IR 05000213/1997007
| ML20217R088 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png |
| Issue date: | 08/18/1997 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20217R087 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-213-97-07, 50-213-97-7, NUDOCS 9709040182 | |
| Download: ML20217R088 (9) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION I
Docket No.: 50 213 License No.: DPR 61 Report No.: 50 213/97 07 Licensee: Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company P. O. Box 270 Hartford, CT 061410270 Facility: Haddam Neck Station Location: Haddam, Connecticut Dates: July 15 30,1997 Inspectors: W. Raymond, Senior Resident inspector J. Kottan, Laboratory Specialist R. Nimitz, Senior Heelth Physicist Approved by: Richard J. Conte, Chief, Projects Branch 8 Division of Reactor Projects
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9709040182 970819 PDR-0 ADOCK 05000213 pg . g
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Haddam Neck Station NRC Inspection Report No. 50 213/97 07 This specialinspection included a review of activities in the plant support area. The report
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covers a fifteen day period of inspection, and includes the results of analyses performed by NRC personnel at the NRC Region i Laboratory in King of Prussia, Pennsylvani Mant Suonort; The scope of this NRC review was to observe licensee personnel conduct radiation 6urveys at the location of a private residence on Injun Hollow Road in Haddam Neck, CT. Soils and site excavations from the Haddam Neck plant had been used as clean fill at the property in the past. The inspector obtained split samples of soll and rocks for independent analysi A representatives from the State of Connecticut observed the site survey, completed independent surveys and took site samples for independent analysi No Haddam Neck plant related radioactivity was observed at the property.- The radiation surveys and analyses by the licensee and the NRC indicated the presence of radioisotopes indicative of naturally occurring or background radiation levels in the area. The survey and analysis results by the State of Connecticut were consistent with these findings,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS E X E C UTIV E SU M M ARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 TABLE OF CO NT E NTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . til R E PO RT D ET AI L S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 I V. Pl a nt S u pport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 R1 Radiological Protection and Chemistry (RP&C) Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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R1.1 Property Walkdown and Radletion Survey, Private Residence, Heddam Neck ....................... ........................ 1 V. Menagement Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 X1 Exit Mee ting Sum m ary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .- 5 (
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REPORT DETAl IV. Plant Support R1 Radiological Protection and Chemistry (RP&C) Controls R1.1 Erocertv Walkdown and Radiation Survev. Private Residence. Haddam Neck Inspection Scone (71750)
The purpose of this specialinspection on July 16,1997, was to accompany Connecticut Yankee (CYAPCo) staff and to observe a radiation and soil contamination survey at a private residence on Injun Hollow Road in Haddam Neck, Ct. A representative from the State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection was also in attendance to observe the licensee's survey and to conduct independent measurements. The NRC and the State of Connecticut obtained split soll samples for independent analysis, Observations and Findinos Backoround A Haddam Neck property owner received from the pl nt general land fill during a plant construction project in the 1980s and more recently, top soil in the Fall of 1996. The fill was excavated from the site when CYAPCo renovated a parking lot on the north side of the plant site. The parking lot was outside the protected and radiological controlled area. Accord:ng to CYAFCo personnel, when the parking lot was expanded, severalislands were removed and a machine was used to break down the aspha:t and mix it with the excavated gravel and other parking lot construction materials. Most of the excavated materials were taken by " dump truck (normal size)" from a plant landfill area on the south side of the site. A plant engineer estimated that about 2 truck loads were delivered to the property owner at his request. Following recent media reports of site contamination at the Haddam Site, the property owner contacted the licensee to request assistance in a radiological assessment of the fill at his propert Survey Plan The licensee planned a survey of the property using three techniques. Very sensitive gamma survey instruments were used to provide a radiation scan over a wide area of the property. The gamma surveys were taken over areas where the property was known to contain fill from the plant, as well as in areas known to contain only original material from the property. The gamma surveys were supplemented with scans by a gamma spectroscopy instrument that could differentiate between naturally occurring radioisotopes and those resulting from power plant operations, notably Cs-134, Os-137 and Co-60. The gamma spectroscopy measurements were taken at an area known to not contain plant related material; this measure.nent was used to obtain a " background measurement". Additional gamma spectroscopy measurements were obtained on areas of laterest as indicated by the gamma survey measurements. The licensee took soil stmples usir g a similar approach: a background soil sample was taken
