IR 05000312/1979006
| ML19269D325 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 04/12/1979 |
| From: | Book H, Thomas R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19269D322 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-312-79-06, 50-312-79-6, NUDOCS 7906010254 | |
| Download: ML19269D325 (8) | |
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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE oF INSPECTION AND ENFORcEMEtTr
REGION V
50-312/79-06 Report No.
50-312 License No.
DPR-54 safeguards Group Docket No.
Licensee:
Sacramento Municipal Utility District P. O. Box 15830 Sacramento, California 95813 Facility Name:
Rancho Seco Inspection at:
Clay Station, California Inspection conducted:
March 20-23, and 29,1979 fv>,
f 7y Inspectors:
e R. D. Thomas, Radiation Specialist patesigned Date Signed Date Signed h L,[m
/.2,['77 Approved By:
L H. E. Book, Chief, FLel Facilities and Materials pate' signed Safety Branch Surrmary : Inspection on March 20-23, and 29,1979 (Report No. 50-312/79-06)
Areas Inspected:
Licensee action on previous inspection findings; radioactive waste systems, including liquid releases, liquid shipments, gaseous releases, solid radioactive waste disposal, effluent control instrumentation, reports, procedures, filter testing, and coolant water quality; Quality Control of analytical measurements, including the program, audits, records, and confirm-atory measurements; and independent inspection effort.
The inspection involved 41 inspector hours onsite by one inspector.
Results:
Of the fourteen areas inspected, no apparent items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
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DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted R. Colombo, Technical Assistant R. Miller, Chemical and Radiation Protection Supervisor
- S. Coats, Plant Health Physicist F. Kellie, Plant Nuclear Chemist
- W. Wilson, Senior Chemical and Radiation Assistant L. Stephenson, Supervisor, Electrical Engineering D. Whitney, Senior Nuclear Engineer T. Morrill, Senior Chemical and Radiation Assistant
- J. McColligan, Technical Supervisor (Acting Manager of Nuclear Operations)
- Denotes those attending the exit interview.
2.
Action on Previous Inspection Findings The corrective actions taken by the licensee in response to a Region V enforcement letter, dated January 24, 1979, were examined.
The licensee's response to that letter, dated February 14, 1979, was acceptable and all correc-tive actions were verified during this inspection. This matter is considered closed.
(78-23-01 )
The licensee's commitment to identify draft procedures with the wording,
" PROPOSED ONLY - NOT YET OFFICIAL," (see Paragraph 6, NRC Inspection Report No. 50-312/78-23) was examined. The licensee's fulfillment of the comitment was verified during this inspection. This matter is considered closed.
(78-23-02)
The corrective actions taken by the licensee in response to a Region V enforcement letter, dated February 26, 1979, were examined.
The licensee's response to that letter, dated March 19, 1979, which referenced additional information submitted on January 15, 1979, was acceptable.
All corrective actions taken by the licensee were verified during this inspection.
These matters are considered closed.
(79-02-01) (79-02-02)
3.
Radioactive Waste Systems a.
Liquid Releases The licensee had no liquid releases during the period of January -
December 1978.
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b.
Liquid Shipments An examination of the liquid waste shipment records for the period of January - December 1978 indicated that the licensee had made 25 shipments.
Five shipments were made to Beatty, Nevada, and 20 ship-ments were made to Galveston, Texas. The total quantity of waste water shipped was 80,800 gallons containing a total activity of 63.3 curies of which 58.0 curies were tritium.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified, c.
Gaseous Release
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AP-305-14 is the licensee's procedure governing environmental release of airborne radioactivity. There are three environmental release points from the plant.
These are:
(1) the Auxiliary Building stack which exhausts air from the ventilation systems serving the Auxiliary and Spent Fuel Building, the condenser air ejector, the gland steam condenser and the waste gas decay tank system; (2) the Reactor Building stack, and (3) the Radioactive Service Area Fan EF-A-9.
The release point associated with the Fan EF-A-9 is not operational due to the pending installation of a radiological monitoring system.
Releases from the Reactor Building occur during purging and are considered as batch releases.
Release from the Auxiliary Building stack are continuous.
Releases from the decay tanks via the Auxiliary Building stack are batch releases.
During the period of January - December 1978, the Reactor Building had 24 purges.
An examination of the release permits indicated that all gaseous releases were in accordance with the Technical Specifi-cation 2.6.3 of Appendix B.
During the period of January - December 1978, there were eight releases from the gas decay tanks.
The Auxiliary Building release permits, which included the decay tank releases, were examined. All releases were made in accordance with the Technical Specifications.
It was noted that in some instances, the licensee released decay tanks prior to the desired 45 day holdup time as stated in AP-305-14.
This is done periodically to allow for operating flexibility. The licensee takes grab gas samples when the gas decay tanks are filled in order to assure compliance with 135,000 curie limitation on the individual tanks.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identifed.
