ML12081A287

Triga Mark I Reactor Annual Report Calendar Year 2011

ML12081A287
Person / Time
Site:	General Atomics
Issue date:	03/31/2012
From:	General Atomic Co
To:	NRC/FSME/DWMEP
References
38/67-4521
Download: ML12081A287 (7)

Text

GENERAL ATOMICS TRIGA Mark I Reactor ANNUAL REPORT CALENDAR YEAR 2011 prepared to satisfy the requirements of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Facility License R-38 Docket No. 50-89 MARCH 2012

GENERAL ATOMICS TRIGA REACTORS FACILITY TRIGA Mark I Reactor ANNUAL REPORT Calendar Year 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS I Section Page In tro d u ctio n ...................................................................................................................... 1 1 Summary of Facility Activities ......................................................................... 2 1.1 Decommissioning Activities ................................................................... 2 1.2 Facility S tatus ....................................................................................... ..2 1.3 Decommissioning Schedule ................................................................. 3 1.4 Radioactive Material Shipments ............................................................. 3

2. Maintenance Operations ................................................................................... 3

3. 10CFR50.59 Facility Modifications and Special Experiments ........................... 3

4. Radioactive Effluents Released to the Environs ............................................... 3

5. Environmental Surveys .................................................................................... 3

6. Summary of Radiation Exposures and Radiological Surveys ........................... 4 6.1 General Atomics Staff Whole Body Exposures ..................................... 4 6.2 Non-General Atomics Staff Whole Body Exposures .............................. 5 6.3 Routine Wipe Surveys of Mark I Reactor Facility .................................. 5 6.4 Routine Radiation Measurements of Mark I Reactor Facility ................. 5

Introduction This report documents operation of the General Atomics (GA) TRIGA Mark I Non-Power Reactor for the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. The TRIGA Mark I Reactor, possessed by GA at its San Diego, California facilities, was not operated for the duration of the reporting period. The TRIGA Mark I Reactor is possessed by GA under License No. R-38 (Amendment No. 36) granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Docket No. 50-89).

This report is being prepared and submitted to satisfy the requirements of Section 7.6(d) of the R-38 Technical Specifications, as amended. This report is presented in six parts, consistent with the information required by the applicable Technical Specifications.

TRIGA is a registered trademark of General Atomics 1

1 Summary of Facility Activities 1.1 Decommissioning Activities During Calendar Year (CY) 2011, the TRIGA Mark I Reactor was in a standby decommissioning status. There were no decommissioning activities performed during this period specifically in the Mark I Reactor.

1.2 Facility Status 1.2.1 The licenses for all of GA's Senior Reactor Operators (SROs) have expired or were, as requested by GA, terminated by the USNRC. As GA no longer has any spent TRIGA fuel elements in the facility, SRO Licensed Fuel Handlers are no longer required. Up to the time when the licenses were terminated, all requirements necessary to maintain licenses current were completed.

1.2.1.1 On April 15, 2011, the USNRC confirmed that the SRO License for V. Barbat had expired. GA did not request a renewal of Mr. Barbat's license. In addition, GA requested that the USNRC terminate the licenses of W. Stout and J.

Greenwood.

1.2.1.2 During the month of June 2011, the USNRC informed GA that they will be terminating the SRO licenses of W. Stout and J. Greenwood.

1.2.1.3 On August 19, 2011, the USNRC formally terminated the SRO Licenses of Stout and Greenwood.

1.2.2 On January 19, 2011, the Criticality Warning Alarm System (i.e.

Klaxon horns) was permanently deactivated. The detectors are still in place and operational. The alarm will sound locally instead of via the Klaxons.

1.2.3 In January 2011, GA formally responded to the USNRC Inspection performed by Otis Smith Jr. during August 2010. Because this inspection involved security-related information, no details of this response will be provided in this report.

1.2.4 On December 21, 2011, the Criticality and Radiation Safety Working Group (C&RSWG) completed its annual inspection of the TRIGA Reactor Facility. No problems were noted. A report was issued on December 23, 2011.

