ML093080627

Email from M. Ferdas to J. White, Et Al, Subj: FW: Team Oyster Creek Tritium Update

ML093080627
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	04/22/2009
From:	Marc Ferdas Division of Nuclear Materials Safety I
To:	Barber S, Bellamy R, Jeffrey Kulp, Nimitz R, Jason White NRC/NRR/DRA, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety I
References
FOIA/PA-2009-0214
Download: ML093080627 (2)

Text

Barber, Scott From: Marc Ferdas Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:22 AM To: John White; Ronald Nimitz; Ronald Bellamy; Jeffrey Kulp; Scott Barber

Subject:

FW: TeamOysterCreek Tritium Update Recent site communication.

Macc S. Fercdacs Senior Resident Inspector, Oyster Creek Marc.Ferdascnrc.gov 609-693-0702 From: Marc. Ferdas@exeloncorp.com [mailto: Marc. Ferdas@exeloncorp.com]

Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:24 AM To: Marc Ferdas

Subject:

FW: TeamOysterCreek Tritium Update

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Message -----

Original From: Benson, David:(GenCo-Nuc)

Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:43 PM To: OC All OC Contractors; OC All OC Users

Subject:

TeamOysterCreek Tritium Update Oyster Creek Exelhn.

TeamOysterCreek Tritium Update DATE: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 FROM: Tim Rausch, Site Vice President Pete Orphanos, Plant Manager INSTRUCTIONS: Please share this information with employees.

Based on current samples of seven monitoring wells within the protected area, TeamOysterCreek is confident that the recently identified tritium remains within the boundaries of plant property. Analysis of samples from the wells indicate the tritium is isolated to a relatively small area near the Condensate Storage Tank. Included in this sampling is a potable well, and we will continue to sample monitoring wells in this area.

Currently, a cross-functional team of site and corporate engineers, environmental experts and operations personnel are taking actions to monitor the area and locate the source of the leak. The team has identified a multi-pronged course of action aimed at characterizing the extent of the tritium

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'and repairing the leak. Exelon will report the progress of those activities to government regulators and the public as those activities are completed.

At no time has there been a threat to public or employee health and safety.

On Saturday, Oyster Creek received confirmation from an independent laboratory that water samples from six of six monitoring wells showed no detectable levels of tritium.

A seventh monitoring well had positive results - a 20-feet-deep sampling pipe near the CST - and contained tritium levels up to 4.46 million picocuries per liter of water. Independent confirmation of these results is expected soon. A picocurie is one trillionth of a curie.

Oyster Creek maintains an extensive environmental monitoring program, including routine water sampling from 32 on-site dedicated monitoring wells for the potential of unusual levels of tritium in the environment. The affected well was last tested the week of March 10 and showed no detectable levels of tritium, indicating the leak most likely initiated recently.

Tritium is a low-level radiation emitter that is used commercially to make luminous dials and instruments, as a source of light for exit and safety signs, as a tracer for biochemical research and in ground water transport measurements, among other uses. A tritium fact sheet from the U.S. EPA can be downloaded at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/tritium.html This e-mail and any of its attachments may contain Exelon Corporation proprietary information, which is privileged, confidential, or subject to copyright belonging to the Exelon Corporation family of Companies. This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately and permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any printout. Thank You.

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