IR 05000030/1990001
| ML20024F951 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Plum Brook File:National Aeronautics and Space Administration icon.png |
| Issue date: | 12/13/1990 |
| From: | House J, Januska A, Schumacher M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20024F924 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-030-90-01, 50-185-90-01, 50-185-90-1, 50-30-90-1, NUDOCS 9012270169 | |
| Download: ML20024F951 (4) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION PEGION 111 Report Nos. 50-30/90001(DRSS); 50-185/90001(DRSS)
Docket Hos. 50-30; 50-185 License Nos. TR-3; R-93 Licensee:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center Plum Brook Station Sandusky, OH, 44S70 Facility Name:
Plum Brook Reactor Facility Inspection At:
Plum Brook Reactor Site, Sandusky, Ohio Inspection Conducted:
November 28-29, 1990 h.k.hanuska w ba-Inspectors:
A. G.
17.-13-40 Date J. E. House a-l')-fo Date J//,+bA90t4/v Approved By:
M. C. Schumacher, Chief
/4'I4C Radiological Controls Date and Chemistry Section Inspection Summary Inspection'on November 28-29, 1990 (Repurt Nos. 50-30/90001(DRSS);
I 50-185/90001(DRSS))
Areas Inspected: Routine announced inspection of. radiological protection including:
status of reactor facility possess-but-not-operate licenses-(IP 40755); organization (IP 40755); condition of systems'and. components (IP 40755); security and surveillance measures (IP 40755); facility changes (IP 90713); facility and environmental radiological surveys (IP 90713);
internal audits (IP 90713); records and reports (IP 90713,86740);and posting, labeling, and control (IP 40755).
Results:
Na violations or deviations were ioentifieo.
l-9012270169 901213 PDR ADOCK 05000030
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_ DETAILS d
1.
. Persons Contacted I. Pfanner, Plum Brook Reactor Facility (PBRF) Manager, NASA H
J. Ross, Site Deputy Manager, Sverdrup Corporation
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D. Young, Health Physics and Maintenance Supervisor Sverdrup l
Corpora tion R. Ruffing, Unit Leader, Maintenance, Sverdrup Corporation
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I Present at exit meeting, November 29, 1990 2.
General t
This inspection was conducted to determine compliance with license conditions for the possess-but-not-operate Licenses No. TR-3, and No. R-93 for the Plum Brook Test Reactor and Plum Brook Mock-up Reactor. These licenses are due to expire in 1997.
3.
Status of NRC Licenses No. TR-3 and R-93 (IP 40755)
The status of-the facility licenses has not changed since the previous g
inspection except for Amendment 8 to each license. Amendment No. 8
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to facility License No. TR-3 for the Plum Brook Research Facility (PBRF)
and No. 8 to facility License No. R-93 for the Plum Brook Mock-Up Reactor change portions of the organizational structure of the Lewis Research
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Center in the Technical Specifications.
The licensee did not indicate that any further consideration had been given to dismantling the reactor.
NRC Licenses.No. TR-3 and R-93~are possess but not operate. The reactor is defueled with no fuel stored on site, and the PBRF reactor vessel has been inerted with nitrogen.
4.
Organization (IP 40755)
Mr..H. Pfnnner, the current PBRF Manager, is responsible for maintaining the reactors in safe protective storage; Mr. H. McCune remains the First
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Alternate. PBRF Manager.
The prime contractor respgnsible for site l
maintenance: has changed since the last inspection from Teledyne l
' Isotopes to Sverdrup Corporation with-most personnel being(absorbed by the new contractor.
The former site manager, Mr. J. Ross formerly~with l.
Teledyne), is now the Deputy Site Manager, the new prime contractor-L I
having' named their own site manager.
No violations.or deviations were identified 5.
-Inspections,-Tests, and Surveys-(IP-40755)
The. inspectors reviewed selected records of the following licensee--
operations required by Technical Specification (T/S) 2.20 of Facility License No. TR-3.
