IR 05000170/2025201
| ML25239A039 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute |
| Issue date: | 09/09/2025 |
| From: | Tony Brown NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPO |
| To: | Smolinski A US Dept of Defense, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute |
| References | |
| IR 2025201 | |
| Download: ML25239A039 (1) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000170/2025201 AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION
Dear Mr. Smolinski,
From July 28 - 31, 2025, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff conducted a safety inspection at Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute reactor facility. The inspection results were discussed with you and members of your staff on July 31, 2025. The enclosed report documents the inspection results.
The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.
The inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed various activities, and interviewed personnel. Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC has determined that one Severity Level IV violation of NRC requirements occurred.
The violation was evaluated in accordance with the NRC Enforcement Policy. The current Enforcement Policy is included on the NRC's website at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/enforce-pol.html. The violation is cited in the enclosed Notice of Violation (Notice) and the circumstances surrounding it are described in detail in the subject inspection report. The violation is cited in the Notice because it constitutes a failure to meet regulatory requirements that has more than minor safety significance and the licensee failed to identify the violation.
You are required to respond to this letter and should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice when preparing your response. If you have additional information that you believe the NRC should consider, you may provide it in your response to the Notice. The NRC review of your response to the Notice will also determine whether further enforcement action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter, its enclosures, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of NRCs document system (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)). ADAMS is accessible September 4, 2025 from the NRC website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room). Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Necota Staples at 301-415-5963, or via email at Necota.Staples@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Tony Brown, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-170 License No. R-84 Enclosures:
As stated cc w/enclosures: GovDelivery Subscribers Signed by Brown, Tony on 09/04/25
ML25239A039 NRC-002 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPO NRR/DANU/UNPO/LA NRR/DANU/UNPO/BC NAME NStaples NParker TBrown DATE 8/26/2025 09/03/2025 09/04/2025
Enclosure 1 NOTICE OF VIOLATION Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Docket No. 50-170 Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute TRIGA Reactor License No. R-84 Consistent with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Enforcement Policy and Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 2.201, Notice of violation, the following violation identified in inspection report No. 05000170/2025201 is cited:
Technical specification 3.2.1.a - Log Power Channel requires one (1) channel be operable in Steady State mode.
Contrary to this requirement, the Log Power Channel malfunctioned and failed to provide a period signal to the automatic control system. Due to the rate of power increase, the reactor power momentarily exceeded the steady-state limit of 1.1 megawatts, resulting in a power transient.
This was determined to be a Severity Level IV violation (NRC Enforcement Policy section 6.1).
Pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 2.201, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute is hereby required to submit a written statement or explanation to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington, DC 20555-0001, within 30 days of the date of the letter transmitting this Notice of Violation (Notice). This reply should be clearly marked as a Reply to a Notice of Violation, and should include: (1) the reason for the violation, or, if contested, the basis for disputing the violation or severity level; (2) the corrective steps that have been taken and the results achieved; (3) the corrective steps that will be taken; and (4) the date when full compliance will be achieved. Your response may reference or include previous docketed correspondence, if the correspondence adequately addresses the required response.
If an adequate reply is not received within the time specified in this Notice, an Order or a Demand for Information may be issued as to why the license should not be modified, suspended, or revoked, or why such other action as may be proper should not be taken. Where good cause is shown, consideration will be given to extending the response time.
If you contest this enforcement action, please provide an additional a copy of your response, with your basis for denial, to the Director, Office of Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
Because your response will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System), accessible from the NRC website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html, to the extent possible, it should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be made available to the public without redaction. If personal privacy or proprietary information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, then please provide a bracketed copy of your response that identifies the information that should be protected and a redacted copy of your response that deletes such information.
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If you request withholding of such material, you must specifically identify the portions of your response that you seek to have withheld and provide in detail the bases for your claim of withholding (e.g., explain why the disclosure of information will create an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or provide the information required by 10 CFR 2.390(b) to support a request for withholding confidential commercial or financial information). If safeguards information is necessary to provide an acceptable response, please provide the level of protection described in 10 CFR Section 73.21, Protection of Safeguards Information: Performance Requirements.
In accordance with 10 CFR Section 19.11, Posting of notices to workers, you may be required to post this Notice within two working days of receipt.
Dated this 4th day of September 2025.
