ML19209B338
| ML19209B338 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Big Rock Point, Palisades File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 08/10/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Dewitt R CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910090525 | |
| Download: ML19209B338 (1) | |
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j s * *' Lo UNIT E D ST ATES E\\ 3,,., gg '.'n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3-
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- w-o cLEN ELLYN,ILUNOfs 60137 Docket No. 50-155 AUG 101979 Docket No. 50-255 Consumers Power Company ATTN:
Mr. R. B. DeWitt Manager of Nuclear Plant Operations 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, MI 49201 Gentlemen:
Enclosed is IE Bulletin No. 79-19, which requires action by you with regard to your reactor facilities with an operating license.
Should you have any questions regarding this Bulletin or the actions required of you, please contact this office.
Sincerely, Gw Y.
y
- s. James G. Keppler Director
Enclosures:
1.
List of Bulletins Issued in Last Six Months cc w/ encl:
Mr. C. J. Hartman, Plant Superintendent Mr. J. G. Lewis, Plant Superintendent Central Files Director, NRR/DPM Director, NRR/ DOR PDR Local PDR NSIC TIC Ronald Callen, Michigan Public Service Commission Anthony Roisman, Esq., Attorney
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Myron M. Cherry, Chicago
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7 Accession No: 7908070515 SSINS F,:
6820 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 August 10, 1979 IE Bulletin No. 79-19 PACKAGING OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE FOR TRANSPORT AND BURIAL Description of Circumstances:
Low-level radioactive waste is that waste which can be tran,sferred and shipped to one of three waste burial facilities which are located in and licensed by the Agreement States of Nevada, South Carolina, and Washington. On July 10, 1979, the Governors of the three states notified NRC Chairman Hen,drie of the serious and repeated disregard for rules governing the shipments of low-level radioactive wastes to these burial facilities.
Examples of violations cf Agreement State, DOT and NRC rules follow:
Improperly packaged uranium fines igniting packaged liquid scintillation vials in combustible waste is believed to have caused a fire and destruction of a truck at the Beatty, Nevada burial facility on May 14, 1979.
On July 2, 1979, three of twelve steel containers shipped to the Beatty burial facility were found to be leaking radioactive material. The material was described on the bill of lading as being a solid inorganic salt (evaporator concentrates solidified with urea formaldehyde) from a reactor facility. The Governor of the State of Nevada ordered the drums to be shipped out of the state and the burial facility was temporarily closed.
On July 30, the first shipment into the reopened Beatty facility contained free liquid in " solid" material. The radioactive contents were sand filters used at an insitu leaching process at a uranium mill.
Forty-three shipments with sixty-three deficiencies were observed during the package inspection program between April 10 and July 5,1979, by the Agreement State of South Carolina, at the Barnwell, S.C. burial facility. The shipments were from reactor, medical, industrial and military facilities.
On June 28, 1979, the Federal Highway Administration issued a Notice of Violation to a reactor facility pr tion resulting from improper closu for improper loading of the drums DUPLICATE DOCUMENT These are a few examples of shipme facilities which did not fully mee Entire document previously entered into system under:
which were developed to protect th Governors of the three States with ANO that if the situation is not recti would deny use of the three burial
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No. of pages:
(f i121 360
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