IR 05000458/1990012
| ML20043E251 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  |
| Issue date: | 05/31/1990 |
| From: | Murray B, Wilborn L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20043E250 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-458-90-12, IEB-79-19, NUDOCS 9006120199 | |
| Download: ML20043E251 (8) | |
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I APPENDIX l
t U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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REGION IV
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NRC Inspection Report:
50-458/90-12 Operating License:
NPF-47 j
Docket:
50-458
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Licensee:. Gulf States Utilities (GSV)
'P.O. Box 220
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St. Francisv111e, Louisiana 70775
d Facility Name: River Bend Station (RBS)
Inspection At: RBS, St. Francisville. Louisiana Inspection Conducted: May 7-11, 1990 j
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Inspeetor:
'VA0
[ThM.)
44 3[,/998
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L.111 bob 6, Radiation Specialist, Facilities Dat(/
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Radiological Protection Section i
Approved:
/kA()
AMM#)
lE/ M IT. Mirray, Chie'f,' Facfyities Radiological D&te r
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Protection Section V
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Inspection Summary Inspection Conducted May 7-11,1990 (Report 50-458/90-12)
-r Areas Inspected: Routine, unannounced inspection of the lici, tee's solid radioactive waste and radioactive materials transportation programe.
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Results: The licensee had implemented a solid radioactive waste program and a transportation program in accordance with NRC requirements. These programs were being conducted in accordance with Technical Specification (TS)
i requirements. The licensee's staff involved with solid radioactive waste and transportation activities had remained constant over the past 13 months, except one radwaste foreman had been terminated and replaced.
The licensee's solid radioactive waste and transportation staffing, training, and qualification programs appeared adequate to support plant operations. -The licensee had performed comprehensive quality assurance (QA) audits in the solid radioactive waste and transportation areas. Management and first-line supervisory oversight appeared well implemented.
The licensee had implemented ALARA i
9006120199 900605 PDR ADOCK 05000458 Q
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-2-planning as part of.the solid radwaste and transportation programs. The licensee had improved performance in.the solid radioactive waste and
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radioactive material transportation areas.
Within the areas inspected, no violations or deviations were identified.
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e-3-E DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted G.SM S
'P. D. Graham, Plant Manager
- J. E. Booker, Manager, Nuclear Industry Relations
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- G. A. Bysfield, Central Systems Supervisor
- E. M. Cargill, Director, Radiological Programs
- J. W. Cook, Technical Assistant
- T. C. Crouse, Manager, Administration
- R. G. Eas11ck, Radwaste Supervisor
- L. A. England, Director, Nuclear Licensing
- A. O. Fredieu, Operations Supervisor
- G. K. Henry, Director, Quality Operations
- G. R. Kimmel, Director, Quality Services
- D. N. Lorfing, Supervisor, Nuclear Licensing
- J. C. Matter, Engineer, Licensing R. T. Schoemer, Operations QA Engineer
- M. A. Stein, Supervisor, Civil / Structural Design R. A. Wilson, Radwaste Foreman I
Others
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- E. J. Ford, Senior Resident Inspector, RBS
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- J. E. Bess, Reactor Inspector
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- W. L. Curran, Site Representative, Cajun
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- Denotes those present during the exit meeting on May 11, 1990.
The inspector also interviewed several other licensee employees including QA/ quality control engineers, radwaste, and radiation protection personnel.
2.
Followup on Previously Identified Inspection Findings I
(Closed) Violation 458/8917-02: Classification of Waste on Hazardous Waste Manifests - This item was discussed in NRC Inspection Report 50-458/89-17 and involved the licensee's failure to accurately
describe the radionuclide identity and quantity and properly estimate the weight percentage of the chelating agent on the shipment manifest for Waste Shipment 0788-019.
The inspector examined the licensee's implementation of corrective actions and noted that:
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The radwaste department had confirmed compatibility of the chemistry i
department's computer program with the radwaste department's radwaste, management, analysis, and inventory logistics (RADMAIL)
computer program.
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The licensee had revised Radwaste Procedure RWS-0207, "Radwaste Shipping Criteria," to ensure that radwaste shipping papers will be completed I day prior to shipment to allow for acew:ta review.
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c.
The licensee had revised Radwaste Procedure RWS-0304, " Radioactive i
Waste Handling and Control," to add color coding to the status board
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p for unusual or abnormal liners, such as high integrity containers,
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liners used for encapsulation, or those containing chelates or oil to
ensure that they are properly identified on shipping papers.
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d.
