IR 05000193/2010203

IR 05000193-10-203, on 09/07/2010 - 09/09/2010, Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission, Routine Inspection

ML102600497
Person / Time
Site:	Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission
Issue date:	09/28/2010
From:	Johnny Eads Research and Test Reactors Branch B
To:	Tehan T State of RI, Atomic Energy Comm, Nuclear Science Ctr
DONOHUE J, NRC/NRR/DPR/PROB 415-3163
References
IR-10-203
Download: ML102600497 (13)

Text

September 28, 2010

Dr. T. Tehan, Director Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission 16 Reactor Road Narragansett, RI 02882-1165

SUBJECT:

RHODE ISLAND ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION - NRC ROUTINE

INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-193/2010-203

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) conducted an inspection on September 7-9, 2010, at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Reactor facility (Inspection Report No. 50-193/2010-203). The inspection included a review of activities authorized for your facility. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspectio This inspection was an examination of activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulation Within these areas, the inspection consisted of selective examinations of procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, and observations of activities in progres Based on the results of this inspection, no safety concern or noncompliance of requirements was identifie No response to this letter is require In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulation, Section 2.390 Inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or the NRCs document system (Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS)). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at (the Public Electronic Reading Room)

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.htm Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Jack Donohue at 860-495-5332 or electronic mail at Jack.Donohue@nrc.go

Sincerely,

/RA/

Johnny H. Eads, Jr. Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket N License N R-95

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: See next page

Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission

Docket No.: 50-193

cc:

Governor Donald Carcieri State House Room 115 Providence, RI 02903

Dr. Stephen Mecca, Chairman Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission Providence College Department of Engineering-Physics Systems River Avenue Providence, RI 02859

Dr. John Breen, Chairman Nuclear and Radiation Safety Committee Providence College 549 River Ave Providence, RI 02918

Dr. Andrew Kadak 253 Rumstick Road Barrington, RI 02806

Dr. Bahram Nassersharif Dean of Engineering University of Rhode Island 102 Bliss Hall Kingston, RI 20881

Dr. Peter Gromet Department of Geological Sciences Brown University Providence, RI 02912

Dr. Alfred L. Allen 425 Laphan Farm Road Pascoag, RI 02859

Mr. Jack Ferruolo, Supervising Radiological Health Specialist Office of Occupational and Radiological Health Rhode Island Department of Health 3 Capitol Hill, Room 206 Providence, RI 02908-5097

Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611

September 28, 2010 Dr. T. Tehan, Director Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission 16 Reactor Road Narragansett, RI 02882-1165

SUBJECT:

RHODE ISLAND ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION - NRC ROUTINE

INSPECTION REPORT NO. 50-193/2010-203

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) conducted an inspection on September 7-9, 2010, at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Reactor facility (Inspection Report No. 50-193/2010-203). The inspection included a review of activities authorized for your facility. The enclosed report presents the results of that inspectio This inspection was an examination of activities conducted under your license as they relate to safety and compliance with the Commissions rules and regulation Within these areas, the inspection consisted of selective examinations of procedures and representative records, interviews with personnel, and observations of activities in progres Based on the results of this inspection, no safety concern or noncompliance of requirements was identifie No response to this letter is require In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 2.390 Inspections, exemptions, requests for withholding, a copy of this letter and its enclosure will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or the NRCs document system (Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS)). ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at (the Public Electronic Reading Room)

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.htm Should you have any questions concerning this inspection, please contact Jack Donohue at 860-495-5332 or electronic mail at Jack.Donohue@nrc.go

Sincerely,

/RA/

Johnny H. Eads, Jr. Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Docket N License N R-95

Enclosure:

As stated cc w/ encl: See next page

DISTRIBUTION:

PUBLIC

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RidsOgcMailCenter JDonohue, NRR

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RidsNrrDprPrta ADAMS ACCESSION NO.: ML102600497 TEMPLATE #: NRC-002 OFFICE PROB:RI PRPB:LA PROB:BC NAME JDonohue GLappert JEads DATE 9/15/10 9/28/10 9/28/10 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

Docket No:

50-193

License No:

R-95

Report No:

50-193/2010-203

Licensee:

Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission

Facility:

Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Research Reactor

Location:

Narragansett, Rhode Island

Dates:

September 7-9, 2010

Inspector:

Jack Donohue

Approved by:

