[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19631-19632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10326]
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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,
KY
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 of the
Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, Attention: Docketing and Services Branch, 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: December 23, 1996.
Brief description of amendment: The amendment changes the Technical
Safety Requirement surveillance for the
[[Page 19632]]
Autoclave High Pressure Systems to reflect the ability to test all
inner and outer penetration isolation valves.
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.
The proposed TSR changes reflect the autoclave piping modifications
that permit independent testing of the inner and outer penetration
isolation valves. Testing of these valves demonstrates the ability to
establish containment in the event of uranium hexafluoride leakage from
the cylinder into the autoclave. The proposed changes provide enhanced
assurance that the containment function will be available if needed.
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 enhanced assurance that the autoclave
containment function will be available if needed. The changes will not
result in increased individual or cumulative occupational radiation
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 allow testing of the inner and outer
penetration isolation valves. This testing of the autoclave containment
function is not involved in any precursor to an evaluated event;
therefore, the potential of occurrence of an evaluated event is
unaffected. The proposed changes provide enhanced assurance that the
function will be available if required; the consequences 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 autoclave piping configuration modifications permit independent
testing of the inner and outer penetration isolation valves to
demonstrate the ability to establish containment in the event of a leak
from the cylinder into the autoclave. The changes affect only the
autoclave isolation valves 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 proposed changes reflect modifications that permit independent
testing of the inner and outer penetration isolation valves. The
proposed changes enhance the availability of the autoclave containment
function. There is no reduction in the margin 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 reflect the autoclave piping configuration
modifications made to permit independent testing of inner and outer
penetration isolation valves. Testing of these valves demonstrates the
ability to establish containment in the event of uranium hexafluoride
leakage from the cylinder into the autoclave. The changes do not affect
any other equipment functions or administrative requirements. The
testing of the autoclave containment function is not addressed in the
safeguards and security programs. The effectiveness of the safety,
safeguards, and security programs is not decreased.
Effective date: June 23, 1997.
Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise the
Technical Safety Requirements.
Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 14th day of April 1997.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-10326 Filed 4-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
