ML21246A257
| ML21246A257 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | General Atomics |
| Issue date: | 08/12/1999 |
| From: | Alexander Adams Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Asmussen K General Atomics |
| Marlayna Doell, 301-415-3178 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML21246A250 | List: |
| References | |
| TAC M98498, TAC M98499 | |
| Download: ML21246A257 (24) | |
Text
summarasaromes
- 1. NRCApprova Letter orte TRIGA Decommissioning
- Pan, ateAugust 12,199
paREG
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UNITEDSTATES s
j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g
WASHINGTON,D.C.205550001 o
August12, 1999 Dr.Keith E. Asmussen, Director Licensing, Safety andNuclear Compliance General Atomics P.O.Box85608
- SanDiego, California 92186-9784
SUBJECT:
ISSUANCEOF AMENDMENT NO.36TOAMENDEDFAClLITY LICENSE NO.R-38AND AMENDMENT NO.45TOFACILITY LICENSE NO.R-67 GENERAL ATOMICS (TAC NOS.M98498ANDM98499)
DearDr.Asmussen:
TheCommission hasissued theenclosed Amendment No.36toAmendedFacility License No.R-38fortheGeneral Atomics TRIGAMark IResearch Reactor andAmendmentNo.45 toFacility License No.R-67fortheGeneral Atomics TRIGA MarkFResearch Reactor.
The amendment consists ofchanges tothefacility license andtechnicalspecifications (TSs) in response toyourapplication ofApril 18,1997,assupplemented onNovember 20,1998, andJanuary28and29,February 3,April 22,May3 and 12,andJune15(applicable to MarkIonly),
16(applicable toMarkFonly) and22,1999.
Theamendment approves thedecommissioning planfortheGeneral Atomics TRIGA MarkIandTRIGAMarkFResearch Reactors.
Theamendment also authorizes the approved decommissioning plantobeincluded asasupplement tothe Safety Analysis Report pursuant to 10CFR50.82(b)(5).
A copyofthesafety evaluation supporting AmendmentNos.36and45isalso enclosed.
Sincerely, t2#'d Alexander Adams,Jr.,SenirPoject Manager Events Assessment, Generic Communications and Non-Power Reactors Branch Division ofRegulatory Improvement Programs Office ofNuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos.50-89and 50-163
Enclosures:
1.AmendmentNos.36and45 2.Safety Evaluation ccw/enclosures:
Seenextpage
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General Atomics DocketNos.50-89/163 cc:
Mr.SteveHsu Radiologic Health Branch State Department ofHealth Service P.OBox942732 Sacramento, CA 94234-7320 Mr.B.M.Murray Vallecitos Nuclear Center General Electric Company 6705Vallecitos Road Sunol,CA 94586
ggARREGg
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UNITEDSTATES s
j NUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION R
WASHANGTON,D.C.205554001 5
GENERALATOMICS DOCKETNO.50-89 AMENDMENT TOAMENDEDFACILITY LICENSE AmendmentNo.36 License No.R-38 1
TheU.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission (theCommission) hasfoundthat A. Theapplication foranamendment toAmended FacilityLicense No.R-38filed by General Atomics(the licensee) onApril18,
- 1997, assupplemented on November20,1998,andJanuary
- 28and29, February 3,April 22,May3 and 12,andJune15and22,1999,conforms tothe standards andrequirements of theAtomicEnergy Actof1954,asamended (the Act),
andtheregulations of theCommission asstated inChapter IofTitle 10of the CodeofFederal Regulations (10CFR),
B. Thefacility willbedecommissioned inconformity withtheapplication, the provisions oftheAct,andtherules andregulations oftheCommission; C. Thereisreasonable assurance that(i) theactivities authorized bythis amendment canbeconducted without endangering thehealth andsafety ofthepublic and(ii) suchactivities willbeconducted incompliance withtheregulations ofthe Commission; D. Theissuance ofthisamendmentwill notbeinimical tothecommondefense and security ortothehealth andsafety ofthepublic; E. Thisamendmentisissued inaccordance withtheregulations oftheCommission asstated in10CFRPart51,andallapplicable requirements havebeensatisfied; and F. Prior notice ofthisamendmentwas notrequired by10CFR2.105,and publication ofnotice forthis amendmentisnotrequired by10CFR2.106.
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- 2 2.
Accordingly, thelicense isamendedbychanges tothefollowing paragraphs which arehereby amended toreadasfollows:
1.C.The facility will bedecommissioned inconformity withtheapplication as
- amended, theprovisions oftheAct,andtherules andregulations ofthe Commission; 1.D.Thereisreasonable assurance thatthereactor facility canbedecommissioned (i) without endangering thehealth andsafety ofthepublic and(ii) incompliance withtheregulations inthischapter; 1.E.General Atomics istechnically andfinanciallyqualified todecommission the facility inaccordance with the regulations inthischapter;
- 3. Accordingly, thelicense isamendedby deleting paragraph2.B.(2) initsentirety.
- 4. Accordingly, thelicense isamendedtoapprove thedecommissioning plandescribed inthelicensee's application datedApril 18,1997
, assupplemented onNovember20, 1998,andJanuary 28and29,February 3,April 22, May3 and12,andJune15and 22,1999,andauthorizes inclusion ofthedecommissioning planasa supplement to theSafety Analysis Report pursuant to10CFR50.82(b)(5).
Also,thelicense is amendedbychanges totheTechnical Specifications asindicated intheenclosure to thislicense amendment,andparagraph 2.C.(2) ofAmended Facility LicenseNo.R-38 isherebyamendedtoreadasfollows:
(2)M TheTechnical Specifications contained inAppendix A,asrevisedthrough AmendmentNo.36,arehereby incorporated inthelicense.
Thelicensee shall decommission thefacility inaccordance withtheTechnical Specifications.
- 5. Thislicense amendmentiseffective asofthedateofissuance.
FORTHENUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION
%b Ledyard B.Marsh,Chief Events Assessment,Generic Communications and Non-Power Reactors Branch Division ofRegulatory Improvement Programs Office ofNuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
Appendix A,Technical Specifications Changes DateofIssuance:
August 12, 1999
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ENCLOSURE TOLICENSEAMENDMENT NO.36 AMENDEDFACILITY LICENSE NO.R-38 DOCKETNO.50-89 Replace thefollowing-pages ofAppendix A,"Technical Specifications,"
withtheenclosed pages.Therevisedpages areidentifiedbyamendment number.
Remove Insert coverpage coverpage table ofcontents i
1
- 23 1-8
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TRIGAReactors Facility Facility License No.R-38 AUGUST12,1999
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w TABLEOFCONTENTS PageNo.
1.0 Definitions..........,..........................,.................................
1 2.0 Site 2
3.0 Reactor Building.....................................................................
2 4.0 Reactor Pool.........................................................................
2 5.-0 Reactor Fuel.-.................................................................
3 6.0 Control andSafety Systems 3
6.1Control Systems 3
6.2Safety Systems 3
7.0 Administrative Requirements.....................................................
3 7.1Organization 3
7.2Criticality andRadiation Safety Committee 4
7.3Written Procedures 5
7.4Action tobeTakenintheEvent ofa Reportable Occurrence 6
7.5Facility Records 6
7.6Reporting Requirements 7
8.0 F~acility Operations..................................................................,.....
8 i
Amendment No.36
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APPENDIX A
License No.R-38 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THETORREYPINESTRIGAMARKIREACTOR DATE:JANUARY 21,1972 1.0 DEFINITIONS 1.1Facility Facility meansthebuilding housing thedisassembled reactor plussystems, components, etc.
associatedwith possession anddecommissioning ofthereactor.
1.2Facility Secured Facility secured shall meanthat condition where nodecommissioning activities arein progress inthefacility.
1.3h Facility operation shall meananycondition whereinthe facility isnotsecured.
1.4W Decommissioning activities shall meanthose activities required to remove thefacility safely fromservice andreduce residual radioactivity toalevel that permits the release ofthefacility tounrestricted useandtermination ofthe license.
These activities will involve thehandling, surveying, packaging, anddispositioning of radioactive materials inthefacility.
1.5W Decommissioning status meansthat thefacility license hasbeenamended to withdraw authorization tooperate thereactor andauthorizes possession onlyofthe
- reactor, andthat thefuel hasbeenremoved fromthereactor andismaintained ina safe andsecure manner inanapproved location outside theMarkIfacility.
1.6 Operat Asystemordevice shall beconsidered operable whenitiscapable ofperforming its intended functions inanormal manner.
1.7Operating Operating meansacomponent orsystem isperforming its intended function.
1 Amendment No.36
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1.8Abnormal Occurrence Anabnormaloccurrence isanobserved inadequacy intheimplementation ofeither administrative orprocedural
- controls, suchthat theinadequacy caused,or-could have caused,theexistence ordevelopment ofacondition which
- resulted, orcould have
- resulted, inafacility condition outside therequirements oftheTechnical
~
Specifications.
1.9 Measured Value Themeasured value isthemagnitude ofthat variable asitappears ontheoutput ofa measuring channel.
1.10Measuring Channel A measuring channel isthe combination
- ofsensor, interconnecting cables
- orlines, amplifiers, andoutput device which isconnectedforthepurpose ofmeasuring the value ofavariable.
1.11Channel Calibration Achannel calibration consists ofcomparing ameasured valuefromthemeasuring channel with acorresponding known value of theparameter sothat themeasuring channel output canbeadjusted torespond,with acceptable
- accuracy, toknown values ofthemeasured variable.
2.0SE A minimum radius of120feet fromtheapproximate center ofthe TRIGA ReactorFacility building shall define theexclusion area.
3.0REACTOR BUILDING Until suchtimeasall decommissioning activities havebeencompleted inthe facility, the following ventilation requirements shall apply:
3.1Controls fortheventilating systemshall belocated inthefacility.
3.2 Thereactor roomventilation shall beseparate fromtherest ofthebuilding ventilation.
3.3During decommissioning activities, tenting oranequivalent confinement barrier shall beplaced around theworkareaandanassociated airventilation HEPAsystem shall beoperating toensure theworkareaismaintained atanegative pressure with respect tothesurrounding areas andtheexhaust pathway totheenvironment is controlled andmonitored.
4.0REACTOR POOL 4.1Until drained asapartofdecommissioning, theminimum level ofthepool watershall be12inches belowthereference point atthetopofthepool.
Thereference point is marked onastraight edgeaffixed totheliner atthetopofthepool.
Thispoint is located 91/2inches fromthetopflange ofthepoolliner.
2 Amendment No.36
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4.2 Until suchtime asthepool water isdrained asapartofdecommissioning, thepool water shall besampled forconductivity atleast weekly.
Theconductivity ofthe coolant shallnotexceed 5micro-mhos percentimeter averaged overanyone calendar month.
5.0REACTOR FUEL Noreactor fuel elements orcontrolelements withfuel followers shall belocated in,stored in,ormovedinto, the reactor corestructure orreactor facility.
6.0CONTROL ANDSAFETYSYSTEMS 6.1Controj.Systems, Thepoison section ofthecontrol rods whichmayremain inthefacility contains borated graphite orstainless
- steel, B4C powder orboronoritscompounds insolid form,cadmium,ortherareearthpoisons insolid formcladwiththematerials authorized forfuel-element cladding.The control rodsmaycontain fluxtrapsand maybeequipped withnon-fuel followers.
6.2 Safety Systen)s Until suchtimeasdecommissioning activities arecompleted inthefacility, radiation monitoring systems shall beoperating asfollows:
- a. Anarearadiation monitoring system capable ofactivating anevacuation alarm.
- b. Whenthefacility isnotsecured, acontinuous monitoring system forairborne activity having areadout andaudible alarm whichcanbeheard inthefacility.
Thesesystems shall becalibrated annually andtheir setpoints verified monthly.
For periods oftimeformaintenance orrepair totheabovesystems, orduring periods of other forced
- outages, theintent ofthis specification shall besatisfied iftheinstalled system(s) isreplaced withappropriate alternate orportable radiation monitoring system(s)..
Following maintenance ormodification oftheradiation monitoring
- systems, the affected systemshall beverified tobeoperable beforereturning ittoroutine operation.
7.0 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS 7.1 Organization Thefacility shall beunder thesupervision ofthePhysicist-in-Charge orhis designated alternate, bothofwhomshall belicensed senior operators ofthefacility.
Theminimum qualification forthePhysicist-in-Charge shall include aBachelor's degree orequivalent academic education andthree years experience inactivities related toreactor operations.
Heshall beresponsible toaVicePresident whose duties include responsibility forresearch anddevelopment, orhisdesignated 3
Amendment No.36
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alternate, forsafepossession ofthereactor anditsassociated equipment andfor limiting exposure ofpersonnel anddispersal ofradioactive material.
Thereactor shall berelatedtotheCorporate structure asshowninthefollowing chart:
VicePreskient mm,m vicepreakieni nesearchanevelopmeni
- l via'P'Saklant
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l PhysicWinOarge miaAReacts Direct Reporting FacAny Functional Support/Oversight 7.2 M
- a. Thereshall beaCriticality andRadiation Safety Committee (CRSC).
TheCRSC orasubcommittee thereof shall review activities ofthefacility toassure criticality andradiation safety.
ThisCommittee shall becomposed ofatleast fourmembers selected bytheCognizant VicePresident, oradesignee, considering their experience andeducation with regard tothevarious aspects ofnuclear
- physics, chemistry, radiological health andstatistics, aswell as appropriate experience inother disciplines suchasmetallurgy andengineering.
Subcommittees shall beappointed bytheChairman oftheCRSC.The subcommittee assigned theresponsibility forreviewing facility operations shall nothavethereon person(s) whoaredirectly involved with thefacility.
- b. TheCriticality andRadiation Safety Committee shall beinaccordance with a
written charter including provisions for:
4 Amendment No.36
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1 Holding meetings oraudits atleast annually; special meetings maybecalled bysubcommittees oftheCRSCorbytheChairman oftheCRSCattimes whensuchmeetings aredeemedappropriate.
2.Having aquorum whenamajority ofthemembers attend.
- 3. Preparing minutes oraudit findings oftheCRSCmeetings bytheChairman or hisdesignee.
Evidence ofapproval oftheparticipating members ofthe CRSC shall beobtained before distribution.
- c. TheCriticality andRadiationSafety Committee, orsubcommittee, shall review andapprove safety standardsassociated withpossession oftheFacility.
The CRSCorasubcommittee thereof shall audit theFacility
- annually, butatintervals nottoexceedfifteen (15)months.
d.Theresponsibilitiesof the Committee ordesignated subcommittee thereof
- include, butarenot limited to,thefollowing:
1.Review andapproval ofall proposed changes tothefacility, procedures, andTechnical Specifications;
- 2. Determination ofwhether aproposed
- change, test, orexperiment would constitute anunreviewed safety question orachange intheTechnical Specifications; 3.ReviewofFacility records;
- 4. Reviewofabnormal performance ofplant equipment andother anomalies; and 5.Review ofunusual orabnormal occurrences andincidents which are Reportable Occurrences under 10CFR20and10CFR50.
7.3 Written Procedures Written instructions shall beineffect forthefollowing items.
Theinstructions shall beadequate toassure thesafepossession ofthereactor butshall notpreclude the useofindependent judgment andaction should thesituation require such:
- a. Testing andcalibration ofinstrumentation,
- controls, radiation monitors and radiation protection systems necessary tomeettherequirements ofthe Technical Specifications.
b.Emergency andabnormal conditions including provisions forevacuation,
- reentry, recovery, andmedical support.
- c. Maintenance ofsystems necessary formaintaining thereactor inaccordance withthelicense.
- d. Actions tobetaken tocorrect specific andforeseen potential malfunctions of systems orcomponents, including responses toalarms andabnormal changes.
5 Amendment No.36
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- e. Decommissioning activities (consistent with anapproved Decommissioning Plan).
Changes which alter theoriginal intent oftheaboveprocedures shall bemadeonly with theapprovaloftheCriticality andRadiation Safety Committee (CRSC).
Temporary changestotheprocedures that donotchange their original intent anddo notconstitute anunreviewedsafety question (as defined in10CFR50.59) maybe madeby the Physicist-in-Charge.
Allsuchtemporary changes shall bedocumented andsubsequently reviewedandapproved bytheCRSC.
7.4 Action tobeTaken intheEvent ofanAbnormal Occurrence Intheevent ofanabnormal occurrence, asdefined inSection 1.8ofthe Specifications, thefollowing actionshall betaken:
- a. ThePhysicist-in-Charge or designated alternate shall benotified andcorrective action taken with respect to theoperation involved.
- b. ThePhysicist-in-Charge orother person notified underSection 7.4ashall notify theChairman oftheCRSCandthe Vice President, orhisdesignated alternate, identified inSection 7.1
- c. A report shall bemadetotheCRSCwhich shall includeananalysis ofthe causeoftheoccurrence, efficacy ofcorrective action, andrecommendations formeasures toprevent orreduce the probability ofrecurrence.
- d. A report shall bemadetotheNRCinaccordance with Section 7.6ofthese Specifications.
7.5 Facility Records Inaddition totherequirements ofapplicable regulations, andinnoway substituting therefore, records andlogsshall beprepared ofatleast thefollowing items and retained foraperiod ofatleast five(5) years:
- a. Normal reactor operation andfacility status;
- b. Principal maintenance activities;
- c. Abnormal orreportable occurrences;
- d. Equipment andcomponent surveillance activities required bytheTechnical Specifications;
- e. Gaseous andliquid radioactive effluents released totheenvirons;
- f. Off-site environmental monitoring surveys;
- g. Fuelinventories andtransfers;
- h. Facility radiation andcontamination surveys; 6
Amendment No.36
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I. Experiments performed with thereactor orinsupport ofdecommissioning; j
Radiationexposures forall personnel; k.
- Updated, corrected, andas-built drawings ofthefacility (these shall beretained forthelifetime ofthefacility).
I.
Decommissioning/dismantlement activities.
7.6 W Inaddition tothe requirements ofapplicable regulations, andinnowaysubstituting
- therefor, reports shall bemadetotheNRCasfollows:
- a. A report within 24hours bytelephone orfacsimile totheNRCOperations Center:
1.Anyaccidental releaseof radioactivity abovepermissible limits in unrestricted
- areas, whether or nottherelease resulted inproperty
- damage, personal
- injury, orexposure; 2.Anyabnormal occurrences asdefined inSection1.8ofthese Specifications.
- b. A report within 10daysinwriting tothe Document Control Desk,USNRC Washington, D.C.20555:
- 1. Anyaccidental release ofradioactivity above permissible limits in unrestricted
- areas, whether ornottherelease resulted inproperty
- damage, personal
- injury, orexposure; thewritten report (and, totheextent
- possible, thepreliminary telephone orfacsimile report) shall
- describe, analyze andevaluate safety implications, andoutline the corrective measures taken orplanned toprevent reoccurrence oftheevent.
- 2. Anyabnormal occurrence asdefined inSection 1.8ofthese Specifications.
- c. A report within 30daysinwriting totheDocument Control Desk,USNRC Washington, D.C.20555:
1 Anysignificant changes infacility organization orpersonnel forwhich minimum qualifications arespecified inthese specifications.
d.
Commencing in2000,aroutine report inwriting totheDocument Control
- Desk, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission byApril 15ofeachyear, providing the following information:
- 1. Abrief narrative summary of:(1) actions taken fordecommissioning of thefacility, (2) current facility
- status, (3) anychanges tothe decommissioning
- schedule, and(4) asummary ofradioactive material shipments.
7 Amendment No.36
- 2. Discussion ofthemajor maintenance operations performed during the
- period, including theeffects,
- ifany, onthesafe possession ofthe
- reactor, andthereasons foranycorrective maintenance required.
- 3. Asummaryofeachchange, ifsuchchanges havebeenmade,tothe facility,orprocedures,
- tests, andexperiments carried outunder the conditions ofSection 50.59 ofCFRPart 50.
4.
A summary ofthenature andamountofradioactive effluents released ordischarged totheenvirons beyond theeffective control ofthe licensee asmeasured atorprior tothepoint ofsuchrelease or discharge.
- 5. A description of any environmental surveys performed outside the facility.
- 6. Asummary ofradiation exposures received byfacility personnel and
- visitors, including thedates andtime ofsignificant
- exposure, andabrief summary oftheresultsof radiation andcontaminationsurveys performed within the facility.
8.0 FACILITY OPERATIONS Thefollowing activities shall beconducted inthe facility:
a)Maintenance, monitoring, control ofradioactive material, protection ofpersonnel, andsecurity activities asdefined inapproved procedures (seeSection 7.3).
b)Decommissioning inaccordance with thefacility license andconsistent with an approved Decommissioning Plan.
8 Amendment No.36
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pt,ABREG
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UNITEDSTATES B
NUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION
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WASHINGTON,D.C.20555-0001
'+4; July29, 1999 Dr.KeithE. Asmussen, Director Licensing, Safety andNuclearCompliance General Atomics P.O.Box85608
- SanDiego, California 92186-9784
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT RELATEDTOISSUANCEOFAMENDMENT NO.36TOAMENDED FACILITY LICENSE NO.R-38ANDAMENDMENT NO.45TOFACILITY LICENSE NO.R-67
- GENERALATOMICS (TACNOS.M98498 AND M98499)
DearDr.Asmussen:
Enclosed isacopyoftheEnvironmental Assessment andFinding ofNoSignificant Impact related toyourapplication foramendment toAmended FacilityLicense No.R-38forthe General Atomics TRIGAMarkIResearch Reactorand Facility License No.R-67forthe General Atomics MarkFResearch Reactor dated April 18, 1997, assupplementedon November 20,1998,andJanuary28and29,February 3, April 22,May3and12,and June15,16,and22,1999 Theproposed amendment would approve the decommissioning planfortheGeneral Atomics TRIGAMarkI and Mark FResearch Reactors.
Theassessmentisbeingforwarded totheOffice oftheFederal Register forpublication.
Sincerely,
- wd Alexander Adams,Jr.,S ni Project Manager Events Assessment, Generic Communications and Non-Power Reactors Branch Division ofRegulatory improvement Programs Office ofNuclear Reactor Regulation DocketNos.50-89and 50-163
Enclosure:
Environmental Assessment ccw/enclosure:
Seenextpage RECElVED AUG031999 UCENSING
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General Atomics DocketNos.50-89/163 cc:
Mr.SteveHsu Radiologic Health Branch StateDepartment ofHealth Service P.O.Box942732 Sacramento, CA 94234-7320 Mr.B.M.Murray Vallecitos Nuclear Center General Electric Company 6705Vallecitos Road Sunol,CA 94586
7590-01-P UNITED STATESNUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION GENERALATOMICS DOCKET NOS.50-89AND50-163 GENERAL ATOMICS TRIGA MARKIANDMARKFRESEARCHREACTORS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ANDFINDING OFNOSIGNIFICANT IMPACT TheU.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission (theCommission) isconsidering issuance ofalicense amendment toAmendedFacility License No.R-38andFacility License No.R-67,issued toGeneral Atomics(GAorthelicensee),
for decommissioning oftheGA TRIGAMarkIandTRIGAMarkFResearch
- Reactors, located at General Atomics inSan
- Diego, SanDiegocounty,California.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT W:
Theproposed action wouldapprove thelicensee's decommissioning plan.
