ML20210G680

Withdraws 990527 Request for TS Amend 31,submitted for Purpose of Correcting Typographical Error in Basis of Mitr Re Storage & Handling of Fuel.Corrected Page of Basis Per 10CFR50.59 Encl

ML20210G680
Person / Time
Site:	MIT Nuclear Research Reactor
Issue date:	07/30/1999
From:	Bernard J, Linwen H MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
Shared Package
ML20210G685	List: ML20210G680 ML20210G697
References
NUDOCS 9908030177
Download: ML20210G680 (2)

Text

v NUCLEAR REACTOR LABORATORY AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL CENTER OF s.o, e MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY JOHN A. DERNARD 13a Albany Street. Carrendge. MA 02139 4296 Activation Analysis Dir:ctor Telefax No. (617) 253 7300 Coolant Chermstry Director of Reactor operahons Tel. No-(617) 253-4202 Nuclear Medone Pnncipal Research Engineer Reactor Ergneerng July 30,1999 j 1

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555

Subject:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor, Docket No. 50-20, License No. R-37, Withdrawal of Request for Technical Specification Amendment 31 Gentlemen:

On May 27,1999, a request for Technical Specification Amendment 31 was submitted. This request was for the purpose of correcting a typographical error in the basis of the MITR Technical Specification that concerned the storage and handling of fuel. We have since learned that such corrections can be made pursuant to 10 CFR 50.59.

Accordingly, we hereby withdraw our request dated May 27,1999.

MIT Safety Review No. O-99-4 addressed the above issue. It was found that the changes to correct the typographical error did not involve an unreviewed safety question.

Accordingly, the basis for the specification has been changed. Enclosed as an appendix to i this letter is a summary of the change and a copy of the corrected page of the basis.

Sincerely, W

Lin-Wen Hu, Ph.D.

Reactor Relicensing Engineer

&L ohn A. Bernard, P 1.D.

Director JAB /lwh cc: USNRC - Senior Project Manager, NRR/ONDD I USNRC - Region I - Project Scientist Effluents Radiation Protection Section (ERPS)

-l'h' i I

FRSSB/DRSS 030028 l 9908030177 990730 l PDR ADOCK 05000020 ,

P PDR j

b Apoetidix On 28 May 1982, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received the issuance of Amendment 21 to Technical Specification 3.10 from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This specification governs fuel element and core component handling and storage. Provision 3 specifies locations for the storage of spent fuel. These include the reactor core, the fuel storage ring, the dry storage holes, the spent fuel storage tank, and the fuel transfer flask. The basis for the technical specitication addresses criticality safety of these storage locations. A recent review of this technical specification by the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission noted that the basis only mentioned the first four of the locations approved for the storage of the spent fuel. The NRC therefore requested MIT to address this discrepancy (see NRC letter dated May 13, 1999).

The statements made concerning criticality safety in the basis of Technical Specification 3.10 are also valid for the fuel transfer flask which incidentally is also referred to in various MITR procedures as the fuel transfer " cask" In particular, the flask can only hold one element at a time and hence its maximum k-etrective is substantially less than 0.9 which is the rnaximum allowed value for storage locations other than the core.

This is true even if the flask were to be flooded. It is believed that the omission of the flask (storage location 3e) from the basis was a typographical error. The following changes to the basis of Technical Specification 3 to have been made:

1. Item 3e (refers to the transfer flask) is added to the second line of the second paragraph. (This is on page 3-39 of the current technical specifications.)

2. Second sentence of the fourth paragraph be changed to read, "The shielding requirement is met by utilizing a shielded transfer flask (item 3e) for movements and temporary storage and more permanent shielding as indicated in 3a, b, c, and d."

It should be understood that storage location 3e is, as stated in the fourth paragraph of the basis, only for temporary storage during fuel element movements. The proposed changes are shown in the enclosed page as noted by the vertical lines.

The above change was approved by the MIT Committee on Reactor Safeguards on May 27,1999.