ML15112A094

University of Missouri at Columbia - Plan for Audit Related to Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned to Research and Test Reactors

ML15112A094
Person / Time
Site:	University of Missouri-Columbia
Issue date:	06/01/2015
From:	Alexander Adams Research and Test Reactors Branch B
To:	Rhonda Butler Univ of Missouri - Columbia
Sebrosky J M, NRR/JLD, 415-1132
References
Download: ML15112A094 (6)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 Mr. Ralph Butler, Director Research Reactor Center University of Missouri-Columbia Research Park Columbia, MO 65211 June 1, 2015

SUBJECT:

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT COLUMBIA-PLAN FOR AUDIT RELATED TO APPLICABILITY OF FUKUSHIMA LESSONS LEARNED TO RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS

Dear Mr. Butler:

The purpose of this letter is to provide you the details of an audit that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is conducting of your facility to support its evaluation of applicability of Fukushima lessons learned to research and test reactors.

The NRC staff's preliminary assessment for your facility, as well as other research and test reactors, is discussed in a paper dated March 2, 2015, "Draft White Paper Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned to Facilities other than Operating Power Reactors." The draft white paper can be found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML 15042A367.

As discussed in the draft white paper, the NRC staff recognizes that the University of Missouri at Columbia Research Reactor (MURR) is a tank type reactor. Because of its low power, natural convection flow of reactor coolant is sufficient to remove decay heat from the reactor and prevent bulk boiling, even in the event of a loss of all electrical power and active decay heat removal systems. Therefore, there is not a near-term need to replenish the water around the reactor fuel lost by evaporation.

However, the staff is reviewing MURR's ability to address scenarios where extreme external events could possibly result in loss of coolant inventory that could cause inadequate decay heat removal and fuel damage. The enclosure to this document provides the detail of the NRC staff's plan to audit your facility.

At this time the NRC staff does not envision the need to visit your facility but may request documents from you to support the audit. The NRC staff plans to document the result of its audit in an audit report and subsequent staff assessment.

R. Butler Should you have any questions concerning this audit, please contact Mr. Geoffrey Wertz at (301) 415-0893 or by electronic mail at Geoffrey.Wertz@nrc.gov.

Docket No.: 50-186

Enclosure:

Sincerely,

7 Alexander

Adams, Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Audit Plan for University of Missouri at Columbia Research Reactor Associated with Evaluation of Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned cc: See next page R. Butler University of Missouri-Columbia cc: John Ernst, Associate Director Health and Safety Research Reactor Facility 1513 Research Park Drive Columbia, MO 65211 Homeland Security Coordinator Missouri Office of Homeland Security P.O. Box 749 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Planner, Dept. of Health and Senior Services Section for Environmental Public Health 930 Wildwood Drive, P.O. Box 570 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570 Deputy Director for Policy Department of Natural Resources 1101 Riverside Drive Fourth Floor East Jefferson City, MO 65101 A-95 Coordinator Division of Planning Office of Administration P.O. Box 809, State Capitol Building Jefferson City, MO 65101 Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611 Docket No. 50-186 Audit Plan for University of Missouri at Columbia Research Reactor Associated with Evaluation of Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned BACKGROUND AND AUDIT BASIS This audit plan was developed in accordance with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRG) Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) Office Instruction LIC-111, "Regulatory Audits" (ADAMS Accession No. ML082900195) to support the NRG staff's assessment of applicability of Fukushima lessons learned to the 10 Megawatt thermal University of Missouri at Columbia Research Reactor (MURR). The staff identified the need for additional information for three high-power research and test reactors (RTRs) (including the MURR) in a preliminary assessment dated March 2, 2015, "Draft White Paper Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned to Facilities other than Operating Power Reactors." The draft white paper can be found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) at Accession No. ML 15042A367.

