ML16321A404

Washington State University Response to Generic Letter 2016-01: Monitoring of Neutron-Absorbing Materials in Spent Fuel Pools

ML16321A404
Person / Time
Site:	Washington State University
Issue date:	11/07/2016
From:	Wall D Washington State Univ
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
GL-16-001
Download: ML16321A404 (2)

Text

.J WASHINGTON STATE ra lJNIVERSITY November 7, 2016 Re:

Response to NRC Generic Letter 2016-01 Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C 20555-0001 Nuclear Radiation Center This letter is submitted by Washington State University (Facility License Number R-76) in response to NRC Generic Letter 2016-01: Monitoring of Neutron-Absorbing Materials in Spent Fuel Pools.

The referenced letter requests that non-power reactor licensees provide information in response to the following questions:

(1):

• :Are. neutron~absorbipg;.materiel:I? used. in.~ r~pct9r pop!, fu~I,, sto,r~ge pool, or other wet

~. >::*.,' locations;designed for the 'storage.of reactor or.spent fuel? *~*:.. ; '

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(2):.. * ".. !f n~~tron-*ab~o~~i~g* Qiat~ria£i~: f3r~;,Y~~.c1.*.fs. th~fr*.~s;e.* c~~ciiieci. in.' the iicensir1g a*r-design

' bas.is (i.e., criticality safety analysis) fo~tile' storage ofreacfor fuel or spe'nt fuei' in a reactor pool, fuel storage pool, or ottie'r wet; locations,' '~s ~pplicable? ' '*

(3)

• If neutron-absorbing materials *are credi.ted in the facility' licensing or design basis for the storage of reactor or spent fuel in a reactor, pool, fuel storage pool, or other wet.

locations, as applicable, then provide a description of, and technical basis for, any surveillance or monitoring programs used to confirm continued acceptable performance oft.he neutrnn-absorbing materials over time.

Washington State University's Response Question (1)

Used reactor fuel is held in fuel storage racks which are sub~ersed in a section of the reactor pool which has been des;ignated.as a storage area. The.fu~I storage racks sit at approximately 9 - 12 feetfromthe reactor.. There are no neutro.n-absorbfng 'materials. used in the reactor pool r

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fuel storage area. Th.~,ge9metry ofJhe,.fuel~tcfra,ge racks is sufficient to mafntain an adequate margin of safety to protect against c.riticality in the s'torage rack~.

• criticaiitf anaiysis is documented in Appendix B of.th.e yY?U S,afety,Analy~i,s R~po.rt.which was submitted to the U.S.

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NRC in 2008. please refer t.o /\\DAMS reference n_um9~r,MLP~2~8026?..

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, P.O.B~x641300,P.ullm~n,WA99164-1300.

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.' ' ::,_.. 5,09.-335-8641

• Fax: 509-335-4433

• www.wsu.:~d~/nrc f" JJ fl{(...

Questions 2 and 3 are not applicable as Washington State University does not use neutron-absorbing materials as part of fuel storage.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on 7 November, 2016 Donald Wall, Ph.D.

Director