IR 05000263/1977002
| ML20024G087 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Monticello  |
| Issue date: | 03/11/1977 |
| From: | Oestmann M, Pagliaro J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20024G082 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-263-77-02, 50-263-77-2, NUDOCS 9102070519 | |
| Download: ML20024G087 (13) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY C01011SSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENTORCDIENT
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REGION III
Report on Environmental Protection and Confirmatory Heasurements Inspection IE Inspection Report No. 050-263/77-0'.
Licensect Northern States Power Company 414 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, MN 55401 Monticello Nucicar Generating Plant License No. DPR-22 Monticello, MN Category:
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Type of Licensee EWR (GE) 1670 MWt Type of Inspection:
Routine, Unannounced Dates of Inspection:
Februar 15-18, 1977
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Principal Inspector:
p. J. Oestra nn 3 j Il ll )
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Accompanying Inspectors:
None Other Accompanying Personnel: None Q.0 &sa 3![I!)7
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Pagit ro, Chief Reviewed By:
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'nvironment t i and Special I (Ddt h)
Projects Section
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0 0519 77933g
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
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Inspection on February 15-18, (7 7-02 ) : Reviewed environmental program management controls, monitoring results, procedures and sampling stations; discussed confirmatory measurement program for quality con-trol in sample co11cetions and laboratory radionnalysis and discussed results of liquid standard sampics submitted to the licensee in September 1976.
Enforcement Items None.
Licensee Action on Previously Identified Enforcement Items d enforcement items within the scope of this No previously identifie inspection.
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Otner Sigr.ificant Items A.
Systems and Components The licensee has replaced and relocated the air sampling stations in accordance with current technical specification requirements.
(Paragraph 4.c, Report Details)
B.
Facility Items (Plans and Procedures)
i Unresolved Item The progress report fortheradiolc/gical environmental monitoring program reviewed by the inspector d.J not include complete ana-lytical results required by Technict.'. Specification 4.8 and Table 4.8.1.
Review of this environmentaT oenitoring program by the licensee is required to determine vlIerher the intended analyses have been completed for 1976.
(Paragraph 4.d, Report Details)
C.
Managerial Items None.
D.
Deviations None.
E.
Status of Previously Reperted Unresolved Items No previously reported unresolved items within the scope of this inspection.
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Kanagement Interview A management interview was conducted on February 18, 1977, with
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Messrs. L. Mayer. E. Ward, and B. Clark. The following items were discussed with the licensee representatives:
A.
The scope and intent of this inspection.
(Paragraph 2, Report Details)
B.
The ifcensee's environmental program management controls.
(Paragraph 3 Report Details)
C.
The review of the radiological and nonradiological environmental monitoring programs, and in particular the unresolved item per-tsining to incomplete analytical results discussed above.
(Para-graphs 4 and 5, Report Details)
D.
The results of the audit of the radiological environmental monitoring program.
(Paragraph 6. Report Details)
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E.
The status of the confirmatory measurements progran and collection of new effluent samples.
(Paragraph 7, Report Details)
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REPORT DETAILS
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1.
Persons Contacted
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L. Mayer, Manager of Nuclear Support Services (NSS)
E. C. Ward, Manager, Nuclear Environmental Services NSS B. W. Clark, Administrator, Radiation Environmental Monitoring Program, NSS J. L. Bechthold, Administrator. Envircnmental Sciences, Environmental-Covernmental Activities Department (EGAD)
W. J. Lynch, Manager, Environmental Activities (ECAD)
G. D. lieberifng, Jr., Supervisor, Ecological Studies (Monti-Sherco),
(EGAD)
D. J. Johnson, Environmenta Aide (Sherco), (ECAD)
M. Clarity, Superintendent, Pont Engineering and Rodiation Protection, Monticello Plant R. Jacobson, Plant Chemist F. Fey, Radiation Protection Engineer
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J. Peterson, Laboratory Coordinator P. Yorczyk, llcalth Physics Technician B. Schmidt, Laboratory Technician W. S. Schinnick, Laboratory Technician E. Lieffring, Radiation Technician W.11111. Inst rument Engineer 2.
