joint igorr / iaea technical meeting - cnea - centro ... mcmaster facilities overview/upcoming...

Joint IGORR / IAEA Technical Meeting

Pierre Tanguay

Senior Project Officer

Regulatory Operations Branch

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

17 – 21 November 2014, Bariloche, Argentina

2 Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Introduction

• Pierre Tanguay

• Senior Project Officer with the Canadian

Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)

• Looking after Licensing and Compliance for

• Areas of the Chalk River Laboratories, i.e.

Moly-99, Safety Culture, HEU Repatriation.

Also, backup PO for the Fuel Fabrication

Facilities

• McMaster Nuclear Reactor


Outline

• CNSC Mandate and Mission

• Overview of the Nuclear Industry in Canada

• Updates in the Regulatory Framework for

Research Reactors in Canada

• 2014 Licensing of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor

• McMaster Facilities Overview/Upcoming Projects

with the McMaster Nuclear Reactor

• Closing Remarks


Abstract

• This paper discusses the licensing process used by the CNSC for

licensing and regulating research reactors in Canada.

• Licensing of research reactors, and in particular the renewal of Non-

Power Reactor Operating Licences (NPROL), involving the systematic

evaluation of 14 specific areas of performance, or Safety and Control

Areas (SCA).

• This includes the evaluation of all provisions the licensee makes to

ensure each SCA’s performance objectives and criteria are met, and

hence, that applicants are qualified and will make adequate

provisions to undertake the licensed activity.


Abstract

• The CNSC maintains a modern regulatory framework for the nuclear

industry, ensuring that health, safety, security and the environment

are protected, as well as international agreements that Canada

adheres to.

• The regulatory framework is updated on a continuous basis,

reflecting the progress and improvements made in the industry, with

consideration to regulations, standards, guides and best practices.

• The most important challenge remains a regulatory framework that is

effective for larger NPPs and potential new builds in Canada, yet

flexible enough to allow a fair, graded approach for smaller, lower-risk

facilities.


Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians and the environment; implements Canada's international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and disseminates objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public.


Areas Regulated by the CNSC


The Commission Tribunal

Only federal court can review the decision of the Commission

Independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and court

of record

Consists of up to seven members appointed

under the authority of the Nuclear Safety and

Control Act (NSCA)

One member is designated as President of the

Commission and Chief Executive Officer of the

CNSC

Supported by scientific, technical and

professional staff


Canada’s Nuclear Statistics

Power reactors – 17 operating – 2 being refurbished – 2 in guaranteed shutdown state

Research reactors – 7 (4 SLOWPOKES, NRU, ZED-2, MNR)

Uranium projects – 6 active – 1 being decommissioned – 19 inactive legacy uranium mines/mills Other licences ~ 3250 – Nuclear substances – medicine, research, industry – Waste – Import / Export

Typical share of nuclear energy

in total electricity generation

Ontario – 52%

New Brunswick – 30%

Canada – 14.7%


Research Reactors Operating in Canada

Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd – Chalk River

NRU – 130 MW

ZED-2 – 200 W

McMaster University

McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR) – 5 MW

SLOWPOKES – 20 KW

University of Alberta

Saskatchewan Reasearch Council

Royal Military College of Canada

Ecole Polytechnique Montreal


Regulatory Environment

• The CNSC was established in 2000 under the Nuclear Safety and

Control Act to replace the former Atomic Energy Control Board

• Reports to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources

on the Commission's activities under the Act.

• Neither the Minister nor the Governor in Council has a role in

CNSC's decision-making or the power of appeal.

• Its decisions are reviewable only by the Federal Court of Canada.



The CNSC's regulatory framework consists of laws passed by Parliament that govern the regulation of Canada's nuclear industry, and regulations, licences and documents that the CNSC uses to regulate the nuclear industry.

• Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations

• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission By-laws

• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Cost Recovery Fees Regulations

• Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Rules of Procedure

• Class I Nuclear Facilities Regulations

• Class II Nuclear Facilities and Prescribed Equipment Regulations

• Directive to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Regarding the Health of Canadians



• General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations

• Nuclear Non-proliferation Import and Export Control Regulations

• Nuclear Security Regulations

• Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations

• Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations

• Radiation Protection Regulations

• Uranium Mines and Mills Regulations



• The NSCA empowers the CNSC to make regulations and to develop other regulatory tools to establish requirements for, and provide guidance related to the use of nuclear energy and materials in Canada.

• Beyond the NSCA and the Regulations, CNSC develops a regulatory framework consisting of two categories: Requirements and Guidance.

• Requirements are mandatory. Licensees or applicants must meet these requirements to obtain or retain a licence or certificate to use nuclear materials or operate a nuclear facility.

