Press Release-92-057, NRC Staff Authorizes Phased Restart at Sequoyah Fuels; Inspectors to Monitor Initial Operations Around the Clock: Difference between revisions
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{{Adams | |||
| 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 = | |||
| newsletter year = 2092 | |||
| newsletter integer = 57 | |||
}} | |||
=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. | |||
#}} | |||
Revision as of 15:09, 14 July 2019
| ML003702450 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/16/1992 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-92-057 | |
| Download: ML003702450 (3) | |
Text
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.