ML19318A926

Responds to 800613 Telcon Re Incident That Happened at Facility on 800520.Incident Investigated & Reactor Operation Procedures,Ostrop 4,will Be Amended.Amend Calls for Suspension of Test Reactor Operation

ML19318A926
Person / Time
Site:	Oregon State University
Issue date:	06/18/1980
From:	Wang C Oregon State University, CORVALLIS, OR
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V)
References
NUDOCS 8006240389
Download: ML19318A926 (3)

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University corvatiis, oresen 97331 <so2> rs4-224 e J June 18, 1980 11.S. fluclear Regulatory Commission Region V Office of Inspection and Enforcement 1990 11. California Boulevard Walnut Creek Plaza, Suite 202 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Gentlemen:

RE: Docket #50-243, License #R-106 In response to your telephone call on Friday, June 13,1980, with regard to the incident that happened at our' facility on May 20, 1980, I am pleased to provide you with the following items of information:

1. In order to prevent recurrence of the type of incident that happened on May 20, 1980, a sub-committee of the Reactor Operation Committee has met several times to thoroughly investigate the incident in question and more recently has reached a decision to amend our Reactor Operation Procedures, OSTROP 4. The amendment involves the addition of a special section entitled " Operational Anomolies," and calls for immediate suspension of operation of the OSTR after observation of any unusual ooerational anomalies. If this section had been in effect on May 20, the operator would not have performed an additional pulse following the abnormally large pulse.

2. The amended OSTROP 4 became effective soon after the recomendation was concurred by the sub-committee and the reactor administrator. A copy of the amended language in 0 STROP 4 is herewith enclosed for your reference.

I will requcst the Reactor Operation Committee to approve this amendment retroactively in their next meeting.

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oregon State University is an .ttfirmative Action / Equal Cpportunity Employer

June 18, 1980 USNRC -

2-It is my sincere hope that the foregoing provided information will meet with your fa'orable v reaction.

Sincerely yours,

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_ C. -H. Wang Reactor Administrator CHW/ef Enclosure cc: -J.C. Ringle

. A.G. Johnson-T.V. Anderson USNRC, Washington, D.C. (2) Dcciuefist ,4[sutqbs1&,1f hane//.

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IV.4.1 a - (Revictd June 80)

OSTROP I4.0 REACTOR OPERATIONS PROCEDURES Scops: The OSTROP 4 series procedures are given to direct the operator in the approved sequences and methods of operating the reactor controls.

OSTROP 4 saries procedures canno't be pursued until OSTROP 3 series procedures have been satisfied.

General Information: The OSTR is a versatile research reactor and can be operated in numerous configurations utilizing several different con-trol rod sequences. It should be pointed out that the reactor is not restricted to a specific start-up sequence or control rod con-figuration. As a rule, these operations procedures are followed rc-sulting in a standard format for routine operation (but should not be considered restrictive in precluding other start-up or operational configurations).

Therefore, after the start-up core excess has been taken, the opera-tional configuration can deviate from the procedural format (with the supervisors permission) to acecmmodate an approved experiment.

Operational Anomalies: In the event the console operator observes: (a) any significant variation of measured values from a corresponding pre-dicted or previously measured value of safety-connected operating characteristics, or (b) any other unusual or abnormal condition which may affect safe reactor operation, he will:

(a.) Immediately scram the reactor.

(b.) Notify the Reactor Supervisor..

The Reactor Supervisor will consult with the Reactor Administrator, Assistant Reactor Administrator, the Senior, Health Physicist, and/or other Senior Reactor Operators regarding this observed variation.

The Reactor Administrator will determine: (a) whether the Reactor Operations Committee should be notified regarding this event, (b) whether the USNRC should be notified, and (c) whether the reactor may resume operation.

4.1 Core Excess i

The e ccess reactivity will be measured each morning before routine operations begin. The excess will give a broad overall check on any gross changes that may have been made since the last operation. For routine core excess measurement, the control rod configuration and power level will be: ,,

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