ENS 44682
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
23:46 Oct 17, 2008 | |
| Title | Exceedence of Nitrate Sewering Limit |
| Event Description | AREVA NP's Richland plant wastewater effluent is continuously sampled for uranium and regulated chemicals. Chemical discharge limits are set by the City of Richland as part of the plant's Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit. The liquid effluent 24-hour composite sample for October 13 indicated a total nitrate discharge of 1759 pounds, exceeding the daily maximum permit limit of 1300 pounds. While the laboratory analysis on the effluent sample was re-run to confirm the exceedence, the elevated discharge is inconsistent with discharge quantities that would have been predicted by either upstream process samples or nitric acid utilization, both of which would have predicted discharges in the range of slightly over 800 pounds of nitrate. Nitrate discharges for the subsequent two days (October 14 and 15) were 641 and 886 pounds nitrate, respectively.
The October 13 permit violation (revealed via October 16 lab analysis) was reported to the City of Richland on October 17 within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> of confirmation in accordance with permit requirements. Follow-up written notification was provided to NRC Region II for informational purposes in accordance with the Richland site's NRC special nuclear materials license. Environmental significance of this single day exceedence is low; the plant's overall daily average nitrate discharge for the month was 564 pounds, well below the applicable daily average permit limit of 1000 pounds. The City of Richland sewage treatment plant was not adversely impacted; that plant does not have a comparable limit on its nitrate discharges.
The purpose of this correspondence is to officially retract the subject event report filed by AREVA's Richland, Washington fuel fabrication facility. The report was filed under the Concurrent Reports provision of 10 CFR 70 Appendix A in that the Richland plant had exceeded its daily nitrate sewering limit in its City of Richland industrial wastewater discharge permit, an occurrence requiring notification of the city. Based on subsequent discussions with inspection staff and management at NRC Region II, and consistent with reporting guidance in Section 3.2.12 of NUREG-1022, Revision 2, it has been determined that this event does not rise to the level intended for concurrent NRC Operations Center notification under 10 CFR 70 Appendix A. Accordingly, NRC Region II has requested that AREVA retract the subject report. Environmental significance of this single day exceedence is low; the plant's overall daily average nitrate discharge for the month was 564 pounds, well below the applicable daily average permit limit of 1000 pounds. The City of Richland sewage treatment plant was not adversely impacted; that plant does not have a comparable limit on its nitrate discharges. Notified the R2DO (Musser) and NMSS (Davis). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Areva Np Inc Richland Richland, Washington (NRC Region 2) | |
| License number: | SNM-1227 |
| Reporting | |
| Part 70 App A (C) | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+906.8 h37.783 days <br />5.398 weeks <br />1.242 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Loren Maas 19:34 Nov 24, 2008 |
| NRC Officer: | Pete Snyder |
| Last Updated: | Jan 22, 2009 |
| 44682 - NRC Website | |
Areva Np Inc Richland with Part 70 App A (C) | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 513822015-09-09T18:02:0009 September 2015 18:02:00
[Table view]Part 70 App A (C) Potentially Contaminated Employee Transported Offsite for Medical Assistance ENS 505892014-11-02T20:45:0002 November 2014 20:45:00 Part 70 App A (C) Offsite Notification Due to Worker Injury ENS 446822008-10-17T23:46:00017 October 2008 23:46:00 Part 70 App A (C) Exceedence of Nitrate Sewering Limit 2015-09-09T18:02:00 | |