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The Hon. Barry O. Jones Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business

File No.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 19 MAY 1988 77/88

REPORT ON REACTOR SAFETY AT LUCAS HEIGHTS

There were 17 unusual operating events recorded at the HIFAR

nuclear research reactor at Lucas Heights near Sydney in the

first three months of this year, but none had safety

implications.

Reports from the Nuclear Safety Bureau, an independent body

set up last year, show that safety issues at the two Lucas

Heights nuclear reactors are being dealt with properly by the

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

(ANSTO).

The Minister for Science, Customs and Small Business, Mr Barry

Jones, said today that he had received the second quarterly

report of the Bureau from its Director, Dr Bob Cairns. .

The Bureau was established under the Australian Nuclear

Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987.  It is

responsible for monitoring and reviewing the safety of any

nuclear reactor plant operated by ANSTO.

It operates independently of ANSTO, and reviews proposals for

modifications to the Lucas Heights reactors which involve

significant safety issues. It also monitors reactor

operations to determine that all reasonably practicable safety

measures are being taken.

Further information: Jock Campbell (062) 761750 (w)

Note: Copies of the report are available from Mr J.M. Holland of ANSTO. telephoneÂ» ( 0 7 ÃÂ  S4yi7-n .

Ministry of Industry, Technology and Commerce Ã¢ÂÂ  --- — — ------------------------- ---- 006511

Second Quarterly Report of the Nuclear Safety Bureau  for the Period 19 January 1988 to 18 April 1988

INTRODUCTION

Section 25 (1) of the Australian Nuclear Science and  Technology Organisation Act 1987 requires the Board of the  Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to  staff a Nuclear Safety Bureau (NSB).  Under the Act the NSB is

responsible to the Minister for monitoring and reviewing the  safety of any nuclear plant,  as defined in the Act, operated by  the Organisation.

As described in the Introduction to its First Quarterly  Report,  monitoring and reviewing have been interpreted by the NSB  to include those activities undertaken for each issue, subject to  resources available, to determine whether all reasonably  practicable measures are being taken to ensure ANSTO's reactor

plant is operated safely.

HIFAR OPERATIONS

A new Reactors Division has been formed by the Organisation  which initially, among other things, will be responsible for the  safe and efficient operation of the reactor HIFAR as a national  facility to produce radioisotopes and to provide irradiation

facilities for basic and applied research.

Revision of the Authorisation-HIFAR Operation

As reported last quarter, there is a need to amend the  Authorisation-HIFAR Operation to reflect changes which have  occurred as a consequence of the introduction of ANSTO.  Discussions have been held with the new Reactors Division which  has under preparation proposals for these amendments.

Unusual Operating Events

HIFAR operating procedures require that all unusual  operating events are recorded. They are classified either as  operating occurrences or, if they are judged by HIFAR management  to have safety implications, as abnormal occurrences. All  abnormal occurrences are reported to the NSB.  During the period

1 January 1988 to 31 March 1988 seventeen operating occurrences  were recorded. The NSB has reviewed these occurrences against  the classification criteria and found their classification to be  appropriate. No abnormal occurrences were reported for the

period.

Maintenance. Periodic Testing and Inspection

ANSTO staff,  now with the new Reactors Division, have  provided ANSTO's materials specialist staff with updated  theoretical calculations of the neutron exposure at various  locations in the reactor aluminium tank which contains the

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reactor core of HIFAR. Materials Division of ANSTO is currently-   studying the question of radiation effects in HIFAR structural   components, and a more comprehensive program for monitoring and   inspection of critical components is under development by

Reactors Division.

HIFAR Safety Documentation Updating Program

In December 1986 the Commission of the Australian Atomic   Energy Commission approved Stage 1 of a proposed HIFAR Safety   Documentation Updating Program. This was to enable the   documented arrangements in place to satisfy the requirements of

certain items of the Authorisation-HIFAR Operation, currently   with interim approval, to receive unqualified approval. Although   some progress has been made this documentation updating is   incomplete. The NSB has emphasised to the Executive Director the

importance of having safety documentation up to date and has   sought advice on when updated documentation would be available.   The NSB has suggested also that urgent attention be given to the   allocation of resources to complete the documentation identified.

Notices of Amendment

Changes to the arrangements set out for meeting certain   requirements of the Authorisation-HIFAR Operation can be   implemented by the Executive Director, or his nominated delegate,   by the raising of a Notice of Amendment (NOA) and despatching it   to the NSB.

Three NOAs were received by the NSB during the period. Two   of these relate to HIFAR accident procedures and the third to the   categorisation of the safety significance of proposed .

modifications to HIFAR plant.

