IR 05000324/1981003
| ML20003G685 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Brunswick  |
| Issue date: | 03/18/1981 |
| From: | Hosey C, Jonathon Puckett NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20003G684 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-324-81-03, 50-324-81-3, 50-325-81-03, 50-325-81-3, NUDOCS 8104300546 | |
| Download: ML20003G685 (4) | |
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3, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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E REGION 11
101 MARIETTA ST., N.W., SUITE 3100 g
D ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 o
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Report Nos. 50-325/81-03 and 50-324/81-03 Licensee: Carolina Power and Light Company 411 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC 27602 i
Facility Name: Brunswick
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License Nos. DPR-71 and DPR-62 Inspection at Southport, NC Inspector: /
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y i Puckett,/lladiation Specialist
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Approved by:
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C. M. Hotey,\\bc' ting Ch' ef, Facilities Uate Sigried Radiation Protectiqn Section Technical Inspection Branch Division of Engineering and Technical Inspection SUMMARY Inspection on February 18-20, 1981 Areas Inspected This special, unannounced inspection involved 18 inspector-hours onsite in the area of transportation of radioactive material.
Results Of the one area inspected, no violations of NRC requirements or deviations were identified.
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e DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- C. R. Dietz, General Manager
- R. E. Morgan, Plant Operations Manager
- R. Pasteur, Chemistry Supervisor l
B. Failor, Radwaste Shipping Foreman
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NRC Resident Inspector
- D. Johnson
- L. Gardner
- Attended exit interview 2.
Exit Interview The inspection scope and findings were summarized on February 20, 1981, with those persons indicated in Paragraph 1 above. The inspector emphasized the fortuitous circumstances which resulted in no federal regulations having been violated and emphasized the need-for continuing caution on the part of the licensee in the preparation of future shipments of radioactive waste.
3.
Inspection of waste shipments which were performed in violation of the South Carolina (agreement state) license issued to Chem-Nuclear, Inc., Barnwell, South Carolina.
a.
On December 23, 1980, a shipment of low level radioactive waste was received by Chem-Nuclear, I.c., Barnwell, South Carolina from the Brunswick Steam Electric J1 tat. Close inspection revealed that three waste containers had exmass levels of moisture associated with the contents.
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On January 8,1981, a shipment arrived at the Chem-Nuclear site from the Brunswick Plant with moisture in two containers.
(1) The inspector interviewed the facility Radioactive Waste Shipping Foreman to. ascertain what measures Iad been taken at the time the shipments noted above were made in order to ensure their moisture content was below the South Carolina license limits.
The
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l inspector was satisfied that reasonable precautions had been taken j
(also noted below in paragraph 3.b).
l (2) The inspector also determined that the concentration of radio-
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active material in the December 23, 1980, shipment was 4.75 x 10 5
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microCuries per gram, and the concentration of radioactive material in the water from the January 8,1981, shipment was less than the lower limit of detection (= 1 x 10 ' microCuries per
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milliliter) of the analysis equipment at the Barnwell site. Both concentrations were exempt from federal regulations as noted in paragraph 4, below.
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b.
South Carolina enforcement action was taken on January 9, 1981 and resulted in Carolina Power and Light being fined $2,000.00 for the
shipment of radioactive water for burial, contrary to the burial site license (issued by the agreement state). The following is the text of l
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Carolina Power and Light's response to the State of South Carolina:
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In response to you letter of January 5,1981, concerning the recent shipments of dumpstc; s containing excessive free water to
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the Barnwell site, we have investigated these events and have developed appropriate corrective action.
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The incident of December 23, 1980, was the result of insufficient i
inspection during the packaging and loading of the dumpster. The inspection performed allowed gravel to be loaded which contained
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an excessive amount of moisture which was not found by the plant personnel. A training and inspection program for proper material
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selection and loading has been developed as discussed below.
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Also as discussed with you and your staff on January 9, 1981, two dumpsters containing excessive moisture were found on January 8,
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1981, which had been inadvertently treated as being properly l
packaged when they were shipped. The normal procedure is for each dumpster with trash to be taken to the drnming room where it is
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compacted and inspected anc then transferred to a storage area to await shipment. In the case of the two dumpsters, they were taken directly to the storage area, bypassing any further compaction and I
internal inspection.
We believe the dumpsters had collected rainwater which froze in the cold weather. Heat was applied to l
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each dumpster prior to shipment and drain plugs were removed but no liquids were detected; and consequently, plant ' personnel l
thought the dumpsters were free of moisture.
To prevent the above from occurring in the future we will implement the following:
(1) The contents of all packaged dumpsters presently cn site will be removed, inspected, and repackaged.
(2) We have changed the supervision of the trash loading crew and added a lead man from the shipping crew to
increase inspection of packaged waste.
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l (3) A formal training program for both the trash loading and shipping craws is being developad.
The training
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will include applicable packaging and shipping regula-
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tions for radioactive waste.
(4) A training program for a third party inspection crew whose responsibility will be to follow the course of each dumpster from initial check out to shipment is k
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being developed.
Training will include applicable
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packaging and sh;pping regulations with. emphasis on detection of potential violations.
(5)
Each dumpster will have on the outside the name of person who checked it out, the area the dumpster was used in, and the inspector's name verifying the dumpster has been properly packaged and is ready for shipment.
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(6) The drain plug on each dumpster will be opened immedi-ately prior to loading as a final check for free
moisture.
(7)
In che future, sand, soil, and gravel will be packaged in drums rather than dumpsters.
(8) Rejected trash from the clean sorting facility will be completely covered to prevent exposure to rain.
4.
Conclusions The inspector determined that no federal regulations had been violated due to the concentrations of radioactive material being exempted from federal control by the following paragraphs: 10 CFR 30.70, 10 CFR 71.7(a), and 49
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CFR 173.389(e). The inspector further determined that the corrective act-ion taken by the licensee in response to the South Carolina violation appeared adequate to avoid potential federal violations in the future.
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