ML20236B993

Annual Status Rept,Jan-Dec 1988

ML20236B993
Person / Time
Site:	Plum Brook
Issue date:	12/31/1988
From:	Pfanner H, Saunders N NATIONAL AERONAUTICS & SPACE ADMINISTRATION
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
2870, NUDOCS 8903210420
Download: ML20236B993 (9)

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0i A: ANNUAL STATUS REPORT Reporting ~ Period: January 1, 1988 - December 31, 1988 1

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i NASA, Plum Brook Reactor NASA, Plum Brook Mock-Up Reactor License'No. TR-3 License No. R-93 1 Docket No. 50-30 Docket No. 50-185 I

l USNRC Dismantling Order R Dated May 26, 1981 NASA Application to USNRC, Dated July 26, 1985, Requesting Return To

" Possess-But-Not-0perate" Status NASA, Plum Brook Reactor NASA, Plum Brook Mock-up Reactor,

. License No. TR-3 License No. R-93 Amendment #7 L Amendment #3 January 28, 1987 s January 12, 1987 i

-l February 1989 NASA, Lewis Research Center Plum Brook Station 6100 Columbus Ave.

Sandusky, OH 44870 8903210420 881231 PDR ADOCK 05000030 -

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TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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-1.- Introduction J

2. Status of Reactor Facility ~

3. . . Organization

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4.- Condition of Systems and Components

'5. Security and Surveillance ' Measures- l

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Facility Changes

7. ~ Facility and Environmental Radiological Surveys

8. Maintenance Performed 9.' Audi.ts.and Inspections

10. Unusual Occurrences .<

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11. License Changes

12. Other L' _ - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - . - - - - _ _ - . _ _ - - - - - - - _ - - _ - _ _ _ -__

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- m ANNUAL STATUS REPORT T

FOR THE NASA PLUM BROOK REACTOR AND PLUM BROOK M0CK-UP REACTOR f

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Introduction:

The following Annual Status Report for the period January 1, 1988 through December 31,.1988, has been prepared pursuant to Section 3.3.1-of the Plum Brook Reactor: Facility PBRF TR-3 License effective 1/28/87 and Mock-up Reactor License effective 1/12/87. Both of the above-mentioned reactors ,

are licensed.as " possess-but-not-operate."

2. Status of Reactor Facility:

At the time NASA requested a Dismantling Order, funding for the reactor l dismantling project was anticipated and an active dismantling effort was 1 planned and scheduled. However, because of continuing federal budget restrictions, NASA has continued to find it necessary to defer funding for '

this project. As a result, no major dismantling activities have been performed to date, nor are any planned.

Since.1982, NASA has-continued to remove various uncontaminated tools, spare parts, and experimental hardw6re not required for maintaining protected safe storage or supporting future dismantlement efforts.. This is being done to make such items available to NASA and other Government agencies.

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! In its letter to NASA dated August 16, 1984, the USNRC directed NASA to  !

I either request reinstatement of the " possess-but-not-operate" status for I- the two Plum Brook Reactors, or submit a revised dismantling plan and  :

schedule. NASA responded in a letter dated October 29, 1984, stating l that it intended to formally request return to the " possess-but-not-L operate" licensing status. On July 26, 1985, NASA submitted to the USNRC applications and supporting documents for the " possess-but-not-operate" ,

status. The PBRF TR-3 License was issued 1/28/87 and the MUR R-93 License was issued 1/12/87. Both licenses are in effect for ten (10) years. j In addition to providing adequate resources and funding for past, present and future protected safe storage of the reactors, NASA funded an '

engineering study in 1984 to document the existing conditions at the site.

The study was initiated near the end of CY 1984, and major field work began in early 1985. The purpose of the study was to gather data on the current condition of the facilities and equipment at the site, and to reinventory the radioactive contamination at the end of the thirteen year radiological decay period since Reactor shutdown in January 1973.

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3. Organization:

During the reporting period, Mr. Henry G. Pfanner continued to serve as '

Engineer, Plum Brook Reactor Facility (PBRF), responsible for maintaining the protected safe storage mode of the reactors. The daily security, surveillance, and maintenance activities continued to be performed by an on-site service contractor, Teledyne Isotopes. Inc. Mr. Harry E. McCune continued to serve as First Alternate PBRF Engineer. Mr. Albert B. Smith,

' NASA-Lewis Health Physicist and Radiation Officer, remained the PBRF

. Radiation Safety Officer and also served as Second Alternate PBRF l Engineer. Mr. Robert P. Kozar continued to serve as the General Manager of the Plum Brook Station.

