ML19254D384
| ML19254D384 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 10/06/1979 |
| From: | Vollmer R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Burns D AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19254D385 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910250416 | |
| Download: ML19254D384 (4) | |
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UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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WASHING TON, D. C. 20555 5
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, 9' N (f October 6,1979 Decket No. 50-10 t'.rs. Del and J. Burns Jdil R. R. 2, Box 480 Ecurbennais, Illinois ED914
Dear l'rs. Burns:
This is in response to your recent letter to Dr.
endrie, which expressec your concern related to the chemical decontamina: ion of Dresden Nuclear
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T Power Station, Unit No. 1.
9 We have been reviewing this project since Commonwealth Edison's initial N
decontamination proposal on December 12, 1974.
On December 9,1975,
?4 we issued a conditional authorization which allowed Commonwealth Edison id to initiate the chemical decontanination subject to tne completion of NM three items which would be resolved as follows:
1.
The testing program will be completed and the results submitted for the review and approval of the NRC staff prior to performing the 9
proposed chenical cleaning, j
2.
A pre-service inspection program for the primary coolar.: boundary will be fomulated and submitted for NRC review and approval prior
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to returning the reactor to service.
3
..4 3.
A post-cleaning surveillance program whic 1 includes additional as'h surveillance specimens and a specimen withdrawal and examination schedule will be subn.itted for MC review and approval prior to returning the reactor to service.
,4 A copy of our Safety Evaluation in support of these actions is enclosed
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for your information.
Since our 1975 authorization Conmonwealth Edison has completed its materials test program and construction of the necessary support
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facilities to carry out the project in a safe and environ entally acceptable nanner.
Our res iew of the testing program and the facility ccnstruction is continuing and will be conpleted prior to the chemical cl _
' g Wt ie : r r e'. ' " sct+ ui e : 'or early 1900.
-ri "e: -tr matim' rNcers involves Fe circulation cf a Dow Chenical M.. :1 &ni ng 5 :l w"
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the reactor prir5ry cooling syste.
The scivent, icenti-'iec as
- S-1, has been developed to remove tFe thin, tight'y adherent, layer cf highly radioactive oxide that has for ed on the '. side surfaces of the Dresden 1 prinary cooling system.
1223 262 7910250 N h
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^ rns October 6,197 9
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ne solvent till preferentially dissc've the oxide without significantly attacking the underlying base netal f the prinary cooling systen pipi,.
Af ter reraval of the uranium fuel, the solvent will be circulated thro _gh the prinary coclant system for approximately 100 hours0.00116 days <br />0.0278 hours <br />1.653439e-4 weeks <br />3.805e-5 months <br /> at about 250 F.
fler r irculmun the solvent and the dissolved oxides will be drained frcn the reacter to a vaste treatment facility located adjacent to the reactar.
r.ny repaining solvent will be cleaned fro:i the reactor by rinsing with denineralized water. The rinse water and solvent will be stored in the Laste treatnent facility storage tanks until processed to ccncentratien and solidify the solvent and disso' ed radioactive ccrrcsion products.
Tne decontamination will be carried out entirely within a closed system and all waste processing will be accomplished within a specially designed,
.M earthquake proof, leak tight, building.
All transportation of radioactive
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wastes will be done in accordance with all applicable !RC and Departnenc
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of Transportation regulations.
Because of these precautions, there will
..G be no increased hazard to the health and safety of the citizens of Illinois or any iegradatien of the environnent in Illinois.
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".er prccessing the concentrated waste solution will be solidified in 55
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c:llcn dru s using a process developed by the Dow Chenical Ccopany for the viidificaticn of icw level radioactive wastes. This solidification process
- s been tested on the NS-1 solvent and produced a solid waste form that antained no free liquids. The waste solidification procedures include a
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.,ality centrol process test on each barrel of waste to provide additional murance that the liquid waste has been properly solidified.
'ter solidification the waste druns will be transported by a commercial gU.
' 'icactive unte carrier to a licensed solid waste burial ground such
.. Eeatty, Nevada or Hanford, 1l ashing, ton. These arid, desert sites have uen specifically selected for the disposal of the Dresden waste to further assure that there is no interaction of the waste with ground f
water.