Enclosure 2 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION Docket No.:
50-170 License No.:
R-84 Report No.:
05000170/2025201 Licensee:
Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute Facility:
Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute TRIGA Reactor Location:
Bethesda, MD Dates:
July 28 - 31, 2025 Inspector:
Necota Staples Brooke Gallagher (Trainee)
Approved by:
Tony Brown, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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SUMMARY The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees performance by conducting an inspection at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI), in accordance with the research and test reactor inspection program. This is the NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of licensed research and test reactors. Refer to https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power.html for more information.
List of Violations Violation of technical specification (TS) associated with the Log Power Channel inoperability Severity Report Section Severity Level IV NOV 2025201-01 Open 69001.05 The inspector identified a Severity Level IV notice of violation (NOV) of TS 3.2.1.a - Log Power Channel inoperable which requires 1 channel be operable in Steady State mode. Contrary to this requirement, the Log Power Channel malfunctioned, failing to provide a period signal to the automatic control system.
Additional Tracking Items None.
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REPORT DETAILS Facility Status The AFRRI 1.1-megawatts (MWs) Training, Research, Isotopes, General Atomics (TRIGA)
Mark F research reactor, located on the campus of the National Naval Medical Center, continued to be operated in support of the licensees mission of research, experiments, education, reactor operator training, and periodic equipment surveillance. During this inspection, the reactor was started up, operated, and shutdown to support these ongoing activities.
Inspection Scopes Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html.
Inspections were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter 2545, Research and Test Reactor Inspection Program. The inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.
69001 - Class II Non-Power Reactors This inspection included a review of selected aspects of the research and test reactor, since the last inspection, to verify activities were conducted safely and in accordance with regulatory requirements and licensee commitments.
Organization and Staffing (IP Section 02.01)
This inspection included a review of the licensees organizational changes and shift staffing records to verify compliance with TS requirements and licensee commitments. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- AFRRI 2024 annual report
- Procedure 005, Reactor Logbook, Revision (Rev.) 2
- select console operations logs, dated 2023 - present Operations Logs and Records (IP Section 02.02)
This inspection included a review of the licensees operation logs and records to verify they were maintained and that significant issues were reported and resolved as required by the TSs and the licensees administrative procedures. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- Procedure 001, Reactor Startup Checklist, Rev. 3
- Procedure 005, Reactor Logbook, Rev. 2
- Procedure 002, Reactor Operations, Rev. 2
- select reactor logbook logs, dated 2023 - present
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- select reactor startup checklists, dated 2023 - present
- select scram log entries, dated 2023 - present Requalification Training (IP Section 02.04)
This inspection included a review of selected documents pertaining to operator requalification training to verify requirements of the licensees approved requalification plan and Title to of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 55, Operators Licenses were met. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- Reactor Operator Requalification Program for the AFRRI TRIGA Reactor Facility, dated September 12, 2016
- medical examination records for licensed operators
- select reactor logbook entries, dated 2023-present
- requalification program checklist forms, dated 2023-present
- requalification exam records, dated 2023-present Surveillance and Limiting Conditions for Operation (IP Section 02.05)
This inspection included a review of surveillances listed in the TSs to verify requirements were met. Limiting conditions for operation were also reviewed to verify that operating conditions were maintained in accordance with the licensees procedural requirements. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- Procedure 001, Reactor Startup Checklist, Rev. 3
- Procedure 201, Control Rods, Rev. 2
- select surveillance records, dated 2023-present
- select reactor startup checklists, dated 2023-present
- select calibration records, dated 2023-present
- event notification 57730 follow-up report
- corrective maintenance Form 109, dated March 21, 2022
- corrective maintenance document 25-017, dated June 2, 2025
- corrective maintenance document 25-015, dated May 23, 2025
- select reactor logbook entries, dated 2023-present Emergency Planning (IP Section 02.10)
This inspection included a review of the licensees emergency procedures, exercises and drills, training, and equipment to verify compliance with the licensees emergency plan and applicable regulatory requirements. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- Procedure 403, Emergency Procedure Notifications, dated May 12, 2022
- Docket 50-170, AFRRI Emergency Plan, dated September 1, 2025
- response guidebook, dated April 1, 2022
- emergency command post training
- select emergency training records, dated 2023 - present
- select emergency drill records, dated 2023 - present
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Maintenance Logs and Records (IP Section 02.11)
This inspection included a review of the licensees maintenance logs and records to verify that operational and maintenance activities were conducted and maintained in accordance with regulatory and TS requirements. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- select maintenance log entries
- select corrective maintenance log entries, dated 2023 - present
- select reactor logbook log entries, dated 2023 - present Fuel Handling Logs and Records (IP Section 02.12)
This inspection included a review of the licensees fuel handling logs and records to verify TS and procedural requirements were met. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- Procedure 200, Fuel Movement and Inspection, Rev. 1
- select fuel inspection records dated 2023 - present
- Appendix A: Fuel Handling Qualification
- Procedure 201, Control Rods, Rev. 2
- select transient rod inspection records dated 2024 - present Inspection Results Violation of TS associated with the Log Power Channel inoperability Severity Report Section Severity Level IV VIO 2025201-01 Open 69001.05 The inspector identified a Severity Level IV violation of TS 3.2.1.a - Log Power Channel inoperable which requires 1 channel be operable in Steady State mode. Contrary to this requirement, the Log Power Channel malfunctioned, failing to provide a period signal to the automatic control system.
