ML19224B026

Provides Interim Guidance for TMI Investigators

ML19224B026
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	06/06/1979
From:	Thompson D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
References
NUDOCS 7906130446
Download: ML19224B026 (3)

Text

l

c NOTE FOR INVESTIGATORS ASSIGNED TO THREE MILE ISLAND INVESTIGATION FM : CUDLEY THCMPSON SUBJECT-INTERIM INVESTIGATIVE GUIDANCE All interv typt you conduct that yield substantive information must be docure. ed by means of a written statement or, in lieu thereof, a Results of Interview. The formats for these two documents are attachments (1) and (2). Non-productive interviews, i.e. those which do not yield information pertinent informatior need not be documented in this fashion.

y It is sufficient to list those interviews in the body of the report itself where their inclusion shows the reader the breadth and scope of the investigation and forestalls questions which might be raised in the absence of their inclusion.in the report.

j In this as any invest-:gation, you should keep legib'!, detailed notes suitable to assist in preparirg the investigative report or testifying at sny proceeding that may arise trom this investigation. Se alert to the (7 evicential value of any documentation that you may encounter.

If there is any doubt in your mind as to a documents value, obtain it s

or a copy, afix the date and your initials to it, and hold it until ccmpletion of this investigation.

Please keep Sill Ward informed as to the progress of your efforts. Likewise, any crocdyPural questions should be directed to him or Pete Baci, 7 906130 t/c i n 00 4 t

Time and Date of Statement Location I, (.Name of Interviewee), hereby make the following voluntary statement to (name of Investigator) who has identified hinself to me as an Investigater with the US fiuclear Regulatory Commission. I make this statement freely with no threats or promises of regard having been nade to me. (Add j if appropriate the sentence, " Mr is typing this st.atement at my request" or "This statment was dictated to and typed by Ms at my request")

The riext paragraph contains a brief description of the interviewee such as " I am a male caucasian standing 6'1" tall and weighing 105 lbs.

4-was-I attened the State University of Iowa from which I received a SSEE degree in 1972 I have been employed by the XYZ Power Company as a quality assurance engineer since 1976."

Each additional page is numbered at the top The closing paragraph is:

I have read the foregoirpage statement.ef6 I have made any necessary corrections in ink and have initialed them. This statement is the truth to the best of my knowldge and belief.

WIT!iESS ES :

Name and Title (Should be two who need only witness the signing of the statement 182 005

u. --

RESULTS OF INTERVIEW WITH (INTERVIEWEE) AS RECORDED BY INVESTIGATOR

, US"RC CN (CATE)

The firs t gm scribes the time, date, place and reason for the interview, and should reflect those persons present during the i n +.e rvi ew. It should can'ain some descriptive date regarding the interviewseand establish if possible his qualifications such as by describing his education.aat experience or other salient factors.

j The rest of the document should describe in detail what the interviewee die 2is(Jsa provided during the interview. A +?s good way to avoid having to use a variety of attributive verbs such as #' asserted, stated, advised, 3+r.' is to use the phrase, " (Intervieweel provided the following

)

in fo rma tion in substance: that which f3110ws can be more directly phrased such as, " Jones turned on the valve. Then he went out the door and crossed the street etc" The Resulys of Interview closes with the scaterent, The interview was completed at Time

, Date.

The reporting investigator should then affix his name and title to the botton right hand portion of the page just below the last of the text.

8?. 006

Murray 4/7/79 TMI9 JOB D Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island (TMI)

Summary of Initial Resconse and Radiolocical Survey Data The NRC Region I. office received notification of a General Radiological Emergency condition at approximately 07:4' on March 28, 1979.

After an evaluation of reported conditions, the decision was made to immediately dispatch an Emergency Response Team (ERT) to the site.

An ETS consisting of operations and Health Physics personnel -as assembled and left the Region I office at 8:45 arriving on site at 10:05.

Concurrently with the assembly of the ERT, an NRC Headquarter operation center was being established to assist the ERT.