Eecause the waste is in a solid form, the ground water level is Mr apprcximately 300 feet below the surface, and the burial sites are
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located in remote, uninhabited lccations, there is adequate assurance that the waste will remain isolated fr on potential pathways for exposure e# the population.
~ e ccs. :' 9e Dresden 1 decontaninatior. nas teen estirated et 36 mill'cr
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' t " t'is cost rero rts are tic.e develeprent ccsts which uc t.,
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"rs. Delar,c J. Eurns October 6,1979 however, f reliminary estimates of the cost for decontaminating currently operating U. S. reactors range fron 1 million to 5 million dollars per reactor and would vary depending on the extent of nodification required at a specific facility to perTorr-the decontanination.
The decentanination of reactor primary ccos ing systeris will reduce the radiatico exposure levels in the areas of these systens, thereby permit-ting greater access to the systea for inspections, nodifications, and repairs. These activities provide greater assurance of the continued safe operation of the reactor and are therefore in the best interest of health ind safety of the public.
Furthermore, ' e decontanination
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will reduce the occupational exposure of the indivi ual s empicyed at Dresden.
With respect to requests for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the Dresden Unit I decontanination, Title 10 Part 51.5 cf the United States Code of Federal Regulations identifies the following actions as requiring the preparation of such a Statement:
"(1) Issuance of a permit to construct a nuclear power reactor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant pursuant to Part 50 of this chapter; (2) Issuance of a ill pcuer or design capacity license to operate a nuclear power recctor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant pursuant to Part 50 of this chapter; (3) Issuance of a permit to construct or a design capacity license to cperat'e an isotopic enrichnent plant pursuant to 50.33 of this chapter; (4) Issuance of a license to pos.sess and use special nuclear naterial for processing and fuel fabrication, scrap recovery, or conversion of uranium hexafluoride purr.uant to Part 70 of this chapter; (5) Issuance of a license to possess and use source material for uranium nilling or production of uranium hexafluoride pursuant to Part 40 of this chapter; (t) :ssuance of a license authorizing comerical radicactive waste dis:.o:al by lad burial pursuant to Parts 20, 40, and/or 70 of this cleter; i-,a fcr ?
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- t :e,arso n'. to Fart E: Of this ci pter w* ere no final ewiror : ental inpact statenent has been
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".rs. Del and J. Eurns October 6,1979 c
(E) Issuance of a license to ranufacture pursuant to Appendix M of Part 50 of this chapter; a
(9) Anerdr:ents of Parts 30 and 40 of this chapter concerning the cxe p'6 fren lictnsing and regulatory recuire.ents of any equip-rent, de.ise, connodity or other product containing byproduct naterial er source.aaterial and (10) I,rj other action v.hich the Conmission det nines is a najor Connissi:n action significantly affecting the,uality of human environ ent."
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Our review to date has concluded that the decontanination of the Dresden 1 prinary coolant systen is not one of the identified actions requiring 47-that an Environ' ental Inpact Statement be prepared.
The Commission has
-i' not deternined that this action is a najor Commission action significently T7 affecting the quality of the human environnent.
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in sun'ary, the Dresden decontenination has been carefully planned to k'
rove the safety of the reactor and reduce the exposure of plant ersonnel to radiation. Th waste produced by the process.s similar 1'
type and quantity to the vaste routinely produced at Dresden and its processing, transportation, and disposal will not cause any new hazards
- E'q not previcusly eval uated and deened acceptable.
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,1 Si ncerely,
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- ,,3 Richard H. Vollner, Acting Assistant
.&c jg' i, Director for Systematic Evaluation Program gg Division of Operating Reactors W
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Enclosure:
y D #ety Evala tion
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION W ASHING TON, D. C. 20555 SAFETY EVALUATION BY THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION SUPPORTING AUTHORIZATION TO CHEMICALLY DECONTAMINATE THE PRIHGY COOLING SYSTEM AT DRESDEN UNIT 1 COM10NWEALTH EDISON COMPANY DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION UNIT 1 DOCKET NO. 50-10 INTRODUCTION By letters dated December 16, 1974, April 1, 1975 and April 14, 1975, the Commonwealth Edison Company (CECO) requested authori:ation to carry out a chemical decontamination of the interior surfaces of the Dresden Unit 1 primary coolant system.
