ML18005A786
| ML18005A786 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Harris  |
| Issue date: | 02/09/1989 |
| From: | Hughey C, Kahle J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML18005A785 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-400-89-01, 50-400-89-1, NUDOCS 8902270114 | |
| Download: ML18005A786 (11) | |
See also: IR 05000400/1989001
Text
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UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGION II
101 MAAIETTAST., N.W.
ATLANTA,GEORGIA 30323
Report No.:
50-400/89-01
Licensee:
Carolina
Power
and Light Company
P. 0.
Box 1551
Ral ei gh,
NC
27602
Docket No.:
50-400
License No.:
Facility Name:
Shearon Harris Nuclear
Power Plant
Inspection
Conducted:
January
9-13,
1989
Inspector:
c~
C.
.
ug ey
.
Approved by:
<~"vJ-
J;
B.
Ka
e, Chief
Ra
ological Effluents and Chemistry Section
Emergency
Preparedness
and Radiological
Protection
Branch
Division of Radiation Safety
and Safeguards
D
e Si
ne
Da
e Signed
SUNMARY
Scope:
This routine,
unannounced
inspection
was
conducted
in the
areas
of
liquid and gaseous
radioactive effluents
and plant chemistry.
Results:
Although inoperability
of
several
liquid radioactive
effluent
monitors
and stack
gaseous
effluent flow measurement
devices
had continued to
keep the licensee
in ACTION statements
of the Technical
Specifications,
there
had
been considerable
progress
toward permanent
resolutions
and fixes of these
complicated
problems.
These
issues
had
been identified during
a previous
inspection
as
Inspector
Followup Items
88-24-01
and 88-24-02
and will remain
open.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
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REPORT
DETAILS
1.
Persons
Contacted
Licensee
Employees
S.
Buch, Technician,
Environmental
and Chemistry
(E&C)
- C. Hinnant, Plant General
Manager
S. Johnson,
Foreman,
E&C
J.
Leonard, Project Specialist,
Radwaste
- H. Lipa, Supervisor,
E&C
- A. Poland,
Project Specialist,
Radiation Control
B. Sears,
Foreman,
E&C
- J. Sipp, Manager,
Environmental
and Radiation Control
E. Steudel,
Principal Engineer,
Special
Projects
- D. Tibbits, Director, Regulatory Compliance
M. Wallace, Senior Specialist,
Regulatory Compliance
E. Wills, Project Specialist
Other
licensee
employees
contacted
included
construction
craftsmen,
engineers,
and technicians.
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
- W. Bradford,
- Attended exit interview
2.
Licensee Action on Previously Identified Inspector
Followup Items
(92701)
a ~
(Open)
Inspector
Followup
Item (IFI) 50-400/88-24-01:
Review
licensee
resolution of contamination of liquid radwaste monitors.
As discussed
in Inspection
Report
No. 88-24,
contamination
buildup
within the
sample
chambers
of the liquid radwaste
monitors during
discharges
caused
monitor setpoints
to
be
exceeded
during releases
thereby
prematurely
terminating discharges.
The monitors affected
are listed as follows:
1) REM-01WL-3540, Treated
Laundry and Hot Shower Tank Discharge
2) REM-21WL-3541, Waste Monitor Tank Discharge
3) REM-21WS-3542,
Secondary
Waste
Sample
Tank Discharge
(continuous
release
path)
Although contamination buildup in the stainless
steel
sample
chambers
of
the
liquid
radwaste
monitors
was
indeed
occuring
during
discharges,
the
licensee
considered
extremely
low setpoints
calculated
prior to
each
release
to
be
the root
cause
of their
problem.
Some buildup of contamination in the stainless
steel
sample
'
chambers
cannot
be avoided.
The licensee
indicated that forthcoming
changes
to the Offsite Dose Calculation
Manual
(ODCM) involving the
addition of background
counts
into the
setpoint
calculation
and
increasing dilution flow to the cooling tower blow down line would
permit
an
increase
in
the
monitor setpoint
during
discharges
sufficient to eliminate spurious
discharge
terminations.
During the inspection,
all three of these
Technical
Specification
required
monitors
were out of service for various
reasons,
placing
the
licensee
in continuous
ACTION statements
of the
Technical
Specifications.
