ML19224C059

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Statement Re TMI Radioactive Releases for 790328-0601
ML19224C059
Person / Time
Site: Crane 
Issue date: 06/01/1979
From:
Metropolitan Edison Co
To:
References
PR-790601, NUDOCS 7906280208
Download: ML19224C059 (8)
v • d • e


Text

.

}w -p SL1 00bt o a CYve Re\\ kse 5

,y (,

3)28)19~ W f.olll7f

~

The accident at TMI-Unit 2 on March 2S, 1979, resulted in radiouct;ve releases 0: two types from the primary system - soluble fission products in water and gaseous fission products that were initially released to the air in the reactor containment building.

During the course of the accident significant volumes of contaminatec water were transferred outside the containment building to the adjacent auxiliary and fuel handling buildings, but the bulk of the contaminatec water was contained and remains in the bottom of the containment building itself.

from the water and accompanying gas transferred to the Auxiliary Building It was that the off-site releases occurred just after the accident.

Our best estimate today is that the Reactor Building contains about 450,000 gallons o: contaminated water filling the building to a dept of about 6' Early in the course of the accident, about 250,000 gallons of contaminated, water, in addition to that remaining in the Containment Building, was trans-ferred to the adjacent Auxiliary Building storage tanks and has remained there under surveillance since the accident.

Let me show you how these facilities are arrangedandwherethewateris.[Rg!'2i An early cbjective following the accident, was to restore the function of the air clean-up systems to reduce off-site releases.

An immediate program was initiated to add a completely new back-up system to add assurance that airborne releases would be maintained at acceptable leve 2.

Restoration of the inplant systems was completed z./2/and the new back-up system brought into service about S[il?9 Since then, atmospheric releases have been maintained at acceptable levels resulting in no detectable orf-site radiation.

Early attention was directed at freeing up all available tanks in both Units 1 and 2 to provide contingency storage

' case water in the Reactor Building had to be transferred to the Auxiliary Building to maintain adequate control and cooling of the core itself.

So such transfers have been needed.

' Water process-ing trom Unit I and from tanks in Unit 2 containing preaccident water has con-tinued.

Presently we have about 260,000 gallons of available storage capacity in Unit I, should the need arise.

Of course, the objective has been to maintain the contaminated water in Unit II separate from Unit I so that re-start of Unit I would not be dependent on clean-up of Unit II water.

As a further step to add confidence in our ability to contain the contaminated water in Unit II, tanks were installed in one of the fuel pools to store an additional 110,000 gallons of water if needed.

, r p ' 'i 3.

UDO 7 9 0 s e s o go e he

8 To date water from the rad-was t e system that has been processed and purified to standards suitable for release to the river has come largely from Unit I.

None of the highly contaminated water resulting from the accident itself has been processed and none has been discharged to the Susquehanna Riveu A brief review of the amount of water processed and released from the rad waste system and from the industrial waste treatment system and circulating or cooling water systems might be useful before we discuss ote thinking on processing and purification of the contaminated water resulting directly from the accident.

Figure 3 shows all the places on the plant from which water is released to the river. No rmally mos t of this water is not susceptible to contamination even though it is all monitored before release.

Early in the course of the accident some contamination did find its way into the industrial waste system, but now and, for some time, radioactivity discharges into the river are barely detectable from these systems.

Figure 4 summarizes all of the discharges to date--both number of gallons and the quantity of radioactivity--comparing the accident period in 1979 with the same period in 1978.

We have attempted to place the effect of released radioactivity in some more fa.miliar context for comparative purposes.

These are shown in figure 5.

You will note for example that the dose to e individual from drinking water and eating fish from water downstream at the Columbia Water Company intake is essentiall-the same in 1979 as in 1978, comparing the period of the accident with the same period last year.

You will also note that an individual drink-ing water and eating fish from the upstream control station, well above the effect, of TML is about the same as at Columbia. These direct environmental samples confirmed by NRC and EPA are the best measure of the effect of the releases to the Susquehanna on the public. We have also calculated the portion of that dose derived from TMI releases.

Calculations are used because the values are too low to be measured directly.} (( l These results show that plant operations have not produced measurable effects to water users downstream because the measured exposures were about the same for upstream users clearly not influenced by plant operations. Table as alca shows that in comparison with operations last year with Unit I operating the actual releases are about the same except for 0.25 curies of iodine which were measurable at the discharge from the TMI plant.