• Regulatory Documents provide greater detail than regulations, as to what the licensees and applicants must achieve in order to meet the requirements.


Regulatory Document Framework

1.0 Regulated facilities and activities

1.1 Reactor facilities

1.2 Class IB facilities

1.3 Uranium mines and mills

1.4 Class II facilities

1.5 Certification of prescribed

equipment

1.6 Nuclear substances and radiation

devices

2.0 Safety and control areas

2.1 Management system

2.2 Human performance management

2.3 Operating performance

2.4 Safety analysis

2.5 Physical design

2.6 Fitness for service

2.7 Radiation protection

2.8 Conventional health and safety

2.9 Environmental protection

2.10 Emergency management and fire protection

2.11 Waste management

2.12 Security

2.13 Safeguards and non-proliferation

2.14 Packaging and transport

3.0 Other regulatory areas

3.1 Reporting requirements

3.2 Public and Aboriginal engagement

3.3 Financial guarantees

3.4 Commission proceedings

3.5 Information dissemination


Publications in 2013-14

• REGDOC-2.12.2, Site Access Security Clearance

– provides guidance regarding the process for granting a site access security

clearance for authorized unescorted entry to a protected area

• REGDOC-2.12.3, Security of Nuclear Substances: Sealed Sources

– sets out the minimum security measures required to prevent the loss,

sabotage, illegal use, illegal possession, or illegal removal of sealed

sources while they are in storage at the site of a licensed activity, in

transport or being stored during transportation

• REGDOC-3.5.2, Compliance and Enforcement: Administrative

Monetary Penalties

– complements the Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations, which

came into force on July 3, 2013, REGDOC in March 2014

– provides an overview of how and where AMPs fit into the CNSC's

approach to graduated enforcement, and describes how penalty

amounts are calculated



• Recently approved by the Commission in March 2014: – REGDOC-2.4.1, Deterministic Safety Analysis

– REGDOC-2.4.2, Probabilistic Safety Assessment for Nuclear Power Plants

– REGDOC-2.5.2, Design of Reactor Facilities: Nuclear Power Plants

– REGDOC-3.1.1, Reporting Requirements: Reporting Requirements

for Nuclear Power Plants

• Requesting Commission approval for making of regulations: – Nuclear Security Regulations and Nuclear Substances and Radiation

Devices Regulations

– Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2014

• Requesting Commission approval for publication: – REGDOC-2.2.2, Personnel Training

– REGDOC-2.3.1, Conduct of Licensed Activities: Commissioning of

Reactor Facilities

– REGDOC-2.3.2, Accident Management

– REGDOC-2.10.1, Emergency Preparedness and Response



• Publication of guidance material: – REGDOC-1.6.1, Licence Application Guide: Nuclear Substances and

Radiation Devices (supersedes RD/GD-371)

– REGDOC-2.2.3, Personnel Certification: Radiation Safety Officers at Class II

Facilities (previously RD/GD-380)

– REGDOC-3.5.1, Licensing Processes (supersedes INFO-DOC 0756 & 0759)

• Stakeholder consultations, including: – REGDOC-2.2.1, Human Performance: Fitness for Duty

– REGDOC-2.9.1, Environmental Protection: Environmental Assessment

– REGDOC-3.2.2, Aboriginal Engagement

• Regulatory projects under analysis, including: – Small Reactor Facilities

– Radiation Protection

– Waste and Decommissioning

– Regulatory Fundamentals

– Configuration Management


New Challenges

Identify

Feedback invited from stakeholders

Analyze

Consultation on

Discussion Paper

Develop

Consult on draft

documents &

regulations

Implement

Coordinate

implementation

with Licensees

Review & Revise

Consult on revisions

Engage

and

Consult


Conclusions

• The CNSC maintains a modern, dynamic regulatory

framework

• Flexible enough to work with the broad range of

nuclear industries in Canada

• Provides confidence that CNSC is accountable to the

public, and protects the health, safety, security and

international obligations


Part 2

2014 Renewal of

the McMaster

Nuclear Reactor

Operating

Licence


McMaster Nuclear Reactor

• McMaster Nuclear Reactor

(MNR) is a pool-type reactor

• Located on the campus of

McMaster University in

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

• Light water cooled, MTR type

• Achieved criticality in April

1959

• Maximum authorized power of

5 MW-thermal

• Fully contained in a concrete

Containment Building


McMaster Nuclear Reactor

McMaster Nuclear Reactor is

used for:

• Teaching

• Materials research and testing

• Sample irradiation for

geological and environmental

testing

• Neutron radiography

• Medical isotope production

(Iodine-125)


