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NEI/NIST Measurements Assurance Program. 16 th Annual RETS-REMP Workshop June 26-28, 2006 Felix Killar Nuclear Energy Institute. OVERVIEW. History of Program Current Program Test Sources Results Reporting Benefits of Participation. History of Program.
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NEI/NIST Measurements Assurance Program 16th Annual RETS-REMP Workshop June 26-28, 2006 Felix Killar Nuclear Energy Institute
OVERVIEW • History of Program • Current Program • Test Sources • Results Reporting • Benefits of Participation
History of Program • 1985 - quality assurance conference in Las Vegas • February 1986 - 8 source suppliers and utilities, NRC and EPA met at NIST • April 1986 – follow-up meeting at NIST to refine and formulate the program • Summer 1986 – Recruitment of participants began • December 1986 – Meeting of interested parties to finalize the program framework • April 1987 – Program is kicked off
Current Program • Six test sources each year - approximately bimonthly (determined at annual meeting the prior year) • Same test source to multiple reactor sites and to the utility’s contract laboratory • Sources are prepared and calibrated at NIST – distributed with activity undisclosed • Participants measure the source and report results by way of the internet • Report of Traceability and a Report of Test is then issued by NIST (source may then be used as a calibration source) • $15,000 per year for each participant – covers program expenses and source development
Benefits of Participation • Participation in the program provides direct traceability to NIST and would be fully compliant with Regulatory Guide 4.15 • Participation in the program meets NQA 1 requirements for testing and verification of laboratory measurements • Participants in the program have received minimal scrutiny from the NRC • In one case were there were differences under question from the NRC the program served as a independent referee which resulted in favor of the utility • The program can be used as a means of verifying the accuracy of contract laboratory • For multi-site utilities it provides a means of cross checking between on-site laboratories
Testimonial The South Texas Project with only one site has used this program to meet all required inter-comparisons including the Part 50 analysis, the Part 61 analysis, the REMP program plus the in-plant Health Physics and Chemistry counting rooms. The site has been inspected numerous times by the NRC since these inter-comparisons were implemented and they have been recognized as good programs. J. Darrell Sherwood