CD

DUKE COGEMA

STONE & WEBSTER

Mr. Robert C. Pierson 29 September 2005

Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards DCS-NRC-000182

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

11545 Rockville Pike

Rockville, MD 20852-2738

Subject: Schedule for Application for a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility License,

Docket No.: 70-3098

Dear Mr. Pierson

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with your staff in Washington on September 7,

2005 to provide an update on the status of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility

Project (MFFF). As part of that status update, tentative plans to submit a license

application and an Integrated Safety Analysis Summary to the commission were

presented. As stated at the public meeting, DCS intends to submit the license application

during the third quarter of CY 2006.

Per your letter dated August 3, 2005, you requested information regarding expected

interactions with the NRC staff prior to the license application submittal for planning and

budgeting purposes. Expected interactions were also discussed at the September 7, 2005

public meeting. As a summary, the following interactions were discussed:

* A working session is needed to discuss physical security issues and

responsibilities with DCS, DOE, and NRC representatives to confirm standards

and expectations that are to be included in the MFFF Physical Security Plan.

* A working session is needed to further discuss the format and content of the

license application and the Integrated Safety Analysis Summary so that the NRC

representatives have a better understanding how material will be presented

minimizing duplication of information.

* A date for the start of MFFF site preparation is not known at this time but will be

provided to you as soon as it is available.

* A date for start of MFFF construction is not available at this time. Following an

internal DOE review of readiness to start construction, a tentative date will be

identified and provided to you.

PO Box 31847

Charlotte, NC 28231-1847

1 28 South Tryson Street, FC 1 2A

Charlotte, NC 28202
Mr. Robert C. Pierson

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

DCS-NRC-000182

29 September 2005

Page 2 of 2

* An internal QA audit of MFFF design activities will take place in November

2005 at the DCS design offices near Bagnols, France. The audit will be a good

opportunity for the NRC staff to increase its familiarity with the MFFF design.

Interactions between your staff and the DCS Quality Assurance Manager, Jim

Cassidy, have taken place concerning your participation.

Specific dates for the interactions listed above will be determined in cooperation with

your staff The location of working session meetings will also be determined at a later

time.

Thank you again for the opportunity to meet with your staff on September 7, 2005.

Sincerely,

Richard L. Sweigart

Vice President

Regulatory Affairs

RLS:gdh

cc: S. M. Franks, DOE/NA-26

J. Olencz, DOE/NA-261

G. A Smith, DOEINA-261

D. A. Ayres, NRC/RI

J. W. Clifford, NRC/HQ

J. G. Gfitter, NRC/HQ

S. L. Magruder, NRC/HQ

J. A. Olivier, NRC/HQ

B. M. Troskoski, NRC/HQ

L. R. Barnes, DCS

D. W. Gwyn, DCS

D. J. Silverman, Esq., DCS