ML20246D107

Safety Evaluation Supporting Amend 10 to License R-106

ML20246D107
Person / Time
Site:	Oregon State University
Issue date:	08/15/1989
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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ML20246D098	List: ML20246D096 ML20246D101 ML20246D107
References
NUDOCS 8908250255
Download: ML20246D107 (2)

Text

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SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO. 10 TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-106 ORECON STATE UNIVERSITY DOCKET NO. 50-243

1.0 INTRODUCTION

By letter dated June 14, 1989, Oregon State University requested changes in the Technical Specifications of Facility Operating License No. R-106 for the Oregon State University TRIGA research reactor (OSTR). The requested changes would modify the wording of two reportable events to make them consistent with the guidance of American National Standard ANSI /ANS - 15.1, "The Development of Technical Specifications for Research Reactors." Also, based on a telephone conversation between the NRC Project Manager and the Director of the OSTR that occurred on July 11, 1989, the addresses of the NRC Offices to which reports shall be sent will be updated.

2.0 EVALUATION Technical Specification 6.7.a.5 states that " failure of a required reactor or experiment system component which could render the system incapable of performing its intended safety function" is an event that is reportable to the NRC within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> by telephone or telegraph with a written follow up report required within 14 days. The licensee has proposed that the specification be changed to " failure of a required reactor or experiment system component which could render the system incapable of performing its intended safety function unless the failure is discovered durino maintenance tests or periods of reactor shutdown." This wording is consistent with the guidance of American National Standard ANSI /ANS - 15.1, "The Development of Technical Specifications l for Research Reactors" and appears in the technical specifications of many I research reactors licensed by the NRC. The intent of this specification is the reporting of failures that could impact on the health and safety of the reactor staff and the public, or the environment. The purpose of the reactor testing and maintenance program is to ensure that reactor systems are i

l functioning properly and to discover components that have problems before operational failures occur. The conduct of these tests and resulting discovery of problem components is a normal part of facility activity and should not be considered a reportable event. Likewise, discovery of problems when the reactor is shutdown has little operational safety significance.

Maintenance conducted at the facility will continue to be reported to the NRC in th annual f acility report as required by Technical Specification 6.7.e.

The staff concludes that this change will not affect the safe operation of the reactor and that failures that occur during operation of the reactor will be promptly reported to the NRC.

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. Technical Specification 6.7.c.4 requires a written report to the NRC within 30 days for "any observed inadequacy in the implementation of administrative or procedural controls." The licensee has proposed that the wording of this specification be changed to "any observed inadequacy in the implementation of

. administrative or procedural controls such that the inadecuacy causes or could have caused-the existence or developmeiif~6f in unsafe ~c6nHtion with regard t6

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reactor operations."This wording is ali6'consiitEnt iltfIKiiEHciiIRationai 5tandard AN51/ANS - 15.1 and appears in the technical specifications of many research reactors licensed by the NRC. The intent of this specification is to report to the NRC administrative or procedural inadequacies that are safety significant. As originally written in the Oregon technical specifications, any inadequacy, no matter how. insignificant, was reportable to the NRC. This change will reduce the submission of reports that do not have any safety implications. The staff concludes that this change will not affect the safe operation of the reactor and that inadequacies in administrative or procedural controls that can affect the-health and safety of the reactor staff and the

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public, or the environment will be reported to the NRC in a timely manner.

The NRC Project Manager and the Director of the OSTR,had a telephone conversa-tion on July'11, 1989, in'which it was agreed to change the addresses in the technical specifications to the current NRC Offices to which reports shall be sent. This formalizes the licensee's practice and brings the technical specifi-cations into agreement with 10 CFR 50.4, " Written communications." The staff concludes that this' change is editorial in nature.

3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATION

We have determined that these changes are in the category of recordkeeping, reporting, and administrative procedures and requirements. Accordingly, this amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in10CFR51.22(c)(10). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statement or enviror. mental assessment need be prepared in connection with the issuance of this amendment.

4.0 CONCLUSION

The staff has concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:

(1) bectuse the amendment does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously evaluated,~or create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any accident previously evaluated, and does not involve a significant reduction in a margin of safety, the amendment does not involve a significant hazards consideration, (2) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not'be endangered by the proposed activities, and (3) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or the health and safety of the public.

Principal Contributor: Alexander Adams, Jr.

Dated: August 15, 1989

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