ML113530084

New York State (NYS) Pre-Filed Evidentiary Hearing Exhibit NYS000184, NRC Preliminary Notification of Event or Unusual Occurrence, PNO-IV-06-001, Followup for Tritium Contamination Found in Water Onsite (Mar. 17, 2006) (ML060760584) (PNO-IV

ML113530084
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	12/16/2011
From:	Louis Carson, Shannon M NRC Region 4
To:	Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
SECY RAS
Shared Package
ML113530062	List: ML113530071 ML113530074 ML113530075 ML113530076 ML113530077 ML113530079 ML113530080 ML113530081 ML113530082 ML113530084 ML113530085 ML113530086 ML113530088 ML113530089 ML113530092 ML113530093 ML113530095 ML113530098 ML113530099 ML113530100 ML113530104 ML113530105
References
RAS 21566, 50-247-LR, 50-286-LR, ASLBP 07-858-03-LR-BD01 PNO-IV-06-001
Download: ML113530084 (2)

Text

NYS000184 Submitted: December 16, 2011 March 17, 2006 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE-- PNO-IV-06-001 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region IV staff on this date.

Facility Licensee Emergency Classification Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Notification of Unusual Event Arizona Public Service Company Alert Tonopah, Arizona _ Site Area Emergency Docket: 50-528, 50-529, and 50-530 _ General Emergency License: NPF-41; NPF-51, and NPF-74 L Not Applicable

SUBJECT:

FOLLOWUP FOR TRITIUM CONTAMINATION FOUND IN WATER ONSITE DESCRIPTION:

On March 1, 2006, a water sample collected by the licensee from a test hole located within the licensee's Unit 3 Protected Area identified tritium levels of 71 ,400 picocuries/Liter (pCi!L). On March 2, 2006, the licensee notified the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) that a release of tritium had occurred that had the potential to cause the EPA drinking water limit (20,000 pCi!L) for tritium to be exceeded in a groundwater aquifer. As required by 10 CFR Part 50.72(b)(2)(xi) the licensee also notified the NRC (Event# 42381).

Since February 15, 2006, the licensee has been investigating the source of water leakage into an underground pipe tunnel located within the Protected Area of Units 2 and 3. Test holes were drilled inside the Protected Area in an area between all three Units power block and spray pond in an effort to find the source of the tritiated water. A water sample that contained the elevated tritium levels was from the Unit 3 test hole.

As part of the NRC's followup to the onsite elevated tritium levels, NRC Region IV obtained a split water sample from the Unit 3 test hole for the NRC's independent analysis on March 3, 2006. The NRC's independent laboratory analyzed the spilt sample for tritium and gamma radioactive isotopes and results were consistent with the 71 ,400 pCi!L value obtained by the licensee.

On March 6, 2006, NRC Region IV, dispatched a Senior Health Physicist to supplement the NRC's onsite resident staff and further review the licensee's actions. To date the NRC's review has determined: (1) The tritiated water at elevated levels is confined onsite; (2) No elevated levels have been found in wells located outside the Protected Area. From a review of the analyzed sample results from both onsite and offsite groundwater monitoring wells, the NRC has found no evidence of an offsite release of the radioactive water.

The apparent cause or source of the elevated tritium levels in the test holes has not been found/determined to date and is still under investigation by the licensee. NRC Region IV health physicists and the resident inspectors continue to monitor the licensee's activities to address the source of the elevated tritium as well as and the licensee's measures to ensure it will be confined onsite. NRC Region IV is in the process of obtaining additional environmental water samples from the Palo Verde site and surrounding areas.

OAGI0000235 000001

The information presented herein has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 11 a.m. (CST) on March 17, 2006.

ADAMS ACCESSION NUMBER: ML060760584 CONTACTS: Michael P. Shannon, Chief Louis C. Carson, II Plant Support Branch Senior Health Physicist 817-860-8215 817-860-8221 mps1@nrc.gov lcc1 @nrc.gov OAGI0000235 000002