In order to have the onsite capability for fast raciological s. mple analysis, the RI mobile laboratory van as contracted at the Millssone reactor and requested to return to RI.

The van subsequently arrived at the site at bout 18:20.

Af ter members of the ERT received an onsite briefing by the licensee concerning existing radiological and plant conditions, ERT Health Physics mer.ers set out to gather additional radiological data.

Of primary concerns were working conditions in and around the plant and offsite areas effected by airborne releases.

In plant surveys indicated abnormally high radiation levels in the contain-ment and auxiliary buildings which prevented personnel access into certc h areas.

Elevated radiation levels were also identified outside of the plant buildings.

However, the condition outside were not of such levels to restrict the process of gathering the necessary survey data.

The surveys cetermined that an airborne release had occurred.

In order to obtain more precise data regarding the size, location, and radiation level; associated with the airborne release, DOE was requested to provide an ARMS survey team.

The ARMS team begin survey procedures at 16:15 on 3/23/79.

Notifying certain Federal, State, and local agencies are part of the 1icensee's and NRC's emergency response procedures.

Accordingly, representatives from such agencies as EPA, DOE, HEW, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, State of Maryland, and local government begin to assembly at the site to gather data.

By the afternoon of March 28, 1979 s"rvey data revealed that offsite beta gamma radiation levels outside 01 the plume were generally less than 1 mr/hr.

Ground level radiation levels of up to 15 mr/hr were identified in the plume.

The plume in a N-NE direction, about 30 sector, was present during March 28.

Radiation levels of 0.1 mr/hr from 133Xe were detected 16 miles down wind.

7 906130 9Y/4 182 007

. Several 132I air samples were taken during March 28.

Initial 102I results indicated concentrations in the neighborhood of E-08 Ci/,1.

However, later evaluation showed that the initial values were caused 133 by Xe interference and that levels were actuallv below 10 CFR 20 limits.

By March 29 the ERT had estabished survey procedures for obtaining on and offsite data.

The results from ground level surveys were received at apcroximately 15 minute intervals.

Radiation levels at the island boundary during 3/29/79 ranged up to about 50 mr/hr.

The plume during tne morning of 3/29/79 extended in a N-NW direction from the site.

Radiation levels determined frcm ARMS surveys indicated 3.5 mR/hr and 0.2 mR/hr at 1 mile and 10 miles respectively.

Off;ite ground level surveys indicated that levels were generally less than 1 mR/hr.

The following t? ales show times and actions by of various parties involved witn cotaining survey data.

The taoles also snow time and corresponaing survey cata.

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NN 3 c

Three Mile Island Incident Summary of Initial Response and Radiological Surveys At about 0700 hours0.0081 days <br />0.194 hours <br />0.00116 weeks <br />2.6635e-4 months <br />, the license identified high levels of radioactivity in the reactor coolant sample lines - there were radiation readings of about 600 mr/hr at contact with the sample lines - and a " site emergency" was declared.

At 0730 hours0.00845 days <br />0.203 hours <br />0.00121 weeks <br />2.77765e-4 months <br /> toe license declared a " general emergency" based on hi-;h radiation levels in the reactor building, and began notification of certain Federal, State and local agencies according to emergency procedures.

At 0830 hours0.00961 days <br />0.231 hours <br />0.00137 weeks <br />3.15815e-4 months <br /> the radiation levels at the site boundary were reported to be less than 1 mr/hr.

NRC Region I received notification of the general emergency condition at the plant at approximately 0745 hours0.00862 days <br />0.207 hours <br />0.00123 weeks <br />2.834725e-4 months <br />, March 28.

After evaluation of the reported cond:tions, an NRC incident response team was assembled and dispatched to the site and the situation was reported to NRC Headquarters.

The NRC response team, consisting of reactor operations specialists and health physicists, left the Region I e ' ice at 0845 hours0.00978 days <br />0.235 hours <br />0.0014 weeks <br />3.215225e-4 months <br /> and arrived onsite at 1005 hours0.0116 days <br />0.279 hours <br />0.00166 weeks <br />3.824025e-4 months <br />, March 28.

