ML25078A031
| ML25078A031 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | National Bureau of Standards Reactor |
| Issue date: | 03/21/2025 |
| From: | Hudson J NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPL |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML25078A033 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML25078A031 (5) | |
Text
LICENSEE:
NIST CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH FACILITY:
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS REACTOR
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MARCH 6, 2025, MEETING WITH NIST CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH On March 6, 2025, an Observation public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research. The meeting was conducted virtually to discuss the proposed license amendment which would designate the National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR) a research reactor. The meeting notice and agenda, dated February 13, 2025, are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System at Accession No. ML25044A125. A list of meeting attendees is provided in enclosure 1 of this summary.
During the meeting, the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) presented how the NBSR currently meets the new definition of a research reactor. The presentation is provided in enclosure 2 of this summary. In this presentation, the NCNR showed their dose consequence from the maximum hypothetical accident (MHA) which would result in 6 millirem to a member of the public at the site boundary, which is less than the 1 roentgen equivalent man (REM) criterion of Section 50.34(a)(1)(i) of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR).
After the presentation, the NRC staff discussed several different topics and information to consider for this license amendment. The NRC staffs talking points are below:
NCNR should consider if changes to the technical specifications are necessary, such as administrative changes that refer to the NBSR as a testing facility.
The application should address both parts of the definition of a testing facility: (1)
Analyzed accident radiation doses are in excess of the dose criterion for facilities not subject to 10 CFR part 100 set forth in § 50.34(a)(1)(i); and (2) the Commission determines that the design, operation, or use and the associated risk warrant classification as a testing facility.
When the NCNR submits the license amendment request, it should include any updated information from the safety analysis report that was used in the analysis.
The NCNR should assess if any structure, system, or component, including engineered safety features, that could be out of service would affect the dose consequence at the site boundary.
If the NRC does approve this amendment, the NCNR will still have to pay fees due to the definitions of research reactor under 10 CFR 170.11, Exemptions and 10 CFR 171.11, Exemptions.
March 21, 2025 The NCNR should include an assessment of its approved plans, such as: the emergency plan, security plan, etc., to show possible impacts from the reclassification.
The NRC staff also stated that this licensing action could be reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.
The NCNR staff were appreciative of the discussion with the NRC staff. The NCNR staff stated they would most likely request an additional preapplication meeting prior to the submittal of the license amendment request.
After the business portion of the meeting, members of the public were invited to communicate with the NRC staff. A member of the public asked why the NCNR would still need to pay fees after it converts to a research reactor from a testing facility. The NRC staff answered this question by describing how the recent NPUF rule did not change the fee collection regulations in 10 CFR Parts 170 and 171. The NRC staff also added that the regulations controlling the fees are still tied to the previous definition of research reactor, which is based on reactor power, and that those regulations were directly linked to U.S. statute. To change the definitions in 10 CFR 170 and 171 would require Congress to amend the law.
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 PM Eastern Time.
Please direct any inquires to me at (301) 287-0538, or by email at Justin.Hudson@nrc.gov.
Justin Hudson, 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. 50-184 License No. TR-5
Enclosure:
As stated cc w/enclosures: GovDelivery Subscribers Signed by Hudson, Justin on 03/21/25
Package: ML25078A033 Meeting Summary: ML25078A031 Presentation: ML25078A032 NRC-001 OFFICE NRR/DANU/PM NRR/DANU/PM NRR/DANU/BC NRR/DANU/PM NAME JHudson DHardesty EHelvenston JHudson DATE 03/19/2025 03/19/2025 03/21/2025 03/21/2025 LIST OF ATTENDEES MARCH 6, 2025, MEETING WITH NIST CENTER FOR NEUTRON RESEARCH 3:00 PM - 3:50 PM Name Organization Justin Hudson U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Linh Tran U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Duane Hardesty U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Holly Cruz U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Brian Lin U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tim Barvitskie U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Tony Brown U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Andrew Miller U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mitchell Hoskins U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Brooke Gallagher U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Linh Tran U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission James Adams NIST Center for Neutron Research Steven Dewey NIST Center for Neutron Research Thomas Newton NIST Center for Neutron Research Andrea Szakal NIST Center for Neutron Research Andrew Gahan NIST Center for Neutron Research Frances Pimentel Nuclear Energy Institute Les Foyto Public Timothy Grunloh Public Drew Peebles Public