ML100760676
| ML100760676 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 11/23/2009 |
| From: | Raymond Mckinley NRC Region 1 |
| To: | Barber G NRC Region 1 |
| References | |
| FOIA/PA-2010-0118 | |
| Download: ML100760676 (2) | |
Text
Barber, Scott From:
McKinley, Raymond Sent:
Monday, November 23, 2009 11:13 AM To:
Barber, Scott
Subject:
FW: TMI Event Staff Notification Attachments:
TMI.doc Importance:
High Scott this is the latest. Diane made a couple of small changes, and Barkley had no comments.
From: Screnci, Diane Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 11:07 AM To: McKinley, Raymond
Subject:
RE: TMI Event Staff Notification DIANE SCRENCI SR. PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER USNRC, RI 610/337-5330 From: McKinley, Raymond Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 10:49 AM To: Clifford, James; Barber, Scott; Screnci, Diane; Barkley, Richard
Subject:
TMI Event Staff Notification Importance: High Jim, Diane, Scott, and Rich, Sam Collins asked me to send out a message to the staff regarding the TMI event as soon as possible.
Please review the attached document that I drafted, and let me know if you have any comments before I send it out. I would like to send it out within the next hour.
- Thanks, Ray
At about 1600 on Saturday Nov 21, TMI 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 150 workers. Several of the workers were not able to clear the portal monitors due to the contamination levels, and the licensee performed whole body counts on all of the personnel inside containment at the time of the event. Approximately 20 workers received doses that area very small fraction of the annual federal occupational exposure limit (5000 mrem/yr). The airborne contamination levels have returned to pre-event activity levels. This event did draw a significant amount of media attention, and it also drew attention from other federal agencies and the. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The cause of the contamination event is still under investigation, but steam generator welding activities were in progress at the time of the event. The licensee surveyed the area around the containment maintenance opening, and there was no contamination identified outside the containment building. The containment opening was covered by a tarp at the time of the event. One monitor near the containment opening did show a brief slight increase in activity; however, the licensee esimates that this activity level was less than 1% of the quarterly Offsite Dose Calculation Model (ODCM) limit. Once again, there was no contamination detected outside the containment building.
A number of Region I personnel and Headquarters personnel responded to this event over the weekend.
The Resident Inspectors, DRS Inspectors, and the Public Affairs Officer responded to the site to investigate the event and to address media inquires. In addition, representatives from Region I Senior Management, DRP. Branch 6, State Liaison Officer, and Public Affairs responded to the Regional Office to coordinate our understanding of the event and outreach activities.
In summary, while this event did draw a significant amount of media attention, there was no impact on the health and safety of the general public. The workers that were affected by this event received doses that were a small percentage of the annual occupational exposure limit. Region I is continuing to follow this event.