ML20138C560

Responds to 850927 Order to Show Cause Re Possession of Highly Enriched U Onsite.Facility Not Licensed to Possess Highly Enriched U as of 850909 Amend to License R-120. Amend 9 Encl

ML20138C560
Person / Time
Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	10/08/1985
From:	Poulton B North Carolina State University, RALEIGH, NC
To:	NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
References
NUDOCS 8510220462
Download: ML20138C560 (1)

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, North Carolina StateUniversity October 8, 1985  :,7*" **

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I Secretary of the Commission i U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission  ;

Washington, D. C. 20555 3 t

SUBJECT:

Order to Show Cause concerning on-site HEU t Facility No. R-120 Docket No. 50-297 l

Dear Sir:

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i In regards to the ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE issued to our facility on the j 27th of September 1985, concerning possession of HEU on-site, please be advised that the North Carolina State University PULSTAR Facility is  :

presently not licensed to possess HEU. l Specifically, the North Carolina State University Facility R-120 l License was amended on September 9, 1985 to delete authorization to ,

possess HEU. A copy of this Amendment No. 9 to the license is attached  !

for your information. '

If additional information/ clarification is required concerning this  :

, show cause order, please contact Mr. Garry Miller, our Associate I Director of the NCSU PULSTAR Facility, at (919) 737-2321. ,

Sincerely,  !

/wa. .

Bruce R. Poulton  ;

Chancellor l

Attachments: Amendment No. 9 to the NCSU PULSTAR Facility R-120  !

License dated September 9, 1985 cc: Executive Legal Director, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Mr. Robert Carter, Project Manager, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission l Mr. Garry Miller, Associate Director, Nuclear Reactor Program, NCSU l Dr.' Bernard Wehring. Director, Nuclear. Reactor Program, NCSU ,

Dr. Paul Turinsky, Head, Department of Nuclear Engineering, NCSU  !

8510220462 851008 i PDR ADOCK 05000297  :

P PDR L g p. >;0r M --- ootton Sue H. West, Notar P blic  !

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North Carolina Starr University is a land-Grant University and a constuturnt inntstution of The University of North Carohna

k UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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5 suAsHueGTON, D. C. 30866

..... September 9, 1985 ..

Docket No.: 50-297 l

Dr. Bruce R. Poulton, Chancellor l Room A. Holladay Hall l North Carolina State University P. O. Box 7001 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7001

SUBJECT:

AMENDMENT NO. 9 TO OPERATING LICENSE No. R-120, NORTH CAROLINA

! ._ STATE UNIVERSITY l

The Consnission has issued Amendment No. 9 to Facility Operating License No. R-120 for the North Carolina State University PULSTAR research reactor.

The amendment, in response to your submittal dated July 19, 1985, deletes

, from your license the authorization to possess high enriched uranium fuel in connection with operation of your reactor. i According to your letter, you have shipped all high enriched uranium (HEU)

I fuel from your reactor site to Departrient of Energy facilities at Savannah

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River, in Aiken South Carolina. This shipment was accomplished in accordance with applicable transportation and radiation control regulations, and in . i accordance with Operating License No. R-120. Receipt at the Savannah River l Plant was acknowledged in writing, a copy of which was enclosed with your July  ;

19, 1985 letter.  ;

l The shipped fuel was not used in a reactor at any time, so it was unirradiated.  !

l Furthemore, the fuel had been~ retained at your site in acceptable storage '

i facilities.  ;

This' license amendment does not: (1) involve a significant increase in the  !

probability or consequences of an accident previously evaluated; or (2) '

create the possibility of a new or different kind of accident from any l accident previously evaluated; or (3) involve a significant reduction in a  !

margin of safety. Therefore, this amendment does net involve any significant  !

hazards considerations.  !

Because of the above considerations, the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission .

(NRC) staff has concluded that the removal of the HEU fuel from your facility has been accomplished with no significant impact on the environment or the health and safety of the public, and is consistent with current NRC practice  !

to encourage non-power reactor licensees to decrease, to the maximum extent i practicable, their inventory of unirradiated HEU fuel.

