ML100740218

AR 00907846 Report

ML100740218
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	04/15/2009
From:	- No Known Affiliation
To:	NRC Region 1
References
FOIA/PA-2009-0214 AR 00907846
Download: ML100740218 (5)

Text

F'01 Action Request Report Page I of 5 O'Go_ Pck 4 Print New Search j Home AR Ndlmber- 00907846 Aft Fac: Oyster Creek AR Type: CR Status: APPROVED Aft Unit: NA Owed To: A5351CAP Due Date: .08/20/2009 Aft System: -- Event Date: 04/15/2009 CR Level/Class: 3/A Disc Date: 04/15/2009 How H02- Orig Date: 04/15/2009 Discovered:

Action Request Details

Subject:

TRITIUM IDENTIFIED IN ESW VAULT.

Description:

Originator: MATTHEW J NIXON Supv Contacted: Jhansi Kandasamy Condition

Description:

In preparation for work inside the Emergency Service Water vault, water found inside the v*ault was pumped into drums and sampled for'gamma emitters, tritium, and pH. There were no gamma emitters identified, pH was 7.62 and tritium was 102,000 pCi/I. The reporting threshold to the New Jersey DEP for tritium is 2,000 pCi/I.

Immediate actions taken:

The New Jersey DEP was notified of the sample results and a potential release of tritium to the soil. It was also iterated that the water was contained in a concrete vault and being pumped into drums.

A prompt investigation (PINV) was initiated.

Additional samples were obtained for tritium analysis - drum of original water from vault, drum of current water being transferred from vault, and a sample from the vault.

Normandeau Associates were contacted to pick up duplicate samples for analysis by Teledyne Brown Engineering.

Recommended Actions:

Complete PINV. Identify potential sources.

What activities, processes, or procedures were involved?

Sampling of vault water prior to discharge.

Why did the condition happen?

Unkown What are the consequences?

Reported to New Jersey DEP as potential reportable release.

Were any procedural requirements impacted?

N/A Were there any adverse physical conditions?

Unkown List of knowledgeable individuals:

Jhansi Kandasamy Leanne Birkmire Matt Nixon Jay Vouglitios Repeat or similar condition?

No Operable Basis:

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Full Action Request Report Page 2 of 5 N/A Reportable Basis:

OP-AA-106-101 notifications were made to NJ Dept of Env Prot, ENS notifications made to NRC, PINV Reviewed by: HERBERT G TRITT II 04/16/2009 04:18:16 CDT Reviewer Comments:

none SOC Reviewed by: THOMAS S LONSDALE 04/21/2009 09:18:46 CDT SOC Comments:

CONDENSATE TRANSFER WATER SYSTEM-11,CH 04/17/09 SOC: Follow-up Chemistry 4/20/09 TAP - Significance level 3 due to Contamination above normal levels resulting from unplanned events.

4/21/09 RCL: Environmental keyword added. PINV complete. Sig 3 due to contaimination above normal levels resulting from unplanned eventes.

Complex troubleshooting action plan (CTSAP) in progress and asssiged. Risk High - Uncertainty Med, engineering will per a Root Cause Evaluations, Class A. Close to Root Cause assignments made, PINV, CTSAP, and PIMS AR A2222268 pulled through.

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Full Action Request Report Page 3 of 5 Assign #: 01 AR #: 00907846 Aff Fac: OysterCreek Assign Type: TRKG Status: COMPLETE Priority: Assigned To: Due Date: 04/20/2009 Schedule Ref: Prim Grp: ACAPALL Orig Due Date:

Unit Condition: Sec Grp:

Assignment Details Subject/Description: TRITIUM IDENTIFIED IN ESW VAULT

.Assignment Completion In Progress Notes:

Completion Notes:

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Full Action Request Report Page 4 of 5.

