ML14184A598
| ML14184A598 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Robinson  |
| Issue date: | 04/20/1984 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML14184A597 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8405160377 | |
| Download: ML14184A598 (3) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION RELATED TO PROPOSED METHOD FOR OBTAINING SCALING FACTORS CAROLINA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY H. B. ROBINSON STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNIT NO. 2 DOCKET NO. 50-261 Introduction By letter dated February 2, 1984 Carolina Power and Light Company (CP&L) provided information for a method to be used to obtain scaling factors for waste oil presently solidified and stored in drums at the H. B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant, Unit No. 2.
Recent amendments to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations require that licensees prepare all wastes so that the waste is classified for near surface disposal according to the activity concentration of specified radionuclides. Among the specified radionuclides are gamma emitters, beta emittors, and other radionuclides.
The letter included methods for irradiated components as well as for waste oil at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Unit Nos. 1 and 2 as well as at the Robinson plant. The proposed method for waste oil was intended to apply to not only the waste oil presently solidified and stored in drums at the.
Robinson plant but to all other waste oil at both plants. The evaluation of the proposed methods for irradiate component and for waste oil other than that presently solidified and stored at the Robinson plant will be addressed in a separate safety evaluation.
CP&L's letter states the following: "A large portion of the waste oil becomes contaminated through direct contact with reactor cooling water. Due to the low levels of contaimination and the method of storage (oil from different pumps are frequently mixed together), CP&L intends to use scaling factors based on analyses of the cooling water itself. Activation products are scaled to Co-60 and all other regulated isotopes to Cs-137. These scaling factors will then be applied to all waste streams for which contaiminated oil is the primary constituent."
Additional information was supplied by CP&L staff in telephone conferences of April 18, 1984 and April 19, 1984, as follows:
There is an urgent need to ship the waste oil solidified and stored in drums at the Robinson Plant.
A gamma scan has already been made on the oil which indicates that the Co-60 activity concentration is in the range of 10E-6 P ci/ml.
The majority of the oil is from the reactor cooling water pumps. The only significant mechanisms for contamination of the oil by contact with reactor cooling water are by adherence to particles containing radioactive materials and by emulsification with reactor water. The CP&L staff proposed that all 84051460377 840420 PDR ADOCK 05000261 P
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-2 radionuclides be scaled to Co-60 rather than activation products be scaled to.Co-60 and other radionuclides be scaled to Cs-137 as had been proposed in their letter of February 2, 1984.
Evaluation NUREG-0017, "Calculation of Releases of Radioactive Materials in Gaseous and Liquid Effluents from Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR GALE Code)" provides expected radionuclide concentrations in the reactor cooling water for PWRs using recirculation U-tubes steam generators, e.g., Robinson Unit No. 2, with design parameters within specified ranges. NUREG-0017 also provides the methodology for adjusting the expected radionuclide concentrations for plants with design parameters outside the specified ranges.
The expected radionuclide concentrations in reactor cooling water at the Robinson plant have been calculated based on the above.
The regulatory limits for nuclides in Class A wastes are set forth in 10 CFR
§61.55 Waste classification. Using the above, an activity concentration of 10E-6 P ci/mI for Co-60 in the waste oil presently solidified and stored at the Robinson plant, and the method of applying reactor cooling water activity concentration to the measured Co-60 activity concentration in the waste oil, the estimated activity concentrations of the regulated nuclides in the waste oil combine so that the nuclides in the waste oil are estimated to be approximately a factor of 1OE-4 below the regulation limit for Class A wastes.
To verify the classification of the waste oil by the above methodology requires some sampling and analysis of the waste oil for all of the regulated nuclides, which normally would be practicable. However, in this case, this would be impracticable since the waste oil has been solidified.
Sampling and analysis of other waste oil at the Robinson plant could be done but the applicability of the results to the verification of the classification of the solidified oil is questionable.
Summary The.proposed method for obtaining scaling factors for the waste oil presently solidified and stored at the Robinson plant has been reviewed, evaluated and found to be in compliance with the requirements of the NRC regulations.
The proposed method will not remove or relax any existing requirement related to the probability or consequences of accidents previously considered, and does not involve a significant hazards consideration.
The proposed method will not remove or relax any existing requirement needed to provide reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner.
Environmental Consideration We have determined that the amendment does not authorize a change in effluent types or total amounts nor an increase in power level and will not result in any significant environmental impact. Having made this
-3 determination, we have further concluded that the amendment involves an action which is insignificant from the standpoint of environmental impact and, pursuant to 10 CFR §51.5(d)(4), that an environmental impact statement or negative declaration and environ-mental impact appraisal need not be prepared in connection with the issuance of this amendment.
Conclusion We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that: (1) there is reasonable assurance that the health and safety of the public will not be endangered by operation in the proposed manner, and (2) such activities will be conducted in compliance with the Commission's regulations and the issuance of this amendment will not be inimical to the common defense and security or to the health and safety of the public.
Date: April 20, 1984 Principal Contributor:
Charles Nichols