MNR Licence Renewal 2014

• Last licence was issued on July 1, 2007 and expired June

30, 2014

• McMaster University submitted an application for the

renewal of the licence for a period of 10 years

• CNSC staff assessed the application, considering the

CNSC’s 14 Safety and Control Areas, plus other areas of

interest to the Commission

• Included a review of all documents in support of a new

licence


Licensing Process

Environmental assessment

Licence or certificate decision

Technical assessment

Commission review

Public hearing

Designated officer review

Application • Applicants must demonstrate they are

qualified

• Regulations outline information required

to apply for licences


Licensing Process

• Required for activities listed under Canadian Environmental Act, 2012 regulations

Key objectives – Predict environmental effects of a

specific project – Identify mitigation measures to

eliminate, minimize or control adverse environmental effects

– Incorporate environmental considerations into decision-making

• Provide opportunities for public participation

• No licence can be granted unless there is a decision that the project will not likely cause significant adverse environmental effects

Environmental assessment



Commission review

Public hearing


Application


Licensing Process

Assessment

Peer Review,

Judgement,

Guidance

Safety and control areas

•Management system

•Human performance

management

•Operating

performance

•Safety analysis

•Physical design

•Fitness for service

•Radiation protection

•Conventional health

and safety

•Environmental protection

•Emergency management

and fire protection

•Waste management

•Security

•Safeguards

•Packaging and transport

Other areas

•Financial guarantees

•Consultations and

communications Environmental

assessment



Commission review

Public hearing


Application

Risk

Graded

Approach


Safety and Control Areas

Safety and control areas (SCA)

are the technical topics CNSC

staff use across all regulated

facilities and activities to assess,

verify and report on regulatory

requirements and performance.

Enforce

Verify

Report

This framework is used throughout our

core processes.

• Annual Reports

• Licence applications

• Planning & Inspections


Safety and Control Areas

• The SCAs are presented in a comprehensive framework consisting of 14

safety and control areas which are grouped into three primary “functional” areas (Management, Facility and Equipment, and Core Control Processes).

• Specific areas define the individual SCAs, and serve as a list of options that

can be selected, as deemed appropriate, by line management for each of the regulated facilities or activities. These specific areas will enable improved communication amongst ourselves as well as externally, with licensees, the Commission, and the public.


Licensing Process

Licensee Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Application submitted by

McMaster, addressing all 14 SCAs

and other areas of interest

Address deficiencies in program

documents or develop transition

plans

Project Plan developed

Application Guide provided to the Licensee

Application assessed by CNSC staff

Sufficiency determination made by CNSC

Assessment of all main program documents and processes.

Operating performance, past inspections. Evolving

requirements, standards, guides and practices, e.g.

Fukushima

Inspection performed where additional implementation

details required

Preparation of new licence

Preparation of Licence Conditions Handbook

Notice of Public Hearing


Licensing Process

Licensee Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Preparation of Commission Member Document

and Presentation

Addressing interventions (Q & A)

Hearing

Implement any transition plans, additional

requirements from Record of Decision

Preparation of Commission Member Document

and Presentation

Addressing interventions (Q & A)

Hearing

Record of Decision

Adjustments to Licence and LCH, as required to

reflect decision, specific requests

Licence and LCH issued


Licence & LCH

• The Licence is comprised of a Licence and a Licence Conditions

Handbook

• The licence is a short, 5-page document.

• Very generic and common to all research reactors and similar to Class II

facility licences in Canada.

• For McMaster, there is a General section, followed by 14 sections

corresponding to the 14 Safety & Control Areas

• A total of 28 Licence Conditions are stated.


Licence & LCH

• The Licence Conditions Handbook is a 120-page document

• Provides the details associated with each licence condition, with general interpretation, compliance verification criteria and references to licensee documents submitted as part of the licence application, Regulatory documents, Standards and guides.

• Transparent, no-surprise approach.

• Freedom for the facility to evolve and update its documentation


Licence & LCH

• Licensing basis documents can be updated with approvals at the working level (without a hearing with the Commission), through the Delegation of Authority to Designated Officers, as approved by the Commission.

• Requests made to the Commission as part of the Hearing: • Accept the recommendations made by staff • Renew McMaster’s licence for a period of 10 years • Accept the Delegation of Authority described in the LCH


Novelties brought by the new Licence

• The Licence is comprised of a Licence and Licence Conditions

Handbook

• Licensing Basis documents are now in Appendix D of the LCH – without

revision numbers. These are kept as a separate document referenced in

the LCH which can be easily updated. Allows the Licensee to revise the

documents and evolve more easily, without having to go through Licence

Amendments to keep documents up to date.

• Public Information and Disclosure Program is a new requirement.

REGDOC issued in 2012. The Commission, in the Record of

Proceedings, directed McMaster University to complete a disclosure

protocol by June 2015.