GA submitted their decommissioning planinaccordance with10CFR50.82(b) fortheGA TRIGAMarkIandTRIGAMarkFResearch Reactors whichoccupypartsoftheTRIGA Reactor Facility within GA'sTorrey Mesasite.
TheTRIGAMarkIlicense wasamendedon October 29,1997,andtheTRIGAMarkFlicense wasamendedonMarch22,1995,to removeauthority tooperatethereactors.
Fuelfrombothreactors havebeenplaced inthe TRIGAMarkFfuel storagecanalwhichisinthesamepoolastheTRIGAMarkF reactor.
Theproposed decommissioning planwouldauthorize immediate dismantlement ofthe TRIGAMarkIResearch Reactor.
Toprotect thestored fuelfrompotential damagedueto
(
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- 2 decommissioning activities,onlylimited dismantlement oftheTRIGAMarkFResearch Reactor will occur withfuel intheTRIGAMarkFfuel storagecanal.
Thiswouldbe followed bya period offuel storage.After fuel isremoved'from theTRIGAMarkFfuel storagecanal, dismantling willbecompletedontheTRIGAMarkFResearch Reactor.
The soonestthattheDepartment ofEnergy canacceptfuelfromGAis2003.Domestic spent nuclear fuelreceipts attheIdaho National Engineering andEnvironmental Laboratory have beenseverely constrained because of a settlement agreementofalawsuit concerning spentnuclear fuelandnuclear waste.The site willbedecontaminated tomeet unrestricted release criteria.
After theCommission verifies thattherelease criteria have beenmet,thereactorlicense willbeterminated.
Thelicensee will continue withtheir health physics program, andapproved emergency andsecurity planduring thedecommissioning andtheir operator requalification planuntil fuelisremovedfromthefacility.
A "Notice ofApplication forDecommissioning Amendment" was published inthe FEDERALREGISTER onDecember 11,1997(62FR65288),inaccordance with the requirements of10CFR50.82(b)(5).
Theproposed action isinaccordance withthelicensee's application foramendment datedApril 18,1997,assupplemented onNovember20,1998,andJanuary
- 28and29, February 3,April 22,May3 and12,andJune15,16,and22,1999.
W Theproposed action isneededbecauseofGA'sdecision toceasereactor operations permanently attheTorrey Mesasite.
Asspecified in10CFR50.82,any licensee mayapply totheNRCforauthority tosurrender alicense voluntarily andto
- 3 decommission theaffected facility.
Oncethelicensee permanently ceasesoperation, 10CFR50.82(b)(1) requiresthelicensee tomakeapplication forlicense termination within two years following permanent cessation ofoperations, andinnocaselater thanoneyear prior toexpiration ofthe operating license.
GAisplanning tousetheareathatwouldbe released forunrestricted use for other purposes.
TheCommission hascompleted its evaluation oftheproposed action and concludes thattheradiological effects ofdecommissioning theTRIGAMarkIandMarkF Research Reactors will beminimalThelicensee will continue withtheir health physics
- program, andapprovedemergency andsecurity plans.
Until fuelisremovedfromthesite, thelicensee will alsocontinue tomeettherequirements of their operator requalification plan.
Allproposed operations inconnection withdecommissioningand decontaminating oftheGAreactors willbecarefully planned andcontrolled, all contaminated components will beremoved,
- packaged, andshipped offsite inaccordance withtheregulations, and radiological control procedures will beinplaceandimplemented toensurethat releases of radioactive wastesfromthefacility arewithin thelimits of10CFRPart20andareaslow asreasonably achievable (ALARA).
AIIdecontamination will beperformed bytrained personnel inaccordance with previously reviewed procedures andwillbeoverseen byexperienced health physics staff.
Nonew postulated accidents havebeenidentified during decommissioning activities or storageofthereactorfuelthatwouldhavegreaterradiological impactthanpreviously evaluated accidents.
TheGAstaff hascalculated thatthetotal dosetoworkers forthe
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- 4 decommissioning project willbeabout20person-rem overtheperiod 1999to2004 (assumingfuel isremoved fromthefacility in2003).
TheGAstaff estimates thatthe dosetomembers of thepublicfromdecommissioning activities will benegligible.
