IR 05000225/1981003

IE Insp Rept 50-225/81-03 on 810701-02.No Noncompliance Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Licensee Action on Previously Identified Enforcement Items,Review of Operations & Action on IE Circulars

ML20010B209
Person / Time
Site:	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Issue date:	07/29/1981
From:	Crocker H, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20010B199	List: IR 05000225/1981003 ML20010B198
References
50-225-81-03, 50-225-81-3, NUDOCS 8108140217
Download: ML20010B209 (5)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

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Region I

Report No.

50-225/81-03 Docket No.

50-225 Category G

License No.

CX-22 Priority

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Licer;see:

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Department of Engineering and Science Troy, New York 12181

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Facility Name:

RPI Critical Facility Inspection at:

Schenectday and Troy, New York Inspection conducted: July 1-2, 1981 2-f

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Inspectors:

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A VR6th," Fuel Pacil[ief Inspector da-t(signed

date signed date signed date signed Approved by(

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H. W. Crocker, Chief, Fuel Facility Projects

' / dateMigned Section, Projects Branch #2, DRPI l

l Inspection Summary:

t Inspection on July 1-2, 1981 (Report No 50/225/81-03)

i Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection by a region based inspector of: licensee action on previously identified enforcenent items; review of operations; and, licansee action on IE circulars.

The inspection involved 11 hours1.273148e-4 days <br />0.00306 hours <br />1.818783e-5 weeks <br />4.1855e-6 months <br /> onsite and

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was initiated on the dayshift.

l Resulg: No items of noncompliance were identified.

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8108140217 810731 Region I Form 12 PDR ADOCK 05000225 i

O PDR I

(Rev. April 77)

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DETAILS 1.

Persons Contact 0d P. R. Nelson, Supervisor, Critical Facility

• R. T. Lahey, Chairman, Department of Nuclear Engineering ar.d Science

• R. M. Ryan, Director, Office of Radiation and Nuclear Safety F. Mastrioni, Assistant Radiation Safety Coordinator e

• denotes those present at exit interview.

2.

Licensee Action on Previously Identified Enforcement Items (0 pen) Inspector Follow Item (225/77-03-03): Installation and testing of a pneumatic rabbit facility.

The inspector verified that the rabbit facility had been installed. However, the licensee har. not been able to operate the system in a satisfactory manner.

The licensee is currently installing a new air pressure control system which should adequately control the air cushion so that sampic capsules are not damaged during transport into or out of the reactor core region.

(0 pen) Unresolved Item (225/80-01-01): Evaluation of reactor room airborne sampling. As a result of this item, the licensee relocated the reactor room airborne sampling point from the intersection of the reactor room west wall and the fuel storage vault to a location on the west wall, about 5 feet off

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the floor, just opposite the reactor at a distance of about 20 feet from the reactor vessel. The inspector questioned whether sampling one point at a distance of about 20 feet fro.. '.he reactor vessel would result in representative sampling of airborne activity in the reactor room. Licensee representatives stated that several additional sampling points would be installed over and around the' reactor vessel in order te improve repre-sentative sampling.

(Closed) Inspector Follow Item (225/80-01-02): Environmcntal TLD records.

The inspector verified that the licensee is currently maintaining environ-

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mental TLD records in appropriate units as required.

The licensee has placed all of the site TLD records into a computer file that can be accessed at any time.

The computer prints out the TLD records in rem or millirem units and was demonstrated to the inspector by licensee representatives.

l Licensee actions are complete on this item.

(Closed) Inspector Follow Item (225/80-01-03):' Coordination with outside agencies. Through discussions with licensee representatives and review of logs, the inspector determined that the licensee has established training meetings and tours of the facility with outside agencies on approximately

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an annual cycle.

The outside agencies include G.E. security personel, RPI campus security personnel, the Schenectady Police Department and Fire

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Department, and the Schenectady County Sheriff's Office.

Licensee actions l

are complete on this item.

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(Closed) Deficiency (225/80-01-04): Deficient personnel exposure records.

I The inspector verified that the licensee is maintaining the information l

relative to personnel exposure records as required on the NRC-5 fon...

Current information retained by the licensee includes: badge number, name, age, date of birth, sex, starting date, social security number, termination date (as applicable), occupation dose in ren by quarter for each year of exposure on site, monthly expsure for previous nine months, type of badge used, lifetime accumulated dose in rem and prior exposure.

The licensee has completed corrective actions on this item.

(Closed) Inspector Follow Item (225/80-02-01): Review startup checkout and prestart checklist to assure lists are-being completed.

The inspector reviewed the startup checkout and prestart checklists for the time period January 14, 1980 through June 30, 1981.

In each case the checklists were completed as required or there was an explanation as to why the checklist had not been completed.

Licensee actions are complete on this item.

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(Closed) Unresolved Item (225/80-02-02): Revise pre-startup checklist and.

l annual surveillance procedure to insure all scram surveillances are completed with each reactor startup.

The inspector verified that the licensee had modified the operating procedure "Startup Checkout, Prestart Procedures and l

Checklist" (in Revision 3) to require in Section 17, " Scram Check and Rod Drop" that "all scram signals are checked during t!.e prestart check." The inspector also verified through a reviee of records that all scram signals had been tested during reactor startup.

