ML19254E970
| ML19254E970 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Big Rock Point, Palisades File:Consumers Energy icon.png |
| Issue date: | 10/19/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Dewitt R CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. (FORMERLY CONSUMERS POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911050185 | |
| Download: ML19254E970 (1) | |
Text
mG
'o UNITED STATES l'
NUCLEAR FIEGULATORY COMMISSION g
a REGION ill g
o 799 ROOSEVELT ROAD GLEN ELLYN. ILL INOIS 60137
.....,o OCT 191979 Docket No. 50-155 Docket No. 50-255 Consumers Power Company ATTN:
Mr. R. B. DeWitt Vice President Nuclear Operations 212 West Michigan Avenue Jackson, MI %9201 Gentlemen:
Enclosed is IE Circular No. 79-21, " Prevention of Unplanned Releases of Radioactivity," which provides information on inadvertent releases /on-site spills of radioactivity. Should you have any questions related to the enclosed suggested preventive measures, please contact this office.
Sincerely, b'
. James G. Keppler v Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Ciruelar No. 79-21 2.
List of IE Circulars Issued in the Last Six Months cc w/ encl:
Mr. C. J. Hartman, Plant Superintendent Mr. J. G. Lewis, Manager Central Files Director, NRR/DPM Director, NRR/ DOR PDR Local PDR NSIC TIC Ronald Callen, Michigan Public Service Commission Anthony Roisman, Esq.,
}2b3 152 r
4 Attorney Myron M. Cherry, Chicago
\\
7911050/ h [
Accession No.:
7903220128 SSINS:
6830 UNITEP STATES TT ]D N3 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3 6 j oU Jlnl b
0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 October 19, 1979 IE Circular.No. 79-21 PREVENTION OF UNPLANNED RELEASES OF RADI0 ACTIVITY Numerous incidents of unplanned releases of radioactivity have been reported to the NRC within the past few months. These incidents of leaks, overflows and spills have resulted in contamination of areas outside of plant buildings.
The attached table provides you with summary information on these events, their apparent causes, the radiological consequences and the corrective actions.
We believe that a number of these incidents could have been avoided and previn-tive actions for these types of unplanned releases,should be instituted by all reactor licensees.
Based on the reported incidents, the following preventive measures can minimize the occurrence of such events.
1.
Review of procedures for transfer of radioactive liquids.
Errors in written procedures have led to mistakes in valve line-ups and tank overflows. Written procedures, including check lists for valve line-ups, should be developed and followed for operations which could cause spills of radioactivity. Management controls, including audits, should be employed to assure verbatim compliance with such procedures.
2.
Review of "as built" systems having the potential of inadvertent releases because of design or construction errors.
Consider items such as:
a.
Tank cverflows should be routed to liquid radwaste tanks.
b.
Storm drainc snould be located away from areas with a high potential for spills.
c.
Consideration should be given to drip pans under equipment, such as pumps and valves, from which leakage is expected.
d.
Cofferdams should be installed under doors to areas with a potential for radioactive spills.
e.
Preoperational testing should verify that crossconnects do not exist that would permit radioactivity to flow from operating unit (s) to unit (s) under construction.
3.
Periodically functionally test and perform inspections to verify integrity of systems that could cause an inadvertent release.
Excessive wear and corrosion degradation have occurred in valves, seals and piping systems to cause leaks.
New permanent and temporary piping systems should be r
1265 153
IE Circular No. 79-21 October 19, 1979 Page 2 of 2 bydrostatically tested prior to first use. Underground piping should be periodically hydrostatically tested.
Preventive maintenance programs should be implemented and identified problems, such as leaking equipment and plugged floor drains, should be promptly repaired.
No written response tr this Circular is required.
If you require additional irformation regarding inis subject,. contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Offica
Enclosure:
Recent Events of Radioactive Contamination 1265 i54 o
O 4
La C,
L7 RECENI EVENTS OF RADI0 ACTIVE CONTAMINATION OUTSIDE BUILDINGS c
N s
Plant Date Apparent cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Followup Action Turkey Point 3/4 6/11/79 Cperator Error i
900 gallons of water processed Total of 0.01 eCi of'Co-58 Procedure review d by radwaste system overflowed Co-60 released to storm with operator.
from waste processing tank because drain of error in valve line-bp. The Aux.
Bldg. floor drain backed up to the on site storm drain. 'The drain system discharged to an on-site underground tile bed.
Palisades 6/9/79 Inadequate Procedures
-5 Contaminated secondary system Resins activity at 10 The monitoring procedure spent powdered -esins were trans-pCf/cc; total release to determine.jhe routing ferred to an outside storage bin about 10 pCi of co-60 of the secondary" spent without monitoring.
Rain storm resins has been replaced caused resins to overficw the by a procedure requiring storage bin and be washed to Lake all spent secondary syste Michigan via stars drain.
resins to be handled and shipped as solid waste.
Surry 2 5/21/79 Equipment Failure.
Core spray pump isolation 5 gallons spilled; 2 gallons Leak repaired Three 55-valve leaked durirg RWST outside of bldg.
gallon drums of con-transfer to Spent Fuel Pit.
0.02 pCi/cc, Co-58 taminated dirt removed' Water leaked to Safeguards 0.035 pCi/cc, H-3.
Bldg. floor.
Floor drain s
plugged; resulted in water flow out of building.
Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 1 of 3
on Plant Date Apparent Cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Follow-up Action Oconee 3 5/16/79 Operational Er;'r.
'O 5/17/79 C
Normally closed valve left 2000 gallons overflowed; Procedure reviewed with..
N open during pumping of fuel 200-300 gallons out of operating personnel. Areas transfer canal water to BWST.
building outside of Aux. Bldg. decon-q Water overflowed the BWST to 3.1 x 10 pCi/cc,1-131. taminated.
Aux. Bldg. penetration room, down a stairway to area outside Aux. Bldg.
Farley 1/2 5/14/79 Design Error.
Decontamination drains 1860 gallons of contam-Review all drains from from Unit I routed to Unit inated water discharged Unit 1 and Unit 2.
Six such 2 sump and released to to pond.
Estimated max-drains were located and flush pond via tendon inum activity of 10 sci plugged.
access area. Those drains Co-58.
Pond mud activity should have been routed
< 500 pC1/Kg. No pond to Unit 1 floor drain water activity detected.
system.
-v:
Dyster Creek 4/17/79 Equipment Failure.
Leakage from a Drywell Water in pipe tunnel DEDT line repaired.
Equipment Drain Tank (DEDT) 0 0.3 pCi/cc and soil Structure to enclose pipe line.
in vicinity of penetra-from Rx. Bldg. to main tion to the re;.ctor pipe tunnel to con-building were found to
- structed, be contaminated.
Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 2 of 3
o Plant Date Apparent Cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Follow-up Action sun Brunswick 1 5/8-9/79 Operator Error and Equipment Failure.
LO Air mixing valve of RWCU Total release of 12 mci Tank transfer procedure ' N C
backwash tank lef t open of corrosion product.
reviewed. Caution tag
~
af ter liquid transfer.
on valve installed.
Dried tank residue released Loose access cover re-to building ventilation paired.
system via loose access cover.
Hatch 1/2 3/20/79 Construction Error...
Buried temporary line for Highest on-site ground Temporary line broken 5
N, tank in yard for feed-water of 3 x 10 pCi/1 -
inside turbine building water heaters was not capped H, Highest qtr. avg. off-and capped.
after tank removal.
Rx steam siteoutfal-1ofsubsu5*c' f
released into ground from drainage was 1.8 x 10 buried line.
pCi/1.
North Anna 9/25/79 Construction Error Reliet valve on the volume Airborne radioactivity 51.111 under investigation control tank lifted thus trans-levels in the Auxiliary ferring reactor coolant to the Building reached 150 X high level waste drain tank and MPCs. Auxiliary Building releasing dissolved noble gases was evacuated.
to the auxiliary building via the waste system vent.
An incorrectly connected vent line allowed venting directly to the auxiliary building.
Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 3 of.3 i
I
P IE Circular No. 79-21 Enclosure October 19, 1979 Page 1 of 2 LISTING OF IE CIRCULARS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS
+
Circular Subject Date of Issued to No.
Issue 79-07 Unexpected Speed Increase 5/2/79 All Holders of of Reactor Recirculation BWR OL's or CP's MG Set Resulted in Reactor Power Increase 79-08 Attempted Extortion - Low 5/18/79 All Fuel Facilities Enriched Uranium Licensed by NRC 79-09 Occurrences of Split or 6/22/79 All Hatorials Punctured Regulator Diaphragms Priority I, Fuel s
In Certain Self Contained Cycle and Operating Breathing Apparatus
/
Reactor Licensees 79-10 Pipefittings Manufactured 6/26/79 All Power Reactor from Unacceptable Material Licensees with a CP and/or OL 79-11 Design / Construction 6/27/79 All Applicants Interface Problem for, and Holders of Power Reactor cps 79-12 Potential Diesel Generator 6/28/79 All Power Reactors Turbocharger Problem Operating Facilities and all Utilities having a CP 79-13 Replacement of Diesel 7/10/79 All Power Reactor Fire Pump Starting Operating Facilities Contactors and all Utilities having a CP 79-14 Unauthorized Procurement and 7/13/79 All Medical Licensees Distribution of XE-133 except Teletheraphy Medical Licensees and to all Radiopharmaceu-tical Suppliers 79-15 Bursting of High Pressure Hose 8/8/79 All Materials Priority I, andMalfunctionofjRelief Fuel _ Cycle and Operating Valve "0" Ring in [ ertain Self-Power Reactor Licensees ContainedBreathidgApparatus
/
12U5 158
IE Circular No. 79-21 Enclosure October 19, 1979 Page 2 of 2 LISTING OF IE CIRCULARS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS Circular Subject Date of Issued to No.
Issued 79-16 Excessive Radiation Exposures 8/16/79 All Radiography To Members Of The General Public Licensees And A Radiographer 79-17 Contact Problem in SB-12 8/14/79 All Power Reactor Switches on General Electric Licensees with a CP Company Metalclad Circuit and/or OL Breakers 79-18 Proper Installation of 9/10/79 All Holders of a Target Rock Safety-Relief Power Reactor OL Valves or CP 79-19 Loose Locking Devices on 9/13/79 All Power Reactor Ingersoll-Rand Pumps Operating facilities and all utilities having a CP 79-20 Failure Of GTE Sylvania Relay 9/24/79 All utilities having a Type PM Bulletin 7305, Catalog CP SU12-11-AC With A 120V AC Coil i265 i59 O
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