• Requirement for Annual Reporting to the Commission. Requirement is

on CNSC staff; however, it will affect the Licensee as well (likely to

present to the Commission)



Impact of Fukushima.

Although most of the work related to the Fukushima incident has been done,

focus remains high. It has brought about some changes in operations:

Core spray system

Emergency procedures

Defence-in-Depth analysis

External power supply

Camera surveillance



• Aging Management. The requirement was developed over the past licence

period; however, it is formalized under this licence. This licence condition

requires the licensee to develop an aging management program for the facility

which provides direction for the procedures, arrangements, and activities for

managing, within acceptable limits, the effects of physical aging and

obsolescence of Structures, Systems and Components (SSCs) occurring over

time or with use.

• Licence period of 10 years. Previous period was 7 years.

• Generic Licence Conditions aligned with SCAs. Finer details are contained in

LCH, Licensee documents, Regulations, REGDOCS, etc.



• Reporting. The section on Reporting of unplanned/adverse situations

(Appendix E of the LCH) is much more detailed (several pages), although no

additional burden is expected.

• Pressure Boundaries. Section removed, no pressurized vessels at MNR. Subject

is covered under SCA Physical Design

• Licence Format. The licence has gone from a 32-page document to a 5-page

document, accompanied with a 120-page LCH.


Record of Proceedings and Decision

• The Commission concluded that McMaster University is qualified to carry

out the activity that the licence will authorize.

• The Commission is of the opinion that McMaster University, will make

adequate provision for the protection of the environment, the health and

safety of persons and the maintenance of national security and

measures required to implement international obligations to which

Canada has agreed.

• The Commission, pursuant to section 24 of the Nuclear Safety and

Control Act, renews the Non-Power Reactor Operating Licence issued to

McMaster University for the McMaster Nuclear Reactor.

• The renewed licence, is valid until June 30, 2024, unless suspended,

amended, revoked, replaced or transferred.


Record of Proceedings and Decision

• The Commission directs CNSC staff to provide annual reports on the

performance of the McMaster Nuclear Reactor. CNSC staff shall

present these reports at public proceedings of the Commission.

• The Commission accepts CNSC staff’s recommendation regarding the

delegation of authority in the Licence Conditions Handbook (LCH).

The Commission directs CNSC staff to inform the Commission on an

annual basis of any changes made to the LCH.

• The Commission requests that progress on training and certification

be part of the annual reports to the Commission.

• The Commission also accepts the revised financial guarantee for

decommissioning of the MNR.

• The Commission directs McMaster University to complete a disclosure

protocol by June 2015 (par. 170).


Part 3

McMaster University – Facilities Overview


McMaster Facilities Overview

Nuclear Facilities 6

1 Research Reactor w. Isotope Production Facilities

3 Accelerators

1 Irradiator

1 Cyclotron Production and Research Facility

State of the Art High Level Lab Facility - 23000 sq ft

Other CNSC

Licenses 2

Consolidated Radioisotope

Human Research Studies

Radioisotope Lab

Permits

(highest current

project approval)

248

210 Basic

19 Intermediate

5 High

14 Sealed Source and Device

Approved Projects 179 NSERC, CIHR funded studies (basic science, health

and preclinical experiments)

Authorized

Users/Workers 868

Internationally recognized Health Physics training

and support programs



• 6 radial beam tubes

• 1 in-core high flux site

• 7 graphite & 1 Be

irradiation reflectors

• Numerous Isotope

Production Sites

• 3 “rabbit” terminals



• BP 1 & 2 : Neutron Radiography

(turbine blades)

• BP 3 : 3-D Neutron Radiography

• BP 4 : Prompt Gamma (SANS)

• BP 5 : McMaster Intense Positron

Beam Facility

• BP 6 : Condensed Science Research



• McMaster University currently produces I-125 which is used in the treatment of prostate cancer and supplies seed manufacturers around the world

• Other isotopes under development include: I-131, Lu-177, Re-186/188, etc..



• 16.4 MeV GE PETtrace cyclotron

• Supporting Production/Research Facilities

• Research Facilities to develop new cyclotron based isotopes



• 24,000 ft2 (2300 m2) CNSC

Licensed Facility (only one like it at

a Canadian University)

• Licensed to handle small through

large quantities of radioactive

material

• 35 Licensed Laboratories

• Access Control (security)

• 5 Radiopharmaceutical Hot cells

• Radio-chemists and Radio-

biologists work their magic

• Transforming Radioisotopes into

clinical impacts



McMaster will likely require a Licence

amendment to include 2 new facilities:

•New Positron facility

•Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Future Projects


Thank You

We will never compromise safety…

…it’s in our DNA!