Licensee actions are complete on this item.

(Closed) Infraction (225/80-02-03): Contrary to 10 CFR 50.54, a licensed operator was not present at the controls during a reacter startup.

The inspector verified that the licensee had irstalled a telephone extension in the reactor control room; that each licensed operator had reviewed the requirements of 10 CFR Parts 50 and 55, the facility technical specifications and NRC notices and/or bulletins relating to manning of the reactor controls during reactor operation; that all students have been instructed to manipulate reactor controls only with the permission of and in the presence of a licensed reactor operator; that a sign stating " Control rod movement and moderator fill or drain is permitted only with the permission and in the presence of a licensed reactor operator" has been placed in a conspicuous location at the reactor control panel; and, that each student receives a copy of a notice

" Critical Facility Safety Rules" prior to the start of course work at the facili ty. Corrective actions are complete on this item.

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(Closed) Unresolved Item (225/80-02-04): Issue core reconfiguration report which indicates thct all~ required technical specification tests are completed.

The inspector reviewed a copy of the issued report and the repor,t contained the results of the temperature coefficient and reactor power measurements as required.

Licensee actions are complete on this. item.

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(Closed) Deficiency (225/20-02-05): The Nuclear Safety Review Board failed to audit facility operations as required by technical specifications.

The inspector eam'.ned licensee records for the time period August 1980 to July 1, 1981 and determined that the Nuclear Safety Review Board had conducted an audit of reactor operations, reactor operating procedures and plant equipment performance during the months of May - June 1981.

Corrective actions are complete on this item.

(Closed) Unresolved Item (225/81-01-05): Review technical specifications to ensure that the present core is reflected in the technical specifications.

On the basis of a review of the technical specifications and the licensee report " Reconfiguration of the RPI Critical Facility to Lower Critical Mass,"

by a reactor inspector in the Region I Office prior to this inspection, it was determined that the current core is reflected in the facility technical specifications.

Licensee' actions are complete on this item.

(Closed) Inspector Follow Item (225/81-01-06): Review to determine if moderator pipe breaks have been reviewed and do not involve unreviewed safety questions. On the basis of a review of the facility Hazards Summary Report, dated August 1964, by a reactor inspector in the Region I Office prior to this inspection, it was determined that the consequences of a loss of moderator is addressed and states that the reactivity effect of loss of moderator is negative, shutting down the reactor. Therefore, pipe breaks which would cause loss of moderator from the reactor do not involve unreviewed safety questions.

3.

Review of Operations The inspector examined all areas of the facility to observe operations and activities in progress, to become acquainted with the facility and to examine the general state of cleanliness and housekeeping.

No items of noncompliance were identified.

4.

Licensee Action on IE Circulars a.

IE Circular 77-14 The inspector determined through discussions with licensee representatives, review of licensee records and examination of applicable areas of the facility that IE Circular 77-14, dated November 28,1977, " Separation of Contaminated Water Systems from Noncontaminated Plant Systems," had been received and reviewed for applicability.

The licensee determined, as verified by the inspector, that the potentially contaminated water piping system is connected to the plant city water inlet line through a set of two isolation valves installed in series. One of these two valves is locked in a closed position unless in use.

The potentially

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conteminated line leads from the inlet pipe to the top of a 3500 gallon reservoir tank.

Interconnection with potentially contaminated water which has circulated through the reactor system and this tank occurs with a gravity type fill line from the reactor to the top of the reservoir tank. The 3500 gallon reservoir tank is open to the atmosphere and is normally maintained at a 2000 gallon level. Since the top of the tank is open to the atmosphere, an air break is created between potentially contaminated water and potable water.

Therefore, there is no potential for the contamination of potable water by potentially contaminated reactor coolant water.

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_IE Circular 79-09 The inspector determined through discussions with licensee representatives and review of licensee records that IE Circular 79-09, dated June 22, 1979, "0ccurrences of Split or Punctured Regulated Diaphrams in Certain Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus," had been received and reviewed for applicabili ty. The licensee has two Scott airpacks onsite.

However, none of the Scott airpacks or the attached valves were of the model numbers discussed in the circular.

c.

IE Circular 80-14 The inspector determined through discussions with licensee representatives, review of licensee records and examination of applicable areas of the facility that IE Circular 80-14, dated June 24,1980, " Radioactive

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Contamination of Plant Demineralized Water System and Resultant Internal Contamination of Personnel," had been received and reviewed for applicability.

The licensee determined as verified by the inspector that there were no demineralized water systems installed in the facility.

There was a water softener installed in the plant which had teen removed from the plant water system prior to 1977.

As previously. discussed in paragraph 4.a, there is separation between plant potentially contaminated and potable water systems.

5.

Exit Interview The inspector met with licensee representatives (denoted in paragraph 1)

prior to the conclusion of the inspection at 4:00 p.m. on July 1,1981. The inspector sumarized the scope and findings of the inspection.

The inspection was completed at about 10:00 a.m. on July 2,1981 and no items requiring discussion with licensee representatives were identified subsequent to the exit interview.

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