ML061840164

E-mail from Habighorst to Rakovan, Re Braidwood Tritium Contamination

ML061840164
Person / Time
Site:	Braidwood
Issue date:	02/03/2006
From:	Peter Habighorst NRC/EDO
To:	Lance Rakovan, Undine Shoop NRC/EDO
References
FOIA/PA-2006-0115
Download: ML061840164 (2)

Text

W I PPfer ý0ýighorst - Fwd: UPDATE -- Braidwood Tritium Contamination = . . . . .. . .

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. j From: Peter Habighorst To: Lance Rakovan; Undine Shoop Date: 2/3/06 10:17AM

Subject:

Fwd: UPDATE -- Braidwood Tritium Contamination Lance and Undine, I just was in receipt of a report from Region III that media interest at Braidwood has intensified. The focus of the news is that the County Board Chairman has called on state and federal agencies to initiate an investigation..(appears related to the original leaks in 1998 and 2000) ..... Please see the update.

I would suggest that we keep OCA and PAO informed...Jan Strasma has been responded to local press inquiries....

CC: William Dean oS

I Pptnr H91bighorst - UPDATE -- Braidwood Tritium Contamination ..... 11 a e1i KIpa "1 bighrt- DA E- ridwo..T.tiu Co tm nto I From: Steven Orth To: Braidwood Communications Team Date: 2/3/06 8:15AM

Subject:

UPDATE -- Braidwood Tritium Contamination EXELON has extended its communications of the incidents to additional members of the public. On January, 26, 2006, the licensee issued a letter (attached) that has been sent out to the three local zip codes surrounding the site (approximately 2700 addressees). The letter provides the message that has been communicated through the licensee's press briefings - accepting responsibility for the contamination, stating that the contamination poses no health or safety hazard, and describing the licensee's current /

course of action. The licensee has also developed a WEB site (www.BraidwoodTritium.info) to provide updated information to the public and is planning a "Community Information Night" at some time in February 2006, which Region III plans to attend.

The City of Godley, which is a town immediately SouthWest of the site, is also planning a town meeting on February 7, 2006, to discuss the potential impacts from the tritium contamination. The NRC has not been invited to that meeting. The town was previously impacted by diesel fuel oil spills from Braidwood that occurred in the late 1990s.

The licensee is continuing its evaluation of the tritium contamination and its proposals for remediation.

Recently, the licensee identified additional contamination in groundwater at an offsite location near Vacuum Breaker No. 4, which is owned by the Forest Preserve District. In one of three groundwater well locations, the licensee measured tritium at about 24,500 picoCuries per liter (shallow well). The licensee has obtained an additional sample to validate that result.

Until it can provide confidence that no further leakage will occur, the licensee has suspended all radioactive releases through the blowdown line and is storing radioactive liquid waste in temporary onsite storage tanks.

Region III is planning to complete its radiation safety inspection by the end of February 2006.

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