ML100760483

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E-mail from D. Lew of USNRC to J. Clifford of USNRC, Regarding TMI Event of Potential Public Interest
ML100760483
Person / Time
Site: Three Mile Island  Constellation icon.png
Issue date: 11/22/2009
From: David Lew
NRC Region 1
To: Clifford J
NRC Region 1
References
FOIA/PA-2010-0118
Download: ML100760483 (3)


Text

Clifford, James From: Lew, David Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 12:02 PM To: Clifford, James

Subject:

FW: TMI Event of Potential Public Interest

ý---Original Message -----

From: Screnci., Diane Sent: Satu rday, November 2 1, 2009 11 P.M P:o To: Bellamy, Ronald; Collins, Sam; Lew, David; Barber, Scott; Brand, Javier; Kern, David; Newport, Christopher; Bamford, Peter; Spindler, David

'Cc: McNarnara, Nancy; McKinley, Raymnond; McDermott, Brian; White, John; Roberts, Darrell; Hayden, Elizabeth

Subject:

RE: TMI Event of Potential Public Interest I've copied the press release from TMI here:

FYI -- The following news release will be distributed at I :,'io p.m. EST:

Etmployees Sent Ilhme A fter Small Amou nt of'Contamination FoUnd Inside Three Mile Isl and Reactor Building No threat to public health and safety Londonderry Township, Pa. (Nov. 2 1, 200w,) - Abbout. I ,0 employees workhing inside the shut:-do\w n Three Mile Island Unit .1 Containment buildin( were sent home about 4,:00 p.m. EST Saturday after an air borne radiological contamitnation alarm inside the reactor buildikng sounded.

The unit has been shut down since Oct. 26 fbr refieling, maintenance and steam generator replacement.

No contamination was fhund outsid(e of the containment building. Radiological surveys showved that the contamination was confined to surthees inside the containment )ulilding.

The event posed no threat to public health and safety.

A monitor at the ternporary opening cut. in to the con tainmen t build ing w all to allow the new steamn generators to be moved inside showed a slight increase in a reading and then returned to norrial. Tw o other monnitors displayed normnal readings.

\'korkers 1wN.ere sent home eCa "use work couldn'tcontinueL' until we clean the area," Exelon Vice President Bill Noll, the senior executive at. TMI, said. "We hope to be able to resume activi ties tomorrow."

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Exelon technicians Saturday night_ were chec'king employees... who had been working in the building at the time for possible unusual radiation exposure. One worker was f.Lind to have received 1I. m il-irem of'exposure, and other workers have received contamination of'lower levels. The annual occupational (dose limit fbr nuclear workers at Exelon Nuclear plants is 0,000 nil iiem. No Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits were exceeded for personnel contaiunation.

Numerous work activities were going- on in the building at the time the alarm sounded, and Exelon engineers are working to determine the cause the incident. The NRC, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and local elected officials were notified of the event.

From: Bellamy, Ronald Sent: Saturday, November 2 1, 2009J 11::71 PM To: Collins, Sam; HOO Hoc; Lew, David; Barber, Scott; Brand, .Javier; Kern, David; Newport, Christopher;. Bamford, Peter; Spindler, David Cc: Screnci, Diane: McNamara, Nancy; McKinley, Raymond; McDermott, Brian; White, John; Roberts, Darrell SuIbject: TMI Event of Potential Public Interest PRELIMINARY INFORMATION At about 1600 today Saturday Nov 2 1, T.MI experienced alarms inside the containment( dUe to high airborne contamination levels. TMI is shutdown and replacing their steam generators.

The containment was evacuated of approximately 17.5 workers. Several of'the workers were not able to clear the portal monitors due to the contamination levels and have been whole body counted. So far, about 8 workers have show1n internal contamination froom a fe*w mrem to 16 mnrem. Other workers are awvaiting to be processed through the whole body counter.

Work has been stopped inside containment as radpro techs with respiratory protection e(.Uipmerit survey the ibu ildi ng arid try to Understand the cause of'the containination.

Cutting was being perf6rmeld to support removal of the "B" steam generator alongo with some weldin(,)-. The "A SG, although cut and off its pedastel, remains fully inside the containment, al thou gh there is a cut of'the contain"men. to support SG 11oVeit \vhich presently has a plastic covering. Surveys for contamination at the containment cut and just outside the cut have shown no levels of contamination.

A call through the HOO was held to understand our next steps (licensee outage manager providecd us an update). Diane Screnci is available to respond to media calls, Nancy McNamara has reached out to Pennsylvania, and the HOO is making contact with DHS, indicating no need for a federal, reaction. There has been media interest and calls from other federal agencies. Next steps include John1White assessing possi ble specialist support Onsite, J.avier Brand will obtain additional infbrmation as it becomes ava ilable from Exelon, and DRfP xViII ieView the status Sunday mnorning.

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Ronr Bellaniy, Brianch Chie~f P~RELIMINARY INFORMATION 8