ML20058C561
| ML20058C561 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000025 |
| Issue date: | 10/29/1990 |
| From: | Horn M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Haughney C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9011010317 | |
| Download: ML20058C561 (5) | |
Text
_.
+f UNITED STATES
- 8 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION a
'i j
wAssiNotow, o. c. gosss
'\\...../
OCT2e1330 MEMORANDUM FOR: Charles J. Haughney, Chief Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS FROM:
Herri Horn Uranium fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMS$
SUBJECT:
TRIP REPORT ROCKETDYNE DIVISION, ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL, 4
CANOGA PARK, CALIFORNIA, DOCKET NO 70-25 l
On October 9-10, 1990, Rockwell International's Santa Susana Field Laboratory was visited by George Bidinger and Merri Horn, NMSS, and Charles Hooker, Region V.
During the visit, Mr. Hooker conducted an inspection. The visit consisted of a site familiarization tour and discussions on several pending licensing issues (the decommissioning plan, financial assurance for decommissioning, criticality control, and an organizational change).
The facility tour included the hot cell (building 20), burn pit facility, and buildings 5, 9, 11, 55, 100, 172, and 373. With the exception of areas buildings 20, 55, and 172, these areas are considered " orphan" facilities.
Although the areas are physically located in Area IV, which is outside the DOE-controlled compound, the operations were generally 00E controlled.
Because NRC-licensed activities were not conducted in the orphan facilities but the areas are outside the DOE-controlled portion of land, there is now some question as to which agency should be overseeing the decommissioning of the facilities.
Some of the buildings have been decommissioned by Rockwell but have not been officially released by DOE or NRC.
Some of the buildings also contain State of California licensed activities.
Several of the areas are included in DOE's 5-year decommissioning plan. A brief description of the areas is provided
- below, in an attempt to work with DOE and determine which agency is responsible for the orphan facilities, a conference call was held with Roger Liddle, DOE (415-273-6439). Mr. Liddle is the DOE contact for decommissionin Prior to any decisions, further communication will'be necessary. g of the site.
However, an agreement was reached that coordination of activities,(0RAU) will be such as the final surveys, should be pursued. Oak Ridge Associated Universities both the NRC and DOE confirmatory surveys. Merri Horn is the NRC staff contact.
By letter dated Se management change.ptember 6,1990, Rockwell informed Region V of an organization /
However, the licensee has not submitted an amendment request.
d Rockwell was informed that a license amendment was necessary and agreed to Il submit the amendment explaining the organizational changes. While the j
organizational structure is changing, the personnel remains the same, i
$0k kObb N00 5
NAs';j
- c..
OCT 2 91990 Rocketdyne Division 2
Rockwell has submitted correspondence on financial assurance for decommissioning.
The licensee was informed that the information on Building 20 was satisfactory.
However, the question as to whether the orphan facilities should be covered by the financial assurance certificate is still an open issue.
Rockwell does not need to take any further action on these other buildings until contacted by the NRC.
On the issue of decommissioning, Rockwell stated that the revised decommissioning plan for Building 20 would be submitted in the near future.
Decontamination of Cells 1 and 2 is nearly complete; all equipment has been removed, only discrete areas of contamination remain.
Rockwell is in the process of removing equipment from Cells 3 and 4 Two potential problems were discussed during the tour and subsequent conversations with licensee personnel.
The first issue concerned decommissioning and the confirmatory survey of the drain lines in the hot cell.
The drain system from the hot cells is an all-butt-welded stainless steel piping system that runs from each cell and adjoining decontamination room to the manifold in the basement.
This drain system is embedded in 5-ft thick, rebar-laced concrete between the main floor of the hot lab and its basement.
The licensee would like to leave the drains in place and has developed a method for in situ decontamination and survey, Rockwell inquired whether the method will be acceptable to the NRC.
We informed the licensee that we would confer with ORAU and inform Rockwell of the decision.
ORAU will be conducting the confirmatory survey.
shielding doors on the back of the hot cell.
The second issue concerned the be removed through the decontamination area doors or to be laid on the floor.The 80-Because there is a small area of the wall that is obstructed by the doors, the licensee cannot decon the entire room with the doors in place.
there is a problem with decon of the rollers and slide area under the doors. Additionally, It is necessary to remove the roof and part of the building to get the crane close enough to lift the doors out of the building.
Therefore, in order to l
facilitate removal of the doors, it may be necessary to conduct the confirmatory survey on part of the building.
Orphan Facilities Old conservation yard - The conservation yard extends to both the DOE and non-DOE side, in 1989 side.
