# Uranium Enrichment Fuel Cycle Inspection Reports Regarding Louisiana Energy Services, National Enrichment Facility, Eunice, New Mexico, Prior to the Commencement of Operations
**AGENCY:**
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
**ACTION:**
Notice of availability.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Michael Raddatz, Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Rockville, Maryland 20852; telephone: 301-492-3108; email: *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**I. Introduction**
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has conducted inspections of the Louisiana Energy Services (LES), LLC, National Enrichment Facility in Eunice, New Mexico, and has authorized the introduction of uranium hexafluoride (UF <sub>6</sub> ) into cascades numbered 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, and 3.9. In addition, the NRC verified that the Phase 2a and Chemistry Laboratory of the Cylinder Receipt and Dispatch Building (CRDB) of the facility have been constructed in accordance with the requirements of the approved license. Phase 2a included the CRDB Civil Structure and CRDB shell operations such as: movement of cylinders; fire walls; transient combustible inspections; cylinder movers; and worker evacuation. The NRC staff has prepared inspection reports documenting its findings in accordance with the requirements of the NRC Inspection Manual, and these reports are available for review as specified in Section II of this notice. The publication of this notice satisfies the requirements of Section 70.32(k) of Title 10 of the *Code of Federal Regulations* (10 CFR), and section 193(c) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.
The introduction of UF <sub>6</sub> into any module of the National Enrichment Facility is not permitted until the NRC completes an operational readiness and management measures verification review to verify that management measures that ensure compliance with the performance requirements of 10 CFR 70.61 have been implemented and confirms that the facility has been constructed in accordance with the license and will be operated safely. Subsequent operational readiness and management measures verification reviews will continue throughout the various phases of plant construction and, upon completion of these subsequent phases, additional notices of the operation approval letters will be published in the *Federal Register* in accordance with 10 CFR 70.32(k).
**II. Further Information**
Documents related to this action, including the application for amendment and supporting documentation, are available online in the NRC Library at *http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.* From this site, you can access the NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public documents. Inspection reports associated with the approval letters are referenced in the letters and are also available electronically in ADAMS. Accession numbers for the approval letters are being noticed here as follows:
| Authorization letters | Date | ADAMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cascade numbered 2.9 | September 28, 2012 | ML12272A189 |
| Cascade numbered 2.10 | September 14, 2012 | ML12261A040 |
| Cascade numbered 2.11 | August 24, 2012 | ML12237A190 |
| Cascade numbered 2.12 | July 16, 2012 | ML12198A121 |
| Cascade numbered 3.1 | August 14, 2012 | ML12227A401 |
| Cascade numbered 3.2 | September 25, 2012 | ML12269A155 |
| Cascade numbered 3.3 | October 31, 2012 | ML12306A048 |
| Cascade numbered 3.4 | October 31, 2012 | ML12306A048 |
| Cascade numbered 3.5 | November 21, 2012 | ML12326A563 |
| Cascade numbered 3.6 | December 20, 2012 | ML12355A171 |
| Cascade numbered 3.7 | January 14, 2013 | ML13015A042 |
| Cascade numbered 3.8 | February 13, 2013 | ML13044A527 |
| Cascade numbered 3.9 | March 14, 2013 | ML13074A068 |
| Authorization letters | Date | ADAMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRDB Chemistry Laboratory | January 16, 2013 | ML13016A011 |
| CRDB Phase 2a | January 30, 2013 | ML13030A327 |
If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by email to *[email protected].*
These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's PDR, O 1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 11th day of April.
Brian W. Smith,
Chief, Uranium Enrichment Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, and Safeguards Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and Safeguards.