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1.3 Decommissioning Schedule All major task items in the Decommissioning Plan through fuel removal for the TRIGA Mark F Reactor have been completed to the extent feasible. Now that all of the fuel has been removed, the remainder of the tasks will begin as early as is feasibly possible. On June 2, 2011, a revised near-term TRIGA Reactor Facility Decommissioning Schedule was submitted to the USNRC 1.4 Radioactive Material Shipments No radioactive material shipments occurred from the TRIGA Reactor Facility during this reporting period.

2. Maintenance Operations All maintenance activities, performed during the reporting period, generally fall into three categories: (i) routine preventive maintenance, (ii)routine calibration activities, and (iii) activities associated with replacement of older components and systems due to age. All maintenance activities were recorded in the TRIGA Reactor Facility Decommissioning Logbook. Facility Maintenance Checklists were completed on a regular schedule, at weekly, quarterly, and annual frequencies. All maintenance operations performed on the TRIGA Mark I Reactor Facility were minor in nature.

There were no major maintenance operations performed during the reporting period.

3. 10CFR50.59 Facility Modifications and Special Experiments Only one (1) application for Facility Modification under the provisions of 1 OCFR50.59 was submitted for the R-67 facility during the CY201 1 reporting period.

This was for the approval and incorporation of the revised Decommissioning Schedule.

There were no Special Experiments submitted for the R-38 facility during CY201 1.

4. Radioactive Effluents Released to the Environs During CY201 1, 0.00 millicuries of Argon-41 were discharged from the TRIGA Mark I Reactor Facility ventilation stack to the atmosphere.

5. Environmental Surveys During CY201 1, the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) for the TRIGA Reactors Facility remained essentially unchanged from the prior year. The applicable EMP includes the following monitoring equipment and actions:

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o Five (5) emergency air samplers, situated on the Facility roof and around the TRIGA Reactor Facility perimeter.

o Six (6) environmental air samplers, situated adjacent to, and nearthe GA site perimeter, in accordance with the GA Special Nuclear Material License (SNM-696).

o Daily liquid effluent monitoring from the GA Main Sewerage Outfall Pump House, for gross alpha and beta radioactivity concentrations.

o External radiation monitoring of the TRIGA Reactor Facility using five (5) passive area dosimeters, as well as radiation meter surveys conducted periodically.

o Since there were no planned decommissioning activities the use of the Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) was still discontinued. It will be placed in use any time in the future when there are aggressive decommissioning activities with a potential for generating airborne contamination.

6. Summary of Radiation Exposures and Radiological Surveys The following data summarizes measured personnel occupational radiation exposures and radiological surveys of the TRIGA Reactors Facility during CY 2011.

Personnel who are listed on the TRIGA Reactors Facility Work Authorization (WA

1. 3389 and as of July 20, 2011 WA #3410) and specific Radiological Work Permits (RWPs) were monitored for radiation exposure; these individuals included 17 General Atomics Staff and 10 Non-General Atomics Staff employees. The following exposures were primarily as a result of non-fuel item inspections and surveys, and radioactive material shipment activities.

6.1 General Atomics Staff Whole Body Exposures1 Number of individuals monitored: 17 High Exposure: 0.776 REM Low Exposure: 0.000 REM Average Exposure: 0.105 REM Includes reactor facility staff and facility support staff authorized to work at the TRIGA Reactor Facility. These personnel may also work routinely at other GA facilities where radioactive materials or radiation producing machines are used; therefore, this exposure represents the cumulative exposure at all GA facilities.

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2 6.2 Non-General Atomics Staff Whole Body Exposures Number of individuals monitored: 10 High Exposure: 0.013 REM Low Exposure: 0.000 REM Average Exposure: 0.000 REM 6.3 Routine Wipe Surveys of Mark I Reactor Facility 2

High Wipe: 16.7 dpm/100 cm 2 Low Wipe: < 1.00 dpm/100 cm 2 Average Wipe: 1.7 dpm/100 cm 6.4 Routine Radiation Measurements of Mark I Reactor Facility High Measurement: 8 mR/hr Low Measurement: < 0.2 mR/hr Average Level: < 0.2 mR/hr 2 Includes non-GA sub-contractor personnel who were granted periodic access to the TRIGA Reactor Facility for the performance of work. These personnel may also work routinely at other GA facilities where radioactive materials or radiation producing machines are used; therefore, this exposure represents the cumulative exposure at all GA facilities 5