Rockwell has se, soil with low levels of Cs-137 was removed from the DOE probably unnecessary. nt the final survey results to 00E, NRC action is Decon trailer - Located on the non-00E side. No radioactive material has ever been used in the trailer. No NRC action is needed.
AE6/L The reactor operated under NRC license.
The facility was decommissioned in 1987, and the operating license terminated n April 1987 No further NRC action is needed.
T005 - This former fuel fabrication facility was operated as an exempt facility undertheAtomicEnergyCommission(AEC)Chicagooperations.
never had an NRC license but is located on the non-DOE side.
The facility i
DOE has placed
OCT 2 91990 Rocketdyne Division 3
i this f acility in its 5-year plan for decommissioning. Contamination has been removed from the facility with the exception of a few drain lines and the ventilation system. The system consists of ducts, a filter house, and stack.
An underground storage tank and lines have been removed.
Prior to termination of the NRC license, a decision on the decommissioning of this facility will have to be reached between NRC and 00E.
T011 - This building is used as a radiation instrument servicing laboratory.
No uncontained material was used.
Further NRC action is unnecessary.
1 T172 - This is a shielded X-ray room where plutonium fuel elements were X-ray inspected. During the last license renewal, this area was deleted from the NRC license. When deleted from the license, a confirmatory survey was not conducted. NRC plans to include this area in the confirmatory survey for the site.
T373 - Located on the non-DOE side, this facility was used for low-power testing of various SNAP reactor designs.
About 1959, all radioactive material was removed and the facility surveyed.
In 1988, Rockwell resurveyed this.
facility and documented the survey.
A confirmatory survey of this facility by DOE or NRC is needed.
T055 - This building housed the plutonium fuel fabrication facility.
In 1987, the facility was decommissioned and after a confirmatory survey by ORAU, deleted from the NRC license by Amendment No. I dated October 7,1987 No further NRC action is needed.
T020 - This building contains the hot cell and is currently under NRC license.
Rockwell has submitted a decommissioning plan for this area.
Some soil contamination exists outside the building.
NRC action is necessary.
Old sodium burn pit - This area is located on the non-DOE portion of the site.
Some radioactive contaminated material was apparently placed in the pit resultinginsomeportionsofthepitandthepondbeingcontaminatedwIthmixed fission products.
There may be small quantities of SNM contamination present.
Rockwell has developed an assessment plan for this area.
The burn pit is included in the DOE 5-year decommissioning plan. Prior-to license termination, a decision must be made on inclusion of the pit in the NRC decommissioning efforts.
T009 - From 1959 to about 1964, this building was used as a " critical experiment" laboratory for organic moderated and sodium-graphite reactors.
All radioactivity associated with the operation has been removed.
Currently, the building is used for testing and development of contaminated equipment for in-service inspection of power reactors. A forging. operation using' depleted uranium was just recently completed.
Both of these operations are conducted under the State of California license. Since Rockwell plans to continue these-operations and only State operations are being conducted, the State may'be willing to take responsibility for this building.
further NRC action will not be necessary.
If the State takes control,
.-.e+
%w
,--r
+"--T+-'e-"-'
4
'*--*"C
't'
f t
l OCT 2 91930 i
Rocketdyne Division 4
T100 - This building is currently used as the main office and laboratory for the radiation and nuclear safety group.
The building did house the " critical experiment" laboratory to investigate a wide variety of fast-reactor compositions. All radioactive meterials associated with that research were e
removed, and the facility was decommissioned in 1980, in October 1980, the NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation released the facility.
Small amounts of radioactivity in samples and check sources are used in the laboratory.
Therefore, NRC will need to check the lab area, i
'?!N:... lh( * * '
Merri Horn Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS l
f i
-1 i
00T 2 91990 a.
Rocketdyne Division 4
T100 - This building is currently used as the main office and laboratory for the radiation and nuclear safety group.
The building did house the "criticai experiment" laboratory to investigate a wide variety of fast. reactor compositions. All radioactive materials associated with that research were removed, and the facility was decommissioned in 1980.
In October 1980, the NRC Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation released the facility. Small amounts of radioactivity in samples and check sources are used in the laboratory.
Therefore, NRC will need to check the lab area.
MMD Merri Horn Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS Distribution Docket No.170-25 w POR... -
1NRC File Center:
IMUF R/F NHSS R/F MHorn(2)
GBidinger Region Y CHooker, RV IMSB R/F VLTharpe(2)
Beveridge/ Cornell 1 23 0FC:IMUF:
........ Qc.............IMUT:]
IMUF:$)}$...........................
NAME:MH6Ntlmh:
YLTMVhe:
GHBidinger:
HATE [hhIhh " """"[hbh9h$"""[h/[7hhI"""""~"""""""~
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY