ML20128G990
| ML20128G990 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oregon State University |
| Issue date: | 02/01/1993 |
| From: | Andrea Johnson OHIO STATE UNIV., COLUMBUS, OH |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9302160213 | |
| Download: ML20128G990 (6) | |
Text
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F' IMDLM10N CONIER OREGON STATE UxivtaslTv Radiation Ccnter A100 corvallis, Oregno 97331 5903 Telephone 503 737 2Mi Fan 503 737 0480 February 1,1993 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555
Reference:
Oregon State University TRIGA Seactor (OSTR),
Docket No. 50-243 License No. R-106
Subject:
Operation in Violation of a Limiting Condition for Operation Gentlemen:
On Janusey 25,1993, A. G. Johnson, Director of the OSU Radiation Center, telephoned Mr. Al Adams, OSTR Project Manager at U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) headquarters, and Mr. Robert Pato of the 'JRC's Region V office to notify them that a surveillance item required by section 4.3.1.e under Limiting Conditions for Operations in the OSTR Ted nical bgecifications had been performed late. This letter constitutes the required tW,w-up wrLten report.
B ACKQRQ_UND INFORM ATION A brief review of the processes used by the OSTR reactor operations staff to manage surveillance and maintenance (S&M) items will help in understanding this event, its causes, and the corrective actions. All S&M items, including those required by the Technical Specifications, are listed in one of four tables according to their performance frequency (i.e., monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual). A copy of the semi-ennual S&M record sheet is attached for reference. There are three columns of dates associated with each S&M item: the target date, tho *2te not to be exceeded, and the date the item was completed. It is the aim of the reactor operations staff to complete each S&M item close to the specified target -
date. Target dates are carried over from one S&M record sheet to the next by adding the appropriate time interval. For exemple, in the case of semi-annual S&M items, the target dates are kept about six months apart in order to maintain the desired frequency and avoid the creep in dates which can occur if items are performed a few days after the target date and the actus! performance date is used to establish the next target date. The date not to be exceeded in the table is the date obtained by adding the maximum time intenial allowance (in this case 7 and one-half months) to the date when the item was last completed. The operations staff, therefore, plans to perform each S&M item on or about the target date, but in Q 0' .
100043 9302160213 930201 DR ADOCK-0500
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s USNRC February 1,- 1993 every case always before the date not to be exceeded. With this methodology, S&M ltems are performed at the required frequency, without having creep in the target dates, and in a manner that allows needed flexibility in reactor operation.
This system has been developed over several years and has thus far worked very well.
DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE AND CAUSES Technical Specification 4.3.1.e requires that "The reactor shall be pulsed semi-annually (iriterval not to exceed seven and one-half months) to compare fuel temperature measurements and peak power levels with those of previous pulses of the same reactivity value." On the semi annual S&M sheet for the period July 1 through Deco'nber 31,1992, the target date for the semi-annual pulse was July 8, 1992, and the date not to be excseded was September 24,1992. Because the reactor is not pulsed very frequently, the reactor operations staff decided to take advantage of a pulse performed on June 1,1992 and used it to fulfill the Techwal Specification S&M requirement for a semi-annual pulse. Hence, the entry for the date completed was June 1,199.2. This was approximately five weeks before the target date.
The reactor operations staff routinely prepares the next S&M record sheet near the beginning of the time interval that the sheet covers. However, they did not prepare the semi annual record sheet for the first half of 1993 until near the end of the work day on Fridey, January 22,1993. At this time it was recognized that the new date not to be exceeded for the semi annual pulse during the first six -
months of 1993 had in fact passed. Due to the early corr % tion of the previous semi-annual pulse, the next date not to be exceeded became January 16,1993 (7 and one-half months after June 1,1992). When the new target date was entered on the current S&M sheet as January l2,1993 (six months af ter the previous target date of July 8,1992), and a new date not to be exceeded was calculated based on the last semi-annual pulse, the iailure to perform the pulse on time became apparent. The required pulse was performed on January 25,1993, nine calendar days and four wcrking days past the allowed interval.
