ML121360526
| ML121360526 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of California-Davis |
| Issue date: | 05/22/2012 |
| From: | Alexander Adams Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| ADAMS A, NRC/NRR/ADRA/DPR/PRTA 415-1127 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML121360548 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML121360526 (5) | |
Text
May 22, 2012 LICENSEE: University of California - Davis FACILITY: McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC)
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF MAY 10, 2012, MEETING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - DAVIS ON RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION On May 10, 2012, a Category 1 public meeting was held between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and representatives of the University of California - Davis (UC Davis, the licensee) at NRC Headquarters, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The meeting announcement and the licensees presentation slides discussed at the meeting are available in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System at Accession No. ML12138A004.
The meeting continued the discussion started between the licensee and NRC staff during a public meeting on November 28, 2011. The licensee discussed expanding their focus on radioisotope research and production using accelerator and reactor technologies. The licensee has established the UC Davis Radioisotope Science Facility (RSF) in a building adjacent to the McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) (115 feet north). Before the McClellan Air Force Base closed, the building was used by the U.S. Air Force for x-ray and neutron radiography of aircraft. The licensee plans to establish radioisotope research and teaching laboratories and facilities for the processing of iodine-125 (I-125) in the RSF.
The licensee has produced I-125 in the past. However, that effort was abandoned due to long-term performance issues with seals in the irradiation facility. The licensee is in the process of developing an improved irradiation target and processing facility. The licensee plans to irradiate enriched xenon-124 (Xe-124) gas targets in the reactor which produces Xe-125 which decays into I-125. It is anticipated that the irradiation will produce approximately 6,000 curies of Xe-125. The target will then be placed in a shielded cask and transferred from the MNRC to the RSF. After a period of decay in the RSF, the I-125 will be recovered. The remaining Xe-124 and Xe-125 will be returned to the MNRC for irradiation. It is anticipated that 20 curies of I-125 will be produced per irradiation. Details of the process and facility design were discussed during the meeting and are shown on the licensees presentation slides.
The licensee discussed submitting a request for amendment of the reactor license to authorize irradiation of the Xe-124 targets in the reactor, the transfer of the targets to the RSF, the processing of the targets to remove the I-125, packaging the I-125 and shipment to other NRC or State licensees. The reactor license contains a condition that allows the licensee to use byproduct material produced by operation of the reactor. The reactor license would need to be amended to add the RSF and area between the buildings to the reactor license. The NRC staff suggested that the licensee review the guidance of NUREG-1537, Guidelines for Preparing and Reviewing Applications for the Licensing of Non-Power Reactors to help determine the scope of the amendment request. In addition to the safety analysis to support the proposed changes to the license and technical specifications, the licensee should consider the impact of their proposed activities on the emergency plan, security plan, decommissioning funding and
indemnity agreement. The NRC staff identified the transfer of targets between buildings as a potential issue. The question of whether a construction permit would be needed to add the RSF to the reactor license was also discussed. A construction permit is needed for a material alteration of a facility. The second construction permits that have been issued to research reactors were for significant modifications to the reactor itself. The licensee will need to explain in its amendment application why its proposal is not a material alteration of the facility.
It was suggested that the licensee arrange a meeting with the NRC staff when they have developed their safety case for the proposed amendment. Staff from the State of California Radiologic Health Branch of the California Department of Health Services participated in the meeting by telephone. The NRC staff will continue to inform the State of California about the status of the licensees proposals to help assure that proper jurisdiction for the licensing of the nuclear materials is observed. Public Meeting Feedback forms were not received. Please direct any inquiries to Al Adams at 301-415-1127 or Alexander.Adams@nrc.gov.
/RA/
Alexander Adams, Jr., Senior Project Manager Research and Test Reactors Licensing Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket 50-607
Enclosure:
List of Attendees
PKG: ML121360548; Notice: ML121140466; Summary: ML121360526; Slides: ML12138A004 NRC-001 Office PRPB:PM PRLB:LA PRLB:BC PRPB:PM Name AAdams GLappert JQuichocho AAdams Date 5/21/12 5/ 17 /12 5/21/12 5/22/12 LIST OF ATTENDEES MEETING BETWEEN NRC STAFF AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - DAVIS RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION MAY 10, 2012 DOCKET 50-607 Nuclear Regulatory Commission A. Adams, NRR/DPR/PRLB L. Tran, NRR/DPR/PRLB M. Voth, NRR/DPR/PRLB S. Uttal, OGC B. Mizuno, OGC M. Muessle, NRR/DPR P. Torres, NRR/DPR/PRLB C. Montgomery, NRR/DPR/PRLB S. Kanwal, NRR/DPR/PROB F. Naseer, NRR/DPE/PROB University of California - Davis B. Klein M. Lagunas-Solar W. Steingass Morgan Lewis J. Accomando D. Silverman State of California - Radiologic Health Branch J. Granger I. Schneider G. Perez J. Fassell S. Hsu H. Alsworth Enclosure
University of California- Davis Docket No. 50-607 cc:
Mr. David Reap, Radiation Safety Officer 5335 Price Avenue, Bldg. 258 McClellan AFB, CA 95652-2504 Mr. Walter Steingass, Reactor Supervisior 5335 Price Avenue, Bldg. 258 McClellan AFB, CA 95652-2504 California Energy Commission 1516 Ninth Street, MS-34 Sacramento, CA 95814 Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611 Radiologic Health Branch State Department of Health Services P.O. Box 9442732, MS 7610 Sacramento, CA 94234-7320