ML20052A853
| ML20052A853 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 10/31/1977 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20052A734 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-81-483 NUDOCS 8204290271 | |
| Download: ML20052A853 (5) | |
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MINUTES OF PUBLIC MEETINGI TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL IMPACT OF GETR SHUTDOWN ROOM P-ll8, PHILLIPS BUILDING 7920 NORFOLK AVENUE BETHESDA, MARYLAND OCTOBER 31, 1977 Mr. Richard E. Cunningham, of NRC's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m..
He informed those present that NRC'S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation had issued
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an order (Enclosure 1) on October 24, 1977, to the General Electric Company (GE) to shutdown its Test Reactor (GETR), located in Pleasanton, California, at the end of its present run (i.e., October 27,1977) and to remain shutdown.
The order had been issued because of new infor-mation on the geology and seismology of the GETR site.
Prior to the issuance of the order, NRC recognized that the shutdown would have an impact on the supply of radioisotopes, particularly the supply for medical purposes. The NRC staff immediately contacted rep-resentatives of the medical and industrial community to alert them to the problem. Specifically NRC contacted Dr. Calvin Brantley, Chairman of the Radioisotopes Committee of the Atomic Industrial Forum, Dr. William Blahd, President, Society of Nuclear Medicine, and Captain William Briner, a consultant to both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Mr. Cunningham informed those present that the purpose of the meeting was to inform processors and users of the current situation with regard to the supply of radionuclides.
Mr. Cunningham emphasized that this was not the proper forum to debate any issues pertaining to the geology, safety or shutdown of the GETR, but was intended as an information meeting.
Dr. Carl Stepp of NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation then briefly described the geology of the GETR site.
He stated that the GETR license was up for renewal and that a routine review of the geology of the site was performed. The GETR site is located approximately two miles from the Calaveras fault, which in turn is a major splay of the San Andreas Fault.
Large earthquakes have occurred along this area. During the review process it was found that the Verona Fault, which is a splay of i
the Calaveras Fault, had been mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and was shown to be within 200 feet of the reactor site.
Dr. Stepp then described what can happen in the vicinity of a fault of this type.
He stated that the Verona Fault could present a substantial safety hazard due to the possibility of surface breakage in the fault area.
ISee Notice 42FR56651 (Enclosure 3) j g204290 %
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Dr. Stepp stated that NRC personnel had met with GE personnel and told them of their concern.
tatives of USGS and found that USGS was also very concerned abo possibility of earthquake activity in the vicinity of the reactor. In order to obtain more information about the nature of the potential activity of the fault, a trench was dug at the GETR site.
visited the GETR site in mid-October to inspect the trench but were NRC staff unable to make a determination. NRC staff requested GE to " clean up" the trench so it could be studied more closely.. On a subsequent inspection there was evidence of a low angle thrust fault.
these findings could also have been due to a major landslide in theDr. Stepp stat past.
GE and NRC are continuing their investigations of the GETR site.
Dr. Calvin Brantley, representing the Atomic Industrial Forum, presented a description of the supply status.
been asked to do a survey of the supply problems resulting from theDr. Bra shutdown of GETR.
He was asked to assess the impact of a shutdown on October 24,.1977 and the impact of a shutdown on October 27, 1977.
He stated that his first major concern was short-lived radioisotopes used for medical purposes.
Dr. Brantle suppliers, y had been in contact with all the major medical radioisotope discussing with them the potential supply problems.
stated that it looks, at the present time, as though there will be He sufficient quantities of most radioactive materials available by the time the current GE supply runs out.
He stated that there may be a problem with molybdenum-99 produced by neutron activation.
denum-99 have either converted to fission-product molybdenum-9 found an alternative supplier.
However, foreign suppliers who cannot convert to fission-product molybdenum-99 may be unable to obtain from the U.S. sufficient quantities of neutron-activated molybdenum-99.
Dr. Brantley then discussed the problem of xenon-133, of which large amounts are used for medical purposes.
He stated that it appears that commercial reactors and the reactor at Oak Ridge will be able to meet 203 but that there was not much demand for it. supply needs. He sta problem with other radioactive isotopes that are supplied in smallThere appears to b quantities.
Most of the users have found an alternative supplier.
The biggest problem remaining to be solved is the supply of one curie ampoules of xenon-133. GE holds the only approved new drug application (NDA) for these large ampoules of xenon-133.
i methods for supply are still being investigated.He stated that alternative 3
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. Dr. Brantley then discussed the potential supply problems for iridium-192 which is used for industrial radiography. He stated that Mr. John Maddox of the Department of Energy and the personnel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory helped in ensuring that sufficient iridium-192 would be available from the reactors at Oak Ridge.
