From September 10 - 12, 2017, AdSTM staff conducted a research reactor inspection workshop and on-the-job training (OJT) at the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) in Amman, Jordan and at the Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR) in Irbid, Jordan. The participants were five nuclear regulators from the Jordanian regulatory body EMRC, whose responsibility encompasses various aspects of research reactor inspection and oversight.
The workshop and OJT inspection provided the Jordanian EMRC staff a practical application of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) inspection protocols that would be applied to a research reactor like the JRTR. The participants implemented portions of USNRC Class 1 research reactor inspection procedures. In-office review and discussion of key JRTR licensing documents including the Operational Technical Specifications and Final Safety Analysis Report simulated preparing for an inspection. The EMRC inspectors performed a combination of JRTR facility examinations and tour, observations and interviews of facility staff as they carried out their normal duties such as the operators in the main control room, review of some JRTR implementing facility procedures, and review of selected JRTR records.
During the inspection exercise, AdSTM staffers Steve Reese and Bob Gramm provided instruction, mentoring, background information, and facilitated interactive dialogues with the participants that focused on USNRC and JRTR facility practices relevant to research reactor inspections and regulatory oversight practices.
The EMRC participants were very engaged throughout the OJT and very enthusiastic about the OJT inspection workshop. They found the overall inspection exercise, review of JRTR licensing documents, examinations of facility operations and facility tour, discussions about the JRTR reactor and USNRC inspection protocols, and the interactions with AdSTM staff to be extremely valuable.
The OJT inspection exercise was made possible through the outstanding support provided by the JRTR management and staff, and their willingness to host the OJT inspection team at the JRTR facility.