Johnny H. Eads, Jr., Chief Research and Test Reactors Oversight Branch Division of Policy and Rulemaking Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center Reactor Facility NRC Inspection Report No. 50-193/2010-203

The primary focus of this routine, announced operations inspection was the onsite review of selected aspects of the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission (the licensees) two megawatt Class I research reactor safety programs including organization and staffing, operations and maintenance; surveillance; fuel movement; reactor operator licenses, requalification and medical examinations; and emergency preparednes The licensees programs were acceptably directed toward the protection of public health and safety, and in compliance with U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirement Organization and Operations and Maintenance Activities

Organization, operations, and maintenance were observed to be in accordance with Technical Specification (TS) requirement The licensee continued improvements in the areas of staffing, communications and maintaining a safety conscious work environmen Surveillance

Operations were found to be in compliance with the limiting conditions for operation and surveillance requirements as stated in the T Fuel Movement

The licensee made very infrequent reactor fuel movements but when required, followed written procedures that met TS requirement Reactor Operator Licenses, Requalification and Medical Examinations

The licensee was conducting a reactor operator re-qualification program in compliance with NRC regulations and the licensees written progra Emergency Preparedness

The licensee maintained an effective emergency preparedness program through implementation of the written emergency pla REPORT DETAILS

Summary of Facility Status

The Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commissions (RIAEC, the licensee) Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC) two megawatt Class I research reactor continued to be operated in support of research, service, education, training, and surveillanc During the inspection, the inspector observed the reactor in operation to irradiate samples as part if its research and service missio.

Organization and Operations and Maintenance Activities Inspection Scope (Inspection Procedure (IP) 69006

The inspector reviewed the following regarding the licensee's organization and staffing to ensure that the requirements of Section 6.0, Administrative Controls, of the RINSC Technical Specifications (TS), Amendment No. 29 to License N R-95 was being met:

• Reactor Logbook No. 57, dated June 17, 2009 to August 8, 2010 and Logbook No. 58, dated August 16, 2010 to present

Annual Report for July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, dated July 30, 2010

Standard Operating Procedures

RINSC organizational structure and staffing

Policy Statement, Safety Conscious Work Environment, Issued by the RIAEC meeting minutes, dated May 14, 2010 Observations and Findings

The inspector observed a reactor checkout, startup, approach to critical and escalation to full powe The inspector reviewed portions of the reactor logbook, verifying compliance with the staffing requirements of TS Sections 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 and that the NRC-licensed Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) on duty were designated by name in the reactor logboo This individual executed duties in accordance with TS Sections 6.3.2, Senior Reactor Operators 6.5, Operating Procedures; and 6.9, Plant Operating Record The inspector noted no changes occurred in key licensee personnel; however a newly qualified SRO and Reactor Operator (RO) have been redesignated in the staf The Reactor Supervisor position continues to be vacant following the promotion of the previous Supervisor to Assistant Directo The inspector discussed with licensee management and reaffirmed the importance of timely replacement of key staff member The inspector additionally noted that RINSC procedures have continued going through a systematic revision and update proces A new numbering system has been developed and approved by the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Committee

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(NRSC). Under this system, procedures are grouped according to whether they are operating procedures, test procedures, calibration procedures, et As the procedures are updated, they are being put into a uniform standard format that was also approved by the NRS All new procedures and procedure revisions are submitted to the NRSC for review and approval quarterl Once approved, the staff is informed about the changes, and the procedures are incorporated into the Procedure History Record, the shared hard drive file for current procedures, and the control room procedure noteboo The Procedure Index is also updated to indicate the current list of procedures, as well as the latest revision in us The inspector discussed with licensee management the status of aspects of a safety conscious work environmen The licensee staff personnel indicated communication among RINSC staff members has improved, a result, in part, of weekly staff meetings called by the Directo A weekly email from the Director to RINSC following the weekly staff meeting updates the RIAEC to the status of the RINSC safety conscious work environmen Conclusion

Organization, operations, and maintenance were observed to be in accordance with TS requirement.

