrolled.January 19, 2024 OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY - RELATED INFORMATIONOFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY - RELATED INFORMATION K. Fitch 2 In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter and one of its enclosures will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of the NRCs ADAMS. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). The enclosure to this letter contains sensitive, unclassified information, and is therefore deemed Official Use Only. Therefore, it will not be placed in the Public Document Room, nor will it be publicly available in ADAMS.

If you have any questions regarding this communication, please contact me by telephone at 301-415-7220, or via email at Yawar.Faraz@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Yawar H. Faraz, Senior Project Manager Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 70-7004 License No. SNM-2011

Enclosure:

Request for Additional Information (Non-Public) cc: D. Watts, Director, Regulatory Affairs, ACO M. Riem, DOE NE-HQ Signed by Faraz, Yawar on 01/19/24

Pkg:ML24018A146; Ltr: ML24018A147; Encl. (non-public): ML24018A148 OFFICE NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NSIR/DPCP/MSB NMSS/DFM NMSS/DFM NAME YFaraz JGoodridge JCuadrado SLav YFaraz DATE 01/19/2024 01/19/2024 01/19/2024 01/19/2024 01/19/2024