NAC International is considering its options for responding to a recent finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it had seemingly breached federal regulations in a design update for a used-nuclear fuel storage cask, an executive said Friday.
“NAC does not at this point, having just received the details set forth in the inspection report, agree that apparent violations exist or that issues of safety significance are present,” George Carver, vice president for engineering and licensing, said in a statement to Weapons Complex Morning Briefing.
The federal regulator submitted the report to the used-fuel management specialist on Sept. 3, with findings based on a February on-site inspection at NAC corporate offices in Norcross, Ga.
Inspectors identified two apparent violations of NRC regulations involved in a design update for the MAGNASTOR cask prior to December 2016: failing to subject the design change to the same control measures used in the original design, and not acquiring a required NRC amendment to the certificate of compliance for MAGNASTOR before carrying out the design change.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it is considering escalated enforcement in the case, which could lead to civil penalties against NAC International.
“NAC is disappointed to receive the apparent violations in the NRC’s letter and inspection report of September 3, 2020,” Carver said. “We would like to stress that the NRC’s inspection report found that NAC’s [quality-assurance] program is strong and compliant with the rigorous NRC requirements with ‘no concerns identified’ and that our design control program was ‘properly implemented.’ NAC applies its quality and design control programs to be effective in controlling activities in accordance with applicable regulations and the approved CoCs for our cask technology.”
The company has the option of responding in writing to the inspection report. It can also request alternative dispute resolution with a mediator, or a pre-decisional enforcement conference with NRC officials to provide its perspective on the matter.
