ML101940216

Offsite Notification to State/Local Agencies Regarding Tritium Release Onsite - EN 44951

ML101940216
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	04/12/2009
From:	King D State of NC
To:	Brian Bonser NRC/RGN-II
References
44951, FOIA/PA-2010-0209
Download: ML101940216 (1)

Text

Power Reactor Event Number: 44951 Facility: HARRIS Notification Date: 04/01/2009 lRegion: 2 State: NC Notification Time: 14:49 [ET]

Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] Event Date: 04/01/2009 RX Type: [1] W-3-LP Event Time: 14:30 [EDT]

NRC Notified By: DAVID KING Last Update Date: 04/01/2009 HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY Person (Organization):

10 CFR Section: BRIAN BONSER (R2) 150.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION SCRAM Initial Current Unit Code RX CRIT PWR Initial RX Mode PWR Current RX Mode 1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION TO STATE/LOCAL AGENCIES REGARDING TRITIUM RELEASE ONSITE "On April 1, 2009, the results of an ongoing hydrology study being conducted by Harris Nuclear Plant as part of the voluntary Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative revealed that a pipe leak in the buried Cooling Tower Blowdown line was releasing water containing tritium into surrounding soil.

The maximum tritium activity level discovered was 2,120 pCi/L, well below maximum levels allowed by regulation. While the leak rate has not been determined, it appears to be small. The Cooling Tower Blowdown line is used for liquid effluent dilution as part of permitted, routine releases. The permitted liquid effluent release point is the discharge from the Cooling Tower Blowdown line into Harris Lake. This line is leaking upstream of the permitted release point. All leaking water is contained within the site boundary, and based on studies performed by an independent hydrologist, offsite migration is not anticipated.

l"Immediate corrective actions include voluntary notifications, installation of additional monitoring wells at various locations to determine groundwater flow and to check for the presence of tritium.

The water containing low levels of tritium is in a localized area immediately surrounding the Cooling jTower Blowdown line.

"The health and safety of the public are not affected by this event, as the activity levels discovered are significantly below maximum levels allowed by regulation. Harris Nuclear Plant is following the guidance contained in NEI 07-07 and has initiated this Event Notification as a result of our voluntary communication to State agencies in accordance with the Groundwater Protection Initiative."

IThe licensee informed the State of North Carolina (Division of Radiation Protection and Department lof Water Quality) and the NRC Resident Inspector. The licensee will also inform local agencies.