ML20133E352

Proposed Tech Specs Amending License Conditions C.1,C.2, B.1,B.2 & B.3 to Read as Listed

ML20133E352
Person / Time
Site:	05000097
Issue date:	12/11/1996
From:	CORNELL UNIV., ITHACA, NY
To:
Shared Package
ML20133E349	List: ML20133E346 ML20133E352
References
NUDOCS 9701130012
Download: ML20133E352 (6)

Text

.

_y.-.___.__.._

4 i

Com:ll University Zero Power Reactor Attachment to Cornell University's Fa'cility 15 cense R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec. lith,1996 l

License Amendment Request Page1 i

Reauested Amendments to License and Technical Specifications In support of Cornell University's request to have the NRC withdraw authorization to operate the CU Zero Power Reactor, CU hereby requests that license j

conditions B.1, B.2 and B.3 in it's Zero Power Reactor License R-89 be amended to l

read as follows:

i B. Subject to the conditions and requirements incorporated herein, the J

Commission hereby licenses Cornell University:

1.. Pursuant to Section 104(c) of the Act and 10 CFR Part 50, " Domestic l

Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities," to possess, but not j

operate the Zero Power Reactor in accordance with the procedures and i

limitations described in the application and this license;

)

2. Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to possess up to 40.0 kilograms of uranium 235 l

contained in uranium enriched in the isotope uranium 235; 4

i j

3. Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 30, " Rules of General Applicability l

to Domestic Licensing of Byproduct Material," to possess, but not to l

separate such byproduct material as may have been produced by past I

operation of the reactor.

j Further, CU hereby requests that license conditions C.1 and C.2 be amended to read as follows:

l C.1 Operation The licensee shall not operate the reactor nor store or place fuel into the l

reactor grid plate or tank.

1 C.2 Technical Specifications 1

The Technical Specifications contained in Appendix A, as revised l

through Amendment No. 3, are hereby incorporated into the license.

}

The licensee shall possess the facility in accordance with the Technical i

i 9701130012 961211 PDR ADOCK 05000097 P

PDR s

. - ~, -

. ~ -

l Comell University Zero Power Reactor Attachment to Cornell University's Facility License R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec. lith,1996 l

License Amendment Request Page 2 l-i i

Specifications as amended.

i In support of the above request, CU hereby commits to cease operation of its f

Zero Power Reactor immediately upon obtaining the requested license amendment.

Prior to this amendment change, CU will remove all fuel from the reactor core so as l

to render the reactor incapable of achieving criticality. The three control rod clusters i

with lower fuel follower sections will also be removed. The fuel elements removed

[

from the core will be stored in a subcritical and safe geometry in the facility's secure i

fuel storage areas. All fuel will be stored outside of the reactor grid plate and tank in eff s no greater than 0.8 for all possible conditions of j

a configuration such that K i

i moderation and reflection. No fuel will be stored in, or otherwise placed into, the i

reactor grid plate or tank. The plutonium-beryllium startup source will be removed l

' from its mounting in the reactor tank and placed in safe storage along with the fuel.

The above activities may be achieved under the stipulations of the current operating license and technical specifications. CU will continue to safely store the Zero Power i

Reactor fuel until such time as arrangements can be made for shipping it offsite for j

ultimate disposition.

l In view of the above request to withdraw CU's authorization to operate its F

Zero Power Reactor (R-89), there are several technical specifications which CU wishes to amend, by deleting. These technical specifications are listed below:

1. Definitions -

1.1 Reportable Occurrences @(1),(2),(3),(5) 1.2 Channel Calibration 1.3 Channel Check _

1.4 Channel Test 1.5 Control Rod Cluster 1.6 Corrosive Materials 1.7 Engineered Safety Features 1.8 Experiment 1.9 Experiment, Secured 1.10 Experiment, Unsecured 1.11 Explosive Material 1.12 Measuring Channel 1.15 Operator 1.16 Reactivity, Excess 1.17 Reactivity Worth i

Cornell University Zero Power Reactor Attachment to Cornell University's Facility License R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec lith,1996 License Amendment Request Page 3 1.18 Reactor Ooeration 1.19 Reactor Safety System 1.20 Responsible Person 1.21 Safety Channel 1.22 Second Person

2. Safety Limits and Limiting Safety System Settings -

2.1 Safety Limits 2.2 Limiting Safety System Settings

3. Limiting Conditions for Operation -

3.1 General 3.2 Reactivity Worth of Experiments 3.3 Reactivity Worth of Control Rods 3.4 Reactivity Insertion Rates 3.5 Personnel S.7 Isolation of Reactor Cell

4. S.9tveillance Requirements -

4.1 Visual Inspection of Core 4.2 Control Rods 4.3 Reactor Safety System and Radiation Monitors $(a),(b),(c),(d),(e) 4.4 Water Ouality

]

4.5 Startup Source

6. Administrative Controls -

6.1 Organization and Responsibilities of Personnel @(a),(f) 6.2 Review and Audit 9(b)-(3)&(6)

)

6.3 Procedures @(a)&(b) 6.4 Review of Proposals for Experiments J

- 6.6 Operator Requalification 6.8 Action to be taken in the event a safety limit is exceeded 6.9 Action to be Taken in the Event of a Reportable Occurrence @(a) 6.11 Reoorting Requirements 9(a)(2), (b)(2), (c), (d), (e)(2),(3),(4)

Inasmuch as CU will not be authorized to operate the Zero Power Reactor and that the reactor will be rendered incapable of achieving criticality, it will be unequivocally unnecessary and/or impossible to meet these technical specification

g.

Comell University Zero Power Reactor Attachment to Cornell University's Facility License R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec. lith,1996 -

License Amendment Request Page 4 1

requirements.

Further, there are several technical specifications which CU wishes to amend by rewording. These technical specifications, as modified, are listed below:

1.1 Reoortable Occurrences 1

i) Item (6); delete last part of sentence, "... in connection with the operation of the reactor."

ii) Renumber subsections numbered (4), (6) & (7) as (1), (2), & (3) respectively.

3.6 Measuring and Safety Channels Delete entire section 3.6, including the title, and replace with the following:

Title:

Safety Channel Applicability: This specification applies to the ZPR cell radiation monitor.

Obiectives: The objective is to require that there is adequate monitoring of -

radiation fields in the ZPR cell to 1) guard against personnel exposure and 2) warn of the accidental criticality of stored ZPR fuel.

Soecifications:

a) At a minimum, the ZPR cell radiation monitor shall be operable continuously, except as necessary for repair or calibration, as long as ZPR fuel is stored in the cell.

b) The radiation monitor shall have it's operability checked on a semi-atmual basis.

c) The radiation monitor shall have an audible alarm indicating a i

radiation level above the setpoint value.

Bases:

10 CFR 70.24 requires that each area in which licensed special nuclear j

material is handled, used or stored have a monitoring system which will " energize clearly audible alarm signals if accidental criticality occurs." The ZPR cell radiation monitor meets the requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 (a)(2).

4.3 Reactor Safety System and Radiation Monitors i) Applicability: Omit and replace with, "This specification applies to the surveillance requirements for the ZPR cell and control room radiation

m l

Cornell University Zero Power Reactor Attachrnent to Cornell University's 1

' Facility License R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec. lith,1996 i

License Amendment Request Page 5 monitors. The ZPR cell radiation monitor acts as a criticality monitor for the ZPR fuel stored in the ZPR cell fuel storage rack, meeting the i

requirements of 10 CFR 70.24 (a)(2)."

11) Specifications: -Item (f): Omit and replace with, ' The alarm set points for the Zero Power Reactor cell and control room radiation monitors shall be verified on a semi-annual basis."

iii) Bases: Omit and replace with, " Verification of alarm set points for the radiation monitors insures that adequate warnings of potential radiation exposure are provided. The ZPR cell radiation monitor also monitors the stored ZPR fuel and acts as a criticality alarm."

5.1 Reactor Fuel - paragraph #3: Omit "... when loaded into the reactor tank...".

5.2 Reactor Cell - Omit last sentence reading, "When water rises above a level below the bottom of the fuel, the reactor cell is automatically sealed."

5.3 Fuel Storage - Amend the second sentence to read, "The only exception to this is when fuel material is in transit between the locked rooms or when limited amounts are outside of the locked rooms for maintenance purposes."

Further, amend the last paragraph to read, "All fuel will be stored outside of the reactor grid plate and tank in a configuration such that K i

eff s no greater than 0.8 for all possible conditions of moderation and reflection. No fuel will be stored in, or otherwise placed into, the reactor grid plate or tank."

6.1 Organization and Responsibilities of Personnel Item (c): Omit "...(including but not limite'd to the Zero Power Reactor)...".

6.2 Review and Audit ~ Item (a): Omit and replace with, "There will be a Ward Laboratory Safety Committee which shall review the ZPR reactor status during the possession only phase, and through the decommissioning process, to assure that the reactor facility is used in a manner within the terms of the facility license and consistent with the safety of the public and of persons within the Laboratory."

6.11 Reporting Reouirements Iteilt (e)(1): Omit and replace with, "A brief narrative summary of (1) changes in facility design related to reactor safety occurring during the reporting period, and (2) results of surveillance tests and inspections."

Cornell University Zero Power Reactor Attachment to Cornell University's Facility License R-89; Docket 50-97 Letter, Dated Dec. lith,1996 License Amendment Request Page 6 The Technical Specifications as amended will ensure the appropriate oversight of the facility during the possession only phase and through decommissioning. The technical specifications will still require that:

1) All fuel will be stored in accordance with existing technical specification requirements for safe and secure fuel storage.

2) All fuel movements required to achieve the safe and secure storage will be conducted following existing fuel handling and storage practices and procedures.

3) The physical security of the stored fuel will be assured by continuing to implement the measures specified in CU's NRC approved Physical Security Plan, which remains in effect.

4) The Emergency Plan and Emergency Procedures will remain in effect.

5) All existing pertinent safety related technical specifications applicable and relevant to the reactor in a permanently shutdown / possession only mode and/or to safe handling and storage of fuel will remain in effect. The requirements of these technical specifications will continue to be met until the fuelis shipped off site for ultimate disposition.

Clearly, with the reactor being incapable of achieving criticality, the fuel being stored in approved secure locations, and in view of all of the above described measures to ensure safety and security, there are no safety considerations affected by this request.

J:

_ _ _