ML102000427

G20100451/LTR-10-0327/EDATS: SECY-2010-0367 - Ltr. Rep. Edward J. Markey Recent Discovery of Radioactive Tritium Contamination Near the Pilgrim Nuclear Station

ML102000427
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	07/15/2010
From:	Markey E US Congress, US HR (House of Representatives)
To:	Jaczko G NRC/Chairman
rihm R, 415-1717
Shared Package
ML102160386	List: ML102000427
References
CORR-10-0070, EDATS: SECY-2010-0367, G20100451, LTR-10-0327, SECY-2010-0367, FOIA/PA-2011-0040
Download: ML102000427 (5)

Text

EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM: DUE: 08/05/10 EDO CONTROL: G20100451 DOC DT: 07/15/10 FINAL REPLY:

Representative Edward J. Markey Chairman Jaczko FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** GRN ** CRC NO: 10-0327 Chairman Jaczko DESC: ROUTING:

Recent Discovery of Radioactive Tritium Borchardt Contamination Near the Pilgrim Nuclear Station Weber (EDATS: SECY-2010-0367) Virgilio Ash Mamish OGC/GC DATE: 07/16/10 Leeds, NRR Dapas, RI ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT: Burns, OGC Schmidt, OCA EDO Rihm SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 2009-0441-02 (ML093290179) . NRR and Region I to provide input to Roger Rihm, OEDO, if required. Roger Rihm will coordinate response with OGC and OCA.

[aA~ s&CI-D\1 ~AbI sEL~

EDATS Number: SECY-2010-0367 Source: SECY G Information Assigned To: OEDO OEDO Due Date: 8/5/2010 11:00 PM Other Assignees: SECY Due Date: 8/9/2010 11:00 PM

Subject:

Recent Discovery of Radioactive Tritium Contamination Near the Pilgrim Nuclear Station

==

Description:==

CC Routing: NRR; Regionl; OGC; OCA ADAMS Accession Numbers - Incoming: NONE Response/Package: NONE er Oth Inoraio Cross Reference Number: G2010045.1, LTR- 10-0327 Staff Initiated: NO Related Task: Recurring Item: NO File Routing: EDATS Agency Lesson Learned: NO OEDO Monthly Report Item: NO Proess Infraion Action Type: Letter Priority: Medium Sensitivity: None Signature Level: Chairman Jaczko Urgency: N'0 Approval Level: No Approval Required OEDO Concurrence: YES OCM Concurrence: NO OCA Concurrence: NO Special Instructions: Please prepare response in accordance with OEDO Notice 209-0441-02 (ML093290179). NRR and Region I to provide input to Roger Rihm, OEDO, if required. Roger Rihm will coordinate response with OGC and OCA.

Doumn Infomaio Originator Name: Representative Edward J. Markey Date of Incoming: 7/15/2010 Originating Organization: Congress Document Received by SECY Date: 7/16/2010 Addressee: Chairman Jaczko Date Response Requested by Originator: NONE Incoming Task Received: Letter Page 1 of I

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed:Jul 16, 2010 13:16 PAPER NUMBER: LTIZ7-40ý0327 LOGGING DATE: 07/16/2010 ACTION OFFICE:

CEDO AUTHOR: REP Edward Markey AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE:

SUBJECT:

Concerns the recent discovery of radioactive tritium contamination near the Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth, MA ACTION: Signature of Chairman DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack, RF LETTER DATE: 07/15/2010 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: DATE SIGNED:

=Oeeý6 EDO -- G20100451

HENRY A WAXMAN, CALIFORNIA JOE BARTON. TEXAS CHAIRMAN RANKING MEMBER ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS Cngrw of te niteb *tatt.

jpouwe of epr ntatibts COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE 2125 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDiNG WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6115 Majority (202) 225-2927 Minority (202) 225-3641 July 15, 2010 The Honorable Gregory Jaczko Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555

Dear Chairman Jaczko:

I write in regard to the recent discovery of radioactive tritium contamination near the Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts that was reported yesterday in the Boston Globe.,

Sadly this appears to be just another in a long line of failures of buried piping systems at our nation's nuclear plants.

This lack of a serious and comprehensive Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspection regime for buried piping systems has long been a concern of mine, and this is not the first time I have written the Commission about this issue.2 In January in light of the increasing number

(?32) of plants with tritium leaks,3 and the NRC's inadequate response to my concerns 4 - I requested an investigation of the situation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). 5 I was joined in that request by Reps. Hall (NY), Adler (NJ) and Welch (VT), all of whom have leaking plants in their districts. This investigation is currently underway and I look forward to learning its results this fall.

In the meantime, however, plants continue to operate, to age, and to experience further corrosion' The possibility that there are buried pipes leaking tritium at Pilgrim is-not surprising. After all, the plant is almost 40 years old and located in a corrosive near shore environment. The current inspection regime for buried pipes - physical inspections conducted only in those rare instances when pipes are dug out for other purposes - is incapable of ensuring the integrity of decades-old

'"Tritium detected at Pilgrim N-plant" by Carolyn Y. Johnson in The Boston Globe, 14 July 2010.

Letter from Reps. Markey and Hall to the NRC, 30 April 2009. Text~here:

http:,"'markey.house.gov/index.php?option'comcontent&taskýview&id-3715&ltemid'*' 141

'http:r/www.nrc.gov/reactors.,"operating/ops-experience~tritiumlsites-grndwtr-contam.htmI 4 Rep. Markey press release on NRC response to Markey-Hall letter, 2 July 2009. Text here:

http:/'markey.house.gov/index.php?optioncom --content&task'view&id-3 752&ltemidý 141 I Press release of 13 January 2010 GAO investigation request by Reps. Markey, Hall, Adler [Welch added at a later date] can be found at: http::imarkey.house.gov/index.php?option=com content&task-view&idý3829&ltemid= 141

piping systems. While I realize that such inspection poses unique challenges due to accessibility and cost issues, those hurdles do not render these pipes immune from corrosion or damage, nor do they obviate the need for comprehensive inspections to ensure both operational and environmental integrity.

This matter is even more critical in light of Entergy's application to extend Pilgrim's operating license past 2012 for another 20 years. I would like to remind you that this same licensee admitted to misleading state regulators and lawmakers about their Vermont Yankee nuclear plant's buried pipes and subsequent tritium leak. Earlier this year when Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick noted design similarities between Pilgrim and Vermont Yankee and suggested the possibility that Pilgrim could also suffer from tritium leaks, Pilgrim spokesman called that argument "kind of a leap." Gov. Patrick's words now appear prescient.

Ralph Andersen, speaking for the trade association Nuclear Energy Institute, claimed that the detection of tritium in Pilgrim's monitoring wells was evidence the system was working. I disagree. "The system" should work by identifying potential failures of components before they break and release unknown volumes of radioactive water into our environment. Other industries have figured out how to inspect their buried pipes in a proactive and comprehensive fashion.

How many more failures does the nuclear industry and the NRC need before they admit that aging buried systems need additional attention?

Thank you for your consideration of this matter. Should you have any questions, please contact Dr. Katie Matthews or Dr. Michal Freedhoff of my staff at 202-225-2836.

Sincerely, Edward J. Marke)

Chairman Subcommittee on Energy and The Environment