ML060970059

NRC Email from Anne Boland to Geoffrey Grant and James Caldwell PNO-RII-05-016

ML060970059
Person / Time
Site:	Braidwood
Issue date:	12/01/2005
From:	Boland A Division of Reactor Safety III
To:	Caldwell J, Grant G NRC/RGN-III
References
FOIA/PA-2006-0115, FOIA/PA-2010-0209 PNO-III-05-016
Download: ML060970059 (4)

Text

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From:

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Anne Boland / e // /

Geoffrey Grant; Jalnaaldwell Date: Thu, Dec 1, 2005 5:26 PM

Subject:

Fwd: PNO-R1i-0t5-016 Anne T. Boland, Deputy Director Division of Reactor Safety NRC Region III 630-829-9701

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I Anne Boland - PNO-RIII-05-016 Page 1 1 From: Justine Burza To: A. Randolph Blough; A. Vicky Lewis; Alicia Penaherrera; Angela Coggins; Anne Boland; Antoinette Waller; Brenda Akstulewicz; Brian Holian; Bruce Berson; Bruce Burgess; Carol Gordon; Carol Harris; Catherine Marco; Catherine Poland; Cathy Jaegers; Constance Yusko; Consuella Debnam; Cynthia O'Daniell; Cynthia Pederson; David Brown; David Cummings; David Lew; David Mcintyre; David Skeen; Deani Riffle; Doug Coe; Eliot Brenner; Elizabeth Hayden; Eric Leeds; Frank Costello; Frederick Hasselberg; George Pangburn; Gregory Hatchett; Headquarters Operations Officer 1; Heather Astwood; Holly Harrington; Jacqueline Raines; JACTEMP JACTEMP; James Beall; James Clay; James Lynch; Jan Strasma; Janet Kweiser; Janet Lepre; John Davidson; John Lamb; John Thoma; Joseph Himes; Josephine Piccone; Josh Batkin; Judy Kilcrease; Justine Burza; Karen Jackson; Kathryn Barber Nolan; Kay Gallagher; Kenneth Clark; Kenneth O'Brien; Laurette Moorin; Linda Herr; Linda Lewis; Lorna Pini Kipfer; Mark Satorius; Marsha Gamberoni; McGaftmp McGaftmp; Melvyn Leach; Merritemp; Michael Markley; Michael Weber; Nancy Belmore; OPA; Patricia Giles; PN1; Rebecca Tadesse; Richard Barrett; Rick Croteau; RidsSecyMailCenter; Riqueza Marziale; Robin Barnes; Roger Davis; Roger Hannah; Roland Lickus; Sandra Figueroa; Scott Burnell; Spiros Droggitis; Steven Reynolds; Steven West; STPMAIL; Tammy Tomczak; Tasha Stanback; Terrence Reis; Theresa Mayberry; Thomas Kozak; Tojuana Fortune; Vanette Travick; Vicki Boiling; Victor Dricks; Victoria Ibarra; Viktoria Mitlyng Date: Thu, Dec 1, 2005 4:33 PM

Subject:

PNO-RIII-05-016 Place: OPA The subject document has been completed and has been submitted to DPC to be declared in ADAMS. A word perfect copy of the document has been attached and the document has been assigned Accession

1. ML053350512

[AjnrmBo!and i-PNO R-111-05-016.wpd = M1 Page December 1, 2005 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE -- PNO-RIII-05-016 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.

Facility Licensee Emeraencv Classification Braidwood 1 arid 2 _ Notification of Unusual Event Exelon Generation Co. _ Alert Braceville, Illinois _ Site Area Emergency Docket: 50-456 and 50-457 _ General Emergency License: NPF-72; NPF-77 X Not Applicable

SUBJECT:

POTENTIAL OFF-SITE MIGRATION OF TRITIUM CONTAMINATION DESCRIPTION:

On November 30, 2005, the licensee informed the resident inspectors and Region IlIl (Chicago) that elevated levels of tritium (the radioactive isotope of hydrogen) had been measured in groundwater on the Braidwood site and that the tritium may have moved in groundwater off the site.

The licensee believes that the tritium in the groundwater is a result of past leakage from a pipe which normally carries non-radiation circulating water discharge to the Kankakee River, about five miles from the site. Significant leakage occurred from the pipe in November 1998 and December 2000, flooding a portion of the plant site with an estimated 3 million gallons of water in each occurrence. A small leak of a few gallons also occurred in May 2005.

The discharge pipe is also used for planned liquid radioactive effluent releases with the effluent mixing with the non-radiation circulating water being discharged. (Braidwood, like most nuclear plants, releases small concentrations of radioactive liquids under controlled and monitored conditions and within limits imposed by the NRC.) Planned releases were made at the time the leakage occurred in 1998 and 2000 which accounts for the presence of tritium in the groundwater. There have been no planned releases from the plant which exceeded NRC discharge limits.

The licensee has measured tritium levels in shallow onsite monitoring wells as high as 58,000 picocuries per liter. This level of tritium, if released from the site, would be a small fraction of NRC limits for radioactive effluent releases to the environment.

In the vicinity of the onsite monitoring wells where elevated tritium levels have been measured, there are three homes and a larger parcel of vacant land with undeveloped lots. The licensee believes the movement of the groundwater is away from the homes and toward the vacant CONTACTS:

John House Steven Orth

I Anne Boland - PNO R-111-05-016.wpd Page 2 29 lAnne Boland PNO R-IIl-05-016.wpd Page 630/829-9824 630/829-9827 PNO-RIII-05-016 property. The licensee has contacted the homeowners and collected well water samples to be analyzed by an independent laboratory. The licensee is also drilling monitoring wells on the vacant site. The initial sample results are expected to be available on December 2, 2005.

The licensee has notified local officials and the State of Illinois of the elevated tritium measurements. The licensee is also planning to issue a news release.

• Region Ill has dispatched a radiation specialist to the site to assist the resident inspectors in their review of the circumstances surrounding the elevated measurements and the licensee's plans to address the elevated tritium levels.

Region Ill was notified of the elevated measurements on November 30, 2005. The information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with licensee management and is current as of 3:30 p.m. on December 1, 2005.