Letter Sequence Other |
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EPID:L-2021-LLN-0000, Us Dept. of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Supplement to October 1, 2021 Report and Restart Request (Open) |
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Category:Letter
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2024-09-25
[Table view] |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Dr. Robert Dimeo, Director National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST Center for Neutron Research U.S. Department of Commerce 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 6100 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-6100
SUBJECT:
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY -
AUTHORIZATION TO RESTART FOLLOWING EXCEEDANCE OF THE SAFETY LIMIT (EPID L-2021-LLN-0000)
Dear Dr. Dimeo:
This letter is to inform you that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) staff is authorizing the restart of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, the licensee) National Bureau of Standards test reactor (NBSR, the facility) in response to your restart request dated October 1, 2021, as supplemented. The Maryland State official was notified of the pending restart determination on February 24, 2023. The State official did not provide any comments (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML23058A060).
On February 3, 2021, during a startup and approach to full power, the NBSR experienced conditions that resulted in an exceedance of its safety limit. The NRC regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 50.36, Technical specifications, paragraph (c)(1)(i)(A) state, in part: If any safety limit is exceeded, the reactor must be shut down. The licensee shall notify the Commission, review the matter, and record the results of the review, including the cause of the condition and the basis for corrective action taken to preclude recurrence. Operation must not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. NBSR technical specification (TS) 6.6.1, Actions to Be Taken in the Event the Safety Limit is Exceeded, also states, in part, that [t]he reactor shall be shutdown and reactor operations shall not be resumed until authorized by the NRC, and that the licensee shall make reports to the NRC that shall include an analysis of the causes and extent of possible resultant damage, efficacy of corrective action, and recommendations for measures to prevent or reduce the probability of recurrence. Because the February 3, 2021, event resulted in the NBSR exceeding its safety limit, the NBSR was required by regulation and TS to be shut down and facility operation could not be resumed until authorized by the Commission. The licensee was required to provide to the NRC an evaluation of the event, its causes and impacts, and the basis for corrective actions taken to preclude recurrence of the event.
By letter dated October 1, 2021, as supplemented by letters dated October 21, 2021, and December 3, 2021, NIST submitted to the NRC a restart request for the NBSR including an evaluation of the February 3, 2021, event, the events root causes, and corrective actions to preclude recurrence. NIST provided further supplements by letters dated June 29, 2022, March 9, 2023 August 15, 2022, and November 17, 2022, discussing the completion of actions necessary to support restart.
The enclosed technical evaluation report (TER) documents the NRC staffs review of the February 3, 2021, event and the licensees subsequent corrective actions and outlines the basis for the NRCs authorization to restart the NBSR. The NRC staff conducted a detailed technical review of the impacts of the event on the NBSR structures, systems, and components to ensure that there is no functional damage to preclude safe operation of the facility. The NRC staff also evaluated NISTs procedures and practices to ensure that they provide reasonable assurance that the reactor will be operated consistent with its license and the NRCs regulations.
Furthermore, the NRC staff and NIST agreed to a series of additional corrective actions in response to the violations identified in relation to the event. These actions are memorialized in a confirmatory order dated August 1, 2021, and the NRC continues to provide enhanced oversight of the facility. The TER documents the NRC staffs review in each of these areas, along with other factors considered in the restart decision.
Based on its review documented in the TER, the NRC staff has determined that the results of the licensees review regarding the cause of the February 3, 2021, event and the basis for corrective action taken or committed to be taken to preclude recurrence of the exceedance of the safety limit, demonstrate that restart would be in accordance with the facilitys license and NRC regulations. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the resumption of operation of the NBSR will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public and, accordingly, authorizes the restart of the NBSR, effective immediately.
If you have any questions, please contact Patrick Boyle, Project Manager, at (301) 415-3936 or by email to Patrick.Boyle@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Andrea Veil, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.: 50-184 License No.: TR-5
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/enclosure: See next page Signed by Veil, Andrea on 03/09/23
R. Dimeo
National Institute of Standards and Technology Docket No. 50-184
cc:
Environmental Program Manager III Radiological Health Program Air & Radiation Management Adm.
Maryland Dept of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd, Suite 750 Baltimore, MD 21230-1724
Director, Department of State Planning 301 West Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201
Director, Air and Radiation Management Adm.
Maryland Dept of the Environment 1800 Washington Blvd, Suite 710 Baltimore, MD 21230-1724
Director, Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Siting Program Energy and Coastal Zone Administration Tawes State Office Building Annapolis, MD 21401
President Montgomery County Council 100 Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850
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
Dr. Thomas H. Newton, Deputy Director National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST Center for Neutron Research U.S. Department of Commerce 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 6100 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-6100
Package ML: ML23040A342 Letter ML: ML23040A337 Enclosure ML: ML23040A340 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPL/PM NRR/DANU/UNPL/LA NRR/DANU/UNPO/BC NRR/DSS/SFNB/BC NAME PBoyle NParker TTate SKrepel DATE 2/14/2023 2/16/2023 2/17/2023 2/23/2023 OFFICE NRR/DEX/EMIB/BC NRR/DRA/ARCB/BC NRR/DNRL/NVIB/BC NRR/DANU/UNPL/BC NAME SBailey KHsueh DWidrevitz JBorromeo DATE 2/24/2023 2/27/2023 3/2/2023 3/7/2023 OFFICE NRR/DANU/D OGC NRR/D NAME MShams JWachutka AVeil DATE 3/7/2023 2/24/2023 3/9/2023