ML18347A015
| ML18347A015 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | North Carolina State University |
| Issue date: | 12/17/2018 |
| From: | Edward Helvenston Research and Test Reactors Licensing Projects Branch |
| To: | Hawari A North Carolina State University |
| Helvenston E, NRR/DLP, 415-4067 | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2018-LLA-0500 | |
| Download: ML18347A015 (4) | |
Text
December 17, 2018 Dr. Ayman I. Hawari, Director Nuclear Reactor Program Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Campus Box 7909 2500 Stinson Drive Raleigh, NC 27695-7909
SUBJECT:
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY - ACCEPTANCE OF REQUESTED LICENSING ACTION REGARDING FUELED EXPERIMENTS FOR THE PULSTAR RESEARCH REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2018-LLA-0500)
Dear Dr. Hawari:
By letter dated December 4, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML18341A237), North Carolina State University (NCSU) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) for the NCSU PULSTAR research reactor. NCSU requested the amendment to revise its license conditions (LCs) and technical specifications (TSs) to allow it to increase the quantity of uranium-235 (U-235) in fueled experiments; to allow it to perform fueled experiments with neptunium-237 or plutonium-239, in addition to U-235; and to allow it to perform vented fueled experiments. The amendment would also make other changes related to fueled experiments, including revising the TS definition of fueled experiment; adding or revising requirements for radiation monitoring and ventilation equipment; increasing license possession limits for fissile and fissionable materials to be used in fueled experiments; and revising other fueled experiment requirements. NCSU stated that the amendment would allow the LCs and TSs to accommodate its planned experimental needs.
The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staffs acceptance review of this LAR. The acceptance review was performed to determine if there is sufficient technical information in scope and depth to allow the NRC staff to complete its detailed technical review. The acceptance review is also intended to identify whether the application has any readily apparent information insufficiencies in its characterization of the regulatory requirements or the licensing basis of the facility.
Consistent with Section 50.90, Application for amendment of license, construction permit, or early site permit, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), whenever a holder of a license desires to amend the license, an application for an amendment must be filed with the Commission, as specified in 10 CFR 50.4, Written communications, fully describing the changes desired, and following as far as applicable, the form prescribed for original applications. Section 50.34, Contents of applications; technical information, of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required. This section stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.
The NRC staff has reviewed NCSUs application and concluded that it contains technical information in sufficient detail to enable the NRC staff to begin its detailed technical review to make an independent assessment regarding the acceptability of the proposed amendment in terms of regulatory requirements and the protection of public health and safety and the environment. Given the lesser scope and depth of the acceptance review as compared to the detailed technical review, there may be instances in which issues that impact the NRC staffs ability to complete the detailed technical review are identified despite completion of an adequate acceptance review. NCSU will be advised of any further information needed to support the NRC staffs detailed technical review by separate correspondence.
The NRC staff will perform its review following the guidance of NUREG-1537, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors.
Based on the information provided in NCSUs LAR, the NRC staff has estimated that this licensing request could be completed in approximately 12 months. If there are emergent complexities or challenges in the NRC staffs review that would cause changes to the initial forecasted completion date, the reasons for the changes, along with the new estimates, will be communicated during the routine interactions with the assigned project manager.
This estimate is based on the NRC staffs initial review of the application and could change due to several factors, including requests for additional information, unanticipated addition of scope to the review, and review by NRC advisory committees or hearing-related activities.
If you have any questions regarding this review, please contact me at 301-415-4067, or by electronic mail at Edward.Helvenston@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Edward Helvenston, Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Licensing Projects Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-297 License No. R-120 cc: See next page
North Carolina State University Docket No. 50-297 cc:
Office of Intergovernmental Relations 116 West Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27603 Dr. Kostadin Ivanov, Head Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Campus Box 7909 Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 W. Lee Cox, Section Chief Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Service Regulation Radiation Protection Section 1645 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1645 Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, Dean College of Engineering North Carolina State University 113 Page Hall Campus Box 7901 Raleigh, NC 27695-7901 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter P.O. Box 118300 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611
- concurred via email OFFICE NRR/DLP/PRLB/PM* NRR/DLP/PRLB/LA*
NRR/DLP/PRLB/BC NRR/DLP/PRLB/PM NAME EHelvenston NParker AAdams EHelvenston DATE 12/17/2018 12/13/2018 12/17/2018 12/17/2018