Spotlight
2007 Fuel Cycle Facilities
This page includes links to files in non-HTML format. See Plugins, Viewers, and Other Tools for more information.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-06-129; EA-06-133; EA-06-141; EA-06-160; EA-06-179; EA-06-182)
On February 21, 2007, a Confirmatory Order (effective immediately) was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) to confirm commitments made as a result of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mediation sessions held on September 28 and November 30, 2006. Originally, this Confirmatory Order was designated as "Official Use Only" and not available for public review. Upon further evaluation by the NRC, this Confirmatory Order was released publically, in its entirety, on July 18, 2009. At issue were a number of violations of NRC requirements, some of which were characterized as willful. Specifically, these violations included: 1) a licensee supervisor’s willful failure to wear a full face respirator as required by license safety conditions, 2) a failure of the licensee to meet the performance requirements of a July, 2000, Confirmatory Order Modifying License involving its safeguards contingency plan, 3) a licensee building manager’s willful transfer of solvent extraction raffinate without approval as required by license safety conditions, 4) a licensee failure to attend special nuclear material as required by the licensee’s Physical Protection Plan, 5) an inadvertent transfer of high enriched uranyl nitrate into an enclosure that was not approved for operation, and 6) a willful failure of two security officers to conduct vehicle searches. NFS agreed to: 1) provide the NRC written documentation of the reasons for the violations, the corrective actions taken and planned and the completion dates for each corrective action within 60 days of the date of the Order, 2) within 60 days of the date of the order, submit a request to amend the license to revise the configuration management program, and 3) conduct an independent safety culture assessment via a third-party, implement a plan to address the findings and recommendations that result from the third-party assessment, and within 24 months following the completion of the initial assessment, provide for an additional third-party assessment of the implemented plan. In recognition of these actions, the NRC agreed to exercise Enforcement Discretion and refrain from proposing a civil penalty and issuing a Notice of Violation or other enforcement action.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-06-018)
On April 21, 2006, a Notice of Violation (NOV) and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalties in the amount of $32,500 was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on a Severity Level III problem associated with two violations. The first violation involved the failure to develop and implement a design for the uranium-aluminum enclosure overflow system which provided that Items Relied on for Safety (IROFS) would be reliable and available to perform their function when needed. The second violation involved the failure to report a condition that resulted in the facility being in a state that was not analyzed, and which resulted in failure to meet the performance requirements of 10 CFR 70.61.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-04-199)
On May 23, 2005, a Notice of Violation (NOV) was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on a Severity Level III violation which involved the failure to lock closed a process waste collection tank discharge valve to the waste water treatment facility after completion of a transfer operation as required by operating procedures.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-96-213)
On August 21, 1996, a Notice of Violation (NOV) and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in the amount of $12,500 was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on a Severity Level III problem associated with four violations. The first violation involved the failure to implement and maintain a control and management system for an incinerator used to handle uranium. The second violation involved the failure to institute adequate procedures for the safe operation of the incinerator and multiple example of failure to adhere to the procedures. The third violation involved the failure to identify the incinerator as safety-related which resulted in a failure to implement a preventative maintenance and surveillance program for components essential to safety. The fourth violation involved the failure to implement an adequate training program for personnel operating the incinerator. The application of the NRC Civil Penalty Assessment process would normally result in not assessing a civil penalty in this case. However, because these violations represent a significant regulatory concern, the NRC exercised discretion and assessed a base civil penalty in accordance with Sections VI.B.2 and VII.A.1 of the Enforcement Policy.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-92-231)
On January 19, 1993, a Notice of Violation (NOV) and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalties in the amount of $37,500 was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on (1) a Severity Level II violation associated with a proposed civil penalty in the amount of $25,000 involving the failure to adhere to procedures for controlling fuel manufacturing waste activities which resulted in an explosion and fire in the High Enriched Uranium Recovery Facility, and (2) a Severity Level III violation associated with a proposed civil penalty in the amount of $12,500 involving the inadvertent transfer of a solution from a favorable geometry vessel to an unfavorable geometry tank. In addition to these violations assessed civil penalties, four Severity Level IV violations were issued involving failure to follow regulatory requirements.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-91-186)
On January 29, 1992, a Notice of Violation (NOV) was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on a Severity Level III violation which involved the inadvertent transfer of an unauthorized amount of licensed material from a safe geometry vessel to an unsafe geometry vessel without the required verification.
Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (EA-90-124; EA-91-004)
On March 20, 1991, a Notice of Violation (NOV) and Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in the amount of $10,000 was issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS). This action is based on a Severity Level II problem associated with two violations. The first violation involved the failure to evaluate a piping system for the siphoning or overflow of fissile solutions into an unsafe (nonfavorable) geometry tank and the failure to provide a means of preventing transfer of a highly concentrated solution to a nonfavorable geometry containment. The second violation involved the failure to adhere to procedural limits for uranium contained in a waste receiving tank. In addition, a Severity Level III violation not associated with a civil penalty was issued for multiple examples of failure to follow operating procedures.