HIFAR Shift Staffing

Current manning arrangements for HIFAR are that for normal   shift duties, there is required to be a professional engineer as   Shift Manager, one senior technical grade as Senior Reactor   Operator and three technical grades-as Reactor Operators. per   shift. HIFAR management has sought from the NSB initial advice,   with respect to principle, on a proposal to remove the

professional engineers from continuous shift duties.

The Safety Case for the Operation of HIFAR

The Authorisation-HIFAR Operation requires the Executive   Director to provide a safety case demonstrating that the reactor   can be operated safely. HIFAR management have sought comments   from the NSB on a draft of a document from the previous Reactor

Department, relating to the eventual inclusion in the existing   safety case of a probabilistic analysis of fault sequences   initiated by within-plant failures. Comments of NSB staff have   been forwarded.

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The NSB has sought clarification of a revision, not yet  formally part of the safety case for HIFAR, to one of the current  documents dealing with a loss of coolant accident.

Documentation of the safety case for current operation of  HIFAR. in relation to seismic events, prior to completion of the  modifications proposed to increase the seismic resistance has  been sought by the NSB. This documentation, taking into account

land use beyond the exclusion area for the reactor. is in  preparation by the new Reactors Division.

Audit of HIFAR Staff Training

The Authorisation-HIFAR Operation requires arrangements for  the training and retraining of HIFAR staff. The NSB has advised  HIFAR management that it wishes to undertake an audit of these  arrangements, for which HIFAR management has nominated a liaison  officer.

Audit of the Bnuraency Control Room

HIFAR management intend to assess the HIFAR Emergency  Control Room (ECR) against agreed requirements when effort is  available. NSB officers have undertaken an audit of the ECR to  examine the state of readiness and suitability of the ECR for the

interim period prior to the assessment. Suggestions have been  made to HIFAR management for improvements.

HIFAR MODIFICATIONS

Procedures

The Authorisation-HIFAR Operation requires the Executive  Director to put to the Director NSB. for review, all proposals  for modifications to the reactor plant which he judges involve  significant safety issues with a view to obtaining NSB agreement  to the proposals. This authority has not been formally  delegated. The Executive Director is also required to notify the  NSB in a quarterly listing of all other modifications to reactor

plant.

No.l Fuel Element Storage Block Cooling Circuit

A facility for the storage and cooling of HIFAR fuel  elements on removal from the reactor, the No.l Fuel Element  Storage Block, is available within the reactor containment  building. The engineering plant associated with cooling of the  No.l Storage Block is being modified. NSB agreement to a

submission relating to the modification was given conditional to  the provision of more detailed information. HIFAR management in  providing this information sought agreement to a variation of a  condition relating to the breaching of the reactor containment  during the modification. The NSB has agreed to the variation in

this specific instance subject to compliance with additional  conditions.

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Seismic Resistance of HIFAR

As reported in the last quarter, HIFAR management has  examined the ability of the HIFAR reactor to withstand seismic  events and has proposed a number of modifications to upgrade the  seismic resistance of the plant.  The NSB has sought the schedule

for the modifications which have been agreed. Review of the  sufficiency of the proposed modifications is continuing within  the NSB.

Replacement of the HIFAR Electrical Power Supply System

HIFAR management are currently installing a new electrical  power supply system for the HIFAR reactor. NSB staff continue to  monitor the installation, and test and commissioning stage of the  new system. A test and commissioning schedule for safety related

subsystems is currently under review within the NSB.

Replacement of Nucleonics Equipment

.  A proposal to procure new nucleonics equipment for the HIFAR  reactor to replace some existing obsolescent instruments has been  received by the NSB.  Discussions have been sought with HIFAR  staff on the equipment specification.

Other Modifications .

In accordance with the requirements of the Authorisation-  HIFAR Operation, a quarterly listing of completed modifications  not submitted for prior review for the period 1 October 1987 to  31 December 1987 was received during the period of this report.  Five modifications were listed.

THE REACTOR MOATA

The NSB is developing a draft operating authorisation for  the reactor. Moata management has provided material, sought by  the NSB, relevant to the safety case for the reactor.  The NSB. is  seeking further supporting information following discussions  between Moata management and NSB staff.  Moata management has

also provided, for information, descriptions of a number of  current and planned modifications.

THE NUCLEAR SAFETY ASPECTS OF REACTOR FUEL STORAGE

In response to the NSB's request for advice on the  promulgation of arrangements for ensuring continuity of  responsibility for the nuclear safety aspects of reactor fuel  storage, an ANSTO Memorandum is to be issued by management.

SUBCRITICAL ASSEMBLY

The NSB is reviewing information provided by the Australian  School of Nuclear Technology (ASNT),  concerning the nuclear  safety aspects of its natural uranium and graphite subcritical  assembly.

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