State College, PA
From August 8 - 11, 2016, AdSTM staff conducted an On-the-Job (OJT) mock research reactor inspection at the Penn State Breazeale TRIGA Reactor (PSBR) in State College, Pennsylvania. The participants were three nuclear regulators from the Thailand Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), Bureau of Nuclear Safety (BNSR), whose responsibility encompasses various aspects of research reactor oversight and inspection.
The OJT mock inspection provided the Thailand BNSR staff a practical application of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) inspection protocols for a typical Research and Test (RTR) reactor. The participants implemented the assigned portions of USNRC Inspection Procedure (IP) 69001, “Class II Research and Test Reactors.” They performed a combination of reactor facility examinations, observations and interviews of facility staff as they carried out their normal duties, review of the facility operating license and implementing facility procedures, and review of facility records. A special chilling effect scenario was also created for the participants to diagnose through interviews of facility staff that role played the scenario. During the mock inspection, AdSTM staffers Steve Reese and Bob Gramm provided instruction, mentoring, background information, and facilitated interactive dialogues with the participants that focused on USNRC and RTR facility practices relevant to RTR inspections and regulatory oversight practices. In addition, Mark Trump, Associate Director of the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor at Penn State, was extensively involved throughout the OJT as he supported all aspects of the mock inspection. Mark Trump was the focal point for providing facility responses to all inspection questions raised by the participants.
The BNSR participants were very enthusiastic about this unique opportunity and they found the mock inspection, chilling effect scenario, and the interactions with AdSTM staff to be extremely valuable.
The OJT mock inspection was only made possible through the outstanding support provided by the PSBR management and staff, and their willingness to make the PSBR facility available for the mock inspection team.