Mr. Richard Schuh remained as chairman of the Plum Brook Reactor Facility Safety Committee (PSC). Two PBRF Safety Committee meetings were held during 1988.

The day-to-day Level 2 management of the PBRF remained under the Plum Brook Management Office. However, organization changes that occurred during late 1988 within the NASA Lewis Research Center require an amendment to the technical specifications for both the TR-3 and R-93 Licenses. These amendment requests are currently in progress. The technical specification changes apply to the reporting Divisions for the Radiation Safety Officer and the Plum Brook Management Office. The Level 1 Directorate was also changed from the Administration and Computer Services Directorate to the Aeronautics Directorate, since management and operation of the Plum Brook Station now comes under the Aeronautics Directorate. These requests for amendments to the existing licenses are also discussed in Chapter 11, (License Changes).

4. _ Condition of Systems and Components:

The condition of all systems and components vital to maintaining safe protective storage has been carefully reviewed. All systems are performing satisfactorily.

As reported in previous years, the Containment Vessel (CVj cathodic protection system remains energized, but is providing less than the recommended level of cathodic protection for portions of the CV wall. i Ultrasonic testing at four inspection ports in 1988 showed no measureable i change in (CV) wall thickness from the original material specifi-cations. The ultrasonic testing continues on an annual basis. In .

addition, NASA has established annual visual inspections and corrosion '

rate assessment checks using sample coupons. No significant corrosion has been observed during the first three years of data evaluation.

5. Security and Surveillance Measures:

Security inspections are conducted at the PBRF once per 8-hour shift and each of the major buildings is inspected by a guard once each day. In addition, other security checks, such as inspection of fences and locks, l are conducted monthly. Surveillance of operating systems and components, d

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i absolute filters, and radiological surveys are performed as specified in  ;

the PBRF Procedures Manual. Surveillance inspections are performed for some non-operating systems and components to assure that the protected safe storage conditions are maintained. e t

All of the security and surveillance inspections are accomplished by use of Inspection and Test Report (ITR) checksheets to insure they are <

promptly and properly completed. Completed ITRs are reviewed and approved by the Engineer, PBRF and/or alternates and filed in the PBRF Vital 4 Records. ITRs indicating corrective action is required are a re-sponsibility of the PBRF engineer and the Plum Brook Management Office.

Equipment Maintenance Records (EMRs) are utilized to document maintenance on vital components, equipment, systems and facilities which are not  !

otherwise covered under the routine ITR system (See Section 8).

Personnel access to areas of the reactor site with significant known or suspected levels of radiation is controlled under a Safe Work Permit (SWP) system.

i The security and surveillance program in effect at the PBRF appears to be adequate to maintain the facilities in a protected safe storage mode.

A total of 3 (SWP)s were issued during 1988 and all personnel exposures were well within permissible limits of 10 CRF 20. A statistical breakdown of the exposure levels as per 10 CRF 20.407 is given below.

Estimated Whole Body Number of Exposure Range (REMS) Individuals in Each Range No measurable exposure 0 Measureable exposure less than .1 4

.1 to .25 0

.25 and above 0

6. Facility Changes:

A Facility Change System is utilized to provide documentation and approval of changes to existing facilities and structures, new structures, a physical change to equipment or system, or any change which alters a de-fined end-condition.

One Facility Change (FC) was initiated in 1988. A brief summary of this (FC) is given below.

1) FC-88-01 REACTOR ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM The original 34,500 Volt electrical sub-station feeding electrical power to the PBRF reactor complex was de-energized in 1981 under Facility Change FC-81-01. During the interim since 1981, the electrical power was fed to the Reactor through an alternate 480 Volt source.

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1) FC-88-01 REACTOR ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM (Continued)

The original 34,500 Volt electrical power system feed to the Reactor is now being reconditioned and made ready for use under this Facility Change, FC-88-01. The 480 Volt source will be maintained as an alternate source after the completion of this work. No other changes to the power distribution system were made. This work is approxi- .

mately 95 percent complete. '

In addition, Facility Change FC 87-02 reported on the 1987 Annual Report as being in progress, was completed in 1988.

