ML14105A442

Texas A&M University Acknowledging Commitments in CAL No. EA-2013-154 to Address Shutdown Related to Reactor Safety System

ML14105A442
Person / Time
Site:	Texas A&M University
Issue date:	05/23/2014
From:	Leeds E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:	Hassan Y Texas A&M Univ
Hardesty D
Shared Package
ML14105A426	List: ML14105A442
References
TAC M79581
Download: ML14105A442 (4)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 May 23, 2014 CAL No. EA-2013-154 Yassin A. Hassan, Ph.D.

Department Head - Nuclear Engineering Texas A&M University 337 Zachry Engineering Center College Station, TX 77843-3133

SUBJECT:

CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER REGARDING TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AEROJET GENERAL NUCLEONICS MODEL 201-MODIFIED RESEARCH REACTOR COMMITMENTS TO ADDRESS SHUTDOWN RELATED TO REACTOR SAFETY SYSTEM (TAC NO. ME1588)

Dear Dr. Hassan:

This letter updates the Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) Regarding Shutdown Related To Reactor Safety System (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)

Accession No. ML13189A058), dated July 30, 2013, to confirm commitments by Texas A&M University (TAMU) regarding the TAMU Aerojet General Nucleonics Model 201-Modified (AGN-201M) Research Reactor. Your letter dated December 17, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML14015A315), supplemented by your letter dated March 10, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No. ML14087A006), and discussed in a phone conversation on April 9, 2014, between Christopher Crouch, Reactor Supervisor, of your staff and Duane Hardesty, Project Manager, representing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (ADAMS Accession No. ML14105A449) stated the actions that are being taken to address the single point of vulnerability introduced as a result of replacement of a hardwired safety system with a computer based system.

TAMU committed (1) to complete the actions to restore the analog hardwire portions of the safety system in order to address the concerns identified by the NRC staff with the reactor protection and control system; (2) that implementation of the actions listed in this CAL will be done in accordance with applicable NRC regulations (e.g., Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.59); and (3) that corresponding revisions will be made to the TAMU AGN-201M Final Safety Analysis Report.

This CAL will remain in effect and TAMU will not operate the AGN-201M reactor until the NRC has (1) reviewed your information, including responses to staffs questions and the results of your evaluations, and (2) the staff communicates to you in written correspondence that it has concluded that the AGN-201M reactor can be operated safely without undue risk to the health and safety of the public or the environment.

Y. Hassan Pursuant to Section 182 of the Atomic Energy Act, 42 U.S.C. 2232, you are required to:

1) Notify me immediately if your understanding differs from that set forth above;

2) Notify me in writing when you have completed the actions addressed in this CAL.

Issuance of this CAL does not preclude issuance of an order formalizing the above commitments or requiring other actions on the part of the licensee; nor does it preclude the NRC from taking enforcement action for violations of NRC requirements that may have prompted the issuance of this letter.

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter, and your response, if you choose to provide one, will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room and in ADAMS, accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy, proprietary, or safeguards information so that it can be made available to the public without redaction.

If you have any questions regarding this review, please contact Duane Hardesty at (301) 415-3724 or by electronic mail at Duane.Hardesty@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/Jennifer Uhle for RA/

Eric J. Leeds, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.50-059 License No. R-23 cc: See next page

Texas A&M University Docket No.50-059 cc:

Mayor, City of College Station P.O. Box Drawer 9960 College Station, TX 77840-3575 Governors Budget and Planning Office P.O. Box 13561 Austin, TX 78711 Christopher Crouch AGN-201M Reactor Supervisor Nuclear Engineering Department 129 Zachry Engineering Center College Station, TX 77843 Radiation Program Officer Bureau of Radiation Control Dept. Of State Health Services Division for Regulatory Services 1100 West 49th Street, MC 2828 Austin, TX 78756-3189 Technical Advisor Office of Permitting, Remediation & Registration Texas Commission on Environmental Quality P.O. Box 13087, MS 122 Austin, TX 78711-3087 Radiological Safety Officer Texas A&M University Environmental Health and Safety 1111 Research Parkway College Station, TX 77843-4472 Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611

Pkg.: ML14105A426 Letter: ML14105A442 Email: ML14105A449 OFFICE NRR/DPR/PRLB/PM NRR/DPR/PRLB/LA OGC NLO NAME DHardesty PBlechman EMonteith DATE 04/15/2014 04/16/2014 04/28/2014 OFFICE NRR/DPR/PRLB/BC NRR/DPR/D NRR/D NAME AAdams LKokajko (JUhle for) ELeeds DATE 05/12/2014 05/14/2014 05/23/2014