IR 05000184/1997202

Insp Rept 50-184/97-202 on 971006-09.No Violations Noted. Major Areas Inspected:Program for Physical Protection of Spent Fuel

ML20198R398
Person / Time
Site:	National Bureau of Standards Reactor
Issue date:	01/16/1998
From:	NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:
Shared Package
ML20198R364	List: IR 05000184/1997202 ML20198R360
References
50-184-97-202, NUDOCS 9801230300
Download: ML20198R398 (5)

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L * t U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Docket No: - -50-184 License No: TR 5

, Report No: 97202-Licensee: U.S. Depsrtment of Commerce Facilit_y;- National Bureau of Standards Reactor

! Location: NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 Dates: ' October 6-9, 1997

. Inspector: Thomas F. Dragoun, Project Scientist-Approved by: Seymour H. Weiss, Diremr Non-Power Reactorr id Decommissioning Project Director ,

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY National Institute of Standards and Technology .

NRC inspection Report No. 50-184/97202

. Spent fuel was loaded safely and in conformance with regulatory rcquirement ;

Preparations for shipment of the cask satisfied NRC and DOT requirementsi Recort Details Summary of Plant Status

The reactor was shut down.-- A transfer cask was used to shuttle spent fuel from the-

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? storage pool to the shipping cask located outside the building. Reactor building confinement was established during loading of the transfer cask. Multiple transfers were -

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R1 Cask Loading Operations e

a. Inanaction Senna The inspector reviewed:

~o personnel qualifications, e the certificate of confortnance for the NAC shipping cask,

- *-. health physics monitoring, and o use of p ocedures, b. QQ&arvations and Findirias .

- One. senior reactor operator directed all activities. One health physicist coordinated radiation protection activithes. All work, except operation of the 85-ton mobile crane used to move and load the NAC shipping cask, was done by-licensed reactor operators, health physics staff, and NAC contractor personnel. .

All personnel were .'mowledgeable of their assignments..- The 85 ton mobile crane was operated by subcontractor to NAC; and the inspector confirmed that the -

- NAC had verified the qualifications of these personne = The licensee was registereo as a _ user of the cask in a letter from the NRC dated .

February 7,1997. A certificate of conformance, safety analysis report, and -

~ ~ required drawings and documents for the cask were available on site. The inspector verified that selected spent fuel elements for the shipment satisfied the s .-

Aninimum cool down tirne and maximura burnup criteria specified in the cask SA revision 20, dated March 1996. -The total shipment consisted of 42 spent fuei-4 4

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elements. Cask loading procedures were developed by the licensee based _on -

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! outlines provided by NAC, Licensee procedures were detailed, clearfconcise, N

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2 and covered all evolutions, including testing of the cask. The mobile crane was it'. spected annustly by the contractor as required by OSHA requirements specified la 29 CFR 1926.550. Rigging wea inspected daily in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.25 Work was done in two shifts. Each shift had three health physicists and two HP technicians who provided continuous job coverage. Radiation work permit

1. 1197 specified appropr8 ate controls and monitoring for the dose rates and radioactive contamination levels expected during the cask loadin c. Conclusions The cask was loaded safely and in accordance with regulatory requireroent S1 Shipping ar.d Transportation a. Insoection Scone The inspector reviewed the preparations for shipment including:

e classification of the shipment, e a draft bill of lading, e notifications, t package markings, and e radiation survey b. Qhsetions and Findinos The classification of the shipment and determination of the transport index were based on criticality calculations as specified in 10 CFR 71 and 49 CFR 173. The

, licensee notified the NRC in writ i ng of the planned shipment using the NAC shipping cask as required by 10 CFR 71.12. Provisions were made for the carrier to notify the NRC of the shipment date as required by 10 CFr 70.20(b).

Entries on a draft bill of lading appeared to be acceptable. The draft was completed based on previous spent fuel shipments from his site and recent use '

cf the NAC shipping cask by Brookhaven Nnional Laboratory. A final version was to be completed just prict to shipmen (

The spent fuel cask was designed to be pieced in an overpack for shipment. The overpack v'as on site anri the external markings satisfied regulatory requirement The health physicist in-charge developed a radiation survey checklist and procedure to be used by the technicians to check the vehicle prior to departur The checklist would ensure compliance with radiation levels specified in 49 CFR 173.44 i

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3-c. Conclusions Preparations for the shipment ensured compliance with regulatory requirements specified in 10 CFR 70,10 CFR 71, and 49 CFR 17 S2 Security a. Insoection Scone The inspector reviewed securhy precautions, including:

illumination, intruder detection, and response provisions during cask loading, and

• security arrangements for compliance with 10 CFR 73.37 and 73.67 for the spent fuel during over the-road transi b. Observations and Findinos Physica; security precautions onsite during movement of the spent fuel appeared acceptable.

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The NRC approved the transit route in a letter dated July 30,1997 and arranged for locallaw enforcement support a; ..pecified in 10 CFR 73.37(b)(6) and (7).

Arrangements for escorts within a heavily populated area, special communications, and notificatic:.a required by States alorig the route were completed by the license The in-transit security program was provided by the carrier (Tristate) who affirmed to the licensee in a letter that their program satisfied NRC requirement This program included security procedures, screening, instruction and training of escorts and drivers, a communications center and tracking system, and provisions to immobilize the ca c. Conclusiorn The program for physical protection of spent fuelin transit was acceptabl ,

-X1 Exit intenelew The inspector presented the inspection results to members of licensee management at the conclusion of the inspection on October 9,1997. The licensee acknow! edged the findings presente ___-. _ - _ _ - - - _ _ _ _ _ _

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PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensus

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D. Brown, Health Physicist W. Muller, Senior Reactor Operator T. Raby, Chief Nucles' Engineer J. Rowe, Chief, Reactor Radiation Division

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INSPECTION PROCEDURES USFD IP 30703: ENTRANCE AND EXIT INTERVIEWS ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSdD Ooened None CIDiad None LIST OF ACRONY.'AS USED CFR Code of Federa: Regulations IP inspection procedure NAC (business name of shipping cask manufacturer) '

NRC Nuclear Regu atory Cornmission OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Act SAR Safety Anr' ' oort

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