ML16351A502

to the November 21, 2016 License Amendment Request for the Approval of the Unrestricted Release of the Zachry Engineering Center and Changes to the AGN-201M Facility License No. R-23, Docket 50-59, License and Technical Specifications

ML16351A502
Person / Time
Site:	Texas A&M University
Issue date:	12/16/2016
From:	Mcdeavitt S Texas A&M Univ
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
2016-0061
Download: ML16351A502 (6)

Text

NUCLEAR SCIENCE CENTER Dr. Sean M. McDeavitt Director, TEES Nuclear Science Center Texas A&M University Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station 1095 Nuclear Science Road, 3575 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3575 December 16, 2016 2016-0061 Docket Number 50-59 / License No. R-23 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Ref: 10 CFR 50.90

SUBJECT:

Supplement 1 to the November 21, 2016 License Amendment Request for the Approval of the Unrestricted Release of the Zachry Engineering Center and Changes to the AGN-201M Facility License No. R-23, Docket 50-59, License and Technical Specifications. REVISION OF TS PAGES Attn: Mr. Alexander Adams Jr., Chief, Research and Test Reactors Branch Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Mr. Patrick M. Boyle, Project Manager, Research and Test Reactors Branch Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation In a previous letter dated November 21, 2016, Texas A&M University (TAMU) submitted a license amendment request (LAR) to Operating License No. R-23, Docket 50-59 seeking U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) approval for the unrestricted release of the Zachry Engineering Center on the TAMU campus. The Zachry Engineering Center is a currently-licensed location for the AGN-201M reactor. The approval of this LAR will result in the removal of the Zachry site from the R-23 license.

In the LAR, it was proposed to remove all reference to the Emergency Plan in the AGN-201M Technical Specifications (TSs). Based on subsequent evaluation, TAMU has made the decision to maintain the AGN-201M Emergency Plan while the AGN-201M special nuclear material (SNM),

reactor, and associated components are in storage at the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Nuclear Science Center (NSC) TRIGA reactor facility. TAMU has made changes to the AGN-201M Emergency Plan in accordance with 10 CFR 50.54(q) to reflect the relocation of the AGN-201M special nuclear material (SNM), reactor, and associated components. Enclosure 1 contains the revised TS pages.

In addition, TEES has reviewed the NSC Emergency Plan and finds that the proposed changes to allow TEES to receive, possess, but not use the AGN-201M fuel, SNM, and reactor components do not result in reducing the capability to perform an emergency planning function in the event of a radiological emergency, in accordance with 10 CFR 50.54 (q).

Nuclear Science Center 1095 Nuclear Science Road, 3575 TAMU 1 College Station, TX 77843-3575 Tel. (979) 845-7551

NUCLEAR SCIENCE CENTER Should you have any questions regarding the LAR, please contact me or Mr. Jerry Newhouse at (979) 845-7551 or via email at mcdeavitt@tamu.edu or newhouse@tamu.edu.

Oath of Affirmation I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Sincerely, Sean M. McDeavitt, PhD Director, TEES Nuclear Science Center Submitted with Level 2 Delegate Authorization from Dr. Yassin Hassan in letter dated February 8, 2016 (ADAMS Accession No. ML16043A048) : Technical Specification Pages 20 and 21 CC: next page Nuclear Science Center 1095 Nuclear Science Road, 3575 TAMU 2 College Station, TX 77843-3575 Tel. (979) 845-7551

NUCLEAR SCIENCE CENTER cc:

William Dean, Office Director United States Nuclear Reactor Commission Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Michael Young, President Texas A&M University 1246 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-1246 Dr. M. Katherine Banks, Vice Chancellor and Dean Dwight Look College of Engineering 3126 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3126 Dr. Yassin Hassan, Department Head, Nuclear Engineering Texas A&M University Nuclear Engineering Department 3133 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3133 Dr. John Hardy Reactor Safety Board Chairman Texas A&M University 3255 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3255 Dr. Latha Vasudevan Radiological Safety Officer, Texas A&M University Environmental Health and Safety 1111 Research Parkway College Station, TX 77843-4472 Jerry Newhouse NSC Assistant Director Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station 3575 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3575 Scott Miller NSC Manager of Reactor Operations Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station 3575 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3575 Jeremy Osborn AGN-201M Reactor Supervisor Texas A&M University Nuclear Engineering Department 3133 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-3133 Nuclear Science Center 1095 Nuclear Science Road, 3575 TAMU 3 College Station, TX 77843-3575 Tel. (979) 845-7551

ENCLOSURE 1 TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY FACILITY LICENSE R-23, DOCKET NO. 50-59 AMENDED OPERATING LICENSE AGN-201M REACTOR PROPOSED PAGES TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION PAGES 20 AND 21

c. Proposed tests or experiments which are significantly different from previous approved tests or experiments, or those that involve an unreviewed safety question as defined in 10 CFR 50 paragraph 50.59.

d. Proposed changes in Technical Specifications or licenses.

e. Violations of applicable statues, codes, regulations, orders, Technical Specifications, license requirements, or of internal procedures or instructions having nuclear safety significance.

f. Significant operating abnormalities or deviations from normal and expected performance of facility equipment that affect nuclear safety.

g. Reportable occurrences.

h. Audit reports.

6.4.3 Audits Audits of facility activities shall be performed at least quarterly under the cognizance of the Reactor Safety Board but in no case by the personnel responsible for the item audited. These audits shall examine the operating records and encompass but shall not be limited to the following:

a. The conformance of the facility operation to the Technical Specifications and applicable license conditions, at least annually.

b. The Facility Emergency Plan and implementing procedures, at least every two years.

c. DELETED 6.4.4 Authority The Reactor Safety Board shall report to the President and shall advise the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering on those areas of responsibility outlined in section 6.1.6 of these Technical Specifications.

6.4.5 Minutes of the Reactor Safety Board The Chairman of the Reactor Safety Board shall direct the preparation, maintenance, and distribution of minutes of its activities. These minutes shall include a summary of all meetings, actions taken, audits, and reviews.

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6.5 Approvals The procedure for obtaining approval for any change, modification, or procedure which requires approval of the Reactor Safety Board shall be as follows:

a. The Reactor Supervisor shall prepare the proposal for review and approval by the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering.

b. The Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering shall submit the proposal to the Chairman of the Reactor Safety Board.

c. The Chairman of the Reactor Safety Board shall submit the proposal to the Reactor Safety Board members for review and comment.

d. The Reactor Safety Board can approve the proposal by majority vote.

6.6 Procedures There shall be written procedures that cover the following activities:

a. Startup, operation, and shutdown of the reactor.

b. Fuel movement and changes to the core and experiments that could affect reactivity.

c. Conduct of irradiation and experiments that could affect the operation or safety of the reactor.

d. Preventative or corrective maintenance which could affect the safety of the reactor.

e. Surveillance, testing, and calibration of instruments, components, and systems as specified in section 4.0 of these Technical Specifications.

f. Implementation of the [DELETED] Emergency Plan.

The above listed procedures shall be approved by the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and the Reactor Safety Board. Temporary procedures which do not change the intent of previously approved procedures and which do not involve any unreviewed safety question may be employed on approval by the Reactor Supervisor.

6.7 Experiments

a. Prior to initiating any new reactor experiment and experiment procedures shall be prepared by the Reactor Supervisor and reviewed and approved by the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and the Reactor Safety Board

b. Approved experiments shall only be performed under the cognizance of the Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering and the Reactor Supervisor.

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