The licensee
indicated that these monitors would be
back in service within several
days after the inspection.
This item
remains
open.
b.
(Open)
IFI 50-400/88-24-02:
Review licensee
resolution
of flow
measurement
device operability in plant stacks.
As discussed
in Inspection
Report
No. 88-25, turbulent flow problems
in three
out of four plant gaseous
effluent stacks
(Nos.
1,5 and 5a)
caused
by the relatively short
and wide design of these
stacks
had
prevented
the licensee
from accurately
measuring
the flow ~ates
out
of these
stacks.
This had placed
the licensee
in continuous
ACTION
statements
of the Technical
Specifications
requiring periodic flow
rate estimations.
Previous flow modifications
had been unsuccessful
in restoring uniform flows to the plant stacks.
The
licensee
stated
that,
to resolve
the
issue,
the total
flow
through
a
stack
would
be quantified
by the
summation
of all
individual influents into each
stack.
This would be applicable for
stacks
1,
5 and
5a.
To accomplish this,
a microprocessor unit would
summarize
the influents for each
stack
by sensing
the operation of
the fan motors under various fan configurations.
Microprocessor flow
values will be
determined
from in situ flow measurements
under
various
fan configurations.
Plans
are for the
system
to
be
installed,
tested
and
operational
by
September
1989.
This
item
remains
open.
3.
Temporary
Radwaste
Demineralizer
(84750)
Plans
were
discussed
to
temporarily
install
a
vendor
supplied
(Chem-Nuclear)
liquid radwaste
demineralization
system
as
a
one year
demonstration
project.
This
system
was
to
be
used
instead
of the
permanently installed radwaste
system to decontaminate
liquid wastes prior
to discharge
and
was very similar to a system installed at Carolina
Power
and Light's Robinson
Nuclear
Power Plant.
The licensee
anticipated
the
system to be operational
by the end of January
1989.
Approximately six months
into the
demonstration
period,
the licensee
planned to evaluate
the system's
performance
and decide whether or not to
continue using this system
beyond the one year demonstration
period.
During this period,
the
permanently
installed
radwaste
system will be
shutdown
and
placed
into wet lay-up.
During wet lay-up, calibrations
would be maintained
on essential
in-line instrumentation
and pumps/motors
'ould
be stroked
and rotated periodically to maintain system operability.
The
membranes
from the
reverse
osmosis
units
were to
be
removed
and
stored.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Steam Cycle Chemistry
(79701)
The inspector
reviewed chemistry data plots for October
and
November
1988.
Owner's
Group's
Secondary
Water Chemistry Guidelines
were
exceeded
on
several
occasions
for
steam
generator
blowdown cation
conductivity,
and sulfates.
The major
source of these
impurities
was most likely condensate
polisher effluents.
Host of these
excursions
occured
during plant startup after
the -outage
and
subsequent
to
two
reactor trips/restarts.
These all occurred
during October
1988.
This
highlighted
the
need for higher
steam
generator
blowdown rates
during
plant startups.
To reduce
cation conductivity
and
sodium levels in the
blowdown during
power operations,
rinse
times
were
increased
after each
regeneration
of
anion
resins
from the
condensate
polishers
reducing
the
effluent
conductivity from 300
uS/cm to less, than
100 uS/cm.
After depletion,
mixed
bed resins
are transferred
from each in-service condensate
polisher
vessel.
The cation and anion resins
are separated
and regenerated.
After
regeneration
and rinsing,
the
anion
and cation
resins
are
mixed
back
together
and transferred
to an empty condensate
polisher vessel.
Prior to
placing
back in service,
the vessel
is recirculated
in
a closed
loop to
less
than
0.1
uS/cm to
reduce
contaminants
thrown from the polishers.
Preliminary testing indicated these
techniques
to be effective.
Contaminant
concentration
had
also
been
occurring
when
steam
generator
blowdown lines
were isolated
daily for about
one
hour
during plant
calorimetric testing.
To
reduce
this
buildup,
blowdown
was
being
temporarily increased prior to blowdown isolation.
