1.0 Site Identification
| Type of Site: |
Commercial Research Reactor |
| Location: |
San Ramon, CA |
| License No.: |
R-98 |
| Docket No.: |
05000228 |
| License Status: |
SAFSTOR |
| Project Manager: |
Chris Allen |
2.0 Site Status Summary
The Aerotest Radiography and Research Reactor (ARRR) is a 250 kilowatt-thermal Training, Research, Isotope, General Atomics (TRIGA) research reactor. The ARRR provides a neutron source for research and development and services, mainly neutron radiology. Irradiation services for activation analyses have included: crude oil and hydrocarbon samples for oil companies; plastic slides impregnated with microscopic quantities of fissionable materials; ocean silt samples for the Bureau of Mines; and, silver iodide in snow samples from cloud seeding. Other irradiation services have included: calibration of power reactor fission detectors; radiation damage effects studies of solid state electronic components; detection of gunshot residue in paraffin; lattice deformation studies in ammonium perchlorate; and, spallation experiments with uranium dioxide (ADAMS Accession No. ML14164A742).
The ARRR operated from 1965 until it was shut down on October 15, 2010, as documented in NRC Non-Routine Inspection Report No. 50-228/2010-203, dated December 6, 2010 (ADAMS Accession No. ML103340011). All fuel was removed from the reactor core in 2012, as documented in NRC Non-Routine Inspection Report No. 50-228/2012-204, dated August 14, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. ML12213A001). However, Aerotest continues to own, possess, and store TRIGA fuel elements at the ARRR under Facility Operating License No. R-98.
3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues
The licensee was issued a possession-only license on December 6, 2021. A decommissioning plan was submitted by the licensee on July 20, 2021. The NRC approved the decommissioning plan on March 6. 2024. Prior to actively decommissioning the site, the licensee will submit a revised decommissioning plan to identify how complete decommissioning of the facility will be accomplished after the spent fuel has been removed from the site.
4.0 Estimated Date For Closure
TBD