Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock, Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operati: Difference between revisions

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#REDIRECT [[Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock]]
| number = ML003702450
| issue date = 04/16/1992
| title = Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock
| author name =
| author affiliation = NRC/OPA
| addressee name =
| addressee affiliation =
| docket =
| license number =
| contact person =
| document report number = Press Release-92-057
| document type = Press Release
| page count = 3
| newsletter region = NRC Region Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock
| newsletter year = 20Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock
| newsletter integer = Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock
}}
 
=Text=
{{#Wiki_filter:No.92-57FORIMMEDIATERELEASETel.301\504-2240(Thursday,April16,1992)NRCSTAFFAUTHORIZESPHASEDRESTARTATSEQUOYAHFUELS;INSPECTORSTOMONITORINITIALOPERATIONSAROUNDTHECLOCKTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionstaffhasauthorizedthephasedresumptionofoperationsattheSequoyahFuelsCorporation uraniumprocessingplantnearGore,Oklahoma.Thefacilityhas remainedshutdownsinceOctober1991astheresultofanNRC
 
order.NRC'srestartauthorizationiseffectiveApril16.
SequoyahFuels,asubsidiaryofGeneralAtomics,processesrefineduraniumores(yellowcake)toproduceuraniumhexafluoride (UF6),onestepinmanufacturingreactorfuel.Thefacilityalso producesdepleteduraniumtetrafluoride(DUF4),whicheventually isusedtomakesoliddepleteduranium,amaterialwhichhasboth militaryandcommercialuses.TheNRCrestartauthorizationspecifiesthatSequoyahFuelswillfirstbringitsDUF4facilityintooperation,andthenwill beginastagedstartupofitsUF6process.Thisphasedapproach isdesignedtoassureagradualmovetofulloperation--with workproceedingfromonestagetoanotheronlyafterthekey companycommitteesandthecompanypresidentevaluate performance,andaftertheNRCregionaladministratorapprovesa movetothenextoperationalstage.Itisexpectedthat,under suchaphasedrestart,itwilltakeapproximatelythreetofour weeksfortheplanttoreachfullproduction.RobertDMartin,NRCregionaladministratorinArlington,Texas,outlinedtheserequirementsinalettertothecompanyon April16,whichincorporatedcommitmentsSequoyahFuelsmade earlierforaphasedrestartandaddedadditionalrequirements forNRCreviewandapproval.NRCalsowillhaveinspectorsonsitetomonitorthecompany'sperformancearoundtheclockduringtheinitialstages ofstartup.Thislevelofinspectioncoveragewillbemaintained aslongasagencymanagementbelievesitiswarranted,andwill thenbegraduallyreducedtoanormalinspectionfrequency.
TheNRCorderanddemandforinformationofOctober3,1991,preventedtheSequoyahFuelsplantfromresumingoperationafter ascheduledshutdownformaintenance.InresponsetothatNRC action,thecompanyhashirednewmanagement,restructuredits organization,andtakenotherstepstoaddressNRCconcernsabout itshealth,safetyandenvironmentalprogram.DuringabriefingonMarch17,NRCstaffofficialstoldtheCommissionthattheydidnotbelievetheSequoyahFuelsplantwas readyforrestartatthattime,althoughsubstantialprogresshad beenmadeinareasofNRCconcern.Afteradditionalinspections, thestaffhasnowconcluded--andhasinformedtheCommission--
thatithasreasonableassurancethatSequoyahFuelscanperform satisfactorilyinthefuture.Staffofficialsbasethisconclusionbothontheresultsofcontinuedinspectionsatthesiteandonotherongoing interactionswiththecompany.TheybelievethatSequoyahFuels hasdemonstratedasufficientlevelofsensitivitytoregulatory requirementsandacapabilitytoidentifyandfindtherootcause ofproblems.Inspectorshavefound,forexample,thatadequate stepshavebeentakentominimizefurthercontamination,both fromnormaloperationsandfromprocessspills;thatworkersare moreconscientiousinadheringtoprocedures;andthatabetter workingrelationshipexistsbetweenthehealthandsafety departmentandotherorganizations,suchasmaintenanceand
 
operations.Inthestaff'sjudgment,thecompanyalsohassatisfactorilyaddressedthreeissuesraisedearlierthisyearbyanNRCrestart readinessinspectionteam:increasedpermanenthealthandsafety technicianstaffing;adequacyofinterimmanagementoversight whilelong-termprogramsbecomeeffective;andeffectivenessof correctivemeasurestakentoimprovemanagementsensitivityto thecontroloflicensedmaterial.Thestaffhasfurtherinformed theCommissionthatnounresolvedsafetyissuesthatwould preventrestarthavebeenraisedbyanongoinginvestigationinto allegationsthatsomeradiationprotectionrecordsmayhavebeen
 
falsified.SequoyahFuels'applicationforrenewalofitsoperatinglicensecontinuestobereviewedbytheNRCstaff.Thelicense wouldhaveexpiredSeptember30,1990,butcontinuesinforce becausethecompanyfiledatimelyrenewalapplication.The orderanddemandforinformationissuedinOctober1991followed inspectionandinvestigationfindingswhichraisedagency concernsaboutthecompany'shealthandsafetyandenvironmental programsandabouttheaccuracyofinformationprovidedby severalindividualstheninmanagementpositions.NRC'sheightenedscrutinyofthefacilitybeganinAugust1990,afterNRClearnedthatSequoyahFuelsfailedtoinformthe agencypromptlyofuraniumcontaminationonthesite.Itwas laterfoundthatsuchcontaminationexistedatseverallocationsontheplantproperty.NRCcontinuestobelievethattheon-site contaminationhasnotendangereddrinkingwaterinthearea.
#}}

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