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Solid Radioactive Waste Disposal During the period of January - December 1978, the licensee made 13 shipments of solid radioactive waste materials to Beatty, Nevada for land burial. The shipments contained spent resins, filter sludges, evaporator bottoms, dry compressible waste, contaninated equipment, and noncompressibles. The records indicated that 347 fifty-five gallon drums and 13 wooden boxes containing a total activity of 1,270 curies had been. disposed.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified, e.
Effluent Control Instrumentation The calibration of instrumentation used to nonitor liquid and gaseous effluents was examined.
An examination of the records for 1978 indicated that the quarterly calibration and monthly functional checks of the effluent monitors had been performed at the required intervals as stated in the Technical Specifications.
The Ba-133 and Cs-137 sources are still being used for calibration of the effluent monitors.
The functional checks of the isolation valves associated with the effluent monitors were also examined and were found to be acceptable.
The alarm and trip points of the effluent monitors were examined.
The current settings are:
Regenerant Holdup Tank Alert Level - 350 cpm (Beta-Gama)
High Level
- 3,000 cpm (Beta-Gamma)
Waste Gas Header Alert Level - 400,000 cpm (Gas)
High Level
- 500,00 cpm (Gas)
Reactor Building Alert Level - 300 cpm (Gas)
- 70,000 cpm (Particulate)
High Level
- 15,000 cpm (Gas)
- 100,000 cpm (Particulate)
Auxiliary Building Alert Level - 1,000 cpm (Gas)
- 2,50 cpm (Particulate)
High Level
- 14,000 cpm (Gas)
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- 25,000 cpm (Particulate)
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4-The two constant air rmnitors, CAM 13306 and CAM 14079, which are located in the Auxiliary Building are going to be placed on a sur-veillance procedure which will require the monitors to be calibrated quarterly and a functional test monthly.
Presently, the monitors are calibrated every six months in accordance with AP-305-17K.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
f.
Reports A review of the licensee's annual " Radiation Exposure, Environmental Protection, Effluent and Waste Disposal Report," which was submitted on March 6,1979, was made as part of this inspection. The report appeared to be complete. No trends were noted.
The reporting of all
monitoring data appeared to be consistent with the Technical Specifica-tions requirements. For completeness, the data contained in the annual report were submitted as per Regulatory Guide 1.21.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
g.
A discussion with the licensee indicated that procedures AP 305-13, and AP 305-14 had been revised during 197t... AP 305-13, Revision No. 4, dated January 23, 1978, established a procedure for the use of the new regenerant holdup tank.
Revision No. 5, dated September 29, 1978, added a pump curve to establish a fixed flow rate from the regenerant holdup tank; deleted the morpholine discharge limits; the liquid discharge limit for gross beta was changed to SE-8(Sr89-90) uci/ml which is more restrictive for effluent releases; and the oxygen limitation in the discharge water was changed from 5.0 mg/ liter to greater than 5.0 mg/ liter. AP 305-14, Revision No. 3, dated May 15, 1978, changed the gland steam release point; added a com-puter printout as a sample for release permit format; deleted the requirement for alpha and gross beta sampling on reactor building purge; changed the Sr 89-90 analysis on the monthly filter composits if the gross beta is less than IE-11 uci/ml; and deleted an effluent sample change at the end of a gas decay tank release. The weekly samples cover this function already.
All changes in the procedures were in compliance with the Technical Specifications.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
h.
Filter Testing The records showing the results of filter testing in the Emergency Control Room Filtering System, the Reactor Building, Purge Filtering System, and the Reactor Building Emergency Filtering System were examined. All filter testing had been conducted in accordance with the Technical Specifications and all results were acceptable.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
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Coolant Water Quality An examination of the records related to the coolant water quality was conducted for the period of January - December 1978. The areas examined were the reactor coolant, secondary coolant, and blowdown from the cooling towers. All periodic tests required by Table 4.1-3, Appendix A, of the Technical Specifications were perfonned in a timely manner and the results were within the limits. The I-131 concentration in'the secondary coolant system was in the order of 1E-8 uci/ml which is well within Technical Specification limitation.
Analytical results for oxygen, chloride and fluoride were examined and compared to the applicable limitations in Section 3.1.5, Appendix A of the Technical Specifications. Tests had been perforced in a timely manner and the results showed compliance with the Technical Specifica-tion recuirements.
Tests for boron concentration were not examined during this inspection.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
4.
Quality Control of Analytical Measurements a.
Program The quality control program for the analytical laboratory was examined.
The licensee has developed a quality control laboratory procedure, AP.306,Section VIII.
The quality control procedure incorporates all analytical test procedures and establishes the acceptance criteria and instructions to assure that deficiencies and deviations in ti.e program are recognized and identified.
b.
