ML101310600

Request for Amendment to U-235 Possession Limits for the Texas A&M University System, Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Nuclear Science Center Reactor

ML101310600
Person / Time
Site:	05000128
Issue date:	05/04/2010
From:	Remlinger J Texas A&M Univ
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
2010-0024
Download: ML101310600 (2)

Text

TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY 3575 TAMU COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS 77843-3575 NUCLEAR SCIENCE CENTER 979/845-7551 FAX 979/862-2667 May 4, 2010 2010-0024 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001

Subject:

Request for Amendment to U-235 Possession Limits for the Texas A&M University System, Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Nuclear Science Center Reactor (NSCR, License No. R-83, Docket 50-128)

To Whom It May Concern:

Texas A&M University System, Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), Nuclear Science Center (NSC, License No. R-83) operates a LEU 1MW TRIGA reactor. The NSC facility operating license is currently under timely renewal. The purpose of this letter is to request an amendment to our current operating license with regards to our possession limit for Uranium-235 used in support of our operations and its associated facilities.

Part II. B.(4) of the license is written as follows:

B.(4) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Part 70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material" to receive, possess and use up to 20 grams each of the following isotopes:

Uranium-233, plutonium-236, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, plutonium-240, plutonium-241, plutonium-242 and uranium-235, in the form of detectors, fission plates, foils and solutions for support of operation of the reactor and associated facilities; Due to the expansion of the Texas A&M University System nuclear research programs utilizing special nuclear materials (SNM) and the need for NSC to procure additional fission detectors for support of reactor operation, increased amounts of possession and use of SNM are required. In particular, an increase in the possession limit of Uranium-235 is necessary. Currently, if the purchase of another fission detector was required for continued reactor operation, the NSC would most likely exceed its current possession limit for U-235. The NSC proposes an amendment to RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR MANKIND 7*I- J I http://nsc.tamu.edu

Document Control Desk May 4, 2010 Page our Facility License (R-83) with the following change to B.(4). This amendment would increase the possession limit for U-235 from 20 grams to 40 grams. The proposed change to B.(4) is:

B.(4) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Part 70, "Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material" to receive, possess and use up to 40 grams of Uranium-235 and up to 20 grams each of the following isotopes:

Uranium-233, plutonium-236, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, plutonium-240, plutonium-241, and plutonium-242, in the form of detectors, fission plates, foils and solutions for support of operation of the reactor and associated facilities; An increase in possession limit from 20 grams to 40 grams of U-235 does not change the classification category of the facility as described in 10CFR73, and does not represent an increased risk to public or facility safety.

Your prompt attention to this request is appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Latha Vasudevan at 979-845-7551.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on May 4, 2010.

J es A. Remlinger SC, Associate Dit' r Xc: 211/Central File Jesse Quichocho, NRC Project Manager