RCF 21-01, Reactor Critical Facility Cy 2020 Operations Report

Reactor Critical Facility Cy 2020 Operations Report

ML21060B506
Person / Time
Site:	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Issue date:	02/28/2021
From:	Ji W Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
RCF 21-01
Download: ML21060B506 (2)

Text

RCF 21-01 Feb 28, 2021 ATTN: Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-0001 Re: Operations Report for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Reactor Critical Facility, NRC License CX-22, Docket Number 50-225.

To Whom It May Concern:

This document constitutes the calendar year (CY) 2020 Operations Report of the RPI RCF to the USNRC, and to Rensselaer management.

The Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) operated successfully during CY 2020. The facility staff maintained four Senior Reactor Operators. The Operations Supervisor, Mr. Glenn Winters, retired. Dr. Jason Thompson has since been appointed to the position.

A NRC inspection was performed in August 2020. NRC findings and the RPI response have been reported in other correspondence. RPI and the NRC are currently in the process of understanding and addressing an iteming involving the movement of the fences around the RCF denoting the exclusion zone and restricted zone boundaries.

Training and proficiency requirements for all licensed operators have been reviewed and are current. The Technical Specifications, App. A to USNRC License CX-22 require reporting the following operational items:

1. Changes to facility design: No changes to the facility were made during CY2020. The previously mentioned changes to the location of the fences occurred in CY2015.

2. Significant maintenance, repairs or other work performed on RCF systems: None.

3. Changes in operating procedures which relate to the safety of RCF operations: None.

4. Surveillance checks, tests, and calibrations were conducted and logged as required. The results were satisfactory. On September 2nd, 2020 an emergency preparedness drill was conducted at the RCF.

5. Changes, tests or experiments requiring authorization from the USNRC under 10CFR50.59 a or b: None

6. Calculated integrated thermal power: Approximately 6.34 x 10-3 kw-hr for all of 2020.

7. There were no unplanned scrams in the report interval.

8. Maintenance operations were carried out and logged with satisfactory results.

9. There were no discharges of radioactive effluents.

10. Environmental monitor dosimetry is performed at the exclusion area fence (EM1 through EM4), and at the site boundary fence (EM5 and EM6). These results have not been received and RPI will resubmit this report once these results have been received.

11. Facility personnel exposures were all less than 10 mrem (the minimum detectable exposure) for the first three quarters of 2020. Results of the final (fourth) quarter have not been received and RPI will resubmit this report once these results have been received.

Sincerely, Wei Ji Dr. Wei Ji, Facility Director School of Engineering Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cc:

Dr. Shekhar Garde, Dean, School of Engineering Dr. Suvranu De, Head, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering Ms. Annette Chism, Director, Environmental, Health, Safety and Risk Management Dr. Hyun Kang, NSRB Chair Dr. Manish Arha, RPI Radiation Safety Officer Dr. Jason Thompson, Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) Operations Supervisor