1eJ2 01I

. Concurrent with the assembly and dispatch of the team, operations centers were activated both at the Region I office and at NRC Headquarters.

Noti fi-caton procedures were initiated at both NRC Region I and NRC Headquarters to inform the Commissioners, NRC staff and other State and Federal agencies.

At 0859 hours0.00994 days <br />0.239 hours <br />0.00142 weeks <br />3.268495e-4 months <br /> the NRC notified the Department of Energy's Emergency Operations Center at Germantown, Mary'and and requested that an aerial evey (AMS, Aerial Measurement System) team be dispatched promptly to the ite.

The AMS helicopter arrived at the site and had located, tracked and e

made measurements in the plume by 151.2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br />, March 28.

Returning to earlier events, the NRC incident team, arriving onsite at 1005 hours0.0116 days <br />0.279 hours <br />0.00166 weeks <br />3.824025e-4 months <br />, measured radiation levels of less than 1 mr/hr at the north gate, 3 mr/hr in the north parking lot and 7 mr/hr at the east side of the island.

The NRC team, after being briefed by the licensee regarding radiological and plant conditions, immediately set out to gather additional radiological data.

Radiation monitors in the plant showed abnormally high radiation levels in the containment and auxiliary building which prevented personnel access into certain areas.

Radiation surveys 'also identified elevated levels of radiation outside plant buildings; however, the condition outside were not of such a level to prevent the gathering of survey data.

Radiation surveys determined that a release of airborne radioactivity was occurring.

182 0i] s

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, - w e,.w At 1110 hours0.0128 days <br />0.308 hours <br />0.00184 weeks <br />4.22355e-4 months <br />, radiation levels of 3 mr/hr were measured at the plants' observation center on Route 441 immediately east of the plant., and at 1130 hours0.0131 days <br />0.314 hours <br />0.00187 weeks <br />4.29965e-4 months <br />, levels of 0.3 mr/hr were measured on Route 283 near Harrisburg.

By the afte noon of March 28, survey measurements showed radiation levels up to 15 mr/hr (beta gamma) in the plume at ground level anc levels generally less than 1 mr/hr (beta gamma) outside the plume.

The highest measurement of about 70 ar/hr (beta gamma; was at 1620 hours0.0188 days <br />0.45 hours <br />0.00268 weeks <br />6.1641e-4 months <br /> at the north gate of the plant.

Aerial surve,s the afternoon of March 28 located the plume travelling in a ti to t4E direction in approximately a 30 sector, and radiation levels of 0.1 mr/hr were measured at about 16 miles from the-site at an altitude of several hundred feet.

The aircraft survey identified, by gamma spectral analysis, the radioactivity as principally xenon-133.

By the evening of March 28, the agencies conducting radiation surveys and sampling operations included the licensee, fiRC, 00E and the State of Pennsylvania.

In addition to the DOE Afl$ helicopter and aerial survey team and the tiRC team and portable equipment, a mobile laboratory of the fiRC Region I office had arrived at the site to process and analyze samples.

Sampling and analysis of milk and air sampling for radiciodine had begun and has continued to date.

Thus far, only low levels of radiciodine in 182 013 4

milk and air have been reported.

The levels are far below the level of action for control of dairy herds or milk.

The sampling will continue until some time in the future and the results are continuing to be evaluated.

By March 29, the NRC team at the site had established a routine operation and procedures for obtaining both onsite and offsite radiological data.

This information was being relayed to the NRC Region I (Philadelphia) off #ce and to the NRC operations center in Bethesoa, Maryland.

Aerial surveys were being conducted at 3-6 hour intervals.

During March 29, radiation levels at the site boundary on the island ranged up to about 50 mr/hr (beta gamma).

The plume during the moming of March 29 extended in a N to NW direction, and aerial surveys measured 0.5 mr/hr at 1 mile and 0.2 mr/hr at 10 miles from the site.