The licensee had revised Radwaste Procedure RWS-0327 " Shipping Low Specific Activity (LSA) Radioactive Material," to prohibit any radwaste shipments after normal working hours without the plant
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manager's or his designee's authorization, and to ensure that all
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radwaste shipping papers are double checked using an independent i
method of activity calculation.
The licensee's corrective actions appeared to be well implemented and adequate to prevent a recurrence of the violation in the future.
3, Organization and Management Controls
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's organization, staffing, and staff functional assignments relating to solid radioactive waste and transportation programs to determine agreement with commitments in Chapter 13 of the Updoted Safety Analysis Report (USAR) and the respoase to NRC Bulletin 79-19 and compliance with the requirements of Section 6 of the TS.
The inspector verified that the organizational structures of the RBS radwaste department responsible for the solid radioactive waste and transportation programs were as defined in the USAR and TS.
The RBS staff assignments and management control procedures were reviewed for assignment of responsibilities for the management and implementation of the RBS solid radioactive waste and transportation programs. The organizational structure and staffing for radwaste and transportation activities appeared suf ficient to meet the requirements for routine-plant operations. Only one radwaste staff member had terminated during the past 13 months.
No violations or deviations were identified.
4.
, Training and Qualifications The inspector reviewed the licensee's training and qualification program for RBS personnel involved in the solid radioactive waste and radioactive r
material transportation activities to determine agreement with commitments in Chapter 13 of the USAR and the response to NRC Bulletin 79-19 and compliance with Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the TS.
The inspector reviewed the individual training records of selected
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material transportation activities. The inspector discussed the solid radioactive waste and transportation training program with a radwaste foreman and several radwaste operators. These reviews and discussions indicated that the personnel involved in the solid radioactive waste activities and shipping of radioactive aaterials possessed a working knowledge of the licensee's specific procedural requirements and applicable NRC, Department of Transportation (DOT), and burial site requirements.
No violations or deviations were identified.
5.
QA Audit Program The inspector reviewed the licensee's QA audit and surveillance programs for solid radioactive waste and radioactive material transportation activities to determine agreement with commitments in Chapter 13 of the
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USAR and compliance with the requirements in Section 6.5 of the TS.
The inspector reviewed the QA surveillance and audit plans and checklists, selected QA department procedures, and the qualifications and training of.
QA auditors performing the surveillances and audits of solid radioactive waste handling, packa ing, and transportation activities. The inspector reviewed the license 5 latest QA Audit 89-06-I, " Process Control /Radwaste Management Programs (PCON/RWMP)" conducted June 13-22, 1989.
The notification of Audit 89-06-I-PCON/RWMP was dated May 4, 1989. The audit plan was dated June 7, 1989, and stated that the purpose of the audit was to make an assessment of personnel performance and adequacy and effectiveness of procedures in complying with and conforming to the requirements of the TS, USAR, regulatory requirements, INPO good practices, and other appropriate upper-tier requirements. A QA Finding
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Report No. P-89-07-003'which identified three concerns for management j
review, evaluation, and action had been issued and closed.
The audit team
used a checklist which appeared to adequately cover all areas of solid radioactive waste and transportation activities as required by RBS procedures and verify compliance with NRC and DDT regulations. The inspector also reviewed selected QA surveillances performed an solid radioactive waste handling, packaging, and storage and on radioactive material shipments during the period April 19, 1989, through January 29, 1990.
The inspector verified that QA personnel performing audit and surveillance activities had attended training of solid radioactive waste handling and packing and transportation regulatory requirements.
No violations or deviations were identified.
6.
Solid Radioactive Waste Management
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's solid radioactive waste program to determine agreement with commitments in Chapter 11 of the USAR and compliance with the requirements in Sections 3/4.11.3, 6.13, and 6.15 of the TS.
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The inspector discussed the solidification and dewatering operations with licensee personnel and noted that RBS used a vendor to perform waste r
solidification through the use of portable processing equipment.
These wastes are remotely packaged in shipping containers as a homogeneous, immobile mix.
The licensee verified solidification through collecting a representative sample of the wa*,te (and water) and blending with a predetermined binder mixture based on contractor-supplied information specifically developed for the solidification of wastes.
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solidifiestion and verification processes appeared to be performed in accordance with radioactive waste Procedures RWS-0209, " Conduct of r
Radwaste Vendor Services," and RWS-0204, " Process Control Program."
The inspector verified that the processing system for the solidification
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of liquids and resins was on the NRC approved topical report list of
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radwaste volume reduction processes.
