NCNR Status Update

08.23.2022 Photo credit: Brian Renegar
Regulatory Developments

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Agreement on enforcement actions reached

Final confirmatory order and supplementary inspection plan issued to 

NIST August 1st (public meeting held August 16th)

The enclosed Confirmatory Order is being issued to 

you as a result of a successful alternative dispute 

resolution (ADR) mediation session. The commitments 

outlined in the Confirmatory Order were made as 

part of a settlement agreement between the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 

Center for Neutron Research (NCNR or licensee) and 

the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

No showstoppers for restart
Progress

Primary cleanup

Bulk debris removed from reactor vessel

Primary flowed with filter elements

Ultrasonic agitation

CO2 injection

He sparging

Back-flushed and inspected fuel elements – some small debris remains in fuel 

elements and precludes reuse

Alternate startup core configuration analyzed and incorporated into restart plan

Completed analysis of consequences of operating the reactor with residual debris 

in the primary → no impact to health and safety of the public, staff, or 

environment 

Restart plan developed and submitted to NRC August 15th

Some improvement in overall 

radiological conditions in the process 

room and most work can proceed with 

controls.

Primary coolant after CO2 injection 
Restart Plan

1 cycle of low-power operations (≥ 6 days) – not opening experimental shutters during testing

4 neutron production cycles (≥ 27 days)

Reduced operations necessary for several cycles – 24 hours/4 weekday – until all unlicensed operators get 

licensed.
What’s Next?

Continue to mitigate hot spots in primary plumbing in the process 

room

Refuel reactor

NIST & NCNR continue working towards completing many 

enforcement actions (pre- and post- reactor startup)

NRC performs supplementary inspections prior to startup and beyond

NRC completes Technical Evaluation Report informing restart decision

NRC authorizes restart 

NRC/NIST public meeting with local community

Schedule user experiments
Reactor restart

Note: COVID continues to be a risk that could lead to delays in several of the items above

Risk item Probability Potential impact

Cleanup of primary inadequate

• Unacceptable operating consequences

Medium High

Concept for startup core cannot be implemented Low High

Procedure revisions required for startup delayed Low Low

NRC does not authorize restart

• Not satisfied with restart plan

• Not satisfied with progress towards corrective actions

• Protracted deliberations for issuing permission to restart

Medium High

Low impact: will not significantly affect restart

Medium impact: could delay restart until beginning of 2023

High impact: could delay restart until March/April 2023 or later

Technical readiness restart date: November 1, 2022 Does NOT include regulatory 

uncertainties
Cold Source Upgrade Outage

Installation requires a 12-month 

outage originally planned to start in 

early 2023

Planned major facility outage to replace the cold 

neutron source and several neutron guides

Performance gains for 2/3 

of all neutron instruments
Cold Source Outage Decision

If I think the reactor won’t restart by early 2023 AND I think we’ll have the cold source 

close to on schedule, we should commit to installing the D2 cold source & new guides 

ASAP. Earliest possible restart would be September 2023. This plan maximizes longterm operating days.

If I think the reactor is restarting by early 2023, we should commit to operating 

approximately 4 cycles before installing the D2 cold source & new guides. We divert 

resources to an accelerated “Plan B” NSE schedule. Earliest we would be ready for an 

upgrade outage is June 2023. This plan promotes early as possible operation.

Decision by September 6, 2022.