The purpose of the decontanination is to remove a deposition of activated corrosion products which is tightly bonded to the primary coolant system piping and components. The presence of the corrosion products in the syster results in high levels of radiation in adjacent areas and limits access to these areas for the purpose of in-service inspection, routine maintenance and plant modifications.
CECO has tentatively scheduled the chemical cleaning project to begin in Jaruary 1977 with an anticipated return to service scheduled for July 1977.
EVALUATIUN The staff's review of CECO's proposed chemical decontanination of the interior surfaces of the Dresden Unit 1 primary coolant syster has been completed.
The results of this review 2re as follows:
1.
Environmental Impact The chenical decontamination of the Dresden 1 primary coolant system will be performed entirely within a closed decontamination syster.
The system has b?cn designed so that no chemical or radiological wastes will be released to the environment from the decontaminatr'n process. All wastes generated in the process will be either solidified for offsite burial at a licensed burial ground or reprocessed for reuse onsite. The solid wastes produced are sinilar in type and quantity to those handled routinely at the site. Therefore, no adverse envirarcental impacts are anticipated due to the decontamination.
1223 266 =o0$d01
2 2.
Materials Compatibility The staff has reviewed the results of the material testinc, prograr that has been carried out in support of the proposed Dresden 1 decontamination program. The test program was organized to icok at corrorive effects during the decontamination process and possible residual effects during subsequent reactor operation.
Based upon our review of the results of the testing program completed to date, we have concluded that the test program adequately evaluated those aspects of the materials ccrpatibility that we consider to be important. As a result cf our discussions with CECO's consultant, Dr. Craig Cheng of Argonne National Laboratory, we find that the remaining program will be conducted in a manner that will answer our presently unresolved concerns and the test results will be adequately interpreted and reported.
We conclude that upon the successful completion of the testing program described in the subnittals and with an adequate surveillance and inspection program, the Dresden Nuclear Power Station Unit I can be subjected to the described chemical cleaning process without undue corresion or other deleterious materials compatibility effects that would adversely effect the integrity of the primary coolant system and connected systems.
A small number of items of concern have not been resoi ed to the staff's full satisfaction at this time.
However, we conclude that authorization to c9rry out the chemical de-ontamination should be granted in anticipation of the successful resolution of these open items in the near future. The following open items are identified at this time as requiring resolution to the staff's satisfaction:
(a) The materials test program will be ccepleted and the test results will be analy ed and reviewed prior to the beginning of the c; caning process.
(b) Surveillance specimens in addition to those now planned will be determined by mutual agreement with the applicant and a schedule for specimen withdrawal will be stated.
(c) A pre,ervice inspection program for the primary coolant boundary and 'afety related systems wil] be formulated and performed prior-5: return to power.
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. 3.
Effluent Treatment Systems We have de. ermined that the effluent treatment system, if constructed as described in the CECO submittals, is capable of handling the types and quantities of effluents expected to be generated by the decon-tamination program. Our review was limited to the use of the system for chemical decontamination only, and use of the system for any other purpose subsequent to that program must be reviewed prior to such use.
4.
Radiological Safety We have further concluded that the radiological safety program described in the submittals is adequate to assure that the health and safety of the public and the onsite personnel will not be endangered by the Dresden 1 decontanination project.
CONCLUSION We have concluded, based on the considerations discussed above, that:
(1) because the chemical cleaning does not involve a significant increase in the probability or consequences of accidents previously considered and does not involve a significant decrease in a safety margin, the cleaning proj ect does not involve a significant ha:ards consideration, (2) there is reasonable assurcnce th the health and safety of the public will not be endangered b:. operatien in the preposed manner, and (3) such activities will be conducted in cerrliance 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:
December 9, 1975 1223 268