ML20197H342
| ML20197H342 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000142 |
| Issue date: | 06/14/1984 |
| From: | Cale Young CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, LOS ANGELES, CA |
| To: | Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| OL, NUDOCS 8406180395 | |
| Download: ML20197H342 (2) | |
Text
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JUN 16
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RELATED CORRESPONDENCE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGEIES UCLA Ualens l
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June 14, 1984 o C G MT :.'UiW,9 Mr. Nunzio J. Palladino, Chairman PR O D. & U D L.rc......._..j
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20555 Dear Commissioner Falladinos I write to inform you that I have decided to withdraw the application for renewal of the license for the UCLA research reactor (Docket No. 50-142 License No. R-71), currently pending before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, and intend to initiate steps to decommission the reactor. I have today l
informed the Board of Regents of the University of California of this decision, and have asked the University's attorneye to terminate the relicensing proceedings.
l Hy decision to decommission the reactcr four years after submitting an application for license renewal war, reached af ter extensive consultation with academic administrators on the campus, and solely as a result of cur examination of the changed circumstances affecting the academic benefits and escalating costs of continued operation of the reactor facility. The use of the firsion reactor by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at UCLA for teaching and research purposes has declined in the years since we filsd for license renewal. During this sarne period the costs cf the reactor have l
risen dramatically. Ils havs also hsd to take into account uncertaintise in the future of research reactor programs. In the last several months the t
Commission seems to havo mo5ed rapidly in the direction of requiring research reacter facilities to convert from the use of high-enrichment uranium to low-enrichment fuel, with associated costs that are, at present, unknown.
The timing of our review of the fission reactor program and decision to j
decommission is related to the appointment, last summer, of a new Dean of Engineering, who has had to reevaluate the School's programs and priorities in light of available resources, and the cutrent maintenance status of the reactor. As we recently informed the Commission, the UCLA reactor is out of operation, pending correction of a sticking control blade. Correction of the problem will require disassembly of the reactor core, and prudence dictates that we reach a decision on the future of the reactor now, before comeitting personnel and resources to such a major maintenance effort. We have concluded thet the potential expense of maintenance, fuel conversion (perhaps involving another relicensing proceeding), and ongoing operation of the reactor simply cannot be justified in light of its declining importance to our academic programs.
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.N-Mr. Nunzio Faliadino. Chairman June 14,1984 I regret that a final resolution by the Licensing Board of all the issues raised in the proceedings has not been obtained.
Nonetheless, va are pleased to note that the technical staff of the Commission, which over the past several years has exhaustively reviewed our license renewal application.
concluded in its published evaluations that the UCLA reactor has been operated safely throughout its 24-year history and would be expected to do so during the proposed renovel period.
We appreciate the assistance and cooperation of the staff of the commission. particularly during the relicensing period, and look forward to working with them in carrying out a decommissioning plan.
Sineerely.
SES )\\ _
1 Charles E. Young chancellor Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation cct I
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