In accordance with LIC-111, one of the reasons for performing an audit is to, "establish an understanding of potential concerns to inform future regulatory actions or decisions, such as generic communications." As discussed in the draft white paper, for the three reactors (including MURR), NRG staff will perform additional assessments regarding the reactors' capabilities to prevent or mitigate loss of coolant accidents as a result of beyond-design-basis natural phenomena (e.g., seismic events). For these RTRs, the early loss of reactor coolant can result in failure of the fuel cladding and subsequent radiological release unless reactor coolant makeup can be provided from installed facility equipment or from portable external sources. MURR is a tank type reactor. Because of its low power, natural convection flow of reactor coolant is sufficient to remove decay heat from this reactor and prevent bulk boiling, even in the event of a loss of all electrical power and active decay heat removal systems. Therefore, there is not a near-term need to replenish the water around the reactor fuel lost by evaporation.

However, if the initiating external event also causes (or occurs concurrently with) the failure of the core tank and the loss of the reactor pool integrity, then the resulting loss of coolant inventory could result in inadequate decay heat removal and fuel damage. AUDIT SCOPE The audit scope for MURR is to collect additional information regarding the seismic capabilities of the reactor to assess the level of margin inherent in the design to withstand a beyond design basis earthquake and to preclude a seismically-induced loss-of-coolant-accident (LOCA) from a beyond-design-basis earthquake.

The staff will also collect additional information regarding the capabilities of this reactor to prevent or mitigate LOCAs as a result of other beyond-design-basis natural phenomena (e.g., tornado born missiles).

Enclosure NRC AUDIT TEAM Title Team Member Team Lead John Adams Japan Lessons-Learned Division (JLD) Project Joe Sebrosky Manaqer Seismic Technical Support Yong Li Structural Technical Support Amitava Ghosh JLD Mitigating Strategies Technical Support On Yee (as required)

RTR Technical Support Michael Balazik RTR Project Manaqer Geoff Wertz LOGISTICS For MURR, the staff believes that a desk audit of calculations, licensing material regarding the design of the reactor, and drawings will be able to address the staff information needs. DELIVERABLES An audit report or summary will be issued by December 31, 2015, to document the results of the audit. The staff intends to use the audit report to support a safety assessment for the three RTRs by first quarter calendar year 2016. INFORMATION NEEDS Seismic Review For MURR, the RTR staff will work with the licensee to obtain applicable licensee seismic calculations.

Once the NRR RTR staff obtains these calculations they will be provided to the NRR seismic and structural reviewer.

Once the review of these calculations is completed, these calculations will be either destroyed or returned to the licensee.

Additional information needs maybe identified based on the review of these calculations.

Structural Review The NRR RTR staff will obtain the necessary drawings and information to allow the NRR structural staff and JLD mitigating strategies staff to determine if other natural hazards (e.g., tornado born missile) have the capability to cause a LOCA and if so the staff will assess the mitigation capabilities that MURR might be able to employ. References MURR Safety Analysis Report R. Butler Should you have any questions concerning this audit, please contact Mr. Geoffrey Wertz at (301) 415-0893 or by electronic mail at Geoffrey.Wertz@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, IRA/ Alexander Adams, Jr., Chief Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No.: 50-186

Enclosure:

Audit Plan for University of Missouri at Columbia Research Reactor Associated with Evaluation of Applicability of Fukushima Lessons Learned cc: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

NONPUBLIC JPSB R/F RidsNrrLASLent Resource JSebrosky JAdams TGovan MShams SBailey ADAMS Accession No. ML15112A094 OFFICE NRR/JLD/JPSB/PM NRR/JLD/LA NAME JSebrosky Slent DATE 04/23/15 04/23/15 OFFICE NRR/DPR/PRLB/PM*

NRR/JLD/JCBB/BC NAME GWertz SBailey DATE 05/13/15 05/13/15 Tlupold YU AG hash YChen GWertz. AAdams OYee NRR/JLD/JPSB/BC GBowman 04/23/15 NRR/DE/EMCB/BC Yli for Tlupold 05/27/15 OFFICIAL AGENCY RECORD *via email NRR/DPR JAdams 05/07/15 NRR/DPR/PRLB/BC AAdams 06/01/15