ML16041A596

University of New Mexico - Request for Additional Information for License Amendment No. 5 to the Facility Operating License No. R-102 Aerojet General Nucleonic AGN-201M Research Reactor

ML16041A596
Person / Time
Site:	University of New Mexico
Issue date:	04/25/2017
From:	Eben Allen Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch
To:	Busch R Univ of New Mexico
Allen E, NRR/DPR, 301-415-4246
References
TAC MF5583
Download: ML16041A596 (6)

Text

April 25, 2017 Robert D. Busch, Ph.D., P.E.

Nuclear Engineering Department 1 University of New Mexico MSC-01-1120 Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

SUBJECT:

UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-102 FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AEROJET GENERAL NUCLEONIC AGN-201M REACTOR (TAC NO. MF5583)

Dear Dr. Busch:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is continuing its review of your application for the amendment to Facility Operating License No. R-102, for The University of New Mexico Aerojet General Nucleonic AGN-201M Reactor dated, December 15, 2014, as supplemented by letters dated March 4, 2015, and September 28, 2015 (redacted versions of the application and supplements are available on the NRCs public Web site at www.nrc.gov under Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession Nos. ML14364A155, ML15071A264, and ML15279A343, respectively).

During our review, questions have arisen for which additional information is needed. The enclosed request for additional information (RAI) identifies the additional information needed to continue our review. We request that you provide responses to the enclosed RAI within 30 days from the date of this letter.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.30(b), Oath or affirmation, you must execute your response in a signed original document under oath or affirmation. Your response must be submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 50.4, Written communications. Information included in your response that is considered sensitive or proprietary, that you seek to have withheld from the public, must be marked in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding. Any information related to security should be submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 73.21, Protection of Safeguards Information: Performance Requirements. Following receipt of the additional information, we will continue our review of the amendment request.

R. Busch If you have any questions about this review, or need additional time to respond to this request, please contact me at 301-415-4246, or by electronic mail at Eben.Allen@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Eben Allen, Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-252 License No. R-102

Enclosure:

As stated cc: See next page

University of New Mexico Docket No. 50-252 cc:

City Manager City of Albuquerque City Hall Albuquerque, NM 87101 Dr. Anil Prinja, Chair Nuclear Engineering Department 1 University of New Mexico MSC 01-1120 Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 Kimberly Paffett, Radiation Safety Office 1 University of New Mexico MCS08-4560 Albuquerque, NM 87131 Chief, Radiation Control Bureau Field Operations Division Environment Department Harold S. Runnels Bldg.

1190 St. Francis Drive, Rm S2100 Santa Fe, NM 87505-4173 Deputy Secretary, Office of the Secretary New Mexico State Environment Department 1190 St. Francis Drive, Suite 4050N Santa Fe, NM 87502-6110 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter P.O. Box 118300 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611 Gary Cooper Ph.D Nuclear Engineering Department 1 University of New Mexico MSC-01-1120 Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001

ML16041A596; *concurred via e-mail NRR-088 OFFICE DPR/PRLB/PM* DPR/PRLB/LA* DPR/PRLB/BC DPR/PRLB/PM NAME EAllen NParker AAdams EAllen DATE 4/19/2017 4/19/2017 4/25/2017 4/25/2017 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AGN-201M REACTOR LICENSE NO. R-102; DOCKET NO. 50-252 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is continuing its review for your application to Facility Operating License No. R-102, for the University of New Mexico (UNM) Aerojet General Nucleonic AGN-201M Reactor. During our review of your application the NRC staff has determined that additional information or clarification is required to continue the review. The amendment is primarily evaluated using the appropriate regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), and the following guidance:

• NUREG-1537 Part 2, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors, Standard Review Plan and Acceptance Criteria, issued February 1996 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML042430048).

• American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society, (ANSI/ANS)-15.1-2007, The Development of Technical Specifications for Research Reactors.

• Regulatory Guide (RG) 2.2, Development of Technical Specifications for Experiments in Research Reactors.

1. The regulations in 10 CFR 50.36 requires that each application include proposed technical specifications (TSs) derived from the safety analysis report (SAR). It is expected that TSs delineate, specific features and characteristics of individual research reactors.

Your license amendment request (LAR) (ADAMS Accession No. ML14364A155) states, 1.1.9 Explosive Material - any chemical compound, mixture, or device, which produces a substantial instantaneous release of gas and heat spontaneously or by contact with sparks or flame.

Guidance in RG 2.2, states, Explosive Material-Explosive material is any solid or liquid which is categorized as a Severe, Dangerous, or Very Dangerous Explosion Hazard in "Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, by N. I. Sax, Third Ed. (1968), or is given an Identification of Reactivity (Stability) index of 2, 3, or 4 by the National Fire Protection Association in its publication 704-M, 1966, Identification System for Fire Hazards of Materials, also enumerated in the Handbook for Laboratory Safety 2nd Ed. (1971) published by The Chemical Rubber Co. The NRC staff has accepted current editions of these publications.

Enclosure

It is not clear to NRC staff why a definition in 10 CFR Part 61 for radioactive waste disposal was chosen when there is a definition for explosive material in the guidance for research reactor experiments.

Provide a justification for changing the definition of explosive material, or justify why additional information is not necessary.

2. The regulations in 50.34(b)(4) requires that each application for an operating license provide a final analysis and evaluation of the design and performance of structures, systems, and components of the facility.

The UNM SAR (ADAMS Accession No. ML092170540) Chapter IV, Reactor Building, Section B describes the Reactor Laboratory in the southeast corner of the Laboratory Building in a room 20 x 24 feet.

Your LAR (ADAMS Accession No. ML14364A155) proposes changing reactor control room, and reactor facility, in TS 6.1.13 to reactor room. While this would add consistency to the specification the reference for that room appears to be labeled Reactor Laboratory, in the SAR.

It is not clear to NRC staff if the SAR was evaluated and updated to provide a basis for the proposed license amendment. The NRC staff requires additional information to perform an evaluation to determine if your application allows the finding in NUREG-1537 Part 2, Chapter 14 that this change helps ensure that the facility will function as analyzed in the SAR.

Provide a description of the Reactor Building, to help ensure the facility will function as analyzed in the SAR, or justify why additional information is not necessary.