IR 05000059/1987001
| ML20211P247 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Texas A&M University |
| Issue date: | 02/13/1987 |
| From: | Chaney H, Murray B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20211P218 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-059-87-01, 50-59-87-1, NUDOCS 8703020322 | |
| Download: ML20211P247 (8) | |
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APPENDIX U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION IV
NRC Inspection Report:
50-059/87-01 License:
R-23 Docket:
50-059 Licensee: Texas A&M University (TAMU)
College Station, Texas 77843 Facility Name:
AGN-201 Reactor (5 Watt)
Inspection At:
Zachry Engineering Center, TAMU, College Station, TX Inspection Conducted: January 14-16, 1987 Inspector:
bM 8[O/87 H. D. Chaney, Radiation Specialist, racilities Date Radiological Protection Section Approved:
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k/3/87 B. Murray, Chief,ionPacilitgesRadiological Date Protection Sect Inspection Summary Inspection Conducted January 14-16, 1987 (Report 50-059/87-01)
Areas Inspected:
Routine unannounced inspection of the licensee's management organization, operations a,nd maintenance lo internal audit and review program,reactoroperations,operatorrequaks surveillances, experiments, fuel handling, gram, qualifications ification pro and training,ial safeguards, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, and transportation, nuclear mater physical security plan.
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Results: Within the areas inspected, no violations or deviations were-identified.
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- G. A. Schlapper, Professor partment of Nuclear Engineering M.E.McLain,RadiationSafe Officer J. E. Simek, Assistant Radia ion Safety Officer R. Berry, Reactor Operator
- Indicates those present at the exit interview.
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2.
Followup on Previously Identified Items (Closed)OpenItem(059/8404-01:
Startup Survey After Modification ofReactorFacility-Thelicen)eehadconductedadetailedradiation s
survey of the reactor room, control console accelerator room, and adiacent areas to the reactor room following, modification to the shield walls and construction of a new reactor operating console cubicle.
This item is considered closed.
3.
Open Items Identified During this Inspection Open items are matters discussed during the course of the inspection that will be reviewed during future inspections to determine if further NRC action is appropriate.
During this inspection, two open items were identified:
Number Title Paragraph 8701-01 Control of maintenance and test
equipment (M&TE)usedforcalibrationof-AGN-201 components
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8701-02 Documentation of M&TE in maintenance logs and surveillance documents
4.
Inspector Observations
.The following is an observation the NRC inspector discussed with the licensee during the exit meeting on January 16'is item was recommended for 1987.
This observation is neither a violation nor an unresolved item. TIi licensee consideration for program improvement, but has no specific regulatory requirement.
ProcedureChanges-Minorpenciled/inkedchangestooperatingprocedures were not always annotated with the individual s initials or dated.
(See paragraph 5)
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5.
Management Organization and Controls The licensee's management organization and controls were inspected to determinecompliancewithTechnicalSpecification(TS)tiesweredetermined Section 6.1.
The licensee's organization and assignment of responsibili to be in agreement with TS Section 6.1.
The licensee's operating procedures were reviewed.
The NRC inspector noted that minor, handwritten changes to procedures did not always indicate who made the change or the date the change occurred.
The licensee acknowledged the finding and indicated that the observation would be reviewed for program improvement.
The NRC inspector reviewed the membership of the Reactor Safety Board (RSB)freactoroperationsfortheperiodJanuary$983-July 1986. min oversight o No violations or deviations were identified.
6.
Operation and Maintenance Logs Thelicensee'soperations/maintenancelogs,operatingprocedures,and surveillance records were reviewed for the period November 1983-December 1986 to determine compliance with the requirements of TS Sections 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 6.0.
The NRC inspector reviewed activities regarding maintenance, modifications personnel exposure and dosimetry logs, experiment records, startup checklists, instrument response checks, reactor power levels, portable radiation survey instrument calibration records, and area radiation monitor calibration and maintenance records.
Maintenance records were also reviewed for 10 CFR Part 50.59 evaluations and RSB reviews of reactor modifications and component replacements.
The licensee could not locate records of calibrations of M&TE used for conducting calibrations and measurements on reactor components.