Audits The licensee has initiated a quality control audit program which will periodically review the analytical laboratory tests and instrumenta-tion. Monthly, overchecks are being made by running split or spiked c.tmples and checking the results for agreement.
The monthly overcheck surrmaries are audited periodically by the Plant Nuclear Chemist to resolve any deficiencies or deviations in the program.
An examination of the runthly overcheck summaries was conducted for the period of June 1978 to February 1979.
All audits and reviews appeared to be complete and only minor discrepancies were noted in the analytical data results.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
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c.
Records An examination of the laboratory records for 1978 was conducted.
They type and number of required checks of measurements and the frequency for making the checks were observed.
All checks were made in a proper and timely manner, except the pH monitoring of the Folsom South Canal water. The licensee had changed the sampling from a weekly frequency to performing the pH testing only when the pH level exceed 8.5, shich would be during the sumer months. Since this was a change in a comitment made to the NRC, a discussion was held with the licensee regarding the reason for the change.
Based upon the samnling records, it was observed that the pH level did not vary duri'ng the cool weather months; however, during the hot weather months, the pH level would vary with the temperature of the canal water. Sampling the pH levels during these hot weather months is
. performed weekly to establish the pH fluctuations in the canal water in order to remain within the Technical Specification limitations for plant wa6er discharge off-site. Based upon the results of the sampling of the canal water, this change in the commitment is con-sidered acceptable.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
d.
Confirmatory Measurements Due to repetitive disagreements between the Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory (RESL) data and the licensee's analytical laboratory data in liquid, gaseous, and particulate samples, arrangements have been made to have a representative from RESL to meet with the licensee to review the overall confirm-atory measurements program and to try to resolve the areas of dis-agreement. This meeting has been tentatively scheduled for April 1979.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
5.
Plant Inspection and Radiation Survey A walk-through inspection and radiation survey was conducted on March 23, 1979, in the Auxiliary Building and other areas outside the building.
As a result of the walk-through inspection, it was observed that the licensee has changed the posting policy fcr radiation areas in the -20 foot level of the Auxiliary Building.
Instead of posting individual radia-tion areas within the -20 foot level, the licensee has posted both entrance doors to the -20 foot level with a Caution-Radiation Area sign based upon the premise that the whole -20 foot area is to be considered a radiation area. All high radiation areas within the -20 foot level is individually posted in accordance with 10 CFR 20.203(c).
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A radiation survey was conducted by the inspector on March 23,1979, which involved the -20 foot level, and ground level of the Auxiliary Building, and the outside tank. area. As a result of the survey, eight radiation areas were identified within the -20 foot level of the Auxiliary Building.
Radiation levels ranged from S to 35 mr/hr for general areas in rooms and hallways to 5 mr/hr at a distance of 4 to 10 feet from valves. There were no radiation area postings in the immediate areas associated with the radiation levels indicated above.
Discussions regarding the new posting policy were held with members of licensee's health physics staff and with the management representative at the exit interview.
As a result of the discussion, the inspector stated that the matter would be resolved at the NRC Region V office.
On March 29, 1979, the inspector called the licensee with the following information.
The new posting policy had been reviewed as to compatability with 10 CFR 20.203, the licensee's Radiation Control Manual, and the ALARA concept.
It was concluded that the posting on the entrance doors to the -20 foot level would apply only to a room or small area which may contain individual radiation areas; however, the licensee considers the the -20 foot level to be a large area. Radiation area posting, pursuant to 10 CFR 20.203(b), should be established in those arcas where the radia-tion exists in excess of the limits specified in 10 CFR 20.202(b)(2), even though the doors leading into the -20 foot level are posted with a Caution-Radiation Area sign.
Pursuant to the telephone conversation, the licensee stated that the radiation area posting for the -20 foot level in the Auxiliary Building would be re-evaluated in terms of the guidelines discussed. The licensee's radiation area posting practices will be reviewed during the next inspection.
No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified.
6.
Exit Interview In addition to those individuals denoted in Paragraph 1, the following individuals were in attendance:
J. Sullivan, Quality Assurance Engineer, H. Heckert, Nuclear Engineering Technician; and A. Schwieger, Director of Quality Assurance. The inspector summarized the. scope and findings of the inspection. The matter of the pH testing of the Folsom South Canal wus discussed (see Paragraph 4.c). The radiation posting practices in the -20 foot level were discussed (see Paragraph 5). The licensee was informed that no items of noncompliance were identified. A proposed neutron radiation survey which would be condbeted by NRC inspectors was discussed.
The licensee stated that the airborne activity levels inside the containment were quite high and purging would be required prior to entry.
It was agreed that the neutron survey would be conducted at a time when the containment is being purged before coming down from the 100% power level. The licensee agreed to notify the Region V office when the next containment purging and entry are scheduled.
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