Surveillance Inspection Scope (IP 69010)

The inspector reviewed the following to verify compliance with TS Section 3.0, Limiting Conditions for Operation, and to determine if the periodic surveillance tests on safety systems were performed as stipulated in TS Section 4.0, Surveillance Requirements:

• RINSC Reactor Operating Data Notebook, 2009 and 2010

Periodic Maintenance Notebook containing the documentation of maintenance items

Reactor Parameter Testing Procedure (TP) TP-03,Control Rod Reactivity Worth, dated December 4, 2009

Reactor Parameter Testing Procedure (TP) TP-04,Control Rod Reactivity Insertion Rates, dated December 4, 2009

Reactor Operations Request NSC-49, Pre-Start Check Sheet NCS-1, Shift Record Data Sheet NSC-11, and RINSC Reactor Operations Data NSC-18 for 2009 and 2010 Observations and Findings

The inspector witnessed a reactor startup, approach to critical and ascension to powe Surveillances and compliance with TS limits was accomplished through adherence to written procedures which had been reviewed by the NRSC in accordance with TS Section 6.3, Operating Procedure Additional records for

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the surveillances cited above were also reviewed including: weekly primary and secondary water analysis (September 9, 2010), core element inspection (August 11, 2010), shim safety rod inspection (August 11, 2010), shim safety rod drop times (August 12, 2010), cold clean blade reactivity (August 24, 2010), control blade reactivity worths (August 30, 2010). Conclusion

Operations were found to be in compliance with the Limited Condition for Operation (LCO) and surveillance requirements as stated in the T.

Fuel Movement Inspection Scope (IP 69009)

The inspector reviewed the following to verify compliance with TS Sections 4. and 6.9.1.g which require visual inspection of fuel elements every five years and the surveillance at least a fifth of the fuel elements each year maintaining operating records of the fuel inventory, respectively:

• Reactor Logbook No. 57, dated June 17, 2009 to August 8, 2010 and Logbook No. 58, dated August 16, 2010 to present

Annual Report for July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, dated July 30, 201 *

Standard Operating Procedures

RINSC Operating Procedure Appendix Z, [Special Nuclear Material] SNM Accounting, Rev. 5, for inventory taken October 22, 2007

RINSC Operating Procedure Appendix Z, SNM Accounting, Rev. 6, for inventory taken April 14, 2008

• Observations and Findings

During a previous fuel inspection on May 5, 2009, the RINSC staff discovered that the core positions of two fuel elements had been transpose This item was reported in IR 50-193/2009-20 Following the investigation the staff determined that this transposition had occurred when the two fuel elements were removed from the core and placed into a storage rack to perform a gamma irradiation experiment. Following the experiment the elements were placed back into the core in the reversed location The elements were reinstalled in the pool maintaining As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) considered prior to validation. The corrective action has been implemented with both increases in verification personnel and lightin The inspector in discussion with the licensee indicated that the newly increased lighting facilitated the recent fuel inspection The inspector reviewed the fuel inspection of required annual surveillance of two elements performed on June 25, 2010 at the request of Argonne National

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Laboratory to aid in computer modeling and the remaining fuel elements on August 23, 201 Conclusion

The licensee has made infrequent reactor fuel movements and has made additional changes to ensure fuel once removed returns to previous or required locations. The licensee followed written procedures that met TS requirement.

Reactor Operator Licenses, Requalification and Medical Examinations Inspection Scope (IP 69003)

The inspector reviewed the following to verify compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 55, Operators Licenses, and the licensees reactor operator requalification program:

• RINSC Operating Procedures Appendix U, Reactor Operator Re-Qualification, Revision (Rev.) 2, dated June 29, 2005

Individual RO and SRO Requalification files containing:

NRC Form 396, Certification of Medical Examination by Facility Licensee

Operator Re-qualification Program Checklist

Medical Certification and Monitoring of Certified Personnel, American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society (ANSI/ANS) 15.4, Selection and Training of Personnel for Research Reactors, to use as the basis for determining adequate physical fitness to serve as an SRO or R Observations and Findings

The inspector reviewed the licensees operator requalification program to verify that it met the requirements of 10 CFR Part 55 and reviewed selected licensed RO and SRO files, verifying that the program was being conducted in accordance with the written procedur The annual operating examination and the biennial written examination were of equivalent difficulty to NRC-administered examinations as require Records were available documenting the fact that during the requalification cycle the individual operators performed the required number of licensed activities and reviewed changes to the facility, regulations, and procedures in addition to passing the examination Medical examinations for selected licensed personal were also reviewed satisfactoril Conclusion

The licensee was conducting a reactor operator re-qualification program in compliance with NRC regulations and the licensees written progra.

