IR 05000020/1993003

Insp Repts 50-020/93-03 & 70-0938/93-01 on 931206,08 & 09. No Violations Noted.Major Areas inspected:on-site follow-up of Previously Identified Item,Facility Operation,Shipping & Receiving,Storage & Internal Controls & Physical Security

ML20058P996
Person / Time
Site:	07000938, MIT Nuclear Research Reactor
Issue date:	12/17/1993
From:	Mccabe E, Ratta A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20058P974	List: IR 05000020/1993003 ML20058P971
References
50-020-93-03, 50-20-93-3, 70-0938-93-01, 70-938-93-1, NUDOCS 9312280032
Download: ML20058P996 (6)

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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION  !

REGION I ';

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Docket / Report: 50-20/93-03. 70-938/93-01 License R-37. SNM-986

Licensee: Massachusetts Institute of Technoloey 138 Albany Street Cambridce. Massachusetts 02139 - -

Facility Name: MIT Nuclear Reactor i

Inspection At: .C_ambridge. Massachusetts

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Inspection Dates: December 6. 8 and 9.1993

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Inspector: & C bM. b y b t/s 7/97 l A. Della Ratta, Physical Security Inspector date ,

Appmved by: % C b M. h , 81/87[97 E. C. McCabe, Chief, Safeguards Section date Division of Radiation Safety and Safeguards SCOPE i

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Routine, announced nuclear material control and accounting and physical security, including [

on-site follow-up of previously identified item; facility operation; shipping and receiving; storage and internal controls; inventory; records and reports; and physical protection -!

measures for special nuclear material (SNM) of moderate strategic significanc ;

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FINDINGS

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The licensee's programs were directed toward the protection of the public health and safet No safety concerns or violations of NRC requirements were identifie ,

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9312280032 931220 PDR ADOCK 05000020  :

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DETAILS 1.0 Kev Licensee Personnel Contacted J. Bernard, Jr., Director of Operations

• F. Massd, Director of Radiation Protection Programs

• E. Lau, Assistant Superintendent of Operations

• M. Galanek, Associate Radiation Pmtection Officer D. Haes, Assistant Radiation Protection Officer

• H. Bondar, Administrative Officer

• F. McWilliams, Reactor Radiation Protection Officer G. Bolton, Jr., Senior Reactor Operator P. Menadier, Project Engineer / Shift Supervisor

• T. Newton, Assistant Superintendent of Operations S. Theriault, Patrol Officer, MIT Campus Police

• Attended the exit interview Other personnel were also contacted or interviewe .0 Follow-urs of Previousiv Identified Item (Closed) VIO 7-)-92SL92-01-01 During previous inspection on April 28 - May 1,1992, the inspectors determined that the licensee failec'. to follow wricen nuclear material control and accounting procedures that would have r;etected, in a timely manner, the loss of three special nuclear material (SNM)

bearing fission chambers. These fission chambers were discovered missing during an annual physical inventory of SNM completed on October 30,1991. The licensee indicated that the immediate cause of the violation was that the accountability inventory records did not reflect the probaMe February 1981 shipment for burial of the three fission chambers. The licensee also conduded that the root cause of this violation was failure to use seals for the wall

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storage area. Specifically, once removed from service, fission chambers wcze normally placed ia a shielded wall storage hole which was then closed with a heavy plug. Because of the radiation and contamination levels associated with the fission chambers, it was their practice not to remove the plugs in order to sight the fission chambers visually during the annual physical inventory. Instead, storage location records were reviewed and used as the basis of the inventory. However, this method was deficient in that tamper-proof seals were not placed on the wall storage area plugs. If tamper-proof seals had been used, it would have been obvious if any wall storage hole had been opene During this inspection, the inspector determined through observations and a review of records that the licensee had: (1) adjusted the physical inventory records and accountability ledgers to reflect the probable shipment for burial of the three fission chambers in February 1981; (2) removed all SNM bearing items from the wall storage areas and placed them in five-gallon pails located in the NW12-103 storage vault; nnd (3) implemented physical