. I Add itionally, the table shows the doze from natural background. Other com-parisons such as the radiation received on a transcontinental flight (about 2-4 mrem) or from moving to a higher altitude of about 1,000 feet (about 1 mrem per year), help place the effect of plant operations in context. Let me now turn to our status and current thinking on processing the water dir-ectly contaminated by the accident--the 450,000 gallons in the Containment Building and the 250,000 gallons in the Auxiliary Building. The radioactivity level in this water exceeds the levels seen in normal reactor operations by a factor of 10 to 100. The general approa7h is the s.me however - separate the water from the radioactivity so the concentrated radioactivity can be processed and disposed of safely in acceptable disposal locations and the water is made suitable for re-use within the plant or discharge. We are evaluating processes that evaporate the water physically from the radio-activity and processes that chemically and physically absorb the radioactivity from the water. In effect the first process boils the clean steam like in a teakettle and the radioactivity remains behind in the bottom for disposal. In the second process, the chemical and physical systems operate like strainers to take out and hold the radioactivity for safe disposal. Neither of these processes are new since both have been operated successfullv and extensively in normal operations conducted at government facilities with water at, or above the radioactivity levels in TMI II. The experience in cleaning water with this radioactivity level in commercial or private facil-ities is more limited because the need has not existed. We are evaluating potential contractors and processes to find the most suitable combination for the circumstances at TMI. The question is not one of finding a process that will work, but rather of selecting the best one. We hope that a preliminary choice can be made in the next few weeks, but there is no rush at this point. Any process selected will be designed and operated to produce cleaned water equivalent to the water we and all plants have raleased in normal operations. The tritium content of the radioactive water in TMI II is als,10 to 100 timer ~ higher than normal. Of course ail State and Federal Standards will be met and we believe we can do better. Our objective is to look at ways to re-use or recycle portions of cleaned-up water for plant purposes, but =ay, after careful j 253 070

i J analysis and confirmation by local and national authorities that the health and safet-j objectives have been reached, propose to release quantities to the river. We would expect the effect of any such releases to approximate the same low to un=easurable values characteristic of operations since the accident. As the SRC has pointed out, they will be reviewing our plans and will approve in advance the programs we propose. The information will be made available to all of you as interested parties so that you will have an opportunity to CoCZent. We hope that this discussion has given you a better picture of what we have done, where we are now, and what we are considering for the future. We are cc itted to conducting our activities in full view and in such a way as t o, assure that the public is fully protected and informed of our actions. We welcome your questions. 4 e e O ts. W 6

s Y e C - 2 m m c 0 0 C DE L L O C d Q O O. 'd N O N u l E C L J J N

  • 0 J

O L E C U Z C E / f A

C

-e Q X _\\ t w C C ^ Z O E Z m Q L E Q O L I L ~ C D u Q C O L O 3 M w 6 C Q

  • )

a m b Q rJ - C O +J C. ..,O C. C O E E E C a Q w U - a E C E s c U w s h O O - se k U G C X O 6 G C C E L E L E

  • J Q

4 L C. U E E m U k O.C U - 4 D C u o a X C ^ t b -* C Dw m O 3 4 h C .J 3H-O Q C c O 4 Q

  • s v
  • J C U O U

= 9 U m ~ l M L C-Q M .C C e-g (( 6 N< Zj O u w C = C C um 4 3 C w Q: uf .:4 U C O C ", i u .s U rd C .C G O .C , s L E Q L u ." j* ~~ O U: G C ? u O -l t c.n Cl L % C C ml .C E r> 3 D t N m -t C = c .J E Cl ~ O C E L U 4t 1 3 J O cC C E-O C N U x C Oi L .J Q C N O-O C C l C C C L O I a " Q W .s O 6

  • )C t m O C U: cc l C.

C. O. C W O V m C E U L E e-u: u i Z Q w I U O . ~. 7 u O C)I C. V U U C Nl I 3% ss 'A G - m 3{ L Z C 3 O mI +J = 6 i

    • t

' O O%W ] O w C" N O Cl Ot Z w a

    • {

3 G 5 U U CC L C C C Nl f 0N E A C E w [; E& O M C O O 6 Q C V: W C C ,'l Z E .C 7 L w N ~' Oj o +J w o C O C M

  • s Q

( b . ~~ L C V

sJ

- O C C u a U J 6. s i u - 6 3- .a -? L C O 3 ..I E N .J J C O C L w 'A C I' 5 O C C U T L N C C C 7 p. .,I L L O< EO -? O N C C E C D 6 m u Cl -. ! >w OC C CN C O C C I Z M [l +J E Q OC W O C. "'O 6 L h E O E W - C C C C C L %j u-cc C 6 L - .J 7 C C i L - N ow w > C C C O L C N L O C O Q 6 J. ?1 - U f Z C C =

