ML20217Q048
| ML20217Q048 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos Nuclear Center |
| Issue date: | 12/31/1997 |
| From: | Murray B, Danni Smith GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| 38, NUDOCS 9804100274 | |
| Download: ML20217Q048 (6) | |
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GE Nuclear Energy GeneralElectnc Company Va!iectros Nucloist Centt?r P O Boxr2 Valk?citosRoad Pirrasanton, CA 94566 April 1,1998 U.S. Nucle ~ar Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 Attention: Document Control Desk
Reference:
License R-33, Docket 50-73 1
Gentlemen:
Enclosed are three signed copies of Annual Report No. 38 for the General Electric Nuclear Test Reactor.
Sincerely, Tw B. M. Murray Senior Licensing Engineer (925) 862-4455
/ca Enclosures
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s GENuclearEnergy Vallecitos Nuclear Cetster Pleasanton, California l
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NUCLEAR TESTREACTOR I
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l ANNUAL REPORTNO. 38 l
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LICENSE R-33 DOCKET 50-73 l
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j GENERAL ELECTRIC NUCLEAR TEST REACTOR ANNUAL REPORT NO. 38
- 1. INTRODUCTION This report summarizes the operation, changes, tests, experiments, and major maintenance at the Nuclear Test Reactor (NTR) which were authorized pursuant to License R-33 and 10CFR50, Section 50.59, for the period January 1,1997, through December 31,1997.
II. GENERAL A.
The reactor was operated at or above critical for 571.03 hours3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br />; 226 startups were made. Total plant operation equaled 2.221 mwd in 1997.
1 B.
The average radiation exposure to facility personnel was 1.39 Rem.
C.
There were two reactor scrams and no unscheduled manual shutdowns.
D.
There were no occurrences during 1997 that required notification of the NRC.
E.
There was one NRC inspection. No notices of violation were issued.
Ill. ORGANIZAllON There were no changes to the organization or personnel in the organization during this repo.1 period.
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NT'R Annual R; port No. 38 IV. FACILITY CHANGES, TESTS, EXPERIMENTS AND PROCEDURE CH ant $$
APPROVED BY THE FACILir ~
NAGER A.
Facility Channes Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), there were no facility changes in 1997 requiring Facility Manager approval.
B.
Tests Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), there were no special tests performed during 1997 requiring Facility Manager approval.
C.
Experiments Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), there were no new experiments in 1997 requiring Facility Manager approval.
D.
Procedures Pursuant to 10CFR50.59(a), thwe were no procedure changes during 1997 requiring Facility Manager approval.
V. MAJOR PREVENTIVE OR CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE There were no major preventive or corrective maintenance activities performed in 1997.
VI. UNSCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS During 1997 there were two reactor scrams as follows:
On April 28, a scram was caused by the picoammeters when control rods erroneously removed instead of inserted while maintaining a steady-state power level.
On June 11, a scram was caused by the picoammeters from an operator error during a reactor power increase.
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NTR Annu11 Report No. 38.
4 Vll. RADIATION LEVELS AND SAMPLE RESULTS AT ON-AND OFF-SITE MONITORING STATIONS The data below are from sample and dosimeter results accumulated during 1997. Except for the NTR stack data, these data are for the entire VNC site and include the effects of operations other than the NTR.
A.
NTR Stack Total airborne releases (stack emissions) for 1997 are as follows.
Alpha Particulate, <0.09 pCi (predominantly radon-thoron daughter products)
Beta-Gamma Particulate, < 1.3 pCi lodine-131,26.1 pCi Noble Gases,203.1 Ci Noble gas activities recorded from the NTR stack integrate both background readings and the actual releases. The background readings may account for as much as 50%
of the indicated release.
B.
Air Monitors (Yearly average of all meteorological stations.)
Four environmental air monitoring stations are positioned approximately 90 degrees apart around the operating facilities of the site. Each station is equipped with a membrane filter which is changed weekly and analyzed for gross alpha and gross beta-gamma.
Alpha Concentration:
Maximum, 2.2E-14 (predominantly radon-thoron daughter products)
Average, 3.0E-15 pCi/cc Beta Concentration:
Maximum, 6.0E-14 pCi/cc Average, 2.2E-14 Ci/cc C.
Gamma Radiation The yearly dose results for the year 1997 as determined from evaluation of site perimeter TLD environmental monitoring dosimeters showed acceptable levels.
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l NTR Annual Report No. 38 I
l-D.
Venetation
- No alpha, befa or gamma activity attributable to activities at the NTR facility was i.
found on or in vegetation in the vicinity of the site.
l-E.-
Water L
l-There was no release of radioactivity in water or to the ground water greater than l
those limits specified in 10CFR20, Appendix B, Table 2, Column 2.
- F.~.
Off-Site l
. Samples taken off the site indicate normal background for the area.
Vill. RADIATION EXPOSURE r
The highest annual dose to NTR Operations personnel was 1,64 Rem, and the lowest was L
1.24 Rem. The average dose was 1.39 Rem per person.
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1 IX. CONCLUSIONS L
- The overall operating experience of the Nuclear Test Reactor reflects another year of safe and efficient operations. There were no reportable events.
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GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Vallecitos and Morris Operations L.
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D. R. Smith, Manager Nuclear Test Reactor
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