For the
period
reviewed
in this inspection,
steam
generator
blowdown
cation conductivities
ranged
between
0.2
and
0.3
uS/cm, with chloride
levels averaging just under
2 parts
per billion (ppb).
cation
conductivity
averaged
less
than
0.07
uS/cm, with dissolved
less
than 0.5 ppb and sodium less
than 0.1 ppb.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Staffing (84750)
Since
the last
inspection
in this
area,
Foreman
positions
in the
Environmental
and Chemistry
(E&C) group had increased
from two to three.
There
had been
no major changes
in the technician staff of 11 licensee
and
11 contract
employees.
No turnover problems
were noted.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
6.
Followup of Unusual
Event (93702)
On
December
16,
1988,
during
a treated
laundry
and
hot
shower
tank
release,
a valid high radiation level trip occurred
on the
RBl-01WL-3540
monitor.
The high alarm setpoint
was
exceeded,
automatically terminating
the release.
The licensee identified this incident
as
an Unusual
Event
and
made the proper notifications to NRC.
The licensee
stated that the cause of the alarm appeared
to be settling in
the
tank during the discharge.
Pre-release
grab
sample activity in the
tank after pre-sampling
recirculation
was about
1.7 E-06 microcuries
per
milliliter (uCi/ml).
The monitor high alarm setpoint
was calculated
and
set
at
1.55 E-05 uCi/ml with monitor background
at the time normal at
about
1.21 E-05 uCi/ml.
The alarm
and
subsequent
discharge
isolation
occurred at about
5X tank level.
A post-release
grab
sample indicated the
tank activity to
be
about
2.5 E-05 uCi/ml, verifying
an
increase
in
activity during the discharge.
The tank
had
been properly recirculated
prior to taking the pre-release
To prevent
reoccurrences,
discharges
from the treated
laundary
and hot
shower
tank were
to
be terminated
at about
15'A tank level
and the tank
periodically cleaned.
Changes
in monitor setpoint calculation methodology
(see
Paragraph
2.a) would also prevent unplanned
discharge
terminations.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
7.
Records
Review (84750)
The inspector
reviewed the following laboratory records:
a.
Gross
alpha composite
sample
analyses
results for December
1988,
from
the plant vent stacks
(1, 3a, 5, and 5a).
All were found to be less
than the lower limit of detection.
b.
Intensity,
gain, resolution,
and
background quality control charts
for the
gamma
spectroscopy
system for November
and
December
1988.
System operability appeared
stable for the period.
C.
guality control charts for the following laboratory
instruments
and
analyses:
1.
Perkin
-
Elmer
3030B
Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer:
2.
Perkin - Elmer
Lambda
3B
UV/VIS Spectrophotometer:
Silica,
Hydrazine
3.
DIONEX 2020I Ion Chromatograph:
Chlorides, Fluorides,
Sul fates
The control charts
were well organized
and complete.
Selected
laboratory
personnel
appeared
knowledgeable
in their use
and importance.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Semiannual
Effluent Release
Reports
(84750)
The inspector
reviewed the semiannual
radioactive effluent release
report
for the period January
1 through
June
30,
1988.
This review included
an
examination
of the liquid and
gaseous
effluent release
data for this
period
as
compared
to 1987 data
and to other Region II facilities.
This
data is summarized
in the attachment
to this report.
No abnormal
gaseous
or liquid releases
were reported during the first half
of 1988.
No significant trends
were noted in either liquid or gaseous
effluents during the first half of 1988 as
compared to 1987.
Data values
compared favorably to other Region II PWR plants.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Additional Dilution Water Flow (84750)
During the last inspection in this area
(Inspection
Report
No. 88-24), the
inspector
and the licensee
discussed
the addition of piping that would
supply
increased
dilution water flow to the circulating water
blowdown
line from the cooling tower make-up line, bypassing
the cooling water
basin
and circulating water
system.
This additional
flow was to enable
the
licensee
to increase
the setpoint
points of the liquid radwaste
monitors during discharges
reducing the chances for inadvertent discharge
terminations
and to help conserve
water treatment
chemicals
used in the
circulating water
system.
During that
inspection,
construction
and
installation of this bypass line had not been completed.
During this inspection,
the
licensee
indicated
that
the
bypass
line
installation
and initial testing
had been completed.
This additional line
would enable
the licensee
to increase
flow in the cooling tower blowdown
line from 900 gallons
per minute to almost
18,000 gallons
per minute, at
the
maximum flow rate.