  • J C

4 "3 C mu o c: W E O .J G Jt %{ ";C. 6 1 O O O a 'A U c A C r-DCZ L 0 0 C a u C ^ C O "J O ~t N C se m G G C v N e L U E m D D e O N O D C G Q ~J U ~ m ^- a 'N C O O O i O C 3 L L C-C C5 C W C O w .J G C 9 L M v C C O O C C C N O u .C O O O O C .J J ~1 I C C U C E c U C C +J u c CC -< 0 C E C O C )' 3 U 4 E L Q O L U U W L _: l c E c : - w .s u e E L m O -: u 3.:4 O =u E O O rd O = L I C - 1 L E u: CC N O W D D "O X L u C O .J - C N T -1 C N C N "O L .C Q' ~ y U C > V) 5 %sh C C C C f s' .s t - C O mlo W E O O 6J O ,,?? C-W O l-C C C C m O C 3 C .E C L 3 -O N ).c l C C -l X C. Q C C .C C O E C 't: O .,I O C C "O 7

  • a E

U C E ~ .:4 "O U C e O C M O Q O Q Q "3 C M .C L C -m u L L N u - x - X 0 C C C L w 7' LN -4 C h O "O h O "3 O "3 6J 4 3 5 n7 .~ O .C O O C se D O G 3 E O U H

  • C CO H

3:C 3 EG y' y O m o O O .- O C. Z e-4 C 6 "O ?_* 1.C C Q Q E O u o b U

  • J C

L ~3 a C O O C l: a sJ X = A E C. O C C ^ - = ~ c.* W Q.-*

  • J V) v
  • J U

W C U y.C C U m m .C 6J V C m m m CC C 3 3 4 h C O sJ 2 m .-e u ~3 A a u% O A a H C Q U: Q E O .a a "J W H Q W 8 . 2.- ~ ,.I >) C C

  • Q H

"O C Q E 4 0 C O c4 M C 6 Q e< C - D .C C u ) C ~A M c; C. r/) HO CC H [_ J ' 3 .:4 L .;g u C C 4 u W Q .C C G C Q u e-* u .J - sa u A u 7 C H e OZ C L C 6 C C-C- O C ZH C. C3 C3 WW WW CC Z N m 4 A C

6 i TABLE II IMI E? FLUENT 'n'ATER RELEASE FOR Tile PERIODS 3/28/79-5/11/79 vs. 3/28/78-5/11/78 { Total Volume 131 3 for Units 1 & 2 Total I H Relegsed Activity Activity Activity Year 'ft ) (Ci) (C1) (C1) 1978 1.55E +9 ],1%#0 16.0 MDA* 15.9 1979 3.86E +9 12.7 0.255' 12.4 P 0'2Y N# A'O

  • Minimun Detectable Activity r

M StM M 3 L f t P u b L O e i l* ,z,53 nois Y

m goCy 5u y gH $ :o t( \\ r ez e n y t r o l {s ' T a e yi r r r ~b a A( k a c.' c ; , ^ ' >w< %w tt t t o e ' '> r n + S ai a t l a Wl i i p i ad nd m nt l .auuaona oi e PBQRMaS ire 'n t uc n acn a t ee h SSF c hhhh tt tt n e aaaa o l pppp ir g dt o ns wwww i at im nL yuii7 so J oooo ll ll qd n# o FF FF i ao ar 4 LRM r m ,l o12 e l o t t ar aees tt rrry n sn coos o yo pcc i rc aiiw t* c vppe a6 r h EI El i# e G et f d l t do abcd ar al m 2 h ib s Ro ii e t d h t rFt a on t di t s 1 p ii i J seyA s A w a in j d P uo utS pt o mu n qM ds mi l um na un F ir a w i 1 o 4 L I W SU da I l ol I 1 F 2 lD sa I es e e l t mB1 dd E l s ase en Ug L i a mat & -, da s B M e rws t l A l od yAi em J aS n io T e e I R U ho e R r sr h d T i al u o q f r i ot L n t o ( sc w i sh nc oa l ce e l F r 2 sn yz a t 2 h ri ri i n t o a t r al ] e reem ya a g t t me 1 p ie nd E nr s nr sst t s otkt oa f uaasA pt A w or h cuni i h dWey mi o mo t eean t c n rS un l c a S1 TU as I T SU F ne 4 P ti or SD i ( tt wo ar ia l ~ ~ F dhac r p di ir ut n qs g w i n n o La ird i l ew i owo y,. ool ,gr:a CTB tt

Gross Camma Measurements s Except for small quantities of naturally occurring potassium -40 $nd radium -226, no gamma omitting radionuclides were measured in the Susquehanna River during the period 3/28/79 through 5/11/79. The control station measurements, y made upstream from TMI, were greater ~ than the downstream measurements for the 40K and 226 Ra. e e 9 o G h f ', !J / 3J a O W}}

Retrieved from "https://kanterella.com/w/index.php?title=ML19224C059&oldid=4902270"