IR 05000123/2026201
| ML26026A219 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Missouri-Rolla |
| Issue date: | 01/27/2026 |
| From: | Tony Brown NRC/NRR/DANU/UNPO |
| To: | Taber E Curators of the University of Missouri |
| References | |
| IR 2026201 | |
| Download: ML26026A219 (0) | |
Text
SUBJECT:
BOARD OF CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT NO. 05000123/2026201
Dear Mr. Taber:
From January 12-15, 2026, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff conducted a safety inspection at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Research Reactor facility. The inspection results were discussed with members of your staff on January 15, 2026.
The enclosed report documents the inspection results.
The inspection examined activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulations and with the conditions of your license.
The inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed various activities, and interviewed personnel. Based on the results of this inspection, no findings of significance were identified. No response to this letter is required.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 2.390, Public inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter, its enclosure, and your response (if any) will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs document system (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS)). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Public Electronic Reading Room).
January 27, 2026 Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Jared Nadel at (301) 415-2157, or via email at Jared.Nadel@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Tony Brown, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-123 License No. R-79 Enclosure:
As stated cc w/enclosure: GovDelivery Subscribers Signed by Brown, Tony on 01/27/26
ML26026A219 NRC-002 OFFICE NRR/DANU/UNPO NRR/DANU/UNPO/LA NRR/DANU/UNPO/BC NAME JNadel NParker TBrown DATE 1/26/2026 1/27/2026 1/27/2026
Enclosure U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION Docket No.:
50-123 License No.:
R-79 Report No.:
05000123/2026201 Licensee:
Board of Curators of the University of Missouri Facility:
Missouri University of Science and Technology Research Reactor Location:
Rolla, MO Dates:
January 12 - 15, 2026 Inspector:
Jared Nadel, Reactor Inspector (RTR)
Approved by:
Tony Brown, Chief Non-Power Production and Utilization Facility Oversight Branch Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUMMARY The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees performance by conducting an inspection at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Research Reactor (MSTR), in accordance with the research and test reactor inspection program.
This is the NRCs program for overseeing the safe operation of licensed research and test reactors. Refer to https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/non-power.html for more information.
List of Violations No violations of more than minor significance were identified.
Additional Tracking Items None.
REPORT DETAILS Facility Status The MSTR was operated in support of training, facility tours, experiments, and maintenance since the last routine inspection. During this inspection the reactor was started up, operated, and shutdown to support these ongoing activities.
Inspection Scopes Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with their attached revision histories are located on the public website at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html.
Inspections were declared complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter 2545, Research and Test Reactor Inspection Program. The inspector reviewed selected procedures and records, observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.
69001 - Class II Research and Test Reactors This inspection included a review of selected aspects of the research and test reactor, since the last inspection, to verify activities were conducted safely and in accordance with regulatory requirements and licensee commitments.
Organization and Staffing (IP Section 02.01)
This inspection included a review of the licensees organizational changes and shift staffing records to verify compliance with technical specification (TS) requirements and licensee commitments. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
MSTR Facility Operating License No. R-79, Docket No. 50-123, date of issuance:
March 30, 2009
radiation center organizational chart
reactor facility personnel list in the control room
MSTR annual progress reports for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025
radiation safety committee (RSC) members list, fiscal year (FY) 2023, FY 2024, FY 2025, FY 2026
selected reactor operations console logbook entries from 2023-present
MSTR external audits for 2023 and 2024
MSTR TS
Procedures (IP Section 02.03)
This inspection included a review of selected licensee procedures to verify: administrative controls were in accordance with the TSs, license requirements, and licensee commitments; the procedures in use were current and reviewed and approved, procedures could be implemented as intended; and reactor personnel were observing administrative controls and TS requirements relative to procedural adherence. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
standard operating procedure (SOP) 100, Preamble, dated February 20, 2019
SOP 101, General Operational Procedures, dated January 28, 2025
SOP 102, Pre-Startup Checklist, dated February 20, 2024
SOP 103, Reactor Startup to Low Power, dated December 9, 2022
SOP 104, Reactor Power Changes and Stable Operations, dated September 27, 2022
