IR 05000089/1998201

Insp Repts 50-089/98-201 & 50-163/98-201 on 980217-18.No Violations Noted.Major Areas inspected:on-site Review of Selected Aspects of Licensee Class III Nonpower Reactor Including;Organization & Staffing & Radiation Protection

ML20217C217
Person / Time
Site:	General Atomics
Issue date:	03/18/1998
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20217C215	List: IR 05000089/1998201 ML20217C210
References
50-089-98-201, 50-163-98-201, 50-89-98-201, NUDOCS 9803260378
Download: ML20217C217 (6)

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. U. S.' NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION Docket Nos:

50-89, 50-163'

i License Nos:

R 38, R 67

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t Report No:

50-89/98-201 & 50-163/98 201

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t Licensee:

General Atomics i

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Facility:

TRIGA Reactors Facility Location:

3550 General ' Atomic Court, Building' 21 San Diego, CA.

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Dates:

February 17-18,.1998-i l Inspector:

Craig Bassett, Senior Non. Power Reactor inspector

l Approved by:

Seymour H. Weiss, director

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Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning

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Project Directorate Division of Reactor Program Msnagement

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Office of Nuc!aar Reactor Regulation

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

' General Atomics TRIGA Mark I and Mark F Report No: 50-89/98-201 and 50163/98 201 The primary focus of this routine, announced inspection was the on site review of selected aspects of the licensee's Class lli non-power reactor including: organization and staffing, review and audit functions, and radiation protection. ' An orientation tour of the site.was also conducted.

e Chanoes. Oropnization. and Staffina The licensee's organization end staffing remain in compliance with the requirements e

specified in the Technical Specifications.

Egy!ew and Audit Functions Audits were being conducted by the Criticality Safeguards Committee as required by the e

Technical Specifications.

Radiation Protection PrQQLam Postings met regulatory requirements, o

Personnel dosimetry was being worn as required.

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• Control of radioactive material and control of access to radiation areas was acceptable.

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REPORT DETAILS

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Summary of Plant Status

.The licensee's two TRIGA reactors remain in a shutdown status. The NRC has granted the licensee a " Possession Only" license for each reactor. During the inspection, the licensee continued to possess the two reactors but not operate them as stipulated in the licenses and applicable Technical Specifications.

1. Changes, Organization, and Staffing (40755)

a.

Insnaction Scona The inspector reviewed the following regarding the licensee's orga' nization and staffing to ensure that the requirements of TS Section 9.1 (for the TRIGA Mark 1)

and TS Section 8.1 (for the TRIGA Mark F) were being met:

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the organizational structure, a

management responsibilities, and -

e staffing requirements for safe maintenance of the TRIGA reactors facility.

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Observations and Findinos Through discussions with licenses representatives the inspector determined that management responsibilities and the organization at the site were changing. In the past, the TRIGA reactors facility has been under the supervision of a Physicist in-

Charge who reported to the Vice President responsible for research and

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development. After being granted a " Possession Only" license for each' reactor, the

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licensee was in the process of changing the responsibility for management of the facility. This responsibility was to be given to the Manager of Decommissioning Projects so that a coordinated effort could be made to initiate the decommissioning of the reacters facility. This latter phase is dependent upon the licensee receiving approval of their Decommissioning Plan from the NRC.

Through review of records and through discussions with licensee personnel, the inspector determined that the staffing at the facility was acceptable to support the ongoing activities. The staffing met the requirements of the TS.

c.

Conclusions The licensee's organization and staffing remain in compliance with the requirements

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specified in the TS.

2. Review and Audit Functions (40755)

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Insoection Scone -

- The inspector reviewed the following to ensure that the audits and reviews stipulated in the requirements of TS Section 8.2 were being completed and to ensure that the safety committee was meeting as required:

. Criticality Safeguards Committee'(CSC) meeting minutes,

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' General Atomics (GA) administrative procedures, and

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TS duties specified for the CSC including the comthittees' review and audit

functions.

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b.

Observations and Findinos -

The inspector reviewed the CSC's meeting minutes frore June 1995 through

,e end of 1996.' The meeting minutes showed that the committee met as requued by the TS with a quorum being present. The inspector also noted that the CSC had considered the types of topics outlined by the TS. (The minutes from 1997 through tha present were not reviewed during this inspection because the inspector had to leave the site and respond to an event at another site before the inspection could be completed.)

11 was noted that the committee,' or a designated representative, completed audits of the general aspects of the TRIGA reactors facility operations and programs. The adequacy of the audits and the resulting findings, as well as that of the licensee's responses and corrective actions, will be reviewed during a subsequent inspection.

c.

Conclusions Audits were being conducted by the CSC as required by the Technica!

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Specifications.

3. Radiation Protection Program (40755)

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Insoection Scone The inspector reviewed the following to verify compliance with 10 CFR 20 and the applicable licensee TS requirements and procedures:

radiological signs and posting, and

status of the TRIGA reactors facility.

e The inspector also toured the licensee's reactors facility to become f amiliar with the site and observed the use of dosimetry and radiation monitoring equipment.

Licensee personnel were interviewed as well, b.

Observations and Findinas (1) Postings and Notices 10 CFR 19.11 requires the licensee to post current copies of various documents including the regulations in 10 CFR 20, the facility licenso, procedures, and any notice of violation as applicable. If posting such documents is not practicable, the licensee may post a notice that describes the document and states where it may be examined. The licensee is also required to post a current copy of NRC Form 3.

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3-Postings at the entrances to the controlled areas were acceptable for the hazards present. The facility's radioactive material storage areas were properly posted. No unmarked radioactive material was noted.

Copies of current notices to workers required by 10 CFR Part 19 were posted in ' propriate areas in the f acility. The copies of NRC Form-3 that were posted W.e noted to be the current version with one exception. When this issue was pointed out, the licensee promptly posted a current copy of NRC Form-3 in the location in question.

(2) Dosimetry The licensee used a National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) accredited vendor to process personnel thermoluminescent dosimetry.

Dosimetry was acceptably used by facility personnel.

(3) Facility Tours I

The inspector toured the TRIGA reactors f acility and selected support areas.

Control of radioactive material and control of access to radiation areas was i

acceptable.

c.

Conclusions Postings met regulatory requirements. Personnel desimetry was being worn as required. Control of radioactive material and control of access to radiation areas was acceptable.

4. Exit interview The inspection scope and results were summarized on February 18,1998, with a member of licensee management. The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed in detail the inspection findings.

No dissenting comments were received from the licensee. The licensee did not identify as proprietary any of the material provided to or reviewed by the inspecto r

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PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee K. Asmussen, Director, Licensing, Safety, and Nuclear Compliance G. Bramblett, Manager, Decommissioning Project E. Drees, Chair, Criticality Safeguards Committee J. Faircloth, instrumentation & Control Specialist

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J. Greenwood, Principle Investigator

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L. Gonzales, Manager, Health Physics H. Kleinsorge, Security Administrator K. - Moore, Health Physics Technician J. Razvi, TRIGA Products and Services I

C. Wisham, Manager, Nuclear Materials Accountability i

i INSPECTION PROCEDURE USED IP 40755 Class lll Non-Power Reactors ITEMS OPENED. CLOSED AND DISCUSSED Ooened None Closed None LIST OF ACRONYMS USED

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CFR Code of Federal Regulations CSC Criticality Safeguards Committee HP Health physics j

iP inspection Procedure j

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission j

NRP Nuclear Peactor Program j

NSIC Nuclear Safety information Center NVLAP National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program TS Technical Specification

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