These dosesareconsistentwith those giveninNUREG-0586,"Final Generic Environmental ImpactStatement onDecommissioning ofNuclear Facilities,"
forthereference research reactor.
Whileonsite, fuelwillbestored inapproved storagelocations underthe restrictions ofthefacility license.
Thelicense will continue tomaintain systemsnecessary forsafestorageofthefuel.
Theproposed action will notincrease theprobability orconsequences ofaccidents, nochanges arebeingmadeinthetypesofanyeffluentsthat may bereleased
- offsite, and there isnosignificant increase inoccupational orpublic radiation exposure.
Therefore, there arenosignificant radiological environmental impacts associated with theproposed action.
Withregard topotential non-radiological
- impacts, theproposed action does not involve anyhistoric sites.
Hazardous materials suchasleadand asbestos will behandled anddisposed ofinaccordance withallapplicable regulations and,therefore, will notresult
/
inanysignificant release ofnon-radiological planteffluents andhasnoother environmental impact.
Therefore, there arenosignificant non-radiological environmental impacts associated withtheproposed action.
Accordingly, theCommission concludes thatthere arenosignificant environmental impacts associated withtheproposed action.
,(
- 5 m:
Thealternatives totheproposed action fortheGATRIGAresearch reactors are SAFSTOR,ENTOMB andnoaction.
ENTOMBisthealternative inwhichradioactive contaminates areencased ina structurally long-lived
- material, suchasconcrete,the entombed structure isappropriately maintained andcontinued surveillance iscarried out until theradioactivity decaystoa level permitting release ofthepropertyforunrestricted use.SAFSTORisthealternative inwhich thefacilityisplaced andmaintained ina condition thatallows thefacility tobesafely stored andsubsequently decontaminated to levels thatpermit release forunrestricted use.
TheENTOMBalterative couldnotbeputintoplace untilthefuelwas removedfrom thefacility andwouldrequire thefacility toremain onsitefor an extended period oftime.
- Likewise, theSAFSTORalternative wouldrequire continued surveillance foranextended period oftime.However,GAwantstousethespacethatwill become available forother purposes andwantstoenterintothedecommissioning activities assoort as possible.
The alternative ofnotdecommissioning reactorswasreject.ed inNUREG-0586.
The no action alternative wouldleave thefacility..in..its presentconfiguration.
Denial oftheapplication wouldresult innosignificant changeincurrentenvironmental impacts.
Theenvironmental impacts oftheproposed action andthealternative actions are similar.
Alternative UseofResources:
Theaction doesnotinvolve theuseofresources different frompreviously committed forconstruction andoperation oftheGATRIGAreactors.
m vn f
(
- 6 M:
Inaccordance withitsstated
- policy, onJuly20,1999,thestaff consulted withthe StateofCalifornia
- official, R.LupooftheRadiologic Health BranchoftheCalifornia Department ofHealthServices regarding theenvironmental impactoftheproposed action.
Thestateofficial hadnocomments.
FINDING OFNOSIGNIFICANT IMPACT Onthebasis oftheenvironmental assessment, theCommission concludes thatthe proposed action will nothavea significanteffect onthequality ofthehuman environment.
Accordingly, theCommission hasdetermined nottoprepare an environmental impact statement fortheproposed action.
Forfurther details withrespect tothisproposed
- action, see thelicensee'sletter datedApril 18,1997,assupplemented byletter datedNovember 20, 1998, and January 28and29,February 3,April 22,May3and12,andJune 15, 16, and22,1999.
Thesedocuments areavailable forpublic inspection atthe..Commission's.Public Document Room,theGelmanBuilding, 2120LStreet, NW.,Washington, D.C.20003-1527.
DatedatRockville,
- Maryland, this29th-day of July1999.
FORTHENUCLEARREGULATORY COMMISSION Ledyard B.Marsh,Chief Events Assessment, Generic Communications and Non-Power Reactors Branch Division ofRegulatory Improvement Programs Office ofNuclear Reactor Regulation