Information Notice 1992-79, Non-Power Reactor Emergency Event Response

Non-Power Reactor Emergency Event Response

ML031190745
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	12/01/1992
From:	Grimes G Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-92-079, NUDOCS 9211240106
Download: ML031190745 (7)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 1, 1992 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 92-79: NON-POWER REACTOR EMERGENCY EVENT RESPONSE

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for test and

research reactors.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information

notice to alert addressees to the findings of an NRC review related to

emergency event response at non-power reactors. These findings are on (1)

emergency action levels (EALs) to determine emergency event classification,

(2) sampling to measure a radioactive release, (3) dose assessment capability

for a radioactive airborne release, and (4) notifications to the NRC. It is

expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to

their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid potential

problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not

NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is

required.

Description of Circumstances

In November 1991, a small release of fission products at the Reed College

TRIGA reactor (located in Portland, Oregon) was sufficient to activate the

alarms of both the continuous air monitor and the gaseous stack monitor. Upon

reviewing the EALs in the emergency plan, the licensee declared a Notification

of Unusual Event and notified the NRC Operations Center and the State. The

NRC responded to the notifications by sending an inspection team to the

college to review the situation. The NRC also sent a Public Affairs Officer

to respond to potential public and media interest. The State of Oregon also

sent a monitoring team. At the facility, the NRC inspectors found that the

licensee had characterized the release as fission products and had

conservatively estimated the amount of radioactivity released. The NRC

inspectors assisted the licensee in assessing radiological dose consequences.

The local media and public, including the student body, posed extensive

questions on the event and the release. During a press conference, the

licensee and the NRC jointly addressed the health and safety concerns of the

media and public.

92:1O2 06z -4-

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IN 92-79 December 1, 1992 The event at Reed College prompted the NRC to review similar non-power reactor

licensees to determine their capabilities to respond in similar circumstances.

The NRC found that, while licensee capabilities varied, some licensees could

not readily locate sampling equipment discussed in emergency plans for

response, had not fully developed procedures for using the sampling equipment, and did not have immediate access to a method of correlating the quantity of

radioactivity released to a dose at the site boundary. The NRC also found

that the EALs and the criteria for notifying the NRC and other offsite

agencies varied greatly between licensees. There were also examples of events

classified as alerts for which emergency plans did not specify notification of

the NRC. The specific licensees were informed of these findings.

Discussion

Licensee classification of an event under its emergency plan dictates the

manner in which the NRC and other offsite agencies respond. American Nuclear

Society/American National Standards Institute Standard 15.16-1982, "Emergency

Planning for Research Reactors," Regulatory Guide 2.6, "Emergency Planning for

Research Reactors," 1979, and NUREG-0849, "Standard Review Plan for the Review

and Evaluation of Emergency Plans for Research and Test Reactors," October

1983 contain information on event classification. Improper classification of

an event may prevent the licensee, the NRC, other agencies, and the public

from responding appropriately to the event.

The-licensee,-theNRQ,-and-the-public-gave-considerable-attention to the ..

unplanned radiological release at Reed College, although the release resulted

in an estimated dose of much less than one millirem at the site boundary. The

ability to quantify the magnitude and effects of a release and to establish

the safety significance of the release proved extremely important in the Reed

College event.

Some abnormal events will generate substantial public interest regardless of

the actual safety significance of the event. A small unplanned radiological

release is such an event. Notification of the NRC Operations Center, or NRC

headquarters or regional contacts for events that could result in high public

interest, can enable the NRC to respond, in coordination with the licensee, to

issues raised by the media or the public about the event.

IN 92-79 December 1, 1992 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. II F

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

rian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: M. Mendonca, NRR

(301) 504-1128 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment

IN 92-79 December 1, 1992 Page I of i

LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

92-78 Piston to Cylinder 11/30/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Liner Tin Smearing on for nuclear power reactors.

Cooper-Bessemer KSV

Diesel Engines

92-77 Questionable Selection 11/17/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

and Review to Deter- for nuclear power reactors.

mine Suitability of

Electropneumatic Relays

for Certain Applications

92-76 Issuance of Supple- 11/13/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

ment I to NUREG-1358, for nuclear power reactors.

'Lessons Learned from

the Special Inspection

Program for Emergency

Operating Procedures

(Conducted October 1988 -

September 1991)"

92-75 Unplanned Intakes of 11/12/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Airborne Radioactive for nuclear power reactors.

