ML20176A465
| ML20176A465 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Issue date: | 06/25/2020 |
| From: | Geoffrey Wertz NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | Horton R US Dept of Interior, Geological Survey (USGS) |
| Wertz G,NRR/DANU/UNPL,418-0893 | |
| References | |
| EPID L-2020-LLA-0110 | |
| Download: ML20176A465 (5) | |
Text
June 25, 2020 Mr. Robert Horton, Reactor Administrator U.S. Geological Survey Denver Federal Center PO Box 25046, MS 911 Denver, CO 80225-0046
SUBJECT:
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE AMENDMENT RE: EXCEPTION TO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 3.1.3 AND 4.1 TO ALLOW FEWER THAN 110 FUEL ELEMENTS WHEN EITHER SHUTDOWN OR OPERATING AT A POWER LEVEL NOT GREATER THAN 5 KILOWATTS (EPID: L-2020-LLA-0110)
Dear Mr. Horton:
By letter dated June 4, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML20161A127), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) staff applied for an amendment to Facility Operating License No. R-113 for the USGS TRIGA Research Reactor.
The license amendment request (LAR) proposes to amend technical specification (TS) 3.1.3, Core Configuration Limitations, and TS 4.1, Reactor Core Parameters, to provide an exception to allow fewer than 110 fuel elements in the reactor core when either shutdown or operating at a power level not greater than 5 kilowatts, and to reformat the entire TSs by standardizing indentation and line spacing after paragraphs.
Consistent with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.90, Application for amendment of license, construction permit, or early site permit, an application to amend a license (including the TS) must be filed with the Commission, as specified in 10 CFR 50.4, Written communications. The application must fully describe the changes desired, and follow, as far as applicable, the form prescribed for the original application.
Section 50.34, Contents of applications; technical information, of 10 CFR addresses the content of technical information required and stipulates that the submittal address the design and operating characteristics, unusual or novel design features, and principal safety considerations.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff performed an acceptance review of the LAR and determined that the information described in the enclosure to this letter is needed to find the application acceptable and begin the detailed technical review. The NRC staff requests that USGS supplement the application to address the information requested in the enclosure within 30 days from the date of this letter. If the supplement is not received by the agreed date, the application will not be accepted for review pursuant to 10 CFR 2.101, Filing of application, and the NRC may cease its associated review activities. Any request for additional time to provide the supplement should include the reason for requesting additional time and a proposed date to provide the supplement to allow the NRC staff to make an informed decision on whether
<<FLAST>> to grant the request. The supplemental information requested and the associated time frame in this letter was discussed with you on June 17, 2020.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-0893, or by electronic mail at Geoffrey.Wertz@nrc.gov.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Geoffrey Wertz, Project Manager Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-274 License No. R-113
Enclosure:
As stated cc: See next page
U.S. Geological Survey Docket No. 50-274 cc:
Brian Nielsen Environmental Services Manager 480 S. Allison Pkwy.
Lakewood, CO 80226 Steve Tarlton State of Colorado Radiation Management Program HMWM-RM-B2 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South Denver, CO 80246 Jonathan Wallick, Reactor Supervisor U.S. Geological Survey P.O. Box 25046, MS 974 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter Attention: Ms. Amber Johnson Dept of Materials Science and Engineering University of Maryland 4418 Stadium Drive College Park, MD 20742-2115
ML20176A465 *concurred via e-mail NRR-088 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM* NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA* NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC* NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM*
NAME GWertz NParker GCasto (SLynch for) GWertz DATE 6/24/2020 6/24/2020 6/25/2020 6/25/2020 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF A LICENSE AMENDMENT REQUEST U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TRIGA RESEARCH REACTOR LICENSE NO. R-113; DOCKET NO. 50-274 By letter dated June 4, 2020 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML20161A127), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) staff submitted a license amendment request (LAR) to modify technical specifications (TSs) 3.1.3 and 4.1.
Additionally, USGS indicated, in LAR Attachment 2, Change Log for Revision of Technical Specifications, that it proposed to standardize the indentation and line spacing throughout its entire TSs, and, as a result the TSs were reduced by one page. Further, two typographical errors were identified in TSs 3.2.2 and 3.8.2. In LAR Attachment 3, USGS staff provided a copy of its current TSs and its proposed TSs. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff reviewed the LAR using the current USGS TSs (ADAMS Accession No. ML16074A153), and noted the following items which need to be provided:
- 1. LAR Attachment 2, General indicates that the TSs were modified to standardize the indentation and line spacing after all paragraphs. As a result, the TS pagination has been reduced by one full page. The NRC staff needs verification that no other TS changes (aside from the wording proposed in TSs 3.1.3 and 4.1) inadvertently occurred during the reformatting. Provide some type of verification (e.g., a comparison file) indicating that no other TSs changes inadvertently occurred following the reformatting described above. A compare file would suffice.
- 2. LAR Attachment 2, Cover Page indicates that the TS Cover Page needs to be changed from OCTOBER 2016 to JUNE 2020. The NRC staff will update the date of the cover page with the issuance of the approved license amendment. As such, this requested change should be withdrawn.
- 3. LAR Attachment 2, Section 3 indicates that steady-state is misspelled in the bases to TS 3.2.2, Reactor Measuring Channels, and TNT-equivalent is misspelled in TS 3.8.2, Materials, Specification 1.2. The NRC staff review using USGS TSs (ADAMS Accession No. ML16074A153) finds that the TS reference should be 3.8.3, Specification 1.a, not 1.2, and neither words are misspelled. Thus these proposed changes are not needed, and should be withdrawn.
- 4. NRC staff review of LAR Attachment 3, Proposed TSs, finds two misspellings that are not consistent with the USGS TSs (ADAMS Accession No. ML16074A153). The proposed TS 3.3, Reactor Primary Tank Water, bases references (NUREG1537) which should be (NUREG-1537), and proposed TS 4.3, Reactor Primary Tank Water, Specification 1. states semiannually, which should be semi-annually. Both are spelled correctly in the USGS TSs (ADAMS Accession No. ML16074A153). Ensure any inconsistencies are corrected in any future TS submittals.
Enclosure