ML15089A343
| ML15089A343 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos Nuclear Center |
| Issue date: | 03/30/2015 |
| From: | GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| Shared Package | |
| ML15089A342 | List: |
| References | |
| TML 15-002 | |
| Download: ML15089A343 (8) | |
Text
. ) HITACHI Nuclear Energy Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Va llecitos Rd Sunol , CA 94586 USA NUCLEAR TEST REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT NO. 55 FOR THE YEAR 2014 LICENSE R-33 DOCKET 50-73 MARCH 30, 2015
NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 GE Hitachi Nuclear Test Reactor Annual Report No. 55 This report summarizes the operations, changes, tests, experiments, and major maintenance at the GE Hitachi (GEH) Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR), which were authorized pursuant to License R-33, Docket 50-73, and 10CFR50, Section 50.59, for the period of January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
I. General Specific information about the operation of the NTR during the reporting period is presented as follows:
3/4 IN 2014 there were 248 reactor startups with the reactor operating at or above critical for 874.35 hours4.050926e-4 days <br />0.00972 hours <br />5.787037e-5 weeks <br />1.33175e-5 months <br />. Total power generation equaled 857.60 EFPH; equivalent to 3.57 MW days. The majority of this time was spent in the performance of approved experiments, either neutron radiography or small sample irradiations.
3/4 The highest radiation exposure to any worker at NTR was 0.719 Rem.
3/4 There were no unplanned shutdowns of the reactor in 2014.
3/4 There were no occurrences that required notification of the NRC during 2014.
II. Organization The details of changes in the status of personnel, which occurred during the reporting period, are described as follows:
3/4 Mr. Daniel Thomas continued as Manager NTR performing licensed SRO activities and radiography NDT Level III activities.
3/4 Mr. Thomas McConnell continued performing licensed SRO activities. He also worked as a radiographer, NDT Level I.
3/4 Mr. Tim Peterson continued performing licensed SRO activities. He also continues performing his radiography NDT Level III activities.
3/4 Mr. Max Paronable continued performing licensed RO activities. He also continues his radiography NDT Level I activities.
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NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 3/4 Mr. Jorge Garcia continued performing as a full time specialist in 2014 to perform radiography and maintenance tasks under the direction and supervision of the certified NDT personnel and the licensed operations staff. He also worked as a reactor operator under instruction in pursuit of his RO license.
3/4 Mr. Martin Whitman continued performing as a full time specialist in 2014 to perform radiography and maintenance tasks under the direction and supervision of the certified NDT personnel and the licensed operations staff. He also worked as a reactor operator under instruction in pursuit of his RO license.
3/4 Ms. Carmen continued performing as a full time specialist in 2014 to perform radiography and non-reactor system maintenance tasks under the direction and supervision of the certified NDT personnel and the licensed operations staff.
3/4 Mr. Stephen Neel continued performing as a full time specialist to perform radiography and maintenance tasks under the direction and supervision of the certified NDT personnel and licensed operations staff. He also worked as a reactor operator under instruction in pursuit of his RO license.
3/4 Mr. James Graham, under contract as a radiographer, has continued to perform radiography and non-reactor system maintenance tasks under the direction and supervision of the certified NDT personnel and licensed operations staff.
3/4 Ms. Maralynn Segars returned to work for NTR in 2014 to support the operation as a contract production administration specialist.
3/4 Mr. Earl Saito continued performing as the Vallecitos Nuclear Center Manager for EHS and RC in 2014 with overall EHS responsibilities for the Vallecitos site, including NTR.
3/4 Mr. Thomas Caine continued performing as the VNC Site Manager and the NTR License Level III Manager in 2014.
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NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 III. Facility Changes, Tests, Experiments, and Procedure Changes Approved by the Facility Manager In accordance with written procedures, facility manager approval is required for changes to the facility, procedures, tests, and experiments. Specific information about the reporting period is presented as follows:
A. Facility Changes Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), the following facility change was implemented in 2014 requiring Facility Manager, Regulatory Compliance and VTSC approval. The change and associated activities were comprehensively reviewed using a 50.59 analysis.
CA-305, Replacement of the Cleanup System Flow Gauge 3/4 This change allowed for the replacement of the existing flow gauge that was leaking with a fully compatible flow gauge.
CA-306, Implementation of the DRS EAF 3/4 The method of documenting the Experiment Approval Form (EAF) for authorizing the neutron radiography experiment was changed to allow the utilization of the data found in the Data Retrieval System (DRS). All functionality of the original EAF authorized under ETA 213 and implemented in SOP 10-4, Explosives Handling was preserved including the ability to archive hard copy records of the experiments.
Additional functionality was built into the process to enhance accuracy and compliance, and to provide for data checking capabilities.
B. Tests Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), no special test were performed during 2014 with Facility Manager, Regulatory Compliance and VTSC approval.
C. Experiments Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), there were no new experiments in 2014 requiring Facility Manager, Regulatory Compliance and VTSC approval. The two routine experiment types described as neutron radiography and Schafer slide sample irradiations were properly authorized utilizing experiment authorization forms throughout 2014.
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NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 D. Procedure Changes Pursuant to 10CFR50.59, three procedural changes were initiated during 2014 to incorporate editorial or typographical corrections, technical data, and changes to requirements, or to provide for the addition or clarification of information and reliability of performance.
Changes were made with Facility Manager and Regulatory Compliance review when required. A summary of the changes is presented in the table below.
Revision Procedure Summary of Changes 1011 SOP 10-4, Explosives Incorporates the DRS database into the process for Handling producing and archiving an EAF for the NRay experiments.