Offsite ground surveys measured levels generally less than I mr/hr during the day; maximum offsite radiation levels of 20 mr/hr (gamma) and 30 mr/hr (beta / gamma) were measured one mile west of the plant in Goldsooro at 0600 hours0.00694 days <br />0.167 hours <br />9.920635e-4 weeks <br />2.283e-4 months <br />.

These levels persisted for a short period of time, less than one hour.

3y the end of March 30, the number of NRC staf f at the site had grown to 83, including Regional Office and Headquarters personnel.

Radiation surveys were more scheduled and routine.

Ground level surveys in offsite areas downwind from the site measured radiation level ranging frcm less ig2 014

. than 0.1 up to 1.8 mr/hr.

Aerial surveys measured radiation levels of 8-10 mr/hr over the site, and levels of 6-8 mr/hr in the plume near the site.

In the evening of March 30, the plume was tracked in a northwesternly westernly direction from the site and was not detectab'le beyond 5-6 miles cway.

8y the end of March 31, ground and aerial surveys were being coordinated on a frequent scheduled basis and the results being reported regularly to NRC Headquarters. Information on results of milk, water and air sampling was being received and evaluated.

Results of licensee's TLD stations (18 stations within a 15-mile radius of the reactor) were received.

The TLDs had been in place for three months and had been exposed for about 32 hours3.703704e-4 days <br />0.00889 hours <br />5.291005e-5 weeks <br />1.2176e-5 months <br /> after the incident.

Tnree dosimeters showed exposures above normal levels; the highest was from a station on Three Mile Island, 0.2 miles NNW of the reactor - 921 mr, approximately 905 mr above previous normal quarterly readings; the other high readings were 0.4 miles north of the reactor -81 mr, approximately 65 mr above previous normal quarterly readings and a station at north bridge, 0.7 miles NNE of the reactor - 37 mr, about 22 or above normal quarterly readings.

On March 31, the NRC established 37 TLD stations within a radius of 12 miles of the site.

Two or more dosimeters were placed at each station, one to be left indefinitely for integrated dose and the others to be changed daily.

The first day of this monitoring (March 31-April 1) showed the

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highest reading of 1.1 mr/hr at -mile ENE of the plant.

Other readings were much less and have dec. eased steadily since.

As of April 4, the following information had been received on sampling and analysis for radiciodine:

Approximately 130 offsite water samples, analyzed by NRC, DOE and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, showed no detectable radioiodine.

Approximately 150 offsite air samples had been taken and analyzed by NRC, DOE, the licensee and the Ccamonwealth.

Samples were collected at distances out to 40 miles.

Only 8 of the samples indicated detect-

-13 able concentrations of iodine; these were in the range 2.7 x 10 to

~I 2.4 x 10 microcuries/cc, the highest being about 1/4 of the MPC established for unrestricted areas in 10 CFR Part 20.

Approxinately 200 samples of milk had been analyzed by the State and FDA.

The results ranged from minimum detectable activity to 41 picocuries per liter; there were two samples at or near the higher level.

By comparisun, the HEW recommends placing dairy herds on stored food when iodine-131 in milk reaches 12,000 picocuries per liter.

Approximately 170 vegetation samples hcd been collected and analyzed by DOE, NRC and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The samples were 132 016

collected frcm various sites within 2 miles of the plant.

None showed any detectable radiciodine.

Approximately 150 samples of soil were collected and analyzed by NRC and DOE.

None showed any detectable radiciodine.

As stated previously, sampling and analysis of air and milk for radioiodine is continuing.

As a further measure in evaluating the significance and health implications of any radiciodine released from the plant, actions have been initiated to have a selected number of persons analyzed in a "whole-body", radiatiN measuring system.

The people selected would include both licen.iee employees who were onsite, and local offsite residents.

Recent aerial and ground level surveys, esults indicate radiation exposure rates to be consistently less than 0.1 mr/hr.

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