ML062000096
| ML062000096 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 03/21/2006 |
| From: | Mcmullin K Entergy Corp |
| To: | Boska J, Brian Holian, David Lew Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| FOIA/PA-2006-0195, NRR-B1 | |
| Download: ML062000096 (7) | |
Text
I From:
"McMullin, Kathy" <KMcMull@entergy.com>
To:
I E
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Baranski, James"
<james.baranski @semo.state.ny.us>,"u Eddy, Paul" <paul_eddy@"4ps.state.ny.us>, " Greeley, Dan"
<greeleyd@co.rockland.ny.us>, "Gross, Steve - Orange PIO" <sgross@co.orange.ny.us>, " Meyer, Sue-Rockland Alt. POLO" <Meyers@ co.rockland.ny.us>, " Sutton, Tony" <awsl @westchestergov.com>,
Adam Stiebeling <abspcbes@bestweb.net>, "Albanese, Raymond" <rlal @westchestergov.com>, Alfredo Vidal <avidal @ thevidalgroup.com>, "Anthony Sutton (awsl @ weschestergov.com)"
<awsl @weschestergov.com>, "B. Gore" <bgore@urbanomics.com>, "Baker Nancy (bakerna@co.rockland.ny.us)" <bakerna@co.rockland.ny.us>, "Barry, Terrence" <TBarry@entergy.com>,
"Benjamin, Liz" <BenjamiL@ co.rockland.ny.us>, "Bentley, Robyn" <rbentle @ entergy.com>, "Bergmann Ken (ken.bergmann@semo.state.ny.us)" <ken.bergmann @semo.state.ny.us>, Bernie McGarry
<mcgarry@senate.state.ny.us>, "Blizard, Andrea" <ablizar@entergy.com>, "Bob Outhouse (rjo4 @ westchestergov.com.)" <rjo4 @ westchestergov.codm>, "Bordewich Jean
,.(an.bordewich @ schumer.senate.gov)" <jean bordewich @ schumer.senate.gov>, "Bordewich Jean "Boska John (jpbl @nrc.gov)" <jpbl @nrc.gov>,
"Bowman, Greg " <GBowm9O@cc--exs03.prod~entergy.com>, Brian Holian <bjm@nrc.gov>, "Brian Holian (beh @ nrc.gov)" <beh @ nrc.gov>, "Bridges Jeff (J.Bridges @ troopers.state.ny.us)"
- <JBridges@troopers.state.ny.us>, Chief Tubbsý
_Chris Schwarz
<cschwar@entergy.com>, "Comiotes, Jim" <JComiot@entergy.com>, "C-onroy, Pat"
<PConroy@entergy.com>, "Cooper Linda (lindac@yorktownny.org)" <lindac@yorktownny.org>, "Cox, Mark R" <mcox90@entergy.com>, "Crawford Garnesha (Gcrawford@urbanomics.com)"
<Gcrawford@urbanomics.com>, 'Curran, Nick" <Nick.curran@mail.house.gov>, "Dacimo, Fred"
- <FDacimo@entergy.com>, David Brand..
J David Greene
<dgreene@ urbanomics.com>, David Weinraub <DWeinraub@bmwlobby.com>, "DeGasperis, Edward"
<edegasp@entergy.com>, "Dirocco, Anthony" <ADirocc@entergy.com>, "Don Maurer (Donald.Maurer@semo.state.ny.us)' <Donald.Maurer@ semo.state.ny.us>, "Dowling, Adele"
<amd2 @ westchestergov.com>, "Drew Barney (Barney.Drew @lafarge-na.com)"
<Barney.Drew@lafarge-na.com>, 'Elisa Gwilliar" 1
"Fay, Deborah" <DFayl @ entergy.com>, Featherjdf @fcwc-law.com>, "Feeney Andrew (Andrew.Feeney@ semo.state.ny.us)" <Andrew.Feeney@semo.state.ny.us>, "Feroe Peter o (peterferoe@mail.house.gov)" <peter.feroe@mail.house.gov>, Geri.Shapirol:
"Gibbons Emily (Emily.Gibbons@mail.house.gov)' <Emily.Gibbons@mail.house.gov>, 'Giguere,.
Kathleen" <KGiguer@ entergy.com>, "Glenn Troester (grtroes @ nppd.com)" <grtroes @ nppd.com>,
"Gottlieb, Larry" <LGottli@ entergy.com>, "Greene, Dominick" <dgreene @ co.orange.ny.us>, 'G rosjean, Alain' <AGrosje @ entergy.com>, "Guiao Frank (Frank.Guiao @ lafarge-na.com)"
<Frank.Guiao@lafarge-na.com>, Harry Giannoulis <harry@ theparksidegroup.com>, "Hinrichs, Gary"
<ghinric@entergy.com>, "Hipschman, Thomas' <thips90@entergy.com>, "lnzirillo, Frank"
<finziri@entergy.com>, Ira Promisel <Ipromise@troopers.state.ny.us>, Jack Spath <jps@nyserda.org>,
"Jeff Tkacs (jefft@townofcortlandt.com)" <jefft@townofcortlandt.com>, 'Jensen, Chris"
<jensenc@co.rockland.ny.us>, JES <JES1 @westchestergov.com>, Jim Cunningham
<jim._cunningham@nyc.bm.com>, Jim Wright <wright@senate.state.ny.us>, John Cordo
<JLC@fcwc-law.com>, "Jones, T. R.' <tjones2@entergy.com>, 'Kansler, Michael"
<MKansle@entergy.com>, Kathleen Wood <kathleen.wood@chamber.state.ny.us>, 'Keegan Pat (Pat.keegan@mail.house.gov)" <Pat.keegan@mail.liouse.gov>, "Kerns, Matt" <MKerns@ entergy.com>,
"Kopy Mike (MKopy@troopers.state.ny.us)" <MKopy@troopers.state.ny.us>, "Kraus Kevin (kevin.kraus@semo.state.ny.us)" <kevin.kraus@semo.state.ny.us>, "L. Leach"
-#'Leach, Don' <DLeach@entergy.com>, "Leibell Vincent (leibell @senate.state.ny.us'" <leibell @ senate.state.ny.us>, "Leon, Pete" <Pete.Leon @ mail.house.gov>,
"Lew David (DCL@nrc.gov)" <DCL@nrc.gov>, "Longo, Nick" <longon@co.rockland.ny.us>, Mark Serrano
<serrano@proactivecom.com>
Date:
3/21/06 5:33PM ImorrlTatwn nn m)Vs record was deeato
Subject:
IPEC status report for March 21 in c.tM f Fm19m f knjormabW See attached news release A C
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Indian Point Energy Center Status Report March 21, 2006 Operational Status Indian Point Unit 2 is operating at 100% and has been on line 19 days. Indian Point Unit 3 is operating at 100% reactor power and has been on-line for 167 days.
Radioactivity Investigation at Indian Point Sr-90 found in test wells Shortly after identifying the potential for a spent fuel pool leak at IP2, Entergy began an investigation to characterize ground water flow and radionuclide concentrations on site. Entergy found elevated levels of tritium in a number of wells on site, some of them above the drinking water standard of 20,000 pCi/L. To help understand groundwater and radioactivity movement on site, Entergy hired an expert hydrology firm, GZA, and drilled about 25 new wells around the site. Both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have participated in a split sampling program where samples are shared among the three parties.
We have installed two wells near the discharge canal. One monitoring well, MW-37, was drilled inside the IP2 turbine building to help understand how water moves around the discharge canal. It is a multi-level well from which Entergy can obtain samples at various depths in soil/backfill and in rock. There is also another well constructed on the opposite side of the discharge canal, MW-36, which allows us to compare radioactivity results on both sides of the canal.
Earlier today, Entergy received sample results from MW-37 that indicate the presence of Strontium-90, a radioactive fission product, as well as tritium, which was previously reported. The samples were also tested for Nickel-63, another beta-emitter.
Strontium-90 results ranged from 2.4 pCVL to 22.7 pCi/L. As a point of reference, the Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard for beta emitters such as Strontium-90 is 8 pCi/L. The New York Department of Health reports environmental levels of Strontium-90 in New York State produced from atmospheric weapons testing between.7 and 1.3 pCi/L. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has also tested MW-37 and found Strontium-90 levels which are generally consistent with those of Entergy's samples.
Previous tests of MW-36, the well on the opposite side of the discharge canal, showed very small levels of
Strontium-90 at about 1.3 pCi/L.
There are no drinking water supplies on site or in the surrounding area. Local communities get their drinking water from surface reservoirs such as the Camp Field Reservoir in Peekskill or the Croton Reservoir. All tests for radioactivity above background at off-site locations have come back negative.
Neither local residents nor workers on site receive radiation dose from the groundwater as a result of the spent fuel pool leak. The levels of tritium and Strontium-90 are many times less than what is routinely discharged to the Hudson River as allowed by our discharge permit and Indian Point discharges a very small fraction of what is allowed by regulation. Conservative dose calculations show that the annual dose from these releases is less than.1 mrem. Average annual dose in this area is about 360 mrem or about 1 mrem/day. There is no public health or safety impact from these releases.
Entergy is committed to fully characterizing groundwater movement on site. When we have a more complete understanding of the source of the leak and the movement of water on site, we will take appropriate action to remediate the contamination.