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from an area known to not contain plant related fill; additional samples were taken from areas known to contain plant related fill. Finally, a water sample was collected from the house tap water. Soil and water samples were split with the NRC and the State of Connecticu Survey Method The garnma surveys were conducted by CYAPCo and contractor radiological controls personnel using two types of survey instruments: an Eberline E600 survey instrument with a sodium-iodide (Nal) 2 inch by 2 inch detector; and, a Canberra inspector multichannel analyzer (MCA) coupited to a germanium detector. The inspector noted that the instruments were within the calibration interval. Two licensee environmental laboratory technicians (POSL Production Operations Services Laboratory) were present to obtain soil samples. The licensee obtained background readings in an area on the property where it was known that no materials from the plant had been deposited. Background readings wers obtained on the E600 f
detectors, with the MCA, and by soil samples. The background samples and scans were taken at a location near the mailbox along the side of the roa The licensee demonstrated the operability of the E600 survey instruments by conducting a source check prior to the start of the survey. The cobalt 60 source was placed on the ground as the technicians scarined the area using the same scanning technique to be used during the survey. The source activity as of May 1996 was G.59X10+5 dpm over an area of 15.5 squaro cm. Both survey instruments showed elevated count rates and came into alarm in the vicinity of the sourC The gnmma survey focused on areas of the property where the owner indicated that materials from the CYAPCo site had been used as fill. These areas included the 3 yard immediately in front of the house and adjacent to the parking area; the elevated front bank of the property following the frontage along injun Hollow Road; the left side yard, including the area around the septic system and extending up to tha benk at the back side of the house; and, a pile of topsoil located in front of the new barn. The survey technique was to scan the ground with the E600 instrumerits to investigate all areas known to have fill deposited from the Haddam Neck site. The only exception was below grade depths at and under the septic system leach field. The owner estimated that about 4 feet of clean fill (brought in
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from sources other than Haddam Neck) were placed over the plant laye Both technicians scanned bach area working in tandem (side-by-side) to sweep the areas containing the fill material. The technicians surveyed the ground using a zig-zag sweeping scan that overlapped as they traversed the ground in a slow wal The technicians scanned the areas of interest in this manner. Several areas received special attention and investigation, including: any areas indicating elevated count rates, areas that appeared to have obvious plant related fill materials; and areas that were in an region of natural water runoff from the areas of interest. The licensee also investigated an area at the far left of the property containing larger chunks of material and rocks.
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The inspector observed that the technicians were very f amiliar with the equipment and survey techniques, and completed the survey in a careful and deliberate manner. The inspector observed the survey instruments as the technicians scanned the site and took the readings. The inspector independently observed the survey instrument readings and recorded the survey results conducted by the licensee. the results from each E600 instrument correlated well with the other. The radiation measurements were taken at the designated survey areas and in areas of interes Licensee Results The licensee established a background level for the E600 gamma scans by taking a series of 5 measurements on each instrument and taking the average value. This technique was used to establish a background count rate of 12,000 cpm. In accordance with standard practice, both E600 detec'. ors were set to alarm at a count rate of two-times background, or 24,000 cp All E600 measurements around the yard and in the areas of known fill showed t background levels of radioactivity None of the readings exceeded the alarm point of 2X background (24,000 cpm), and most readings fell within the range of 12,000 to 13,000 cpm. No alarms registered during the surveys. Almost all areas surveyed using the E600 instruments, including the areas known to contain plant related fill, consistently showed radiation readings around the background level of 12,000 cp A few isolated exceptions to the above finding were areas of slightly elevated counts which were measured on indigenous rocks on the lower left side of the property; on the large stone wallimmediately in front of the house and it' the decorative stones built into the wall; on a large stone wall on the opposite side of the road; and, on a large rock on the f ar lef t side of the property in an area beyond the locations were the plant fill had been used. The highest E600 readings recorded during the survey, 21,000 cpm, was measured on a large rock beyond the graded section of the property, which apparently was a part of the indigenous material The areas showing some elevation in readings, which also remained well below the 2X background alarm level, were on or near indigenous rocks on the propert The inspector observed the supplemental gamma spectroscopy MCA detector readouts and discussed the results with licensee personnel. No plant related >