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f I_ - - --___ _ _ - . . - - . - - - _ - - - - - . -- . - _ . .

Dr. Bruce R. Poulton .'

I This amendment involves changes in the installation or use of facility components located within the restricted area as defined in 10 CFR. Part 20.

The staff has determined that the amendment involves no significant hazards consideration (as discussed above), there is no significant change in the types or significant increase in the amounts of any effluents that may be released offsite, and there is no significant increase in individual or cumulative occupational radiation exposure. Accordingly, this amendment meets the eligibility criteria for categorical exclusion set forth in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(9). Pursuant to 10 CFR 51.22(b), no environmental impact statenent or environmental assessment need be prepared in' connection with the issuance of this amendment.

The license is amended in paragraph 2.B(2) to reflect the removal of the HEU fuel from your reactor site, and to delete the authorization to possess such fuel. For purposes of clarification we have added the statement about the enrichment of your authorized fuel. This change has been discussed with and concurred in by your staff. A copy of the amendment is enclosed. If you have questions or consnents, please contact R. E. Carter, our Pro.iect Manager for your facility, at (301)a92-9795.

Sincerely.

h .

ecil 0. Thomas, Chief

& q Standardization & Special -

Projects Branch Division of Licensing

Enclosure:

1. Amendment No. 9 cc w/ enclosures:

See next page e

North Carolina State University Docket No. 50-297  !

cc: Office of Intergovernmental Relations '

116 West Jones Street

• Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 Dr. Paul J. Turinsky, Head Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University '

Box 7909 Paleigh, North Carolina 27695-7909 Mr. Garry D. Miller Nuclear Reactor Procram '

Department of Nuclear Engineering North Carolina State University P. O. Box 7909 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7909 O

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NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY j DOCKET NO. 50-297

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AMENDMENT TO FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE .

Amendment No. 9 License No. R-120 i

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1. The Nuclear Regulatory Comission (the Comission) has found that:

A. The application for amendment to Facility Operating 1.icense No.  ;

R-120, filed by North Carolina State University (the licensee),  !

dated July 19, 1985, complies with the standards and requirements i of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's Regulations as set forth in 10 CFR Chapter I:

B. The facility will operate in confomity with the amended license. l the provisions of the Act, and the rules and regulations of the l Comission ,

C. There is reasonable assurance (1) that the activities t.uthorized j by this amendment can be conducted without endangering the health  !

and safety of the public, and (ii) that such activities will be (i conducted in compliance with the Comission's regulations; D. The issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the comon  ;

i defense and security or to the health and safety of the public;.  !

E. The issuance of this amendment is in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51 i of the Comission's regulations and all applicable requirements have i been satisfied; and  !

F. Publication of notice of this amendment is not required since it does  !

not involve a significant hazards consideration nor amendment of a  ;

license of the type described in 10 CFR Section 2.106(a)(2).

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2. Accordingly, the license is amended by changing license condition 2.B(2) to reflect the shipment of the HEU offsite. License No. R-120 is hereby amended to read as follows:

(2) Pursuant to the Act and 10 CFR Part 70, " Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material," to receive, possess, and use in connection with operation of the reactor up to 435 kilograms of uranium enriched to less than 20% and up to 200 grams of plutonium-239 in the form of plutonium-beryllium neutron sources.

This license amendment is effective as of its date of issuance.

FOR THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION C cil 0. Thomas, Chief Standardication & Special Projects Branch Division of Licensing Date c' Issuance: September 9, 1985 i

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EDO PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL FROM: DUE: EDO CONTROL: 001104 DOC DT 10/08/85 BRUCE R. POULTON FINAL REPLY:

NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY TO:

SECRETARY .

FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** OREEN ** SECY NO:

DESC: ROUTING:

RESPONSE TO 9/27/85 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE RE DENTON REDUCTION OF HEU AT NON-POWER REACTORS TAYLOR ORACE DATE: 10/18/85 GCUNNINGHAM/ BURNS ASSIONED TO: NMSS CONTACT: DAVIS -\PDR ._

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION COORDINATE WITH ELD (STEVE BURNS).

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