Description: On May 22, 2025, AFRRI started the reactor manually, then initiated auto mode to allow the software to automatically bring the reactor up to full power. During auto mode, two control rods (shim and regulation rods) are drawn up automatically out of the core. When the reactor was placed into auto mode, the log channel (Wide-Range Logarithmic Nuclear Instrument Channel, NLW) failed to provide the period signal, and the automatic control algorithm directed the control system to continue to pull rods. The period signal, which is the rate of change of power, was at infinity due to the flat NLW period signal. This caused the automatic control algorithm to pull the two control rods at maximum speed outward. This large reactivity addition caused a power spike, which actuated the reactor protection system and a high power scram occurred. Historical trends allowed AFRRI to calculate that the power peaked at approximately 1.2 MWs, as confirmed by the chart recorder, and the excursion lasted for less than 100 milliseconds. The trip set for the scram occurs when the nuclear instrumentation senses a signal greater than 1.08 MWs. The maximum fuel temperature recorded during the event was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius (°C). The safety limit is 1,000°C and the limiting safety system setting is 600°C.
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Corrective Actions: AFRRIs investigation yielded the likely cause of the overpower event. High frequency noise on the NLW cable caused the NLW channel to fail for 7 seconds. All eight reactor high flux monitoring instrumentation trips occurred. No radiation alarms were activated and there were no other abnormal conditions. AFFRI has scheduled replacement of the fission chamber, cabling, jacket, and connector replacement on the NLW. The replacement is scheduled during the upcoming annual maintenance outage in November/December 2025, but no later than December 31, 2025, as noted in corrective maintenance document 25-015, dated May 23, 2025.
Analysis: The violation was evaluated in accordance with the NRC Enforcement Policy. The violation is cited as a NOV because it constitutes a failure to meet regulatory requirements, has more than minor safety significance, and the licensee failed to identify the violation.
Enforcement:
Severity: The violation is categorized at Severity Level IV in accordance with section 6.1.d.1 of the NRC Enforcement Policy.
Violation: This issue is a violation of TS 3.2.1.a - Log Power Channel inoperable which requires 1 channel be operable in Steady State mode. Contrary to this requirement, the Log Power Channel malfunctioned, failing to provide a period signal to the automatic control system and resulting in an unplanned power transient.
Enforcement Action: This violation is being cited as a NOV, consistent with sections 2.3.2 and 2.3.3 of the NRC Enforcement Policy.
Exit Meeting and Debriefs The inspector verified no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.
- On July 31, 2025, the inspector presented the NRC inspection results to Andrew Cook and other members of the licensee staff. The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed the inspection results. The licensee acknowledged the results of the inspection.
Documents Reviewed Inspection Procedure Type Designation Description or Title Revision or Date 69001.01 Procedure Annual Report 07/02/2024 005 Reactor Log Book
69001.02 Procedure 001 Reactor Startup Checklist
002 Reactor Operations
005 Reactor Logbook
69001.04 Procedure Reactor Operator Requalification Program for the AFRRI TRIGA 09/12/2016
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Reactor Facility 69001.05 Procedure 201 Control Rods
Form 109 Corrective Maintenance Form 109 03/21/2022 Form Corrective Maintenance Document 25-015 Form EN 57730 Event Notification 69001.10 Procedure 403 Emergency Procedure Notifications 05/12/2022 AFRRI Emergency Plan 09/01/2016 Response Guidebook 04/01/2022 69001.12 Procedure 200 Fuel Movement and Inspection
201 Control Rods
Appendix A Fuel Handling Qualification