SOP 105, Reactor Shutdown and Shutdown Checklist, dated September 26, 2022
observed reactor pre-startup checklist, reactor startup to low power, stable operations, and reactor shutdown in accordance with SOPs 102, 103, 104, and 105 on January 14, 2026
SOP 206, Installation and Removal of Experimental Facilities, dated May 20, 1993
SOP 310, 10 CFR 50.59 Changes, Tests and Experiments, dated July 17, 2017
SOP 650, Radiation Area Survey, dated March 20, 1995
SOP 651, Contamination Survey, dated March 20, 1995
SOP 652, Pool Water Tritium Analysis, dated March 20, 1995
SOP 702, Irradiation Request Forms, dated August 9, 2016
SOP 710, Insertion and Removal of Experiments, dated March 30, 1994 Experiments (IP Section 02.06)
This inspection included a review of select experiments and procedures to verify licensee experiments were reviewed, approved, and conducted in accordance with TS requirements, licensee procedures, and the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 50.59, Changes, tests and experiments. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
Irradiation request form (IRF) 25-01, Eutectic Salt, dated January 15, 2025
IRF 25-02, High-Activity Gold Source (HAGS) - Gold in Aluminum and Stainless-Steel Pencil, dated March 24, 2025
10 CFR 50.59 screening for IRF 25-02, Neutron Activation Sources to Characterize Imaging System, dated March 24, 2025
SOP 206, Installation and Removal of Experimental Facilities, dated May 20, 1993
SOP 310, 10 CFR 50.59 Changes, Tests and Experiments, dated July 17, 2017
SOP 702, Irradiation Request Forms, dated August 9, 2016
SOP 710, Insertion and Removal of Experiments, dated March 30, 1994
Health Physics (IP Section 02.07)
This inspection included a review of the licensees health physics program to verify that the provisions of 10 CFR Part 19, Notices, Instructions and Reports to Workers: Inspection and Investigations, and 10 CFR Part 20, Standards for Protection against Radiation, TSs, and the licensees procedural requirements were met. The inspection included a review of: licensees dose limits; required radiation surveys, sampling, and monitoring; calibration of radiological instruments; the personnel dosimetry program; effluent releases; posting requirements; training requirements; the implementation of as low as is reasonably achievable principles; and the radiation protection programs review and approval requirements. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
MSTR annual progress reports for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025
selected monthly Argon-41 release reports from 2023-2025
selected monthly reactor area contamination surveys from 2023-2025
selected monthly reactor area radiation surveys from 2023-2025
selected monthly reactor pool water tritium and sump water analysis reports from 2023-2025
personnel dosimetry records for all personnel from 2023-2025
calibration certificate for Ludlum model 2363 serial number 304537
calibration certificate for Ludlum model 3 serial number 302848
calibration certificate for Ludlum model 3 serial number 357007
calibration certificate for Ludlum model 3 serial number 103306
calibration certificate for Ludlum model 3 serial number 123434
calibration certificate for Eberline model E-12 serial number 9755
as low as is reasonable achievable audits from 2023 and 2024
memorandum RE: The Revised Activity Analysis for Release of Basement Holding Tank, dated October 31, 2025
memorandum RE: Activity Analysis for Release of Basement Holding Tank, dated November 20, 2025
memorandum RE: Water Release Survey - MSTR Lower-Level Basement Holding Tank, dated July 26, 2024
observed area radiation survey conducted in accordance with SOP 650 on January 15, 2026
observed contamination survey conducted in accordance with SOP 651 on January 15, 2026
observed pool water tritium analysis conducted in accordance with SOP 652 on January 15, 2026
observed sump water analysis on January 15, 2026
selected radiation safety training records from 2023-2025
observed notices to workers on January 13, 2026 Committees, Audits and Reviews (IP Section 02.09)
This inspection included a review of the licensees committees, audits and reviews to verify the safety review committee and independent audits were conducted in accordance with the TSs and that issues identified from reviews were resolved in accordance with TS requirements and the licensees procedures. Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
- RSC members list, FY 2023, FY 2024, FY 2025, FY 2026
selected RSC quarterly minutes from 2023-2025
MSTR external audits for 2023 and 2024
MSTR TS 86740 - Inspection of Transportation Activities This inspection included a review of the licensees transportation activities to verify they have established and maintained an effective management-controlled program, to ensure radiological and nuclear safety in the receipt, packaging, and delivery of licensed radioactive materials.
Specifically, the inspection included a review of the following:
MSTR annual progress reports for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025
RSC members list, FY 2023, FY 2024, FY 2025, FY 2026
MSTR straight bill of lading for radioactive material transportation, dated October 17, 2025 Inspection Results No violations of more than minor significance were identified.
Exit Meeting and Debriefs The inspector verified that no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.
- On January 15, 2026, the inspector presented the NRC inspection results to M and other members of the licensee staff.
Documents Reviewed As listed in applicable IP sections above.