Material by Individuals

at Nuclear Power Plants

92-74 Power Oscillations at 11/10/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Washington Nuclear for nuclear power reactors.

Power Unit 2

92-61, Loss of High Head 11/06/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Supp. 1 Safety Injection for nuclear power reactors.

92-73 Removal of A Fuel 11-04/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Element from A Re- for nuclear power reactors.

search Reactor Core

While Critical

92-59, Horizontally-Installed 11/04/92 All holders of OLs or CPs

Rev. 1 Motor-Operated Gate for nuclear power reactors

Valves

OL - Operating License

CP - Construction Permit

IN 92-79 December 1, 1992 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Origihnal igned by

Brian 1K.Grimc7s

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: M. Mendonca, NRR

(301) 504-1128 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

DOCUMENT NAME: 92-79.IN

• SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES

+SEE MEMO FROM S. H. W S G. H. MARCUS 09/11/92

• C/OGCB:DORS:NRR

GHMarcus

10/02/92 `pkb/92

+RPB:ADM *C/PRPB:DREP:NRR *C/PEPB:DREP:NRR *C/DRSS: RV *D/OPA

TechEd LJCunningham RErickson RPate JFouchard

09/02/92 09/18/92 09/30/92 10/01/92 10/01/92

• OGCB:DORS:NRR +LA/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+PM/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+C/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+D/DRPW:NRR

PCWen EHylton MMendonca SWeiss BABoger

09/16/92 09/10/92 09/10/92 09/11/92 09/11/92

IN 92-XX

October xx, 1992 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Brian K. Grimes, Director

Division of Operating Reactor Support

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: M. Mendonca, NRR

(301) 504-1128 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Document Name: NPREMEV.IN *SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES

+SEE MEMO FROM S. H. WEISS TO G. H. MARCUS 09/11/92

• C/OGCB:DORS:NRR D/DORS:NRR

GHMarcus BKGrimesf,

10/02/92 10/ /92'1

+RPB:ADM

• C/PRPB:DREP:NRR *C/PEPB:DREP:NRR *C/DRSS:RV *D/OPA

TechEd LJCunningham RErickson RPate JFouchard

09/02/92 09/18/92 09/30/92 10/01/92 10/01/92

• OGCB:DORS:NRR +LA/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+PM/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+C/PDNP:DRPW:NRR+D/DRPW:NRR

PCWen EHylton MMendonca SWeiss BABoger

09/16/92 09/10/92 09/10/92 09/11/92 09/11/92

IN 92-XX

September xx, 1992 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contact: M. Mendonca, NRR

(301) 504-1128 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Document Name: NPREMEV.IN

+SEE MEMO FROM S. H. WEISS TO G. H. MARCUS 09/11/92 C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR D/DOEA:NRR

GHMarcus&AHM CERossi

IDOf/ . /92 09/ /92 l

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09/02/92 /92 O9/3O/92

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09//6/92 09/10/92 09/10/92 09/11/92 09/11/92

September 11, 19J)

I .

f, MEMORANDUM FOR: Gail H. Marcus, Chief

Generic Communications Branch

Division of Operational Events

Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

FROM: Seymour H. Weiss, Director

Non-Power Reactors, Decommissioning and

Environmental Project Directorate

Division of Reactor Projects - III/IV/V

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

SUBJECT: PROPOSED DRAFT INFORMATION NOTICE ON NON-POWER REACTOR EVENT

CONSIDERATIONS

In accordance with NRC Inspection Manual Chapter 0720, 1 have enclosed, the subject draft information notice. The individuals who receive courtesy

copies of this memorandum should also be considered by the Generic

Communications Branch to be included for concurrence on this information

notice.

/S/

Seymour H. Weiss, Director

Non-Power Reactors, Decommissioning and

Environmental Project Directorate

Division of Reactor Projects - III/IV/V

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

cc w/enclosure:

R. Erickson, NRR/PEPB

L. Cunningham, NRR/PRPB

F. Fouchard, OPA

R. Scarano, RV/DRSS

bcc:

A. Adams F. Kantor, EPB R. Cooper, RI

T. Michaels P. Qualls, RV J.P. Stohr, RII

M. Mendonca J. Reese, RV C. Norelius, RIII

L. Cohen, EPB R. Pate, RV L. Callan, RIV

DISTRIBUTION: [IN]

Central Files

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