radioactivity was observed in the background location, or in the other areas on the property selected for further investigation: two were located in the middle of the area containing plant related fill, and the third was located on the large rock on the far left of the property which registered the highest readings during the E600 surveys. The inspector noted that the gamma spectroscopy measurements recorded no Co-60 or Cs-134. The inspector noted naturally occurring radioisotopes (such as uranium, thorium and associated daughter products). Cs-137 was measured, which was investigated further by analysis of the soil sample Cs 137 was present in concentrations indicative of levels typically seen in the environment due to fallout from past nuclear weapons test l
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NRC Indeoendent Measurements A total of five samples were collected for independent analysis at the NRC Region I Laboratory in King of Prussia, PA. Two soil and one water samples were split from the licensee's samples. One soil sample was split with the State of Connecticut, and one sample of rock Was taken. The NRC results are tabulated belo SAMPLE ID/ TYPE LOCATION RESULTS'
- 1 Soil Front Yard Cs 137: 1.127 + /- 0.010 pCl/gm (control) Near Mailbox
- 2 - Soil 12 ft in Front of Cs-137: 0.041 + / 0.003 pCl/gm Known House Near Parking CY Fill Area
- 3 - Water House Tap Water Cs-137: less than 0,01 pCi/gm
- 4 - Soil Side Yard - Far Cs-137: 0.909 + /- 0.009 pCl/gm Left (near rock)
- 5 - Rock Side Yard K 40 measuted only, no Cesium detected Near Riprap The NRC Region Ilaboratory also analyzed the samples for other expected fission and activation radionuclides. No other expected radionuclides (e.g. Mm 54, Co-58, Co-60) were identified at a minimum detectable level (MDA) of 5 pCilg. The calculated MDA was reasonable for analysis of environmental sample The NRC performed a qualitative analysis of the rock sample which indicated no radioactive material associated with reactor operation. The above samples were also checked for potential transuranic radionuclides, None was foun '
The tritium analysis for the tap water sample showed no detectable tritium. The sample results were 300 300 pCi/1. The EPA's limit for drinking water is 20,000 pCil The Cs-137 levels measured in the samples were present in concentrations indicative of levels typically seen in the environment due to fallout from past nuclear weapons tests. Sample #5 was the large rock on the perimeter of the graded section of the property near the riprap and had the highest readings recorded by the E600 scans of all the property areas during the survey. The dominant isotope seen by the NRC analysis in this sample was naturally occurring potassium (K-40). The
' The results reported here have an estimated systematic error of + \- 20% attributed to uncertainties due to the method used for sample preparation, such as counting the soil samples without drying, making no density corrections, and having no geometry calibration / correction for the rock (sample #5).
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licensee's gamma scan of this rock on July 16 also showed the presence of Cs-
-13 The independent NRC analyses showed that there was no plant related activity observed in the samples taken from the private residence on July 1 Conclusions Based on the NRC reviews of the licensee radiation surveys conducted on July 16, and the subsequent NRC independent analysis of soll and rock samplea taken from the site, the inspector concluded that there was no Haddam Neck plant related radioactivity observed at the property. The radiation surveys and analyses by the licensee indicated the presence of radionuclides indicative of naturally occurring or background radiation levels in the area. Also, the NRC's analyses of soll and rock samples indicated naturally occurring radionuclides. - The survey r .J analysis results reported to the inspector by the State of Connecticut were consisunt with these finding V. Monocement Meetinas X1 Exit Meeting Summary The inspector presented the inspection results to members of licensee management-at the conclusion of the inspection on August 5,1997. The licensee acknowledged-the findings presented. The inspector met with the. property owner on July 22 to report the preliminary results of the NRC measurements. The property owner acknowledged NRC result The inspectors asked the licensee whether any materials examined during the -
inspection should be considered proprietary. No proprietary information was identifie _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _
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6 PARTIAL LIST OF PERSONS CONTACTED Licensee Gary Bouchard, Unit Director )
Marty Derrig, Assistant Decommissioning Project Manager John Dorowski, Senior Engineer Richard McGrath, Radiological Engineer Supervisor Russell Mellor, Site Director Richard Sexton, Radiation Protection Manager Ronald Shippee, Radiation Technician Gerald Wood, Radiation Technician State of Connecticut Michael E. Firsick, Radiation Control Physicist