He also said that GE has been very cooperative and that there appears to be no major problem for future supplies of iridium-192.
Captain William Briner then gave a brief discussion of FDA licensing problems. He stated that he, Dr. Brantley, and representatives of FDA and NRC had discussed the problems associated with the GETR shutdown, and Captain Briner said that FDA had authorized him to announce the following policy.
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"FDA has established the following policy with regard to alternate suppliers of radionuclides for use in radiopharmaceutical products.
Upon receipt of supplements for alternate suppliers who have exist-ing Drug Master Files for the respective materials, FDA will permit these supplements on the basis of a temporary deferral of final acticn on the supplemental application. /s/ Rebecca Wood, Ph.D.
G. R. Grove, Ph.D, W. Gyarfus, M.D."
Mr. Eric Clark, representing Technical Operations, a supplier of iridium-1.92 for industrial radiography, stated that the radiography industry used 700 kilocuries of iridium-192 in 1976 and that the use increases approximately 10-20% every year. He stated that until now, 99-100% of the high specific activity iridium-192 used for industrial radiography had come from GETR.
He stated that manufacturers had previously obtained it from Oak Ridge and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), but that AECL was no longer making iridium-192. Mr. Clark stated that western European countries get iridium-192 primarily in Europe.
He stated that cobalt-60 is also used in industrial radiography, but that iridium-192 is of primary importance because it is better for analyzing thinner sections of steel. He stated that high specific activity is necessary get sharp images. The neutron flux from GETR was approximately 4x10g and the same flux can be obtained from the Oak Ridge Reactor.
There is a small reactor at the University of Missouri, which can make a small amount of iridium-192. Mr. Clark said that he had talked to the staff at Oak Ridge.
In recent years Oak Ridge had been out of the iridium-192 business, but Oak Ridge personnel now say that they can supply all the iridium-192 that Technical Operations may require.
He stated that Technical Operations supplied approximately 30-35% of the total requirements of this country.
. Dr. Oscar B. Hunter, representing the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, said that his organization had 25,000 members who use radioactive materials. He stated that they needed to know what deficiencies may occur and that they could not depend on guesswork.
In response, Captain Briner stated that approximately'375 curies of xenon-133 were required per week and that GETR can supply xenon-133 as they had in the past until November 19, 1977.
He stated that Union Carbide can increase its production to approximately 200 curies per week by November 12, 1977 and that Oak Ridge can supply at least 175 curies per week by November 18, 1977.
He re-emphasized that the potential problem appeared to be the one curie ampoules of xenon-133.
Dr. Hunter asked if there appeared to be any differences in supply prob-lems in various geographical locations.
Captain Briner answered that there did not appear to be.
Mr. Otha W. Linton, representing the American College of Radiology, asked about the status of the supply of cobalt-60 for teletherapy.
Dr. Brantley answered that there appeared to be no problem with the supply.
Dr. U. Henschke, Howard University, asked where the cobalt-60 was coming from.
Dr. Brantley stated that Neutron Products, Inc. and AECL had plenty of inventory.
Mr. Norman Commerford, representing Technical Operations, requested and received permission to make a statement.
He said that the oversea; reactor people are delighted at the news of the GETR shutdown because it gives them a chance to increase their share of the market.
Mr. Commerford also stated that there may be some cost increases and longer delivery times because of the shutdown.
He said that Technical Operations supplied over 1,000 custcmers in more than 40 countries.
Mr. Commerford described a variety of uses of iridium-192 in industrial radiography (e.g. building and ship construction; checking structural integrity of critical components).
Mr. Commerford stated that with the GETR shutdown his company would face increased competition from foreign competitors and asked that if GETR were closed permanently, the Government assist in finding alternative suppliers.
Dr. Allen Fleischer, representing Medi-Physics, Inc., asked if there had been any decision yet as to whether GETR would re-open.
Mr. Cunningham stated that GE had been told on October 30, 1977 that they could not resume GETR operations on October 31, 1977 because there were substantial questions remaining.
, Mr. Eric Clark stated that he had some reservations about depending upon a new reactor for his supply of iridium-192 and asked Dr. Brantley if he was satisfied that alternative suppliers could furnish the material.
Dr. Brantley stated that he did not expect any problems.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.
Enclosures:
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GETR Order dated 10/24/77 2.
Public Announcement.77-189 re: GETR Order 3.
Meeting Notice 42FR56651 4.
Attendance list for 10/31/77 Public Meeting 5.
Briner Memo to Cunningham dated 10/28/77 O
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