ML22181B184

North Carolina State University - NRC Safety Inspection Report 2022202

ML22181B184
Person / Time
Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	08/01/2022
From:	Travis Tate NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPO
To:	Hawari A North Carolina State University
Waugh A
References
IR 2022202
Download: ML22181B184 (12)

Text

August 1, 2022 Dr. Ayman I. Hawari, Director Nuclear Reactor Program Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Campus Box 7909 2500 Stinson Drive Raleigh, NC 27695-7909

SUBJECT:

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000297/2022202

Dear Dr. Hawari:

From June 21-23, 2022, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff conducted an inspection at the North Carolina State University PULSTAR Nuclear Research Reactor. The enclosed report documents the inspection results, which were discussed on June 23, 2022, with you and members of your staff.

The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.

The inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed various activities, and interviewed personnel. Based on the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified. No response to this letter is required.

In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publicly Available Records component of the NRCs document system (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).

A. Hawari If you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Andrew Waugh at (301) 415-0230, or by email to Andrew.Waugh@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Signed by Tate, Travis on 08/01/22 Travis L Tate, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-297 License No. R-120

Enclosure:

As stated cc: See next page

North Carolina State University Docket No. 50-297 cc:

Department of Government Affairs 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2001 Dr. Kostadin Ivanov, Head Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Campus Box 7909 Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 W. Lee Cox, Section Chief Department of Health and Human Services Division of Health Service Regulation Radiation Protection Section 1645 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1645 Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, Dean College of Engineering North Carolina State University 113 Page Hall Campus Box 7901 Raleigh, NC 27695-7901 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 Mrs. Nina Colby Fleming, Ph.D.

Acting Manager of Engineering and Operations Nuclear Reactor Program 2500 Stinson Drive Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 Gerald Wicks, CHP Reactor Health Physicist Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University Campus Box 7909 2500 Stinson Dr.

Raleigh, NC 27695-7909

ML22181B184 NRC-002 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPO NRR/DANU/UNPO/LA NRR/DANU/UNPO/BC NAME AWaugh NParker TTate DATE 7/5/2022 7/6/2022 8/1/2022 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION Docket No.: 50-297 License No.: R-120 Report No.: 05000297/2022202 Licensee: North Carolina State University Facility: PULSTAR Nuclear Research Reactor Location: Raleigh, NC Dates: June 21-23, 2022 Inspectors: Andrew Waugh Juan Arellano Approved by: Travis L Tate, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Enclosure

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

North Carolina State University PULSTAR Nuclear Research Reactor Inspection Report No. 05000297/2022202 The primary focus of this routine announced inspection was the onsite review of selected aspects of the North Carolina State Universitys (NCSU, the licensees) Class II research reactor facility program, including: (1) organization and staffing; (2) operations logs and records; (3) requalification training; (4) surveillance and limiting conditions for operation (LCO);

(5) emergency planning; (6) maintenance logs and records; and (7) fuel handling logs and records. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff determined that the licensees program was acceptably directed toward the protection of public health and safety, and in compliance with NRC requirements.

Organization and Staffing The inspector determined that the organization and staffing were in compliance with the technical specification (TS) requirements.

Operations Logs and Records The inspector determined that the operations logs and records were maintained in accordance with the applicable TS and the licensees procedural requirements.

Requalification Training The inspector determined that the operator requalification program was conducted and completed in accordance with the NRC-approved program and regulatory requirements.

Surveillance and Limiting Conditions for Operation The inspector determined that surveillances were conducted and LCO were maintained in accordance with TS requirements.

Emergency Planning The inspector determined that the emergency preparedness program was conducted in accordance with the emergency plan.

Maintenance Logs and Records The inspector determined that the maintenance activities were performed and documented in accordance with TS requirements.

Fuel Handling Logs and Records The inspector determined that the fuel movements and inspections were conducted in accordance with TS and the licensees procedural requirements.

REPORT DETAILS Summary of Facility Status The NCSU 1,000 kilowatt PULSTAR nuclear research reactor continued to be operated in support of graduate and undergraduate research and laboratory instruction, service irradiations, reactor operator training, and periodic surveillance. During the inspection, the reactor was started up, operated, and shut down to support these ongoing activities.

1. Organization and Staffing

a. Inspection Scope (Inspection Procedure [IP] 69001, Section 02.01)

The inspector reviewed the following regarding the licensees organization and staffing to ensure that the requirements of TS 6.1 and 6.7.2 were met:

Appendix A Technical Specifications for the North Carolina State University PULSTAR Reactor, dated September 8, 2008 select PULSTAR reactor log book entries, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the licensees organization was consistent with that specified in the TS, and that the NRC was made aware of the personnel changes in accordance with TS requirements.

The inspector found the minimum shift staffing for reactor operations continued to meet the TS requirement.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the organization and staffing were in compliance with the TS requirements.

2. Operations Logs and Records

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.02)

The inspector observed completion of a reactor startup checklist and a reactor startup.

The inspector also reviewed the following to ensure that logs and records were maintained as required by the licensees administrative procedures and TS 6.8:

operations procedure (OP) 103, "Reactor Operation, dated July 26, 2021 PULSTAR reactor annual reports for 2020 and 2021 select PULSTAR reactor log book entries, 2020-present select startup checklists, 2020-present unscheduled SCRAM and shutdown log, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the licensees operation logs and records were maintained as required by the licensees TS and administrative procedures.

The inspector observed that the measured parameters for several reactor operations met the TS requirements.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the operations logs and records were maintained in accordance with the applicable TS and the licensees procedural requirements.

3. Requalification Training

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.04)

The inspector reviewed the following aspects of the licensees requalification program to verify compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, Operators Licenses, and the licensees NRC-approved operator requalification program:

special procedure 2.6, PULSTAR Operator Requalification Plan, dated November 1, 2018 medical records for select licensed operators requalification records for select licensed operators select lecture attendance records, 2020-present 2020 requalification exam

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the licensees training was conducted and documented in accordance with their NRC-approved requalification and training program, and that the license operators requalification training and medical records were maintained.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the operator requalification program was conducted and completed in accordance with the NRC-approved program and that the medical evaluations were completed in accordance with regulatory requirements.

4. Surveillance and Limiting Conditions for Operation

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.05)

The inspector reviewed the following to verify compliance with TS 3.0 and to determine if surveillance tests were performed as required by TS 4.0:

Appendix A Technical Specifications for the North Carolina State University PULSTAR Reactor, dated September 8, 2008 OP 101, "Reactor Startup and Shutdown," dated December 8, 2021 event notification #55747 "Report for Event Number 55747: Technical Specification Violation," dated March 1, 2022 select startup checklists, 2020-present select PULSTAR operating parameters, 2020-present PULSTAR surveillance procedure (PS) 4-1-2:A1, "Control Rod Calibration," dated June 1, 2015 PS 4-1-2:B1, "Control Rod Inspection," dated June 1, 2015 select surveillance records for control rod calibrations, inspections, and drop times, 2020-present nitrogen-16 channel calibration records, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that surveillance tests were completed as required by the TS and LCO verifications were completed on schedule and in accordance with the licensees procedures.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the surveillances were conducted and LCO were maintained in accordance with TS requirements.

5. Emergency Planning

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.10)

The inspector reviewed the following selected portions of the licensees emergency preparedness program to verify compliance with Appendix E, Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities, to 10 CFR Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, and the licensees emergency plan:

"PULSTAR Reactor Emergency Plan," dated March 29, 2017 emergency procedure (EP) 1, dated September 28, 2020 EP 2, dated January 5, 2021 EP 4, dated October 1, 2017 EP 6, dated October 1, 2017 emergency locker inventory forms, 2020-present emergency drill records, 2020-present select emergency preparedness training records, 2020-present select off-site agreements, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the emergency plan training was conducted, drills were performed, emergency response call lists were maintained and posted, and emergency equipment was maintained and available as required by the emergency plan and licensee procedures.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the emergency preparedness program was conducted in accordance with the emergency plan.

6. Maintenance Logs and Records

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.11)

The inspector reviewed the following selected maintenance logs and records to verify compliance with the requirements of TS:

select "PULSTAR reactor log book" entries, 2020-present select maintenance log items, 2020-present PULSTAR reactor annual reports for 2020 and 2021 select primary water inventory records, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the scheduled and unscheduled preventive and corrective maintenance activities were performed and documented in accordance with TS requirements and the licensees administrative procedures.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the maintenance activities were performed and documented in accordance with TS requirements.

7. Fuel Handling Logs and Records

a. Inspection Scope (IP 69001, Section 02.12)

The inspector reviewed the following fuel handling logs and activities to very compliance with TS requirements:

OP 301, "Reactor Fuel Handling," dated November 1, 2014 PULSTAR surveillance procedure (PS) 4-7:B1, "Fuel Inspection," dated June 1, 2015 fuel handling records, 2020-present fuel inspection records, 2020-present

b. Observations and Findings The inspector found that the fuel handling activities were conducted and documented in accordance with TS requirements and the licensees procedural requirements.

c. Conclusion

The inspector determined that the fuel movements and inspections were conducted in accordance with TS and the licensees procedural requirements.

8. Exit Interview The inspection scope and results were summarized on June 23, 2022, with members of licensee management and staff. The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed the inspection results.

PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee Personnel C. Fleming Manager of Engineering and Operations K. Kincaid Chief of Reactor Maintenance G. Wick Reactor Health Physicist A. Hawari Director, Nuclear Reactor Program M. Barber Reactor Operator INSPECTION PROCEDURES USED IP 69001 Class II Non-Power Reactors ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED Opened None Closed None Discussed None Attachment