1012 SOP 1-3, Primary Mandate a hold time for the hot sample prior to Coolant Water Chemistry transfer to the counting lab. Provides direction for drawing and handling the sample to minimize the chances of and to mitigate the consequences of a spill while drawing the sample.
1013 SOP 10-1, Experiment Adds additional explosive limit restrictions as specified Type Approval (ETA) by TS Section 3.5 when/if the MSM is removed from the North Room. Also provides for updated terminology and formatting for the procedure.
1014 SOP 12-15, Primary Corrects annotation for TC 2 and TC 5, Primary Inlet Chemistry and Primary Outlet temperatures.
1015 SOP 10-4, Explosives Implements refinements to the EAF documentation Handling process and adds appropriate Figures for the new process. Adds reference to CP 1.2, Worker Training Requirements. Corrects spelling in two places.
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NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 IV. Major Preventative or Corrective Maintenance During this reporting period, all routine preventive maintenance and surveillance checks were completed as scheduled. The following lists the noteworthy corrective maintenance activities performed in 2014.
Safety Rod Drive 3/4 On 11/17/14, replaced the Safety Rod #1 Rod and Drive out limit switch. The switch had worn out. The switch was replaced with an identical replacement switch.
Source Rod Drive 3/4 On 3/5/14, replaced the Rod-In limit switch. The switch had worn out. The switch was replaced with an identical replacement switch.
3/4 On 10/13/14, replaced the Rod-Out limit switch. The switch had worn out. The switch was replaced with an identical replacement switch.
Constant Voltage Regulator 3/4 On 10/23/14, replaced the Sola CHV-1 Voltage regulator with an identical replacement part after the output voltage from the transformer was found to be lower than expected.
Radiation Monitoring Instrumentation (Victoreen) 3/4 On five separate occasions in 2014, performed corrective maintenance on the Radiation Monitors involving the replacement and adjustment of one or more PC boards in the detectors. This is a continuing effort to maintain the system with no change in the trend that would indicate additional system wide concerns.
Recorders, Stack Gas and Particulate 3/4 On 9/23/14, performed corrective maintenance on the stack gas and particulate strip chart recorder to include cleaning, adjustment, and lubrication of the slide bar.
Replaced a sluggish amplifier and repaired a cable connector.
Linear Power (PICO) Recorder 3/4 On 6/23/14, performed corrective maintenance on the linear power strip chart record after it was found to be sticking at 65% full scale. This including the cleaning, adjustment and lubrication of the slide bar.
Primary Vent Line 3/4 On 9/22/14, found the tubing section of the vent line that directs the vent gas and liquid to the collection tank was cracked at connection with the vent solenoid valve.
Repaired the connection.
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NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 Primary Cleanup System 3/4 On 1/8/14, found a dripping leak at the system flow gauge after completing routine resin and filter cartridge replacement. Replaced the flow gauge with a compatible gauge.
V. Unscheduled Shutdowns During the reporting period, there were no unscheduled reactor shutdowns after reaching criticality.
VI. Radiation Levels and Sample Results at On-Site and Off-Site Monitoring Stations The data below are from sample and dosimeter results accumulated during the 2014 reporting period. Except for the NTR stack data, these data are for the entire VNC site and include the effects of operations other than the NTR.
A. NTR Stack Total airborne releases (stack emissions) for 2014 are as follows:
Alpha Particulate: 6.68E-08 Ci (predominantly radon-thorium daughter products)
Beta-Gamma Particulate: 3.42E-07 Ci Iodine-131: 3.14E-06 Ci Noble Gases: 2.62E+2 Ci Noble gas activities recorded from the NTR stack integrate both background readings and the actual releases. Background readings may account for as much as 50% of the indicated release.
B. Air Monitors (Yearly average of all meteorological stations.)
Four environmental air-monitoring stations are positioned approximately 90 degrees apart around the operating facilities of the site. Each station is equipped with a membrane filter, which is changed weekly and analyzed for gross alpha and gross beta-gamma.
Alpha Concentration:
Weekly Maximum, 2.03 E-14 PCi/cc Weekly Average, 2.30 E-15 PCi/cc Beta Concentration:
Weekly Maximum, 3.49 E-14 PCi /cc Weekly Average, 1.34 E-14 PCi/cc Page 6 of 7
NTR Annual Report No. 55 March 30, 2015 C. Gamma Radiation The yearly dose results for the year 2014 as determined from evaluation of site perimeter environmental monitoring dosimeters showed no departure from normal stable backgrounds.
D. Vegetation No alpha, beta or gamma activity attributable to activities at the NTR facility was found on or in vegetation in the vicinity of the site.
E. Water There was no release of radioactivity in water or to groundwater greater than the limits specified in 10CFR20, Appendix B, Table 2, and Column 2.
F. Off-Site The results of samples collected from off-site locations indicate normal background for the regional area.
VII. Radiation Exposure In 2014, the highest annual exposure to any full time workers while working at NTR was 0.719 Rem and the lowest exposure for this category of worker was 0.300 Rem. The average radiation exposure for the nine workers involved was 0.534 Rem per person.
The 2014 collective radiation exposure for all workers while performing work at NTR was 4.807 Person-Rem.
VIII. Conclusion GE Hitachi concludes that the overall operating experience of the NTR reflects another year of safe and efficient operations. There were no reportable events.
GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC Vallecitos Operations Digitally signed by Daniel M. Thomas Daniel M. DN: cn=Daniel M. Thomas, o=GE Hitachi, ou=NTR, Thomas email=daniel.thomas@ge.com, c=US Date: 2015.03.30 11:13:10 -07'00' Daniel M. Thomas, Manager Nuclear Test Reactor Page 7 of 7