ML20043A383
| ML20043A383 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Lowell, 07000738 |
| Issue date: | 05/03/1990 |
| From: | Della Ratta A, Keimig R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20043A377 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-223-90-02, 50-223-90-2, 70-0738-90-01, 70-738-90-1, NUDOCS 9005210280 | |
| Download: ML20043A383 (7) | |
See also: IR 05000223/1990002
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION I
50-223/90-02
Report Nos.
70-738/90-01
50-223
Decket Nos.70-738
R-125
$
License Nos.
Licensee:
University of Lowell
1 University Avenue
LoweO , Massachusetts 01854
]
Facility Name:
University of Lowell Nuclear Center
Inspection /st:
Lowell, Massachusetts
Inspection Conducted: April 10-13, 1990
Type of Inspection:
Unannounced Material Control and Accounting, and
, Physical Security
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Inspector:
d
di
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- #-fv
A. Della Ratta, Shfeguards Inspector
date
Approved by: _/
.-< h
- -3 - 16,
R. R. Keinl,9 rChipfJf3afeguards Section,
date
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/FacilitiesRadicAtical Safety and Safeguards
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Branch, Division of Radiation Safety and
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Safeguards
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Inspection Summary:
Routine, unannounced safeguards inspection on
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April 10-13, 1990 (Combined Report Nos. 50-223/90-02 and 70-738/90-01)
Areas Inspected:
Nuclear material control and accounting, and physical
security, including:
organization and operation; shipping and receiving;
storage and internal controls; inventory; records and reports; and physical
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protection measures for special nuclear material of moderate strategic
significance.
Results:
Four violations were identified:
failure to conduct a physical
inventory of all SNM possessed under license every twelve months, (paragraph
2.d.); f ailure to perform leak tests of sealed plutonium-beryllium sources at
intervals not to exceed six months (paragraph 2.e.); failure to notify the
Commission within two months of changes made to the NRC-approved physical
security plan (paragraph 3.a.); and f ailure to maintain records to show
compliance with certain requirements as specified in the NRC-approved physical
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security plan (paragraph 3.b.).
9005210280 900508
ADOCKOSOOg3
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DETAILS
1.
Key Persons Contacted
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- Dr. L. Beghian, Associate Vice President for Research
- T. Wallace, Reactor Supervisor
- W. Church, Radiation Safety Officer
L. Bobek, Chief Reactor Operator
R. Hobbs, Senior Reactor Operator
J. Rowe, Chief, Campus Police
D. Dowling Dispatcher Campus Police
- present at exit interview
2.
Material Control and Accounting Program
a.
Program Management
The inspector verified through a review of records that the licensee
maintained an organizational structure with responsibility for
special nuclear material (SNM) control and accounting. Written
statements of responsibility and authority had been established for
those positions with responsibility.for the SNM.
Custody of all SNM
and the management of the nuclear material control and accountability
program is the responsibility of the Radiation Safety Officer.
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The Radiation Safety Officer is in the process of revising the SNM
control and accounting procedures to reflect current practices.
The
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revision will be completed and submitted to the Radiation Safety
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Committee for approval by May 31, 1990.
No discrepancies were
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identified,
b.
Shipping and Receiving
The inspector determined through a review of records that with the
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exception noted in paragraph 2.d., the licensee maintained procedures
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to assure that all SNM received or shipped was accurately accounted
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for.
A review was performed of all DOE /NRC Form-741's generated during
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October 1, 1983 through September 30, 1989 to assure that each was
properly signed, dispatched in a timely manner, and that the data
were accurate. No discrepancies were identified.
c.
Storage and Internal Control
The inspector determined thrcugh observations and review of records
that, with the exception noted in paragraph 2.d., the licensee was
maintaining a system of storage and internal controls that indicated
the quantity, identity, and current location of all SNM within the
facility.
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The licensee maintains a computer printcut that provides the serial
number and location of the fuel elements in the reactor core and
storage areas, and the uranium fission and transmutation calculations
for each fuel element. No discrepancies were identified.
d.
Inventory
The inspector performed an SNM inventnry verification on
April 11, 1990.
The inventory consisted of a piece count of the
thirty-two fuel elements located in storage areas and a comparison of
the fuel location to the fuel location schematic.
The inspector also
audited other selected items on the facility physical inventory.
During the inventory verification, the inspector determined that
seven SNM bearing metal foils (received on January 14,1985) and one
SNW bearing fission chamber (received on February 19, 1985) in the
licensee's possession, were not listed on the licensee's master
inventory listing. -The absence of these items from the. master
listing resulted in these SNM bearing items not being physically
accounted for during inventories, conducted every twelve months,
between January 1985 and December 1989 as required by 10 CFR 70.51(d).
Failure to comply with 10 CFR 70.51(d) is an apparent
violation of NRC requirements (70-738/90-01-01).
The licensee agreed to conduct another inventory of the SNM located
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et the facility to determine if all the SNM has been accounted for
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and will provide Region I with the inventory results by May 31, 1990,
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Records and Reports
e.
The inspector reviewed the licensee's records, reports, and source
data. All Material Balance Reports (DOE /NRC Form-742) submitted by
the licensee for the period October 1,1983 to September 30, 1989
were reviewed for compliance with 10 CFR 70.53. Total uranium and
uranium depletion records were also reviewed. No discrepancies were
identified.