The primary cause of this event stems from the fact that the action dates for the new semi-annual S&M record sheet were not filled in until late in the month.
An auxiliary cause was the early completion of the previous semi-annual pulse.
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS The Reactor Administrator, Dr. Briar. Dodd, was notified of the missed date at 7:50 am Monday, January 25,1993. He investigated the situation and reported it to the Radiation Center Director as soon as he entered wo:k that morning. The reactor operations staff was instructed not to resume reactor operation until 4
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l' USNRC February 1,1993 authorized by the Reactor Administrator. The Chairman of tne Reactor Operations Committee (ROC) was immediately notified upon entry to work'and an ROC meeting was held at 10:30 a.m. The ROC was bri? fed on the situation and then discussed causes, and corrective and preventive actions.
Upon approval of reactor restart by the ROC, the corrective action consisted of performing the required pulse af ter lunch on January 25,1993. All pulse parameters were normal compared to previous similar pulses.
MEASURES TO PREVENT REOCCURRENCE OF SUCH AN EVENT lt was decided that one preventive action, to be implemented immediately, would be sufficient to preclude reoccurrence of this event. In the future, instead of waiting for the beginning of the next time interva? to entar all the new action dates on the new S&M record sheets, the reactor operations staff will enter the next target date and the next date not to be exceeded on the new S&M record sheet as soon as an S&M item has been completed, in this manner, each S&M item will always have the correct date not to be exceeded written down. A longer term corrective action which will be investigated will be to computerize the S&M date tracking system to provide timely reminders to the operations staff.
CONCLUSIONS Although there were no radiological or reactor safety factors associated with the event described in this report, the OSTR staff regrets that such an event occurred. Our reactor program continues to operate under a policy where safety and complianco with regulatory requirements are of the utmost importance, and support from the University's administration makes it clear that they fully underwrite this mode of operation. In conclusion, we would like to make the following points:
- 1. The OSTR system for tracking S&M items has been operating successfully for many years, and an unusual set of circumstances led to the semi-annual pulse being performed late.
- 2. The missed item was performe1 only four working days late.- it was quickly recognized, and timely notifications and corrective actions have been implemented.
- 3. Data collected from required semi-annual pulses in a program that is not otherwise pulsing can be obtained in a more appropriate and timely manner,if and when operational pulsing is required, in keeping with this, the OSTR staff is considering proposing a change to the affected Technical Specification which would require that a test pulse be
W USNRC February 1,1993 performed prior to routine operational pulsing when a six month or more non-pulsing interval has occurred, rather than performing a routine semi-annual pulse. This type of change would establish a requirement which is more consistent with ANS/ ANSI Standard 15.1 which states that
" Surveillance tests, (except those specifically required for safety when the reactor is shutdown) may be deferred during reactor shutdown; however, they must be completed prior to reactor startup." Alt;.ough the OSTR itself was not shutdown, the pulse mode was not being routinely used and certainly could be regarded as inactive (or shutdown).
We hope you find this report responsive to the NRC's requirements. Should there be questions regarding the information in this report or should you require more inforroation, please let me know. It is our intent that this report be as complete and helpful as possible.
Yours sincerely, b i N
A. G. h on Director agBddinrc\rol-25 93 cc: Standardization and Non-Power Reactor Project Directorate, Division of Reactor Prcjects lil, IV, V and Special Projects, Office of Nuclear Reactor Projects, Washington, D. C. 20555 ATTN: Mr. Al Adams Regional Administrator, USNRC, Region V USNRC, Region V. ATTN: Mr. Leroy Norderhaug USNRC, Region V, ATTN: Mr. Phil Qualls Orepon Department of Energy, Salem, Oregon, ATTN: Mr. D. Stewart-Smith Pre'. S. E. Binney, Chairman, Reactor Operations Committee Prof. B. Dodd, Reactor Administrator Prof. J. F. Higginbotham, Senior Health Physicist T. V. Anderson, Reactor Supervisor A. D. Hall, Reactor Operator
. 4 OSTROP 15 S5MI-ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE ANEr MAINTENANCE FC.?