The following table summarizes the IPEC sample results:
Monitoring Well 37 All results in pCi/L Elevation H-3 Sr-90 Ni-63
V.S $I I L.-WI79(4 -I 1I L-.*
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IV JpWI L I VI IVICAI III f-£ I y
t ravv -t I 22 12,800 2.4 42.4 32 28,600 18.2 34.1 40 14,700 3.86 56.5 57 13,300 22.7 29 See also the attached news release.
NRC to Hold Public Meetings on Indian Point The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold two public meetings on March 28 in Peekskill, N.Y. The first meeting, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will be the annual end of cycle meeting that reviews the plants' performance over the past year. Later that evening, the NRC will hold a public meeting regarding their special inspection of Entergy's investigation regarding the spent fuel pool leaking and groundwater
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61 LAJ.O OLALU.O SVjJUS &I'I IVICAL1.,II f-I rayu L I monitoring. The evening meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Representatives from the NRC, Entergy and New York State Agencies will discuss the current status of the investigation and the current assessment of radiological impacts. A question and answer period will follow the presentations.
Both meetings will be held at Crystal Bay in Peekskill, N.Y.
NRC meeting <http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/index.cfm>
notice Status Report Available on JIC Website The Indian Point status report is now available on the new Joint Information Center web site. The web site is part of the virtual news room concept that is being developed for public emergency information. The web site will also include the latest radiological release information for Indian Point.
To preview the web site follow the link to Indian Point
<http:/[jic.semo.state.ny.us/PlantStatus/PlantStatusMain.aspx>
Status Page Educational Outreach Entergy Nuclear Northeast provides customized outreach education programs for schools, youth groups, and civic organizations. The topics we cover include Emergency Planning, Understanding Radiation, Nuclear Fuel and a general overview of the operations of Indian Point Energy Center. If you would like a brochure or are interested in scheduling a program, contact IPEC Communications at 914-271-7441.
If you have any questions or need clarification of the information provided, please contact Kathy McMullin, manager of communications, Indian Point Energy Center, at 914-271-7132.
Entergy Nuclear Northeast 440 Hamilton Ave White Plains, NY 10601 Date:
March 21, 2006 New s For Release:
Immediate Release
Contact:
Jim Steets (914) 272-3545 office (914) 671-0457 cell jsteets @entergy.com Entergy Reports New Monitoring Well Findings Buchanan, New York-As part of its investigation into groundwater contamination at the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, management today notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and local public officials about unexpected results from samples taken from a monitoring well located near the Hudson River on the Indian Point property. Samples showed elevated levels of strontium-90 not seen before in more than a dozen monitoring wells used to identify the migration of radioactive isotopes from a possible tiny leak in the Indian Point 2 spent fuel pool.
Samples were taken at four elevations in a well located between the Hudson River and the plant's discharge canal. Also identified in the samples were elevated levels of tritium and nickel-63, both of which emit low-levels of radiation.
Samples were taken at 22 feet, 32 feet, 40 feet, and 57 feet deep into the well. Strontium-90 levels were identified in pico curies per liter (pCifL) as follows, respectively: 2.4, 3.86, 18.2, and 22.7. Tritium levels were seen in pCiIL as follows: 12, 800, 14,700, 28,000, and 13,300. Nickel-63 was seen in pCi/L as follows: 47.4, 34.1, 56.5, and 29.1.
-more-
March 21, 2006 Page 2 Entergy News Release It is likely, based on the location of the well and hydrology of the site, that some of these radioactive isotopes, which are byproducts of the fission process and are in spent-fuel pool water, are reaching the Hudson River. No radioactive isotopes have been identified above what you would expect to see as background in monitoring samples taken outside the Indian Point property, including the river.
Entergy has been installing monitoring wells on the Indian Point property since last fall after excavation work on site revealed a possible pool leak through a settling crack on the outside of the fuel pool wall about 20 to 30 feet below ground level. Twenty-three monitoring wells have been planned in a two-phase investigation of groundwater contamination. That work continues and is expected to be completed by the end of this summer.
Results from the sampling done at each well have been shared with the NRC, and State and local officials in bi-weekly conference calls, and other calls if new information warrants them, and in meetings held at Indian Point. The NRC and N.Y. State Dept. of Health have also been taking samples independently of Entergy's sampling.
The levels of tritium and strontium-90 described above are in some cases more than the EPA standard for safe drinking water. (The EPA drinking water standard for tritium is 20,000 pCi/L; for strontium-90, it's 8 pCi/L.) The river, which is not used for local drinking water supplies, would dilute the concentrations of the materials to safe levels.