ML021430272
| ML021430272 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oregon State University |
| Issue date: | 05/30/2002 |
| From: | Alexander Adams NRC/NRR/DRIP/RORP |
| To: | Binney S Oregon State University |
| Adams A, NRC/NRR/DRIP/RORP, 415-1127 | |
| References | |
| TAC MB3878, TAC MB4426 | |
| Download: ML021430272 (7) | |
Text
May 30, 2002 Dr. Stephen E. Binney, Director Radiation Center Oregon State University 100 Radiation Center Corvallis, OR 97331-5903
SUBJECT:
EMERGENCY PLAN CHANGES FOR THE OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TRIGA REACTOR (TAC NOS. MB3878 AND MB4426)
Dear Dr. Binney:
This letter acknowledges receipt of your letters dated December 17, 2001, and February 12, 2002, which transmitted changes to the Oregon State University TRIGA (OSTR) Reactor Emergency Response Plan submitted under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.54(q).
Your letter of December 17, 2001, discussed 25 changes involving a combination of administrative, editorial and technical issues. You stated that these changes did not decrease the effectiveness of the OSTR Emergency Response Plan.
Based on your determination that the changes do not decrease the overall effectiveness of the OSTR Emergency Response Plan, and that it continues to meet the requirements of applicable parts of Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50, NRC approval is not required. Our initial screening of these changes using NUREG-0849, Standard Review Plan for the Review and Evaluation of Emergency Plans for Research and Test Reactors indicates them to be in accordance with 10 CFR 50.54(q) and that your plan continues to meet the requirements of Appendix E to 10 CFR Part 50. Implementation of these changes will be subject to inspection to confirm that they did not decrease the effectiveness of your emergency plan.
Your letter of February 12, 2002, contained six changes that you determined, under 10 CFR 50.54 (q), decreased the effectiveness of the OSTR Emergency Response Plan and you requested prior approval before implementing these revisions. However, you stated that these changes did not reduce your ability to respond to an emergency.
The staffs review of the proposed changes (which included a conversation with the licensee for clarifications) using NUREG-0849 follows:
Proposed Change 1: Removal of hospital procedures from the OSTR Emergency Response Plan The current emergency plan references the Good Samaritan Hospital procedures and policies. Good Samaritan Hospital provides medical support to the reactor facility in the event of an accident involving radioactive contaminated workers. The licensee wants to remove the hospitals procedures from the plan because the licensee has no control on their content or protocols. The licensee has, in place, other means to insure proper handling of contaminated individuals including training programs, letters of agreement,
and oversight responsibilities. The staff concludes that the elimination of these procedures will not affect the licensees response.
Dr. S. Binney Proposed Change 2: Remove a semiannual requirement to clean the chambers of the gas proportional counters The current procedures in the plan call for semiannual cleaning of the chambers of the gas proportional counters. The licensee wants to remove this requirement from the plan. The licensee believes that routine cleaning is unnecessary unless there are indications that the equipment is contaminated, inoperable, or inaccurate. The cleaning process is difficult, time consuming and can lead to equipment failure. The manufacturers literature does not require routine cleaning of the chambers. The staff concludes that removal of this requirement will not affect the licensees capability to respond to an event.
Proposed Changes 3 and 5: Remove reference to the CDV-715 radiation meters (including carrying straps and headphones)
The licensee wants to remove from inventory and/or use the CDV-715 GM radiation meters. This was the result of a State of Oregon requirement in the licensees State license banning the use of these instruments. It was found that readings from these instruments are unreliable in the presence of radio signals. The licensee has purchased two new instruments to replace these survey meters. The staff concludes that replacement of these instruments will not decrease the licensees response capability but actually increases the reliability of the licensees response.
Proposed Change 4: Remove reference to the Good Samaritan Hospital equipment Appendix B of the current emergency plan references several GM meters and some laboratory counting equipment belonging to Good Samaritan Hospital. The licensee wants to delist this equipment from the plan because the licensee has no control over its calibration or maintenance. The licensee maintains its own survey equipment at the hospital. The staff concludes that this change will not affect the capability of the hospital to respond or treat contaminated individuals.
Proposed Change 6: Remove reference to the building evacuation system The licensee has three systems to notify occupants that there is an emergency and to evacuate the Radiation Center. The first system is an old makeshift system consisting of a series of car horns powered by a set of car batteries. The other two systems consist of the building public address (PA) system and the fire alarm system. The licensee proposes to eliminate the makeshift alarm system and upgrade the PA system in terms of coverage and capability. The fire alarm will serve as a backup. This change will reduce maintenance and repair costs to keep the car horn system functional. The PA system is used daily and provides the capability to instruct the occupants about the event and evacuation procedures. The staff concludes that the two remaining systems will provide sufficient coverage, redundancy, and reliability to make the third system unnecessary.
Dr. S. Binney Based upon our review, we conclude that these six changes do not decrease the effectiveness of the OSTR Emergency Plan and the revised OSTR Emergency Plan continues to meet the planning standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the requirements in Appendix E of 10 CFR 50.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commissions regulations, a copy of this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1127.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Alexander Adams, Jr., Senior Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Section Operating Reactor Improvements Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-243 cc: Please see next page
Oregon State University Docket No. 50-243 cc:
Mayor of the City of Corvallis Corvallis, OR 97331 David Stewart-Smith Oregon Office of Energy 625 Marion Street, N.E.
Salem, OR 97310 George Holdren, Interim Vice Provost for Research Oregon State University Administrative Services Bldg., Room A-312 Corvallis, OR 97331-5904 Dr. Steven Reese Reactor Administrator Oregon State University Radiation Center, A-100 Corvallis, OR 97331-5904 Dr. Jack F. Higginbotham, Chairman Reactor Operations Committee Oregon State University Radiation Center, A-100 Corvallis, OR 97331-5904 Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611
Dr. S. Binney May 30, 2002 Based upon our review, we conclude that these six changes do not decrease the effectiveness of the OSTR Emergency Plan and the revised OSTR Emergency Plan continues to meet the planning standards of 10 CFR 50.47(b) and the requirements in Appendix E of 10 CFR 50.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the Commissions regulations, a copy of this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1127.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Alexander Adams, Jr., Senior Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Section Operating Reactor Improvements Program Division of Regulatory Improvement Programs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-243 cc: Please see next page DISTRIBUTION:
PUBLIC RORP/R&TR r/f PDoyle LCohen FGillespie PMadden WBeckner MMendonca AAdams OGC EHylton CBassett SHolmes DMatthews WEresian PIsaac TDragoun ADAMS ACCESSION NO: ML021430272 TEMPLATE #: NRR-039 OFFICE RORP:LA IOLB RORP:PM RORP:SC NAME EHylton:rdr LCohen AAdams PMadden DATE 05/ 23 /2002 05/ 28 /2002 05/ 30 /2002 05/ 30 /2002 C = COVER E = COVER & ENCLOSURE N = NO COPY OFFICIAL RECORD COPY