ML22174A293

Regents of the University of California - Report on the Regulatory Audit License Renewal Application for the University of California - Davis/Mcclellan

ML22174A293
Person / Time
Site:	University of California-Davis
Issue date:	06/28/2022
From:	Geoffrey Wertz NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL
To:	Mohapatra P Univ of California
Wertz G
References
EPID L-2020-NFR-0002
Download: ML22174A293 (6)

Text

June 28, 2022 Dr. Prasant Mohapatra Vice Chancellor for Research Department of Computer Science University of California Davis, CA 95616

SUBJECT:

REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAREPORT ON THE REGULATORY AUDIT RE: LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIADAVIS/MCCLELLAN NUCLEAR RESEARCH CENTER TRIGA NUCLEAR REACTOR (EPID NO. L-2020-NFR-0002)

Dear Dr. Mohapatra:

By letter dated June 11, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML18179A501), the Regents of the University of California (licensee) submitted a license renewal application (LRA) for a 20-year renewal of the Class 104c Facility Operating License No. R-130, Docket No. 50-607, for the University of California - Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center Training, Research, Isotope, General Atomics nuclear reactor. By letter dated July 6, 2020 (ML20188A368), the licensee updated its LRA to reflect its decision to reduce the licensed thermal operating power level from 2.3 megawatt thermal (MWt) to 1.0 MWt, and to eliminate pulsing capability and irradiation of explosive materials in the reactor tank.

Enclosed is a report on the regulatory audit conducted by staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) from February 1, 2022, to June 21, 2022, in connection with its review of the LRA. The audit report does not make any licensing conclusions or findings, but it is part of the administrative record of the NRC staffs review of the application and may provide information supporting the NRC staffs safety evaluation. The audit followed the plan provided by letter dated February 1, 2022 (ML22026A286), unless otherwise noted in the enclosed report.

P. Mohapatra If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-0893, or by electronic mail at Geoffrey.Wertz@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Wertz, Geoffrey on 06/28/22 Geoffrey A. Wertz, Project Manager Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Licensing Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-607 License No. R-130

Enclosure:

As stated cc: See next page

University of California-Davis/McClellan Docket No. 50-607 cc:

David Reap, Radiation Safety Officer 5335 Price Avenue, Bldg. 258 McClellan, CA 95652-2504 Mr. Walter Steingass, Reactor Supervisor 5335 Price Avenue, Bldg. 258 McClellan, CA 95652-2504 California Energy Commission 1516 Ninth Street, MS-34 Sacramento, CA 95814 Radiologic Health Branch California Department of Public Health P.O. Box 997414, MS 7610 Sacramento, CA 95899-7414 Dr. Wesley D. Frey, Reactor Director McClellan Nuclear Research Center University of California, Davis 5335 Price Avenue, Building 258 McClellan, CA 95652-2504 Test, Research and Training Reactor Newsletter Attention: Amber Johnson Dept of Materials Science and Engineering University of Maryland 4418 Stadium Drive College Park, MD 20742-2115

ML22174A293 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NAME GWertz NParker JBorromeo GWertz DATE 6/23/2022 6/27/2022 6/28/2022 6/28/2022 OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION REGULATORY AUDIT REPORT REGARDING RENEWAL OF FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE FOR FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-130 REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS MCCLELLAN NUCLEAR RESEARCH CENTER DOCKET NO. 50-607 Location: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Headquarters, Rockville, MD (virtual)

Dates: February 1, 2022, - June 21, 2022 Audit Team Members: Linh Tran, Audit Team Leader Geoffrey Wertz, Audit Team Leader (backup), Technical Reviewer Robert Beaton, Technical Reviewer - Nuclear Engineer Adam Rau, Technical Reviewer - General Engineer Zachary Gran, Technical Reviewer - Health Physicist Richard Clement, Technical Reviewer - Senior Health Physicist Kevin Folk, Technical Reviewer - Environmental Scientist Phyllis Clark, Technical Reviewer - Nuclear Engineer Justin Hudson, Technical Reviewer - General Engineer Michael Norris, Technical Review - Emergency Preparedness Licensee Representative: Dr. Wesley D. Frey, Director McClellan Nuclear Research Center

Background

By letter dated June 11, 2018 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML18179A501), the Regents of the University of California (licensee) submitted a license renewal application (LRA) for a 20-year renewal of the Class 104c Facility Operating License No. R-130, Docket No. 50-607, for the University of California - Davis (UCD)

McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) Training, Research, Isotope, General Atomics nuclear reactor. By letter dated July 6, 2020 (ML20188A368), the licensee updated its LRA to reflect its decision to reduce the licensed thermal operating power level from 2.3 megawatt thermal (MWt) to 1.0 MWt, and to eliminate pulsing capability and irradiation of explosive materials in the reactor tank.

This report summarizes the regulatory audit conducted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) audit team from February 1, 2022, to June 21, 2022. The NRC audit team followed the plan dated February 1, 2022 (ML22026A286).

Enclosure

2 Audit Activities The NRC audit team conducted the audit through virtual video-teleconferences. The NRC audit team opened the audit with an entrance meeting conducted on February 1, 2022, and participated in bi-weekly video teleconferences with the licensee throughout the audit period.

The licensee provided requested information using an internet portal (BOX) which allowed only the NRC audit team members to view the information.

The documents reviewed are as follows:

argon-41 (Ar-41) dose calculations for UCD MNRC annual reports updated UCD MNRC technical specifications (TSs), Revision 3 updated UCD MNRC TSs, Revision 4 updated safety analysis report (SAR) Appendix B, loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) dose calculations revised UCD MNRC Emergency Plan (EP)

MNRC procedure MNRC-0071-OMM-01, Core Reflooding System NRC proposed renewal license conditions Request for Supplemental Information The NRC audit team requested that the licensee supplement the following on the docket.

updated UCD MNRC TSs, Revision 3 (provided by UCD letter dated June 3, 2022, ML22154A542) updated UCD MNRC TSs, Revision 4 (provided by UCD letter dated June 21, 2022, ML22172A199)

Request for Additional Information corrected Ar-41 doses, by NRC letter dated February 8, 2022 (ML22038A140) - UCD response provided by letter dated March 30, 2022 (ML22089A158) updated UCD MNRC SAR LOCA analysis, Appendix B, including revision to UCD MNRC EP, by NRC letter dated June 3, 2022 (ML22146A194) - UCD response provided by letter dated June 21, 2022 (ML22173A201) proposed license conditions (ML22173A209), by NRC letter dated June 24, 2022 (ML22173A209)

Exit Briefing On June 21, 2022, the NRC audit team held an exit briefing with Dr. Frey. No disagreements were noted.

Deviations from the Audit Plan During the audit, the NRC staff identified discrepancies in the calculations for some of the Argon-41 doses found in the licensees annual reports, and in the assumptions for the LOCA doses provided in SAR Appendix B. Additionally, the NRC staff used the audit process to review its proposed renewal license conditions with the licensee. The NRC staff sent its requests for additional information, in the letters referenced above, for all of these reviews.