The inspector reviewed the records of semi-annual leak tests of the
eleven plutonium-beryllium (PuBe) sources.
The inspector found that
in two instances, leak tests for six PuBe sources were not performed
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at six month intervals as required by License Condition 13. A(1) of
License No. SNM-714, Amendment No. 08, dated August 12, 1988.
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leak tests performed on April 14, 1987 were not performed within six
months of the previous leak tests that were performed on
July 30, 1986, and the leak tests performed on March 25, 1988 were,
not performed within six months of the previous leak tests that were
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performed on July 14, 1987.
In all cases, the tests performed did
not identify any leaking sources.
Failure to perform leak tests on
the six PuBe sources within the required intervals was identified as
an apparent violation of NRC requirements (70-738/90--01-02).
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Exhibits I through III, sur.marize the licensee's nuclear material
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activity for the period October 1, 1983 - September 30, 1989.
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3.
General Physical Security Requirements for SNM of Moderate
Strategic Significance
The licensee's program for the physical protection of SNM of moderate
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strategic significance was reviewed by the inspector for conformance with
the NRC-approved physical security plan.
The inspector examined physical
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barriers, access controls, procedures, and key control, and observed a
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licensee test of alarm system features.
The inspector found that the
licensee's program and its implementation met the general performance
requirements and objectives of the governing regulations, except as
follows:
a.
The inspector's review of the NRC-approved physical security plan
identified that the licensee had made numerous changes to the plan in
Revision I, dated January 4, 1988, but had not submitted these
changes to the NRC within two months after the changes were made, as
required by 10 CFR 50.54(p).
These changes as implemented were
designed to enhance the overall security program and did not
decrease the safeguards effectiveness of the plan.
Failure to submit
these changes to the NRC within two months was identified as an
apparent violation (50-223/90-02-01).
The licensee is in the process of reviewing the current plan to
determine the need for additional changes and committed to submit a
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report to the NRC containing a description of al' changes by
May 31, 1990.
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b.
The inspector identified to the licensee that the section titled
" Security Records" of the NRC-approved physical security plan,
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states, in part that the results of the physical inventory of locks,
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cores, keys and key cards shall be maintained at the facility for at
least 24 months.
The inspector's review found that, with the
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exception of the key cards, the licensee could not provide the
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results of the physical inventory of locks, cores and keys for the
previous 24 months, However, the inspector's physical inventory
results of these items determined that all of the locks, cores and
keys were accounted for.
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Failure to maintain records in order to show compliance with the
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NRC-approved physical security plan was identified as an apparent
violation (50-223/90-02-02).
4.
Exit Interview
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The inspector met with the licensee representatives indicated in
paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on April 13, 1990. At
that time, the purpose and scope for the inspection were reviewed and the
findings were presented.
The licensee's commitments, as documented in
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this report, were reviewed and confirmed with the licensee.
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EXHIBIT I
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University of Lowell
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Docket Nos. 50-223 and-70-738
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License Nos. R-125 and $NM-7111
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Material Balance for Period: October 1, 1983 - September 30, 1989
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Reporting Identification Symbol: ZLV
Reporting Unit:
Grams-
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' Enriched Uranium
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Element
Isotope
Element-
Isotope
Beginning Inventory:-
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(October 1,1983)
4,376'
4,066-
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Additions:
Receipts:
-0-
-0-
-0-
-0-
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Materia' to Account For:
~ 4,376
4,066-
272;
251
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Removais-
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Shipments:
-0-
-0-
-0-
-0-
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Fission and Transmutation:
36.-
-36-
-0 .
-0--
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Decay:
-0-
-0-
-0 -
-0-
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Total Removals:
36
36'
-0 '
-0-
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Ending Inventory:
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(September 30,1989)
4,340
4,030
272.
_251.
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251
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Material Accounted For:
4,376
4,066
272:
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EXHIBIT II
University of Lowell
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Docket No.=70-738' License No. SNM-714
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Material Balance for Period: October 1. 1983 - September 30,!!989
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. Reporting Identification Symbol: ZLV
Reporting Unit: Grams'
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Enriched Uranium
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Element.
_ Isotope
Element
-Isotope.
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Beginning Inventory:'
-0-
-0
-0-
-0-
(October 1,1983)
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Additions:
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Receipts:
108-
101
29
-281
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Material to Account For:
108-
101-
29
28-
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Removals:
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Shipments:
-0-
-0-
-0-
-0-
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Ending Inventory:
(September. 30,'1989)
108
101
29
28
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Material Accounted For:
108
101-
-29:
28'
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EkHIBIT III:
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University of Lowell
Docket No.70-738
License No. SNM-714
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Material' Balance for Period: October 1, 1983 - September 30,~1989!
. Reporting Identification Symbol:
ZLV
Reportino Unit:
Grams
Uranium -233
Element-
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Beginning. Inventory:-
(October 1,'1983)
~0-
-0-
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Additions:
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Receipts:
3'
3
Material:to Account-For:
3
.-- 3
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Removals:
Shipments:
-0 -
-0-
Ending Inventory:
9
(September 30,1989)
3
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Material Accounted For:
3
3
4
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