An NRC quarterly newsletter providing licensing information on a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility

 Mixed Oxide Xchange

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NUREG/BR-0284 June 2004

 Vol. 4, No. 2

Safety Evaluation Report

In April 2004, the NRC staff closed four of the

remaining open items in its April 2003, Draft

Safety Evaluation Report for the proposed

mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication facility

(MFFF). These open items pertained to margins

of safety for prevention of nuclear criticality

accidents, prevention of red oil explosions, the

use of Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits

(TEELs) in human health consequence analyses

of hazardous chemical spills, and the prevention

of pyrophoric reactions of uranium dioxide

powders. The NRC staff is continuing its

review of the seven remaining open items. The

remaining open items are all in the chemical

safety area. The remaining items pertain to the

prevention of hydroxylamine nitrate explosions,

limits on the concentration of flammable gases

(4 items), control room habitability, and a metal

fire hazard in the dissolution unit electrolyzers. 

On June 10, 2004, the applicant, Duke Cogema

Stone & Webster (DCS) submitted page changes

to its MFFF Construction Authorization Request

(CAR) and Environmental Report. These

changes address the new controlled area

boundary at the Department of Energy’s

Savannah River Site for the MFFF and contain

more detailed information about waste

management facilities. NRC staff is currently

developing a revised schedule for its issuance of

the final EIS and final SER, which will be

posted on the NRC’s website.

Cooperation with Russian Federation

A workshop on NRC’s evaluation of both the safety

assessment of the design bases and radiation safety

commitments for the U.S. MFFF was held in Russia on May

17-21, 2004. Representatives of the Russian Federal Nuclear

Regulatory Authority (FSAN), NRC, and the U.S.

Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security

Administration (NNSA) attended the workshop.

NRC and NNSA will conduct a workshop with FSAN in

Moscow in July 2004 on NRC’s development of acceptance

criteria contained in NUREG-1718, the Standard Review Plan

for the U.S. MFFF.

Hearing Update

On May 28, 2004, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

Panel (ASLBP) dismissed two of the contentions filed by

Georgian’s Against Nuclear Energy (GANE). GANE’s first

contention alleged there was insufficient information in the

CAR on the design features of the material control and

accounting (MC&A) system for the MFFF. GANE’s second

contention alleged that the CAR lacked required information

regarding physical protection of the MFFF. In dismissing

these contentions, the ASLBP ruled that GANE had failed to

file required late-filed amendments or late-filed contentions

after DCS had earlier submitted a revised CAR containing

new and significantly different MC&A and physical

protection design basis information.

The sole remaining contention before the ASLBP pertains to

whether DCS has performed a seismic hazard analysis that is

both adequate in scope and adequately documented. DCS

filed a motion seeking dismissal of this contention on August

22, 2003. The ASLBP has not ruled on that motion.

Find meeting summaries, updates related to the proposed MFFF, frequently asked questions and 

past issues of the Mixed Oxide Xchange.

Go to http://www.nrc.gov/materials/fuel-cycle-fac/mox/licensing.html.
Mixed Oxide Xchange - 2 - June 2004

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

Mail Stop T-8F42

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

 Lead Editor: David D. Brown

 Production: Linda C. Marshall

Mixed Oxide Xchange is published quarterly to highlight recent news and events associated with the NRC’s

licensing of a mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility. We welcome your suggestions for improvement of this

newsletter. If you have comments or suggestions, you may contact us at moxfeedback@nrc.gov. To subscribe or

unsubscribe, please send an e-mail to subscribe@nrc.gov. All issues will be e-mailed unless you provide your

mailing address and indicate your preference to receive copies by U.S. Postal Service.