General
This environmental protection inspection consisted of an examina-tion of the licensce's radiological and nonradiological environmental monitoring programs; campling techniques and analytical procedures, including laboratory quality control; sampic co11cetion equipment and location; and environmental program results. The licensce's current technical specifications were utilized as the primary inspec-tion criteria.
Although the licensee has conducted a nonradiological monitoring program sit.cc 1968, the technical specifications do not contain nonradiological requirements at the present time.
No definite schedule has been established to issue such specifications.
This inspection also included confirmatory measurements inspection which consists of a test of the licensce's capability to measure radioactivity in actual or simulated plant effluent sampics by comparing the licensee's measurements with those of the NRC reference-4-(
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laboratory.1/ The two laboratories performed measurements on the some sampics or on duplicates or splits of the same sample.
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,Heasurements made by the NRC laboratory are referenced to the (
National Bureau of Standards' Radioactivity Heasurement System by laboratory intercomparisons.
3.
Management Controls The inspector examined the management controls for the radiological and nonradiological environmental monitoring programs.
The radio-logical program is managed by the Nuclear Supporc Services Department (NSS). This department is responsible for also managing the contract with the NALCO Environmental Sciences Company, which carries out analyses of the radiological environ-mental monitoring samples. This department also reduces and processes meteorological program results.
The Environmental Governmental Activitics Department (EGAD) is responsibic for the nonradiological environmental monitoring program and water quality control.
It also carries out the col-1ection of the radiological samples which are shipped to NALCO for analysis. The contract to the Biology Department of St. Cloud University is also managed by ECAD.
4.
Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program The inspector examined the changes in scope, implementation, and analytical results, including quality control of laboratory procedures, of the radiological environmental monitoring program,
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Technical Specification Channes on May 20, 1976, the licensee obtained a Technical Specifica-tion amendment involving a change in the location and number of environmental sampling stations, the frequency of sample collection; and administrative controls pertaining to the reporting of the analytical results on an annual basis.
In addition, the licensee no longer utilizes the environmental film badge monitoring program conducted by Landauer Company.
During June and July 1976, the licensee converted to the new
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monitoring program.
1/ The NKC reference laboratory is the llealth Services Laboratory (HSL).
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Quality Control of Sampling and Analyses
g The licensee has established sampling and shipping procedures
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and a sampling schedule to comply with the current technical specifications. The inspector examined documentation which showed compliance with these requirements. Missed campics were noted by the EGAD personnel who collect and ship the sampics to the licensee's contractor for subsequent analysis.
The licensee's contractor has an approved quality assurance
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program for sample collection, shipping and analysis and
participates in the Environmental Protection Agency's inter-comparisons program of analytical results for quality control.
The licensee's contractor informs and provides explanations as necessary to the licensee when samples are missed or when any analytical results exceed the two sigma criterion.
c.
Air and Other Sampling Stations Several air, water, aquatic vegetation, thermoluminescent dosi-meter and other sampling stations were visited and all units
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were found to be operable.
No problems with the environmental sampling stations were identified. Several stations had been relocated in June 1976 to correspond to the current Technical Specification requirements. The licensee representative reported that equipment for all air sampling stations has been upgraded during the past year, d.
Reports on Analytical Results
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's contractor reports of analytical results for the period of January-November 1976 and some results for December 1976.
No unusual trends or results were noted in the inspector's review of the radio-logical environmental monitoring results except during the atmospheric atomic bomb tests conducted during 1976.
The report also contained explanations as to why samples were missed. However, certain analytical results were not avail-able in accordance with Technical Specification 4.8 and Table 4.8.1.
The weekly analytical results for gross beta
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activity and gamma scan activity of the air particulate filters and charcoal adsorbers for the second half of December 1976 were incomplete. Tritium analytical results for river water quarterly composite samples taken upstream and downstream of the plant and for drinking water quarterly composite samples for the October-December 1976 period were not available.
Strontium-89 and strontium-90 activities in drinking water quarterly composite samples for July-September and October-December 1976 periods and gross beta activity in-6-(
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drinking water sampics for December 1976 were not completed.
No explanation was provided as to why strontium-89 had not been determined in aquatic vegetation taken upstream and (s downstream of the plant on a semi-annual basis. The ana-lyses of the above mentioned quarterly composite river water and drinking water samples and aquatic vegetation samples are considered to be an unresolved item and will be examined dur-ing a subsequent inspection, e.
Meteorological Monitoring Program The inspector reviewed the operation of the equipment to measure wind speed, direction, dewpoint, temperature and tem-terature dif ferential at 33, 140, 330-foot elevations on the 330-foot meteorological tower. The equipment is calibrated by a licensce's contractor on a quarterly basis and is checked daily to assure operability by plant personnel. The meteoro-logical data from this tower are reduced and compiled by NSS and selected data have been submitted to the NRC to demonstrate radioactive releases are as icw as reasonably achievable. The inspector also reviewed selected wind speed and direction
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records for 1976 taken from a 30-foot tower on top of the reactor building. Wind speed and direction data are recorded in the control room.
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5.
Nonradiological Environmental Monitoring Program a.
Status of Appendix B Technical Specifications The licensee has no Appendix B Technical Specifications and a i
representative reported that the issuance of Appendix B Techni-cal Specifications for nonradiological ef fluent release limits and ecological programs is dependent upon the issuance first of a Section 402-National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Sys-tem (NPDES) permit from the State of Minnesota. As a result, no schedule has been established for issuance of the NPDES or the Appendir B Technical Specifications, b.
Nonradiological Environmental Monitoring Program The ecological programs are managed by EGAD and are carried out with the assistance of personnel from the Biology Depart-ment of St. Cloud State University. The inspector reviewed the 1975 annual report for the ecological studies. This program was started in 1968 and includes water monitoring, attached algae, and macroinvertebrates, fish impingement and entrainment studies to determine the effects of plant dis-charges. The inspector also visited a building containing-8-(
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fishing gear and boats which are used for the ecological sampling program. An inspection of the nonradiological
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monitoring program will be carried out as soon as the (
Appendix B Technical Specifications are issued.
6.
Audit of the Environmental Monitoring Program The inspector reviewed the biannual records of the audit conducted by the Safety Audit Committee (SAC) regarding the radiological environmental monitoring program. The licensee has taken action in reporting additional information pertaining to gamma scan activitics based on the recommendations of the audit conducted in December 1975.
In addition, the inspector reviewed the SAC discussion on a report on comparison of analytical results of two dif ferent laboratories, the licensee's new contractor, NALCO, and the licensee's former contractor, the Hinresota Department of Health to assure en adequate transition from one contractor to another contractor in conducting the environmental prcgram. This report was reviewed by the inspector.
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Confirmatory Measurement inspection The confirmatory measurement portion of this inapection consisted
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of (1) a test of the licensee's capabilities for measurement of radioactivity in an actual or simulated plant effluent sampics by comparing the licensee's measurements with those of the NRC reference laboratory; and (2) an examination of the licensee's analytical procedures and instrumentation calibrations to control I
quality of radioanalytical measurements. A discussion of the conrirmatory measurements program is presented in a letter dated j
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September 3, 1976, from Mr. J. G. Keppler, Director, Region III,
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USNRC, to Northern States Power Company, a.
Analytical Results Since the licensee has not routinely released any liquid waste since January 1972, arrangements were made to provide the licensee with two liquid standard samples from the NRC reference laboratory in September 1976. The inspectot
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reviewed the licensee's analytical results of the liquid standard sampics which were compared with the NRC reference laboratory (Health Services Laboratory) results using
",The Criteria of Comparing Analytical Results" (Attachment 1)
A summary of these results by sample type and isotope is presented in Table 1 (Attachment 2).
The inspector discussed these results with licensee representatives and noted that-9-(
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the strontium-89 and cesium-137 results were in disagreement.
The inspector discussed with the licensee representatives the
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methods, techniques, and calculations used to analyze strontium-89. Possible cause for not obtaining acceptable results for strontium-89 was that there was a three month delay in analyzing the camples, thereby resulting in radio-
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active decay of much of the strontium-89. Differences were also noted in carrying out the calculations to obtain the con-centration of total strontium and strontium-89 in comparison with those calculations used by the NRC reference laboratory.