Emergency Preparedness Inspection Scope (IP 69011)

The inspector reviewed the following documents and visited the facilities discussed below to verify compliance with regulatory requirements and the licensees emergency plan commitments:

• Emergency Plan, Rev. 2, dated January 2007

RINSC Nuclear and Radiation Safety Committee Charter, Rev O

RINSC Operating Procedure Appendix X, Emergency Plan Implementing Procedures, Rev. 0, dated June 19, 2007, containing:

Attachment B, Form NSC-31, Emergency Communications Network

Attachment E, Emergency Classification Matrix

[Emergency] Communication Tests file

Emergency Equipment Inventory file

Emergency Drill file containing:

Letter from Mr. H. Bicehouse to NRSC, Radiological Emergency Response Plan, dated October 31, 2007

Letter of Agreement between Narragansett Police Department and RINSC, signed by Mr. M. J. Davis and by Chief J. Little on March 17, 2010

Letter of Agreement for Medical Services, from John B. Murphy MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs Rhode Island Hospital, to Mr. T. Tehan, RIAEC, dated February 2, 2010

Letter of Agreement between Narragansett Fire Department and RINSC, signed by Mr. M. J. Davis and Chief J. Cotter dated December 30, 2009 Observation and Findings

The inspector reviewed the emergency plan, including an attachment submitted with the transmittal lette The inspector concurred with the licensees conclusions regarding each of the changes reviewe The licensee maintained a file of recent agreement letters with off-site emergency agencies identified in the plan and reissues the agreement bienniall The inspector reviewed previous annual emergency drills for 2009 and follow-up action items from the critique The critiques were conducted to review emergency preparedness in general and to identify any weakness or lessons learned from the drills that warranted follow-up action On September 7, 2010 the annual drill was performed by the license The reactor building was evacuated and all staff personnel reported to Coastal Institute to await further instruction The licensee reviewed the RINSC

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Operating Procedure, performed personnel accountability and all instruction The inspector observed that licensee personnel fully understood evacuation procedures and instruction The Narragansett Fire Department personnel arrived the following day as scheduled to tour the facilit The licensee provided an extensive tour and discussion with the licensee on potential access areas for several types of potential fires in radiological areas as well as locations for fire fighting equipmen The inspector visited the Emergency Support Center (ECS), observing the inventory of emergency supplies, instruments, and information committed to be stored there by the pla The licensee maintained records indicating that the emergency supplies were periodically inventoried as part of the surveillance program invoked by the emergency plan Conclusion

The licensee maintained an effective emergency preparedness program through implementation of the written emergency plan and emergency implementing procedure.

Exit Interview

The inspector presented the inspection results to licensee management at the conclusion of the inspection on September 9, 201 The inspector described the areas inspected and discussed in detail the inspection observation No dissenting comments were received from the license The licensee acknowledged the findings presented and did not identify as proprietary any of the material provided to or reviewed by the inspector during the inspection and that the results of the inspection are subject to management review

PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED

Licensee

H. Bicehouse Radiation Safety Officer and Assistant

Director for Radiation and Reactor Safety M. Damato

Health Physics Technician and Senior Reactor Operator M.J. Davis

Assistant Director, Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center S. Guarino

Health Physicist B. MacGregor Facility Engineer/Senior Reactor Operator B. Nassersharif Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission Z. Richards

Reactor Operator T. Tehan

Director, Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center

INSPECTION PROCEDURES USED

IP 69003 Class 1 Research and Test Reactor Operator Licenses, Requalification, and Medical Examinations IP 69006 Class 1 Research and Test Reactors Organization and Operations and Maintenance Activities IP 69009 Class 1 Research and Test Reactors Fuel Movement IP 69010 Class 1 Research and Test Reactors Surveillance IP 69011 Class 1 Research and Test Reactors Emergency Preparedness

ITEMS OPENED, CLOSED, AND DISCUSSED

Opened

None

Closed

None

Discussed

None

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LIST OF ACRONYMS USED

10 CFR Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations ADAMS Agencywide Document Access Management System ALARA As Low As Reasonably Achievable ANSI/ANS National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society ESC

Emergency Support Center IFI

Inspector Follow-up Item IP

Inspection Procedure LCO

Limiting Conditions for Operation NRC

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRSC Nuclear and Radiation Safety Committee NSC

Nuclear Science Center Rev

Revision RIAEC Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission RINSC Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center RO

Reactor Operator RSO

Radiation Safety Officer SNM Special Nuclear Material SOP

Standard Operating Procedure SRO

Senior Reactor Operator TP

Testing Procedure TS

Technical Specification