ML091200199
| ML091200199 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 05/01/2009 |
| From: | Gregory Bowman, Nick Hilton NRC/OE |
| To: | Northern States Power Co |
| bowman greg | |
| References | |
| EA-08-349 EN-09-023 | |
| Download: ML091200199 (2) | |
Text
May 1, 2009 EN-09-023 OFFICE OF ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT ACTION Licensee:
Northern States Power Company (EA-08-349)
Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Docket Nos. 05000282 and 05000306
Subject:
ISSUANCE OF FINAL SIGNIFICANCE DETERMINATION AND NOTICE OF VIOLATION This is to inform the Commission that a Notice of Violation associated with a White Significance Determination Process finding will be issued on or about May 6, 2009, to Northern States Power Company as a result of inspections at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. This White finding, an issue with low to moderate safety significance which may require additional NRC inspection, was associated with the licensees failure to adequately survey and package a shipment of radioactive materials. Specifically, on October 29, 2008, a package containing radioactive material was sent from Prairie Island to a Westinghouse facility in Waltz Mill, Pennsylvania. On October 31, 2008, during a receipt survey of the package, Westinghouse personnel identified dose rates in excess of Department of Transportation (DOT) limits on an external surface of the package. The dose rate on the underside of the package was measured at approximately 1,600 mrem per hour with a Geiger-Mueller instrument and approximately 800 mrem per hour with an ion chamber instrument. All other measurements were within regulatory limits, including the dose rate to the driver of the vehicle. Subsequent evaluation also identified that of the ten individuals involved in preparing the shipment, only five had received the required function-specific training. The staff used Inspection Manual Chapter 0609, Appendix M, Significance Determination Process Using Qualitative Criteria, to evaluate the significance of this finding. The staff determined that because the dose was due to a point source and the elevated dose rate was in an area not readily accessible to a member of the public, there was limited radiological risk to the public.
The Notice of Violation is included based on the licensees failure to meet 10 CFR 71.5, which requires, in part, that licensees comply with the applicable DOT regulations in 49 CFR 172 and 173. 49 CFR 173.411(a) requires that materials be designed and prepared for shipment such that the dose rate on any external surface of a package be less than 200 mrem per hour under conditions normally incident to transportation, and 49 CFR 172.704 requires training for personnel involved in the packaging and shipping of radioactive material. Contrary to these requirements, the licensee failed to ensure that the dose rate on the external surface of a package shipped from Prairie Island to Waltz Mill, Pennsylvania was less than 200 mrem per hour and that the individuals involved in preparing this package for shipping were properly trained.
It should be noted that the licensee has not been specifically informed of the enforcement action. The schedule of issuance and notification is:
Mailing of Final Significance Determination May 6, 2009 Telephone Notification of Licensee May 6, 2009 The States of Minnesota and Pennsylvania will be notified.
Contacts: Greg Bowman, OE, (301) 415-2939 Nick Hilton, OE, (301) 415-3055
Electronic Distribution: EN-09-023, May 1, 2009 OWFN Chairman Klein Comm. Jaczko Comm. Lyons Comm. Svinicki SECY OCA OPA OIP OWFN EDO DEDR DEDMRS OE OGC NRR OI NSIR TWFN OCFO OP CENTER NMSS OIG OIS RES ACRS FSME Regional Offices RI RII RIII RIV MAIL PUBLIC OE staff DISTRIBUTION: (Hard copy)
C. Carpenter, OE S. Magruder, OE G. Bowman, OE N. Hilton, OE OE r/f EN binder Publicly Available X Non-Sensitive X ML091200199 OFFICE OE:ES OE:BC NAME GBowman NHilton DATE 4/30/09 4/30/09 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY