ML20045H032

Forwards Proposed Amend 13 to License R-83,allowing Greater Flexibility Re Possession of Radioactive Matls for Supporting Research & Development Functions.Justification for Requested Amend Encl Also

ML20045H032
Person / Time
Site:	05000128
Issue date:	03/25/1993
From:	Reece W TEXAS A&M UNIV., COLLEGE STATION, TX
To:	Michaels T Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 9307160265
Download: ML20045H032 (4)

Text

[-

e, ,

TEXAS ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STADON, TEXAS M843-3575 .

1 r]

March 25, 1993 g g NUCLEAR SCIENCE CENTER 409/845 7551 Attn: Mr. Theodore S. Michaels' Senior Project Manager 93 -01 "'

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Division of Reactor Projects III, IV, V and Special Projects.

Non-Power Reactor, Decommissioning, and Environmental Directorate ,

Washington, DC 20555

SUBJECT:

AMENDMENT NO. 13 OF FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-83 (Docket No. 50-128).

Encloced please find a copy of our proposed amendment to the Texas A&M University System / Texas Engineering Experiment Station, Nuclear Science Center license. The proposed amendment is designed to allow us greater flexibility regarding the possession of radioactive materials for supporting our research and development functions. The proposed amendment will also assist in the clarification and definition of the two programs currently licensed for the University System. These programs are the NRC-licensed research reactor (at the Nuclear Science Center), and the State of Texas-licensed byproduct materials program (at the Office of Radiological Safety).

If you have any questions regarding this proposed amendment, please contact me or Mr. Bruce Carlisle at (409) 845-7551.

i Sincerely, Dr. W.D. Reece, Director L( Q p i I Nuclear Science Center

• Texas Engineering Experiment Station jg.pf/tclL48 t

Texas A&M University System ) fl jj /3 d 8

l. Enclosure Of l 1 1 l 9307160265 930325 7"?

PDR ADOCK 05000128 d P PDR Q

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR MANKIND

Justification for Reauested Amendment Under the current licensing structure the Nuclear Science Center has to differentiate between radioactive material held on the NRC license (R-83) and the State of Texas license. Difficulty exists identifying and classifying material used at the NSC facilities.

Though many materials clearly support reactor operations, others are used for both reactor operations, research and commercial activity. Assigning radioactive materials to a specific license based a

on usage has created an unmanageable system. We believe that broadening of the NhC license to allow for the possession of radioactive and materials materials generated by the operation of our reactor determined necessary to operate all our programs, ,

will material. eliminate the need for delineation between State and Federal A meeting between Region IV representatives and the State of Texas was held on September 21, 1992, to discuss this problem an agreement was reached that this broadening of the NRC license would be an appropriate action to resolve the concerns.

The amendment that we have submitted is very similar to that granted to commercial nuclear power plants which allows them to operate their reactor support programs. Like commercial nuclear power plants, we have a dedicated staff of professionals who can ensure that the materials are handled safely and correctly. This includes a Reactor Safety Board which conducts routine oversight of NSC programs and performs regular audits of NSC administrative controls. This single license will simplify radioactive material tracking and lessen the chance for mis-tracking of material because of dual licenses.

The Science State of Texas licensed material currently used at the Nuclear Center (NSC) primarily consists of those materials generated by faculty and staff Texas A&M, and the radioactive sources used to calibrate the various instruments and detectors.

The NSC has a material control system in place to track materials, both administrative radioactive systems and hazardous and/or sensitive in nature. These track materials form cradle to grave providing detailed records of source, use and final disposition.

These systems and dedicated staff also provide for the physical security of the material while it is within the NSC.

All facilities within the NSC site fence are under the management of the NSC Director and his staff. By establishing a single licensing is criteria at the site boundary, verification of compliance easily established when the material is received; and responsibility is maintained until the material is shipped. Intra-site license transfers will not be required.

--r rr-----

t P

A. This license applies to the TRIGA-type nuclear research reactor owned by the Texas Engineering Experiment r Station / Texas A&M University System (the licensee), located on the campus of the Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas and described in the application for license renewal.

D. Subject to the conditions and requirements incorporated herein, the Commission, hereby, licenses the Texas Engineering Experiment Station / Texas A&M University System:

(1) Pursuant to Section 104C of the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Port 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities," to possess, use and operate the reactor in accordance with the procedures and limitations described in the application and the license.

(2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFn, chapter I, Part 70,

" Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material" to receive, possess and use up to 17.0 kilograms of contained uranium-235 in connection with operation of the reactor.

(3) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR,. Chapter I, Part 70,

" Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material" to receive, possess and use up to 20 grams each of the 4 following isotopes in the form of detectors, fission plates, foils a_nd solutions for support of operations of the reactor and associated facilities.

Uranium-233, Plutonium-236, Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239, Plutonium-240, Plutonium-241, Plutonium-242 and Uranium-235.

(4) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Part 30, "Rulen of General Applicability to Domestic Licensing of -

Byproduct Material," to receive, possess, and use in connection with the operation of the reactor. a twenty (20) curie encapsulated plutonium-beryllium neutron '

source and a three (3) curie encapsulated americium-beryllium source and to possess but not separate such byproduct material as may be produced by operation of the ,

reactor; and, (5) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Part 40

" Domestic Licensini of Source Material," to receive, '

possess and use noc more than fifteen (15) pounds of source material at any time for research, development, educational, commercial or operational purposes.

• O

.- - . . - - . . = . .

• 1;- .

4 (6) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR, Chapter I, Parts 30, and 40, to receive, possess, and use in amounts as required, any byproduct, or source material without restriction to

• chemical or physical form, for analysis or instrument '

calibration associated with operation of the reactor and associated facilities.

(7) The Texas Engineering Experiment Station / Texas A&M University System will maintain all byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials within the site boundary or the' gamma irradiation facility until transfer to an appropriate material license for shipment.

C.

This the license conditions shall specified be deemed to contain, and be subject to, in the following- Commission regulations: 10 CFR Part 20, Section 30.34 of 10 CFR Part 30, Sections 50.54 and 50.59 of 10 CFR Part 50, and Section 70.32 .

of 10 CFR Part 70;and is subject to all applicable provisions of the Act and Commission, to the rules, regulations, and orders of the now, or conditions specified of incorporated below. ,

(1) Maximum Power Level ,

The Texas Engineering Experimant Station / Texas A&M University System is authorized to operate the reactor at a

steady state power levels _ up to a maximum of 1000 kilowatts (thermal) and to pulse the reactor in accordance with the limitations in the Specifications. Technical (2) Technical Specifications The Technical Specifications contained in- Appendix A, as revised through Amendment 12, are hereby incorporated in I

their entirety in the license.

The Texas Engineering  !

Experiment Station / Texas A&M University System shall operated Specifications.the facility in accordance with the Technical  :

(3) Physical security Plan i j

The licensee shall maintain and fully implement all i provisions plan, including of the Comr^asion-approved physical security amend its and changes made pursuant to 10 CFR 50.54 (p) . The gproved plan consists of documents {

j withheld from public disclosure pursuant to 10 CFR 73.21, entitled " Texas A&M University Nuclear Science Center i Physical Security Plan, Revision 1," dated June 1979, as l revised 18, 1980. by letters dated January 15, 1980 and September i l

l l

1

, . -