Assign #: 02 AR #: 00907846 Aft Fac: Oyster Creek Assign Type: PINV Status: COMPLETE Priority: Assigned To: U00OPO3 Due Date: 04/20/2009 Schedule Ref: Prim Grp: A5332CHEM Orig Due Date: 04/20/2009 Unit Condition: Sec Grp:

Assignment Details Subject/Description: Perform PINV following Management approval, submit to NDO Mailbox and NRC Resident.

Assignment Completion In Progress Notes:

ATTACHMENT 2 Event / Issues Report Format Equipment Issue

1. State the problem that is being reported and provide the CR/IR number:

Tritium levels greater than 2,000 pCi/I identified in water pumped out of a concrete vault containing Emergency Service Water (ESW) cables, which were being replaced. The IR# is 907846.

2. Brief Description of Equipment and Event / Issue Outside vaults and pipe chases are sampled for gamma emitters, tritium and pH prior to discharge to the ground. The cable work scheduled for the

. . workweek-required entrance into the vault. The manhole was opened ahd water was discovered. The water was pumped into 55-gallon drums and sampled. There were no gamma emitters identified, pH was 7.62 and tritium was 102,000 pCi/I.

The Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) for on-site tritium analysis is 2,000 pCi/I. This is the Lower Limit of Detection (LLD) listed in the Oyster Creek Offsite Dose Calculation Manual (ODCM) and is the value used, as the reporting threshold for notification to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for release of tritium.

Since water was observed entering the vault, it was conservatively decided that water could be exiting thevault. Based on the tritium levels in the vault, it was determined that a notification be reported to the NJDEP hotline, due to a prior agreement made with the state. This notification.

was made six minutes after the sample analysis results were received.

There are a total of 31 conduits that enter or exit the vault.

3. Pertinent Equipment History Information This vault was inspected on September 29th as part of the License Renewal inspections and Water was tested for Tritium with less than detectable levels.

4. Any PCM, PM, Last Worked, OPEX (internal or external), etc issues As part of the License Renewal program, this vault is inspected every 90 days.

5. Extent of Condition PMs exist to perform inspections of underground manholes and if water is found, then sampled. The previous records show that there were no detectable levels of Tritium in manholes inspected in September of 2009.

Additional reviews are in progress.

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Full Action Request Report Page 5 of 5

6. Current: Status (including risks /concerns)

Continuing to pump rainwater from the vault into 55-gallon drums.

Additional samples obtained from the ESW vault, a sample from the original water pumped from the vault, and a sample from the rainwater being pumped out at the time of sampling. Sample results are expected to be available at 1000, 4/16/09.

Normandeau Associates have been' contacted to pick up duplicate samples for shi'pping to Teledyne Brown Engineering for analysis.

Samples obtained between March 10 and March 12, 2009, as part of the Radiological Groundwater Protection Program (RGPP),. were all less than the LLD of 200 pCi/l.

7. Follow-up Actions Planned Evaluate all inputs into and from the ESW vault for potential solurces of tritium.

Inspect other vaults in the vicinity and sample for tritium as warranted.

Have our contractor (Normandeau Associates) collect water samples from the following locations:

? Monitoring wells in the general vicinity of the cable vault - W-3, W-4, W-5, W-6 and MW-15K-1A. These wells were sampled during the March 10-12, 2009 period. The results of tritium analyses on those samples were all < 200 pCi/L

? Lysimeter in the vicinity of the cable vault - CST-9. This lysimeter was sampled on March 11, 2009 and the tritium concentration was < 200 pCi/L.

? 1Lysimeter on the southwest corner of the Condensate Storage Tank -

CST-2. This lysimeter was last sampled in August of 2006 when the tritium concentration was found to be < 200 pCi/L.

? Surface water sample from the main condenser discharge. This is not a routine sampling point.

The samples will be shipped to Teledyne Brown Engineering to be analyzed for tritium, strontium-90 and gamma emitting radionuclides utilizing the LLDs specified for the Radiological Groundwater Protection Program.

8. Any Assistance Needed Issues management team assembled for communications and issue resolution.

Completion Notes:

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