The NRC inspector was not able to determine if M&TE such as picoamp meters, pulsers / signal generators,brated to traceable sources or nationalstop watches detectors, etc., were cali standards and records maintained in accordance with industry
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standard ANS-15.8/N402-1976.
Sections 2.11 and 2.15 of ANS-15.8/N402-1976 reference the measures to be established to assure that tools / equipment used in activities affecting the guality of safety related items are properlycontrolled,properlycalibrated,andadjustedattherequired intervals, and that records are properly documented.
The licensee acknowledged the finding and indicated that the equi) ment is properly calibrated but the records could not be located.
T1is is considered an OpenItem(059/8701-01).
No violations or deviations were identified.
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7.
Internal Audits and Review The licensee's internal audit and review program involving the RSB and the TAMV Radiological Safety Office were reviewed to determine compliance with the requirements of TS Sections 6.1 and 6.4.
The NRC inspector determined from the review of RSB meeting minutes, and audit reports for the period October 1983-December 1986 that the RSB satisfied the recuirements for facility operations review and program audits identifiec in TS Sections 6.4.2 and 6.4.3.
No violations or deviations were identified.
8.
Reactor Operation The reactor is used during nuclear engineering courses,, operator training /requalification,, preventative maintenance testing, and academic research.
Reactor operation for the period of June 1984-May 1985 was 30.16 hours1.851852e-4 days <br />0.00444 hours <br />2.645503e-5 weeks <br />6.088e-6 months <br /> (52.53 watt-hours), and June 1985-May 1986 47.43 hours4.976852e-4 days <br />0.0119 hours <br />7.109788e-5 weeks <br />1.63615e-5 months <br /> (25.51 watt-hours).
Currently, the reactor is not operable due to a loss of low-level trip signal on safety' channel two.
9.
Operator Requalification Training The licensee's reactor operator requalification training program was reviewed for compliance with TS Section 6.3 and the operator requalification program.
The NRC inspector reviewed traininc documents for the currently licensed operators and documentation for incividuals that were licensed during the period of January 1984-September 1986.
No violations or deviations were identified.
10.
Qualifications and Training The licensee's qualifications and training program for employees and students was reviewed to determine compliance with the requirements of TS Sections 6.2 and 6.3, and 10 CFR Parts 19 and 20.
The NRC ins)ector reviewed qualifications and training records for personnel tlat support the reactor facility such as the radiological safety office, selected RSB members, students granted access to the facility, and emergency response personnel.
Course material and attendance rosters for various classes were reviewed.
I No violations or deviations were identified.
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11. Surveillance Requirements The NRC inspector reviewed the licensee'.s surveillance of safety channel
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calibrations reactivity, control and safety gystem responses, radiation
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monitoring sy, stem, reactor' fuel, and radioactive sealed sources to determine compliance with TS Sections 3.4 and 4.0.
The NRC inspector verified during the review of uaintenance and operation logs, and surveillance records that safety channel calibrations had been performed, control and safety system limits had not been exceeded, the radiation monitoring system was operational or suitable contingency monitoring equipment was provided during system outaces, control rods and
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operating mechanisms had been inspected, and that racioactive sources had been wipe tested at the required frequency.
The NRC inspector noted that surveillance and maintenance logs and data sheets did not identify the specific equipment used and whether the eguipment was roperly calibrated prior to use.
The licensee's representative acknowled ed the finding and stated this item would be reviewed.
This is considere an Open Item (059/6/01-02) pending licensee action.
No violations or deviations were identified.
12.
Experiments The licensee's procedures and controls used in conducting reactor experiments were reviewed to determine compliance with the requirements of TS Sections 3.3, 6.6, and 6.7.
The NRC inspector verified that the licensee had conducted experiments using ap3 roved procedures and that no new experiments had been conducted without laving been aroperly reviewed. Ten initial experiments were a) proved in 1976. T1ese experiments have been periodically reviewed by tie 1,158 but no sicnificant changes have been made since they were originally approvec.
No violations or deviations were identified.
13.
Fuel Handling Activities The licensee's reactor fuel handling activities were reviewed to determine agreement with licensee's procedures,iticality safety, and compliance with and to verify technical adequacy in the areas of radiation protection, cr TS Sections 5.2 and 6.10.2.c.
One spare fuel plate was stored in a locked enclosure within the reactor room.
No violations or deviations were identifie.
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14.
Transportation The NRC inspector determined that no shipments of fuel or radioactive waste has occurred.
15.
Nuclear Materials Safeguards The licensee's nuclear materials inventory program was reviewed to determine compliance with License Condition 2.B(2).
The NRC inspector reviewed the materials accountability program conducted by the TAMU radiological safety office.
The procedures, practices, and records were found to be properly implemented.
The NRC inspector also performed a visual verification concerning the location of the plutonium-239 neutron source identified in the license.
No violations or deviations were identified.
16.
Radiation Protection The licensee's radiation protection program was reviewed to determine compliance with the requirements of TS Sections 3.3, 3.4, 4.4, 5.3.d, 6.1.8, 6.10.1.e, and 6.10.2.d; 10 CFR Parts 19 and 20; and the TAMU AGN-201 Emergency Plan.
The NRC inspector reviewed selected records, logs, interviewed personnel, made observations, ard performed independent radiological surveys of the facility.
a.
Radiation Measuring Instrumentation The NRC inspector reviewed calibration and inventory records for portable radiation survey instrumentation for the period January 1983-December 1986.
No violations or deviations were identified.
b.
Area Radiation Monitors The licensee's calibration program and daily response tests for the area monitor were reviewed.
Checklists and maintenance records were found to be properly documented.
No violations or deviations were identified.
c.
Personnel Monitoring The licensee's personnel radiation monitoring devices are provided by the TAMU radiological safety office and consists of film badges (semimonthl processing)y processing), thermoluminescent dosimeters (quarterly
, and extremity dosimeters (weekly processing).
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-personnel dosimetry is contracted from.a vendor that has completed the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program for dosimetry processors.
Records and reports comply with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 20.
Exposures normally do not exceed 100 millirem per year per person at the AGN facility.
No violations or deviations were identified.
d.
Environmental Surveillance / Radioactive Releases No radioactive waste was generated during the period
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January 1985-December 1986.
The licensee routinely measures integrateddosesinareasadjacenttotheAGNfacilitywithfilm badges.
No violations or deviations were identified.
e.
Surveys The TAMU radiological safety office personnel performs routine radiationandcontaminationsurveysoftheAGNfacilityandadjacent s
areas to determine radiation and contamination levels.
Surveys results were documented. The NRC inspector also performed independent surveys (reactor not operating).
No abnormal radiation levels were detected.
No violations.or deviations were identified.
f.
Regulatory Matters Posting The licensee's posting of required 10 CFR Part 19 information was verified.
No violations or deviations were identified.
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Radioactive Material Control The NRC inspector reviewed area posting and labeling of radioactive materials in the AGN facility.
No violations or deviations were identified.
17.
Emergency Planning i
l The TAMU Emergency Plan (EP), dated October 8, 1984, was reviewed.
l TheNRCinspectorreviewedimplementingproceduresforpersonnelinjury, fire, and reactor emer with offsite agencies,gency, emergency recall lists, written agreementsa
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the EP.
The NRC inspector noted that the agreement with the local hospital (SaintJoseph,CollegeStation, Texas)expiredonDecember31, o
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1986.
This item is addressed in NRC Inspection Report 50-128/87-01 concerning the TAMU TRIGA facility and carried as an Open Item in that report.
The licensee had conducted training and annual drills during 1985 and
.1986.
Critiques were documented in operational logs. The annual review of the EP was conducted and documented by the RSB.
No violations or deviations were identified.
18.
Physical Security The NRC inspector verified implementation of the NRC approved Physical Security Plan (PSP), dated September 24,1984,th appropriate facilitythrough visual of controls, review of records, discussions wi personnel, and law enforcement agencies.
No violations or deviations were identified.
19.
Exit Interview The scope and findings of the inspection was discussed with the licensee representative identified in paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on January 16, 1987.
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