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The inspector inspected the dry active waste storage facility and the g-radwaste building and noted that RBS used a waste compactor to compact E
compressible dry radioactive waste materials into a fraction of their
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original volume, providing a significant dry waste volume reduction.
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dry active waste collection, segregation, and compaction appeared to be conducted in accordance with radioactive waste Procedures RWS-0304,
" Radioactive Waste Handling and Control"; RWS-0307, " Radioactive Waste
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Segregation"; and RWS-0310, " Operation of the Nuclear Packaging Model WC-18000 Waste Compactor."
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No violations or deviations were identified.
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7.
Radioactive Waste Classification, Waste Characterization, and Shipping
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k Requirements The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for the control, classification, characterization, and shipment of low-level radioactive
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waste and disposal site license conditions to determine compliance with
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the requirements of 10 CFR Parts 20.311, 61.55, and 61.56 and the recommendations of the NRC branch technical position papers on low-level-c radioactive waste classification and waste form, w
The inspector noted that RBS used the basic design and operating E-philosophies of the RADMAll computer system to assist in the management of radwaste The licensee's chemistry department used the method of direct g
measurement or isotopic analysis and scaling factors (developed by
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chemistry and radwaste) to identify specific isotopes for classification.
g The licensee sent radioactive samples to a vendor for special analyses for
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those nuclides which the licensee was not capable of measuring.
The inspector determined that the licensee's program for classification and
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characterization of radioactive waste appeared to meet the requirements in
_P 10 CFR Part 61.55 and 61.56.
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y-7-The inspector reviewedLthe licensee's radioactive waste shipment manifest form and shipping papers that accompany each shipment of radioactive waste-and determined that the manifest appeared to satisfy the requirements of-10 CFR Part 20,311.
No violations or deviations were identified..
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8.
Transportation Activities l
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's transportation program to determine
compliance with the reauirements of 10 CFR Parts 20 and 71 and 00T
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regulations in 49 CFR Parts 170-189.
a.
Procurement and Selection of Dackages The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for procurement and selecticq of C3T and NRC c e tified packages used for transport of f
radioactive materials.
The inspector found that the licensee
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maintained current documents on the manufacturer's design testing,.
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maintenance, ed NRC certificate of compliance for all radioactive j
waste packages and casks being used.
The inspector noted that the
licensee was on the user's list for all NRC/00T packages being used.
The inspector determined that the licensee's. program.for procurement and selection of DOT and NRC certified packages appeared'to satisfy
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the requirements of 10 CFR Part 71.5 and 49 CFR Part 173.415.
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Preparation of Packages for Shipment
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for preparation of radioactive material packages for shipment. The inspector found that a
the licensee had established procedures and checklists for q
preparation of radioactive waste for shipment. These procedures
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instructions for closing and sealing the package, marking and
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~ labeling requirements, and determining the radiation and
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contamination limits,for packages.
Discussions with licensee
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personnel indicated thet 1r#viduals involved in transportation of l
radioactive materials possessed i. working knowledge of the related procedures and DOT and NRC regulatiocs pertaining to the preparation of packages for shipment.
The inspectcr determined that the
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licensee's program for preparation of radioactive material packages
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for shipment appeared to satisfy the requirements of 10 CFR Parts 20 and 71 and 49 CFR Parts 171, 172, and 173.
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Delivery of Completed packages to Carrier
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The inspector reviewed the licensee's program for delivery of completed packages to a carrier for shipment. The inspector observed the licensee performing the final readiness of a shipment classified as LSA prior to delivery to an exclusive-use carrier.
The observation revealed that iadiation levels were within required I
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limits, transport vehicle was properly placarded, and blocks ~ and/or braces were in place to prevent damage or shifting of load during a normal: course of transit. The inspector reviewed the licensee's
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program had been conducted in accordance with NRC and 00T-regulations and station procedures.-
-The inspector'noted that the licensee had completed 132 radioactive material shipments in calendar year 1989 and 22 radioactive material shipments so far in calendar year 1990 as of-May 10, 1990.
These shipments had been by exclusive-use vehicle to sites in Washington,
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South Carolina, and Nevada. The licensee had not experienced any transportation incidents which caused a reduction in the
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effectiveness of an NRC or DOT certified packaging since the previous inspection which was conducted April 9-19, 1989.
j No violations or deviations were identified.
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Exit Meeting The inspector met with the senior resident inspector and the licensee representatives denoted in paragraph 1 at the conclusion of the inspection on May 11, 1990. The-inspector summarized the scope and findings'of the inspection as presented in this report. The licensee did not identify as proprietary any of the materials provided to, or reviewed by, the
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inspector during the inspection.
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