2013-09127. Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services, National Enrichment Facility, Eunice, New Mexico, Prior to the Commencement of Operations

AGENCY:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Raddatz, Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Rockville, Maryland 20852; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has conducted inspections of the Louisiana Energy Services (LES), LLC, National Enrichment Facility in Eunice, New Mexico, and has authorized the introduction of uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) into cascades numbered 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, and 3.9. In addition, the NRC verified that the Phase 2a and Chemistry Laboratory of the Cylinder Receipt and Dispatch Building (CRDB) of the facility have been constructed in accordance with the requirements of the approved license. Phase 2a included the CRDB Civil Structure and CRDB shell operations such as: movement of cylinders; fire walls; transient combustible inspections; cylinder movers; and worker evacuation. The NRC staff has prepared inspection reports documenting its findings in accordance with the requirements of the NRC Inspection Manual, and these reports are available for review as specified in Section II of this notice. The publication of this notice satisfies the requirements of Section 70.32(k) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), and section 193(c) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

The introduction of UF₆ into any module of the National Enrichment Facility is not permitted until the NRC completes an operational readiness and management measures verification review to verify that management measures that ensure compliance with the performance requirements of 10 CFR 70.61 have been implemented and confirms that the facility has been constructed in accordance with the license and will be operated safely. Subsequent operational readiness and management measures verification reviews will continue throughout the various phases of plant construction and, upon completion of these subsequent phases, additional notices of the operation approval letters will be published in the Federal Register in accordance with 10 CFR 70.32(k).

II. Further Information

Documents related to this action, including the application for amendment and supporting documentation, are available online in the NRC Library at http://www.nrc.gov/​reading-rm/​adams.html. From this site, you can access the NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public documents. Inspection reports associated with the approval letters are referenced in the letters and are also available electronically in ADAMS. Accession numbers for the approval letters are being noticed here as follows:

NRC Cascades Authorization Letters

Authorization letters	Date	ADAMS accession No.
Cascade numbered 2.9	September 28, 2012	ML12272A189
Cascade numbered 2.10	September 14, 2012	ML12261A040
Cascade numbered 2.11	August 24, 2012	ML12237A190
Cascade numbered 2.12	July 16, 2012	ML12198A121
Cascade numbered 3.1	August 14, 2012	ML12227A401
Cascade numbered 3.2	September 25, 2012	ML12269A155
Cascade numbered 3.3	October 31, 2012	ML12306A048
Cascade numbered 3.4	October 31, 2012	ML12306A048
Cascade numbered 3.5	November 21, 2012	ML12326A563
Cascade numbered 3.6	December 20, 2012	ML12355A171
Cascade numbered 3.7	January 14, 2013	ML13015A042
Cascade numbered 3.8	February 13, 2013	ML13044A527
Cascade numbered 3.9	March 14, 2013	ML13074A068

NRC Authorization Letters Related to the Cylinder Receipt and Dispatch Building

Authorization letters	Date	ADAMS accession No.
CRDB Chemistry Laboratory	January 16, 2013	ML13016A011
CRDB Phase 2a	January 30, 2013	ML13030A327

If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by email to [e-mail].

These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's PDR, O 1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 11th day of April.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Brian W. Smith,

Chief, Uranium Enrichment Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards.