[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6279-6280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3323]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket 70-7001]


Notice of Amendment to Certificate of Compliance GDP-1 for the 
U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Paducah, 
KY

    The Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, has 
made a determination that the following amendment request is not 
significant in accordance with 10 CFR 76.45. In making that 
determination the staff concluded that (1) there is no change in the 
types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may 
be released offsite; (2) there is no significant increase in individual 
or cumulative occupational radiation exposure; (3) there is no 
significant construction impact; (4) there is no significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents; (5) the proposed changes do not result 
in the possibility of a new or different kind of accident; (6) there is 
no significant reduction in any margin of safety; and (7) the proposed 
changes will not result in an overall decrease in the effectiveness of 
the plant's safety, safeguards or security programs. The basis for this 
determination for the amendment request is shown below.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the certificate amendment application 
and concluded that it provides reasonable assurance of adequate safety, 
safeguards, and security, and compliance with NRC requirements. 
Therefore, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards, is prepared to issue an amendment to the Certificate of 
Compliance for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The staff has 
prepared a Compliance Evaluation Report which provides details of the 
staff's evaluation.

[[Page 6280]]

    The NRC staff has determined that this amendment satisfies the 
criteria for a categorical exclusion in accordance with 10 CFR 51.22. 
Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact 
statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for this 
amendment.
    USEC or any person whose interest may be affected may file a 
petition, not exceeding 30 pages, requesting review of the Director's 
Decision. The petition must be filed with the Commission not later than 
15 days after publication of this Federal Register Notice. A petition 
for review of the Director's Decision shall set forth with 
particularity the interest of the petitioner and how that interest may 
be affected by the results of the decision. The petition should 
specifically explain the reasons why review of the Decision should be 
permitted with particular reference to the following factors: (1) The 
interest of the petitioner; (2) how that interest may be affected by 
the Decision, including the reasons why the petitioner should be 
permitted a review of the Decision; and (3) the petitioner's areas of 
concern about the activity that is the subject matter of the Decision. 
Any person described in this paragraph (USEC or any person who filed a 
petition) may file a response to any petition for review, not to exceed 
30 pages, within 10 days after filing of the petition. If no petition 
is received within the designated 15-day period, the Director will 
issue the final amendment to the Certificate of Compliance without 
further delay. If a petition for review is received, the decision on 
the amendment application will become final in 60 days, unless the 
Commission grants the petition for review or otherwise acts within 60 
days after publication of this Federal Register Notice.
    A petition for review must be filed with the Secretary of the 
Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-
0001, Attention: Docketing and Services Branch, or may be delivered to 
the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L 
Street, NW, Washington, DC, by the above date.
    For further details with respect to the action see (1) the 
application for amendment and (2) the Commission's Compliance 
Evaluation Report. These items are available for public inspection at 
the Commission's Public Document Room, the Gelman Building, 2120 L 
Street, NW, Washington, DC, and at the local public document room.
    Date of amendment request: September 30, 1996.
    Brief description of amendment: The amendment changes the Technical 
Safety Requirement for the cascade cell trip function and revises 
limiting specific values for battery performance.
    Basis for finding of no significance:
    1. The proposed amendment will not result in a change in the types 
or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be 
released offsite.
    The proposed changes to TSR 2.4.4.12 and SAR section 3.9.1.3.2 
provide limits for battery voltage and air circuit breaker air 
pressure, improve the surveillance requirements for measuring battery 
cell specific gravity, as well as improved bases for the limits. These 
changes provide improved assurance that the cell trip function will be 
available, if required. As such, these changes enhance the ability of 
the cascade trip function to deenergize the process motors (``tripping 
the cell''), thus bringing the cell below atmospheric pressure. By 
enhancing the ability to perform the cell trip function, the ability to 
mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents has been improved. As 
such, these changes have no impact on plant effluents and will not 
result in any impact to the environment.
    2. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure.
    The proposed changes provide enhanced assurance that the cell trip 
function will be available if necessary. The changes will not increase 
exposure.
    3. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
construction impact.
    The proposed changes will not result in any construction, 
therefore, there will be no construction impacts.
    4. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant increase 
in the potential for, or radiological or chemical consequences from, 
previously analyzed accidents.
    The proposed changes enhance the availability of the cascade cell 
trip function and affect no other equipment functions. The cascade cell 
trip function is not involved in any precursor to an evaluated 
accident; therefore, the potential of occurrence of an evaluated event 
is unaffected. The cell trip function is involved in the mitigation of 
the consequences of previously evaluated accidents by deenergizing the 
process motors, thus bringing the cell below atmospheric pressure. 
Revising the limiting specific values for battery performance and the 
air pressure requirements for the ``000'' air circuit breakers enhances 
the ability of the cell trip function by ensuring that adequate DC 
voltage and air pressure are available to effect cell trip. Since the 
proposed changes provide enhanced assurance that the function will be 
available if required, the consequences of previously evaluated 
accidents are not increased.
    5. The proposed amendment will not result in the possibility of a 
new or different kind of accident.
    The proposed changes establish new operating limits for plant 
equipment that are within the existing operating ranges of that 
equipment. The changes create no new operating conditions or new plant 
configuration that could lead to a new or different type of accident.
    6. The proposed amendment will not result in a significant 
reduction in any margin of safety.
    The minimum air pressures and battery voltages established by these 
proposed changes are within the existing operating ranges of the 
equipment and have been increased to enhance the cell trip function, 
which is the only safety function affected by these parameters. The 
proposed changes cause no reductions in the margins of safety.
    7. The proposed amendment will not result in an overall decrease in 
the effectiveness of the plant's safety, safeguards or security 
programs.
    The proposed changes enhance the availability of the cascade cell 
trip function and do not affect any other equipment functions or 
administrative requirements. The cell trip function is not addressed in 
the safeguards and security programs. The effectiveness of the safety, 
safeguards, and security programs is not decreased.
    Effective date: 60 days after issuance.
    Certificate of Compliance No. GDP-1: Amendment will revise the 
Technical Safety Requirements.
    Local Public Document Room location: Paducah Public Library, 555 
Washington Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 4th day of February 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Carl J. Paperiello,
Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-3323 Filed 2-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P