Region III Inspection Report 50-30/87001 and 50-185/87001 lbid:
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I pBS Fence Integrity Inspection PBRF Fence Integrity insper. tion Building and Containment Vessel (CV) Locks Inspection Building and CV General Condition Inspections Alarm Tests Facility Radiological Surveys Environmental Radiological Surveys Absolute Filter Inspection CV Integrity Test The inspections, tests and surveys appeared to be adequately performed at the required frequency, were suf ficiently detailed and had been reviewed by the PDRF Manager (NASA).
Licensee procedures and the Annual Report (T/S 3.2 and 3.3.1) were reviewed and found to be adequate.
No violations or deviations were identified.
6.
Condition of Systems and Components The inspectors toured the PBRF facilities and grounds.
Licensee maintenance and survey programs for reactor systems and components, access controls, radiation area control boundries, and posting and labeling appeared adequate.
Weter intrusion has not been a problem since the tops of the underground tanks building and the reactor building were covered with a waterproof insulating foam.
Licensee representatives stated that the foam had reduced moisture condensation inside the CV due to high humidity during the sunnier.
The CV interior was dry with no evidence of water intrusion. Overall facility maintenance appeared good.
No violations or deviations were identified.
7.
PBRF Safety Conniittee (PCS) Meetings (IP 40755)
The inspectors reviewed the minutes of selected pSC meetings.
Topics discussed included internal audits, facility changes, sampling resalts and procedures.
Committee member qualifications, meeting frequency and discussion topics appeared to comply with T/S requirements.
No violations or deviations were identified.
8.
Internal Audits Audits performed in 1988 and 1989 by the Chairperson of the Plum Brook Reactor Facility audit team were examined.
No findings were identified.
The audits satisfy the requirement of Technicial Specification 3.1.3.
No violations or deviations were identified.
9.
Facility Changes The following facility changes have been made since the last inspection.
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Facility change (FC) 87-02 allowed the removal of approximately 19,000 pounds of lead shot from a cave in the containment vessel.
The lead, which is uncontaminated is stored onsite.
FC 88-01 returned the source of site electrical power to the substation formerly used.
FC 89-01 required the removal of two fuel and one nonradioactive waste storage tank.
No violations or deviations were identified.
10.
Transportation The licensee has not shipped any radioactive waste from the site since the previous inspection.
Radwaste, consisting primarily of protective clothing is generated at an extremely low rate and stored in a radio-logically controlled area in 55 gallon drums.
No violations or deviations were identified.
11. Radiation Protection The inspectors examined results of radiological surveys performed to satisfy.the requirements of T/S 2.1.8.
Routine smear, air, water and soil samples taken quarterly were all well within regulatory limits.
The licensee's environmental monitoring program consists of liquid and sediment samples collected quarterly from a drainage ditch and the Plum Brook onsite.
This drainage pathway is between the fence boundary of the reactor facility and the point'where the Plum Brook exits the NASA property. Results of sediment samples were similar to control samples-taken upstream of the facility.
Control samples-(Alpha) since 1982 ranged from 1.82-12.45 picocuries per gram. - Drainage pathway samples for the same period which have not been subject to radiological liquid releases since 1973 ranged from 0.04-13 picocuries per gram. Results of Beta analyses for control and test samples were approximately 20 picocuries per gram.
Laboratory facilities appeared adequate,= counting
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equipment was operational and under current calibration.
The inspectors'also examined the six Special Work Permits (SWP) issued by the licensee in 1990. -The SWPs are primarily for' routine preventative maintenence jobs on the cranes and appeared to be complete and contained
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proper information. The highest exposure recorded from a SWP job was 10 mrem. A review of personel TLD records showed that all 45 TLDs issued year to date registered less than 30 millirem.
No violations or deviations were-identified.
- 12. - Exit Meeting The inspectors met with a licensee representative '(Section 1) at the
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conclusion of the inspection.
The inspectors summarized the scope
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and findings-of the inspection. The inspectors also discussed the l
likely_ information content of the inspection report with regard to i
documents and processes reviewed by the' inspectors during the
inspection.
The licensee did not identify any documents of processes as proprietary.
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