ML20245J259

Ack Receipt of Informing NRC of Steps Taken to Correct Violations Noted in Insp Rept 50-184/89-01

ML20245J259
Person / Time
Site:	National Bureau of Standards Reactor
Issue date:	04/26/1989
From:	Bellamy R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:	Rozier Carter NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS & TECHNOLOGY (FORMERL
References
NUDOCS 8905040066
Download: ML20245J259 (2)

See also: IR 05000184/1989001

Text

, _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ . . - _ .

,

s. ...

,

.o

APR 2 61989

Docket No: 50-184

U. S. Department of Commerce

National Bureau of Standards

ATTN: Dr. R. S. Carter, Chief

Reactor Radiation Division

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20849

Gentlemen:

Subject: Inspection No. 50-184/89-01

This refers to your letter dated February 14, 1989, in response. to our letter

dated February 2,1989.

Thank you for informing us of the corrective and preventive actions documented

in your letter. These actions will be examined during a future inspection of

your licensed program.

Your cooperation with us is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By:

Walter J. Pasciak

i

honald R. Bellamy, Chief

'

Facilities Radiological Safety

and Safeguards Branch

Division of Radiation Safety

and Safeguards

cc w/ encl:

J. Torrence, Deputy Chief, Reactor Operations

T. Raby, Reactor S ;pervisor

Public Document Room (PDR)

local Public Document Room (LPDR)

Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC)

State of Maryland (2)

\\

fj }" f:> . a

t

<.l m[F fiIh

vv

0FFICIAL RECORD COPY RL 50-184/89-01 - 0001.0.0

04/25/89

8905040066 890426

PDR A

_.__ - ___ __{h_____--DOCK 05000184

_-_________--__ PDC _---_-------- _ - _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-_-_-

, .

,

i

,4

U. S. Department of Commerce 2

ApR 2 6 g

bec w/ encl:

Region I Docket Room (with concurrences)

Management Assistant, DRMA (w/o encl)

R. Bores, DRSS

L. Tripp, DRP

D. Haverkamp, DRP

0. Limroth, DRP

D. Trimble, SRI - Calvert Cliffs

i

l

I

i

l

5'S j l

RI:DRSS RI:DRSS DAS W  !

Sherbini/mk/pmb Be iam

Shgky

L /3489 04/2//89 04/g4/89

0FFICIAL RECORD COPY RL 50-184/89-01 - 0002.0.0

04/25/89

L.

i

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

_ . _ _.. . _ . _ . . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,

- _ . _ .

. , _ .

4, ; . . . ' se o'c

p

- '

.

• '

< ,= UNITCD CTATEC D2pARTMENT OF COMMERCR

l' , .

-

. y I N3tinn;l InMituto of Ctandred:2 cnd Techntlogy

,

\**v,/' ss o'

Iformerly Natloaal Bureau of standards)

Gaitherstx.rg. Maryk nd 20099

b

(301) 975-6210

FTS 879-6210

FAX (301) 921-9847

l

February 14, 1989

Mr. Ronald R. Bellamy

Chief, Facilities Radiological Safety

and Safeguards

Division of Radiation Safety and Safeguards

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region I

475 Allendale Road

King of Prussia, PA 19406

Dear Mr. Bellamy: [

t

Subject: Inspection Report No. 50-184/89-01 i

.

Docket No. 50-184

This is in response to the above subject inspection; report dated February 2,

1989. and the notice of apparent violation contair.,ed therein. NIST policy

has always been to inform the NRC of anything considered significant regard-

less of whether it is reportable or not. This policy will continue.

The heat exchanger leak discovered on August 28, 198f was so small .that it

represented a hole size of less than 0.1 inches in diameter. Cont,idering

that the surface area of the tubes in the heat exchanger alone is thousands

of square feet, this size leak cannot be consi.dered to be a major

degradation of a barrier. This is consistent with the guidelines of The

American National' Standard ANSI /ANS15.1 "The Development of Technical

Specifications for Research Reactors". Section 6.6.2 (v) of the Standard

clearly would not consider this type of leak as reportable degradation of a

barrier. NIST never intends to operate with a leak of any kind so long as it

can be identified and repaired.

With respect to the procedure followed in reporting to the NRC, the Region

was promptly informed of the leak as soon as it was found. It was indicated

then that follow-up calls would be made and that once the problem was

resolved a comprehensive report would be provided. It was our understanding

that this procedure would be satisfactory. Accordingly, several additional

calls were made to the Region during September and October 1987. In October

1987, when the written report was ready, the Region was contacted regarding

transmittal. At the end of the conversation, the Region was advised as to

how and where the report would be sent. The report dated October 26, 1987

was mailed promptly. The reactor annual report for 1987, subsequently

transmitted, refers to this report and includes a summary of releases. The

October 26, 1987 comprehensive report was intended, as promised, to provide

the NRC with all available information and actions, most of which took place

more than 14 days after the initial leak.

I

g ct e S t g z G D I 4 p p

- _ ____

, _ - _____.

.-

- .

.

, .

l

I

It is our belief that we have met any reporting requirement fully. Never-

theless. -I have instructed NBSR Operations, effective immediately, and not

withstanding any other consideration, to make reports to the NRC strictly in

accordance with the NBSR Technical Specification and applicable regulations.

Sincerely,

Michael Rowe . .

3- Acting Chief, Reactor Radiation Division

i

\

.

2

l

1

- --_-