ML25350C106
| ML25350C106 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos Nuclear Center, 07000754, Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/11/2025 |
| From: | Ball A NorthStar Vallecitos |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC Region 4, Document Control Desk |
| References | |
| NSV 25-025 | |
| Download: ML25350C106 (0) | |
Text
Adam W. Ball Vallecitos Site Manager 10 CFR 20, Appendix G NSV 25-025 December 11, 2025 Regional Administrator, Region 4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1600 East Lamar Boulevard Arlington, Texas 76011-4511
SUBJECT:
Report of Investigation Pursuant to 10 CFR 20, Appendix G Vallecitos Nuclear Center Docket Nos. 50-70, 50-73, 50-183 and 70-754 License No. TR-1, R-33, DR-10 and SNM-960
Dear Sir or Madam:
This letter documents the results of an investigation performed with respect to the transportation of (1) rail car which exceeded the 20 day time limit for notification of receipt from the disposal facility as specified in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix G. The investigation, which was completed on December 3, 2025, determined that the shipment was traced on a daily basis by the various carriers such as the Sierra Northern Railroad, Union Pacific (UP), and Texas & New Mexico Railway (TXN), the disposal facility of Waste Control Specialist (WCS) and the NorthStar Vallecitos Nuclear Center (VNC) waste operations personnel.
10 CFR 20, Appendix G, Requirements for Transfers of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Intended for Disposal at Licensed Land Disposal Facilities and Manifests,Section III.A(9) states for any shipments or any part of a shipment for which acknowledgment of receipt has not been received within the times set forth in this appendix, conduct an investigation in accordance with Section III.E of this appendix.
Section III.E states that any shipment or part of shipment for which acknowledgement is not received within the times set forth in this section must:
- 1. Be investigated by the shipper if the shipper has not received notification or receipt within 20 days after transfer; and
- 2. Be traced and reported. The investigation shall include tracing the shipment and filing a report with the nearest Commission Regional Office listed in Appendix D to this part.
Each licensee who conducts a trace investigation shall file a written report with the appropriate NRC Regional Office within 2 weeks of completion of the investigation.
NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC 6705 Vallecitos Rd.
Sunol, Ca 94586 www.northstar.com
NSV 25-025 / Page 2 of 2 Investigation Shipment NVNC-2025-025 (1 flatcar) departed VNC on 11/11/2025 thru 11/13/25. The shipment consisted (6) intermodals of DOT Exempt soil. Two containers a day were transported by truck to a transload facility in Oakdale CA. All (6) containers were loaded onto railcar GIMX516138 and the railcar was placed at Sierra Northern Railyard to be pulled on 11/17/2025 for transport to the WCS disposal facility in Andrews, Texas.
The rail car was released to the first railroad carrier (Sierra Northern Railroad) on the date identified below. After release from VNC, the rail car arrived at WCS and was received on the date specified. This shipment exceeded the 20-day allotted time frame.
VNC and WCS receive daily tracking reports from the railroad logistics contractor, I.C.E. Service Group, for all waste shipments transported from the VNC facility. The location of the subject shipment was verified and traced until receipt at the destination facility. VNC and WCS tracked the progress of this shipment through the daily trace reports. At no time was the shipment lost or in an unknown location.
Below is the summary for the rail shipment that exceeded the time provided in 10 CFR 20, Appendix G. The summary includes the shipment identification (Manifest) number, rail car identification (ID) number, shipment date, date of arrival and date of receipt at the waste disposal facility and the total number of days the shipment was in transit.
Manifest Number Rail Car ID Number Date Shipped Date Arrived at WCS Date Received by WCS Total Days In Transit NVNC-2025-25 GIMX516138 11/11/2025 thru 11/13/25 12/2/2025 12/3/2025 22 The subject transit time has been documented in Condition Report CR-2025-050; corrective actions, as appropriate, are being tracked in that Condition Report.
This letter contains no new regulatory commitments.
Should you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact Mr. Thomas B. Silko at (802) 451-5354, Ext 2506.
Sincerely, AWB/tbs cc: Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 Sincerely, AWB/tbs