In addition, the results for cesium-137 indicated that the concentration in the licensee's samples was twice that in the NRC reference laboratory's samples. The licensee representa-tive explained that there was a change in the geometry used in determining the amount of activity present. Arrangements will be made to e. gain provide the licensee with another set of liquid waste standard samples.
This item will be reexamined during a subsequent inspection.
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Sample Collection and Provision for Standard Samples As stated above, liquid standard sampics are to be provided
'the licensee to test his capability for analyzing strontium-89, strontium-90, and other isotopes.
In addition, the inspector obtainad a particulate filter, charcoal adsorber, and gaseous effluent sampics for subsequent comparative analyses. The analytical results will be examined during a future inspection.
c.
Quality Control in Radionnalyses (
The inspector reviewed the licensee's procedures for adminis-trative control and technical methods for laboratory radiological analytical measurements, including sampling techniques and instrument calibration. These procedures include determination of daily surveillance requirements, calibration techniques, sampling and counting measurement techniques and quality control performance checks for nuclear insttumentation. The inspector e::amined log books of daily enerrj and weekly instrument calibration checks in accordance
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wit'. procedural controls. The inspector noted that background
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is determined every day and counting eff iencies are deter-mined once a week. The licensee uses s'.untium-90 - yttrium-90 for.his calculation for determining efficiency of his beta counting equipment.
The use of a standard cesium-137 source for efficiency determinations was discussed with the licensee repre-centatives.
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The inspector also noted that the licensee is currently utilizing a sy1 tem of temporary chemistry memos for proce-
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dural control of many activities associated with the use of (
the Ge(Li) gamma spectrometer and other counting equipment.
The information in these memos is being incorporated into the licensee's procedures, which are being revised and up-graded. New and revised procedures will be completed by the early part of 1977. This item will be examined during a sub-sequent inspection.
The inspector also examined the radionnalytical inboratory facilities and discussed with the licensee representatives records of counting techniques and calibrations of instru-mentation.
Attachments:
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Criteria for Comparing Analytical Measurements 2.
Table I
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A'ITACINENT 1
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CRkTER$A h0R COMPAR1!!C ANALYTICAL MEASURD!ENTS j
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This attachment provides criteria for comparing results of capability
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tests and verification measurements.
The criteria are based on an
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empirical relationship which combines prior experience and the accuracy
needs of this program.
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In these criteria, the judgment limits are variabic in relation to tha
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comparison of the NRC Reference Laboratory's value to its associated
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one sigma uncertainty. As that ratio, referred to in this program as
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_should be more selective.
Conversely, poorer agreement should be con-
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'sidered acceptabic as the resolution decreases.
The values in the ratio
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criteria may be rounded to fewer significant figures to maintain
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. statistical consistency with the numbnr of significant figures reported
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by the 'NRC Ref erence Laboratory, unicss such rounding vill result. in a
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narrowed category of acceptance. The acceptance category reported will
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be the narrowest into which the ratio fits for the resolution being used,
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i KESOLUTION RATIO = LICENSEE VALUC/NRC REFERENCE VALUE
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Possible Possibic
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Agreement Anrcement
"A"_
Anrceabic "B"
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<3 No Comparison No Comparison No Comparison
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3.0 No comparison
>3 and <4 6.4 2.5 0. 3
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3.0 2.5 0.3 2.0 0.4 T4 and <8 0.5
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2.5 2.0 0.4 1,67 0.5
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'I8 and <16 O.6
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1.67 0.5
>16 and <51 0.75 - 1.33 0.6
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1.67 1.33 0.6 I51 and <200 0.80 - 1.25 0.75
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.I200 0.85 - 1.18 0.80
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"A" criteria are applied to the following analyses:
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Camma spectrometry, where rincipal gamma energy used for identifi-
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' cation is greater than 250 kev.
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Tritium analyses of l'iquid sampics.
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"B" criteria are applied to the following analyses:
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Camma spectrometry, where principal gamma energy used for identifi-
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, cation is less than 250 kcV.
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Sr,-89 and Sr-90 determinations.
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Cross beta, where sampics are counted on the same date using the
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.same reference nuclide.
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