Year
2009
Abstract
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) provides rules regarding nuclear material transfers and nuclear material recordkeeping for low enriched uranium (LEU) fabrication facilities in the code of federal regulations, 10 CFR 74.311 and 10 CFR 752. Each licensed facility who is authorized to possess and use more than one effective kilogram of special nuclear material of low strategic significance, excluding sealed sources, or operations involved in waste disposal, implements and maintains a Commission approved nuclear material control and accounting system. The facility nuclear material control and accountability (MC&A) system is described in their Commission approved fundamental nuclear material control (FNMC) plan. The development of the FNMC Plan requires that the facility authors have an in-depth understanding of the NRC regulations and knowledge of implementing reliable MC&A systems that satisfy the requirements. Subject matter experts are used to accurately describe measurement systems and statistical practices that are used to evaluate those systems. The FNMC Plan describes the item verification program and physical inventory preparation, execution, calculation of the inventory difference and reporting it and the limits. Also described in the Plan is the records system and how it achieves accuracy and adequate protection from unauthorized data changes. The MC&A Program implemented at the LEU facility, Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), Wilmington, North Carolina, is documented and conducted in accordance with the NRC approved FNMC Plan. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commitments are met through the NRC approved Transitional Facility Attachment that is negotiated with the IAEA. The MC&A practices at GNF are described in this paper.