[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39880-39881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19488]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket 70-7001]
Notice of Amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 for the
U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah,
Kentucky
The Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, has
made a determination that the following amendment request is not
significant in accordance with 10 CFR 76.45. In making that
determination, the staff concluded that: (1) There is no change in the
types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may
be released offsite; (2) there is no significant increase in individual
or cumulative occupational radiation exposure; (3) there is no
significant construction impact; (4) there is no significant increase
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from,
previously analyzed accidents; (5) the proposed changes do not result
in the possibility of a new or different kind of accident; (6) there is
no significant reduction in any margin of safety; and (7) the proposed
changes will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of
the plant's safety, safeguards or security programs. The basis for this
determination for the amendment request is shown below.
The NRC staff has reviewed the certificate amendment application
and concluded that it provides reasonable assurance of adequate safety,
safeguards, and security, and compliance with NRC requirements.
Therefore, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and
Safeguards, is prepared to issue an amendment to the Certificate of
Compliance for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The staff has
prepared a Compliance Evaluation Report which provides details of the
staff's evaluation.
The NRC staff has determined that this amendment satisfies the
criteria for a categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22.
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for this
amendment.
USEC or any person whose interest may be affected may file a
petition, not exceeding 30 pages, requesting review of the Director's
Decision. The petition must be filed with the Commission not later than
15 days after publication of this Federal Register Notice. A petition
for review of the Director's Decision shall set forth with
particularity the interest of the petitioner and how that interest may
be affected by the results of the decision. The petition should
specifically explain the reasons why review of the Decision should be
permitted with particular reference to the following factors: (1) The
interest of the petitioner; (2) how that interest may be affected by
the Decision, including the reasons why the petitioner should be
permitted a review of the Decision; and (3) the petitioner's areas of
concern about the activity that is the subject matter of the Decision.
Any person described in this paragraph (USEC or any person who filed a
petition) may file a response to any petition for review, not to exceed
30 pages, within 10 days after filing of the petition. If no petition
is received within the designated 15-day period, the Director will
issue the final amendment to the Certificate of Compliance without
further delay. If a petition for review is received, the decision on
the amendment application will become final in 60 days, unless the
Commission grants the petition for review or otherwise acts within 60
days after publication of this Federal Register Notice.
A petition for review must be filed with the Secretary, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention:
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered to the
Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street,
NW., Washington, DC, by the above date.
For further details with respect to the action see (1) the
application for amendment and (2) the Commission's Compliance
Evaluation Report. These items are available for public inspection at
the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L
Street, NW., Washington, DC, and at the Local Public Document Room.
Date of amendment request: October 31, 1996, revised February 14,
and June 16, 1997.
Brief description of amendment: The amendment proposes a new
Technical Safety Requirement for the autoclave manual isolation system
in the feed facilities and makes the system a Q system under the
quality assurance program.
Basis for finding of no significance:
1. The proposed amendment will not result in a change in the types
or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be
released offsite.
TSR 2.4.4.13 is a new TSR to cover the autoclave manual isolation
system installed for the feed facilities. This system provides a remote
method of simultaneously isolating all the autoclaves in the facility
in the event of an observed release of uranium hexafluoride from piping
outside the autoclave. This new system enhances the operators ability
to isolate the feed autoclaves in the event of a leak. As such, these
changes have no impact on plant effluents and will not result in any
impact to the environment.
2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
The proposed changes provide an enhanced ability to isolate the
autoclaves in the event of a leak, thereby mitigating the consequences
of a postulated accident. The changes will not increase exposure.
3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant
construction impact.
The proposed changes will not result in any building construction,
therefore, there will be no construction impacts.
4. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from,
previously analyzed accidents.
The proposed changes enhance the operator's ability to isolate the
feed autoclaves in the event of a leak in the piping outside the
autoclave and affect no other equipment functions. The autoclave manual
isolation system is not involved in any precursor to an evaluated
accident; therefore, the potential of occurrence of an evaluated event
is unaffected. The consequences
[[Page 39881]]
of previously evaluated accidents are not increased.
5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a
new or different kind of accident.
The manual isolation system permits the simultaneous isolation of
all the autoclaves in the affected facility. Autoclave isolation was
previously performed individually. The changes affect the timing of
autoclave isolation and create no new operating conditions or new plant
configuration that could lead to a new or different type of accident.
6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant
reduction in any margin of safety.
The autoclave manual isolation system enhances the ability to
isolate the feed autoclave in the event of a leak. The proposed changes
cause no reductions in the margins of safety.
7. The proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in
the effectiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards, or security
programs.
The proposed changes enhance the ability to isolate the feed
autoclaves in the event of a leak. The changes do not affect any other
equipment functions or administrative requirements. The cell trip
function is not addressed in the safeguards and security programs. The
effectiveness of the safety, safeguards, and security programs is not
decreased.
Effective date: This amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1
becomes effective 60 days after being signed by the Director, Office of
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will incorporate a
new Technical Safety Requirement and safety analysis report changes.
Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this day of 1997.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-19488 Filed 7-23-97; 8:45 am]
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