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Y inventory procedures that require all SNM-bearing items, except installed fission chambers, to be visually sighted. Exceptions to the visual sighting policy were to be allowed only if '

tamper-proof seals were utilized. Inspector review found the licensee's corrective actions on this matter to be adequat .0 Material Control and Accountine Facility Operation The inspector verified through interviews with personnel and a review of records that the licensee was maintaining and implementing procedures, which are documented in the

" Manual of Procedures and Instructions Related to Accountability for Source, Special Nuclear, and Certain Other Materials," dated April 1989, for the control and accounting of nuclear materials. Written statements of responsibility and authority were established for those positions with responsibility for Special Nuclear Materia .2 Shioolne and Receivine The inspector determined through a review of records that the licensee maintained procedures to assure that all nuclear material shipped and received was accurately accounted fo .

The inspector reviewed all DOF1NRC Form-741s generated from April 1,1992 through '

September 30,1993 to assure that each was properly signed, dispatched in a timely manner, and that the data were accurat .3 Storace and Internal Control The inspector determined through observations and review of records that the licensee was maintaining a system of storage and internal control which provided knowledge of the ;

quantity, identity, and current location of all SNM in the facilit SNM storage areas were maintained and included the reactor core, fuel pool, and new fuel storage vault and other areas that were appropriate for SNM contained in other than fue .4 LnyIntory ,

The inspector reviewed supporting records that showed physical inventories were conducted at least annually as required by 10 CFR 70.51(d). The licensee's last physical inventory was

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performed on October 15, 199 On December 8,1993, the inspector performed an inventory verification which consisted of-a piece count of all the irradiated fuel elements and the irradiated sectioned elements in the reactor pool. The inspector also verified other selected SNM items on the October 15, 1993 physical inventory listin .

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4 , Records and Reports The inspector reviewed the licensee's records, reports, and source data. Material status

reports (DOE /NRC Form 742), submitted by the licensee from April 1,1992 through September 30,1993, were reviewed for compliance with 10 CFR 70.53. Total uranium and uranium depletion records were also reviewe Exhibits I and II, attached to this report, summarized the licensee's nuclear material activities from April 1,1992 through September 30,199 l No deficiencies were identified in the licensee's Material Control and Accounting Progra .0 General Physical Protection of Special Nuclear Material of Moderate Stratenic Sinnificance The licensee's program for physical protection of SNM of moderate strategic significance was reviewed by the inspector and was found to conform to NRC requirements and the e licensee's implementing procedures. Specific components of the program that were reviewed included: records and reports; security organization; key control; detection aids; physical barriers; procedures; and observation of a licensee test of alarm system features. No deficiencies were identifie .0 Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee management denoted in Section 1.0 at the conclusion of this inspection on December 9,1993. The scope and fm' dings of the inspection were discussed at that time. The licensee acknowledged the finding i k

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a EXHIBIT I

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Docket Nos. 50-20 and 70-938 License Nos. R-37 and SNM-986 Material Balance for Period: April 1.1992 - September 30.1993 ;

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Reportine Identification Symbol: XSP Reoortine Units: Grams Enriched Uranium Element 1s2193

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Beginning Inventory:

(April 1,1992) 2,001,951 58,062 ,

Receipts: 5.480 5.104 i

Material To Account For: 2.007.431 63.166 Removals:

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Shipments- 15,933 12,915 Fission and Transmutation: 881 1,035 Inventory Difference: (Rounding) (1) -0-Ending Inventory:

(September 30,1993) 1.990.618 49.216 Material Accounted For: 2.007.431 63.166

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The licensee also has a foil containing less than one gram of U-23 .

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EXHIBIT II Massachusetts Institute of Technology Docket Nos. 50-20 and 70-938 License Nos. R-37 and SNM-986

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Material Balance for Period: April 1.1992 - September 30. 1993 Reporting Identification Symbol: XSE Reoortine Units: Grams Plutonium

]M PU 239 & 241 Beginning Inventory:

(April 1,1992) 354 331 Receipts: & &

Material To Account For: $ $

Removals:

Shipments: 1 &

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Ending Inventory:

(September 30,1993) 35% 331 Material Accounted For: E E The licensee also has three foils containing a total of less than a tenth of one gram of Pu-238.