Flow rates
through
the line had
been verified
during testing
using
a combination
of make-up
pump curves
and various
pressure/flow indicators in the system.
In order to claim this additional
flow for the purpose of increasing
the
liquid radwaste
effluent monitors
setpoints
and to verify system flow
after it was placed into service,
double flow verification was required.
Two flow elements
had been installed in an above-ground,
u-bend section of
the bypass line piping adjacent
to the isolation valve for that purpose.
During testing,
however,
the indicated flow rates of the two elements
did
not agree.
The licensee
determined that inconsistent water levels in the
u-bend
area
caused
the disagreement.
Piping configuration
changes
would
be required to alleviate
the problem.
At the time of the inspection,
these
changes
were in the design/approval
process.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Radiation Monitoring System
(84750).
The
Radiation
Monitoring
System
(RMS)
was
the
plant-wide
radiation
information
gathering
and
control
system
designed
to provide plant
personnel
with current
and
historical
measurements
of radiological
conditions
in
the
plant
during
normal
and
design
basis
accident
conditions.
The
system
included
the
process
and effluent radiation
monitors
and the airborne
and area radiation monitors.
An excessive
number of inputs to the
system
(160 total) resulted
as the
Harris project
was
reduced
from a four unit to
a single unit site, since
the
RMS was originally designed for a four unit plant.
This also resulted
in
unnecessary
personnel
and
resource
requirements
(calibrations,
maintenance,
spare parts, etc.)
as the plant
became operational,
Previous
to this
inspection,
the
licensee
had
formed
a
task
force
consisting of personnel
from various plant. disciplines to evaluate
the
and
recommend
a
plan
to plant
management
to streamline
the
by
selecting certain unnecessary
or redundant
monitors for deletion from the
system,
redesignation,
or other
appropriate
methods.
This
plan
was
formulated with various priorities taken into account
such
as Regulatory
Guide 1.97 requirements,
Techncial
Specification/ODCM requirements,
safety
needs,
and
needs
contributing to more efficient and safe plant operation
but not necessarily
required
by regulations.
Some examples of unnecessary
monitors
to
be deleted
were
area
radiation monitors in various
locker
rooms
and
a particulate
and
iodine monitor in the
Health
Physics
instrument calibration
room.
Previous to this inspection,
the task force had formalized and
recommended
a plan of action to the Plant Nuclear Safety
Committee
and
was in the
initial steps
of submitting
change
requests.
Progress
in this area will
be followed closely during upcoming inspections.
No violations or deviations
were identified.
Whole-body Counting
During
a
phone
conversation
subsequent
to this inspection
(January
30,
1989), the inspector
discussed
with the Manager of the Environmental
and
Radiation
Control
Group the benefits of informing visitors
who require
whole-body
monitoring
that
whole-body
counters
calibrated
for the
detection of fission products will not necessarily
provide accurate
data
for naturally occurring potassium-40.
11.
Ex it Intervi ew
The inspection
scope
and findings were
summarized
on January
13,
1989,
with those
persons
indicated in Paragraph
1.
The inspector
described
the
areas
inspected
and
discussed
in detail
the
inspection
findings.
No
dissenting
comments
were received
from the licensee.
The licensee
did not
identify as proprietary any of the material
provided to or reviewed
by the
inspector during this inspection.
ATTACHMENT
SHEARON HARRIS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT SUMMARY
No. of Abnormal Releases
a.
Liquid
b.
Gaseous
a.
Liquid
1.
Fission
and Activation
Products
2.
3.
Gross
Alpha
b.
Gaseous
1.
Fission
and Activation
Gases
Gross
Alpha
Particulate
(gross
beta/gamma)
2.
3.
4,
5.
Liquid Waste
Released
(gallons)
Activity Released
(Curies)
1987
1.83
E+07
9.08 E-1
2.48
E+2
2.73 E-4
1.71
E+3
0.00
E+0
0.00
E+0
3.15 E-6
4.43 E-6
First half of 1988
1.11
E+7
1.86 E-2
2.40
E+2
2.55 E-6
1.44
E+3
0.00
E+0
0.00
E+0
6.55 E-8
0.00
E+0