DATE f40T TO DATE REMARKS &
AS FOUND TARGET DATE BE EXCEEDED *
- COMPLETED INTTIALS i SURVEILLSNCE & MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED UMITS No wiTHORAW al
'*1 FUNCTIONAL CHECKS CF a) NEUTRON SOURCE COUNT RATE INTERLOCK 2 5 cps a2 ---
j REACTOR b b) TRANSIENT ROD A!R INTERLOCK NO PULSE INTERLOCKS c) PULSE PROHIBIT ABOVE 1 kW 21kW c d) TWO ROD WITH0RAWAL PROHIBlT 1 only d NO MOVEMENT e e) PULSE MODE ROD MOVEMEfJT INTERLOCK J f) MAXIMUM PULSE REACTMTV INSERTION LfMIT s 52.50 f g) PULSE INTERLOCK ON RANGE SWITCH NO PULSE g
'l
- 2 SAFETY C RCUIT PERIOD SCRAM 23 sec
! TEST
'3 CONTROL TRANS SAFE SHIM REG ROD WITH-DRAWAL, a) SCRAM s2 sec a b) WITHDRAWAL s50 sec b RA
~ MES c) INSERTION s50 sec c l
- 4 PULSE COMPARISON (PREVIOUS PULSE): PULSE # M SE8
$ s20 % ,
MW CHANGE uw
'C -c .i m RCOR _
D M ERSCWSE
, *5 REACTOR BAY VENTILATION SYSTEM SHUTDOWN TEST m s steewos isi:tooM __.
'6 CAllBRATION OF T ;E FUEL ELEMENT TEMPERATURE CHANNEL 12*C REPORTS DONE/ APRIL 15 APRit 30 g *7 MATERIALS BALANCE REPORT / FUEL MANAGEMENT OCTOBER 15 OCTOBER 30
- EVEN BUIL*JUP 3-IN-1 or CLEANED
' '8 CLEANING 's t.UBRICATION OF TRANSIENT RCD CARRIER INTERNAL 0v4 Ort OrtED l BARREL 3-IN 1 er votV ECM
'9 LUBRICATION OF BALL-NUT DRIVE ON TRANSIENT ROD CARRIER C*to c uN Ott 10 LUBRICATION OF THE ROTATING RACK BEAR!NGS 3 10 W OfL OILED OSTROP 15.11 11 CONSOLE CHECK UST (OSTROP 15.11) 12 CONSTANT A!R MONITOR RECORDER MAINTENANCE
- License Requirements. Rev. I1/92
- Date not to be exceeded is only apphcabie to marked (*) items, it is equal to the date last time plus 7% months.
L
(.OSTROP 15 (continued) . SEMI-ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE AND MAINTENANCE FOR DATE NOT TO DATE REMARKS &. l - ~
SURVEILLANCr
- MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED LIMITS AS FOUND TARGET DATE BE EXCEEDED" COMPLETED INITIALS '
13 __
14 STANDARD CONTROL RCD MOTOR CHECKS O! LED _ _
15- FLUKE FUEL TEMPERATURE INSTRUMENT "D" C. ELL CHECK TEST DOC; Tion READ > BOO'C 16 ION CHAMBER RESiSTANCF A. SAFETY CHANNEL NONE' MEASUPEMENTS WITH MEGGAR (Info Only)
INDUCED VOLTAGE -
B. % POWER CHANNEL NONE (info Only) .
17 FISSION CHAMBER PESISTANCE @ 100 V. I= AMPS NONE CALCULATION @ 900 v. 1= AMPS (Info Only)
Al = AMPS R = 800V R= 0 at 18 FUNCTIONAL CHECK OF HOLDUP TANK WATER LEVEL ALARMS OSTROP 15.10 HiGH FULL GREEK LIGHT l
, 7.
Ucense Rem 4ements.
Date not 1 exceeded is only applicaole to marked (*) items. It is equal to the c 'ast time plus 7 % months. Rev. ff/SR'-
.- , - . . .