7. Facility and Environmental Radiological Surveys:

The 1988 monitoring data continued to include direct radiation, surface contamination, airborne and waterborne activity, stream silt, and precipitation / fallout radioactivity. These parameters did not very ,

significantly from data obtained during the previous 15 years of standby or protected safe storage of the PBRF. All data indicates the '

radioactivity within PBRF is being safely contained.

8. Maintenance Performed:

The maintenance performed during the reporting period fell under two major categories:

a. Work covered under the Equipment Maintenance Record (EMR) System

b. Facility Changes i Work covered under the Equipment Maintenance Record (EMR) System involved routine maintenance and other minor repairs made to equipment within the Reactor complex. This work was normally performed by the on-site support service contractor that conducted normal day-to-day maintenance and surveillance at the PBRF.  !

There were a total of twenty maintenance tasks completed under the (EMR) system described. Seventeen (EMR)s were classified as routine maintenance and 4 the remaining three tasks involved the Facility Change FC-88-01. This {

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Facility Change was discussed in Chapter 6, (Facility Changes), of this report.

9. A_udits and Inspections:

Dr. Ira T. Myers remains chairman of the Plum Brook Reactor Facility )

(PBRF) audit team. Mr. Michael W. Sudsina and Mr. Edward F. Stevenson are audit team members. Mr. Sudsina and Mr. Stevenson have been members of the PSC for nine years. Dr. Myers was associated with the experimental programs at the PBRF, and Mr. Sudsina was employed at the P8RF during its i

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4 operation. All three members of this committee are currently employed by NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

One audit of the (PBRF) was conducted on December 21, 1988 by the PBRF Audit Team. No items of non-compliance were noted during this audit.

No on-site inspections were performed by the NRC during 1988.

10. Unusual Occurrences:

There were no unusual occurrences at the PBRF during 1988 which were re-portable to USNRC under the criteria of 10 CFR 21.3, 10 CFR 21.4 and 10 CFR 50.72.

11. License Changes:

The license status of both the PPRF (TR-3) and MUR (93) was changed from the Dismantling Order (February, 1980) to " possess-but-not-operate." The effective date of the PBRF (TR-3) license is January 28, 1987 and the MUR (R-93) license is January 12, 1987 Both licenses are effective for a period of 10 years from the date of issuance.

I j Organization changes described in Chapter 3, (Organization), require an j amendment to the technical specifications for both the TR-3 and R-93 l Licenses. These amendment requests are in the process of being forwarded

{ to the NRC.

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12. Other:

Disposal of Excess Plum Brook Station Property - GSA continues to investigate the possible transfer of 604 acres in the Southwest portion of Plum Brook Station to other government agencies.  !

If this transfer occurs, the Station fenceline will be modified to conform  !

to the new Station perimeter. The nearest point of property affected is approximately 5,000 feet from the fenced site of the PBRF. NASA will continue to control access to the total Station, as well as inspect, I maint31n and provide security surveillance for the existing or revised j l Plum Brook Station perimeter fenceline. Conditions at the PBRF will be unaffected.

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/ National Aeronautics and I

, Space Administration-

• ' Lewis Research Conter i Plum Brook Station '

, _ i Taylor & Columbus Roads i 'l Sandusky Ohio 44870

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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk i Washington, DC 20555

Subject:

Report of-Reactor Status for the NASA Plum Brook Reactor (License No. TR-3 Docket 50-30) and the' NASA Plum Brook Mock-Up Reactor (License R-93, Docket 50-185) {

Enclosed is the Annual Status Report dated February 1989, for the Plum Brook Reactor, 60 MW (th), and the Plum Brook Mock-Up Reactor, 100 kw (th) for the l reporting period January 1, 1988 through December 31, 1988. Submission of this annual report is in compliance with Section 3.31 of the PBRF (TR-3) and .'

MUR (R-93) Possess-Blit-Not-0perate Licenses effective January 28, 1987 and j January 12, 1987, respectively.

Subject reactors continue to be maintained in a Protected Safe Storage  ;

condition. I l

l 2 , en I Henry Pfanner Engineer, Plum Brook Reactor Facility Enclosure.  ;

Approved:

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Neal L4aunders i Director of Aeronautics l

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U. S Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of. Inspection and Enforcement, Region III Attn: Mr. Kenneth R. Ridgeway, Inspector Reactor.0perations Nuclear Support Branch a

. Program Support Section 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, IL. 60137 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Division of Licensing Attn: Mr. Al Adams, Project Manager Standardization and Special Projects Branch l Washington, D.C. 20555 i

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