ML19256E415
| ML19256E415 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden, Byron, Braidwood, Quad Cities, Zion, LaSalle  |
| Issue date: | 10/19/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Reed C COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911050172 | |
| Download: ML19256E415 (1) | |
Text
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[ a...,'o, UNITED STATES 8
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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REGION 111 a #
799 ROOSEVELT ROAD 0
GLEN ELLYN. lLLINOls 60137 o
OCT 19 F79 Doccet Nos. 50-10, 50-23), 50-249, 50-154, 50-265, 50-295,56-304, 50-373, 50-374, 50-454, 50-455, 50-456 and 50-4Fi s
Ct,mmonwealth Edison Company ATTN:
Mr. Cordell Reed Manager of Nuclear Operations Post Office Box 767 Chicago, IL 60690 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, O
D.<
ames G. Keppler v Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Ciruclar No. 79-21 2.
List of IE Circulars Issued in the Last Six Months cc w/ encl:
Mr. D. L. Peoples, Director Mr. Gunner Sorensen, pite of Nuclear Licensing Project Superintendent Mr. B. B. Stephenson, Mr. R. Cosaro, Project Station Superintendent Superintendent Mr. N. Kalivianakis, Central Files Station Superintendent Directcr, NRR/DPM Mr. N. Vandke, Station Director, NRR/ DOR Superintendent PDR Mr. L. J. Burke, Site Local PDR Project Superintendent NSIC Mr. T. E. Quaka, Quality TIC Assurance Supervisor Anthony Roisman, Esq., Attorney Mr. R. H. Holyoak, Station Mr. Dean Hansell, Office of Superintendent Assistant Attorney General 1254 295 6
7 911050 / M
5 Accession No.: 7908220128 SSINS:
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u em NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTGN, D.C.
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October 19, 1979 15 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 consec
'ces 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 t.he 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 caployed to assure verbatim compliance with such procedures.
2.
Review of "as built" systems having the potentia'i of inadvertent releases because of design or construction errors.
Consider items such as:
a.
Tank overflows should be routed to liquid radwaste tanks.
b.
Storm drains should be located away from areas with a high potential for spills.
Consideration should be given to drip pans under equipment, such c.
as pumps and valves, from which leakage is expected.
d.
Cofferdams should be installed under doors to areas with a potential for radioactive spills.
Preoperational testing should verify that crossconnects do not exist e.
that would permit radioactivity to flow from oper1 ting 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 e
1254 296
October 19, 1979 IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 2 of 2 hydrostatically tested prior to first use. Underground piping should be periodically hydrostatically tested.
Preventive maintenance programs should be implemented and identified problems, such an leaking equipment and plugged floor drains, should be promptly repaired.
N,o written response to this Circular is required.
If you require additional information regarding this subject,. contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office
Enclosure:
Recent Events of Radioactive Contamination i
1254 297 6
e E
co cn N
'O RECENT EVENTS OF RADIDACTIVE CONTAMiti'. TION OUTSIDE BUILDINGS N
Plant Date Apparent cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Followup Actio Turkey Point 3/4 6/11/79 Operator Error 900 gallons of water processed Total of 0.01 aCl of Co-58 Procedure reviewed by radwaste system overflowed Co-60 released to storm with operator.
from waste processing tank because drain of error in valve line-up. The Aux.
Bldg. floor drain backed up to the on site storm drain. 'The drain system discharged to an on-site
~
underground tile bed.
r Palisades 6/9/79 Inadequate Procedures
-5 Contaminated secondary system Resins activity at 10 The monitoring procedure i
sper,t powdered -esins were trans-pCi/cc; total release to determine.the 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 stors 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 during RWST outside of b1dg.
gallon drums of con-transfer to Spent Fuel Pit.
0.02 pCi/cc, Co-58 taminated dirt removed' i
Water leaked to Safeguards 0.035 pCi/cc, H-3.
Bldo. floor.
Floor drain l
s' plugged; resulted in water flow out of building.
Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 1 of 3
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~~
Plant Date Apparent Cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Follow-up Action Oconee 3 5/16n9 Operational Error.
(
, 5/17/79 Normally closed valve left 2000 gallons overflowed; Procedure reviewed with.
open during pumping of fuel 200-300 gallons out of operating personnel. Areas transfer canal water to BWST.
buildingi4 outside of Aux. Bldg. decon-Water overflowed the BWST to 3.1 x 10 pCi/ce,1-131.
taminated.
Aux. Bldg. penetration room, down a stairway to area outside Aux. Bldg.
Farley 1/2 5/14/79 Design Error.
s, -
Decontamination drains 1860 gallons of contam-Review all drains from from Unit I routed tn Unit inated water discharged Unit I and Unit 2.
Six such 2 sump and released to to pond. Estimated max-drains we.s 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 pCi/Kg. No pond to Unit I floor drain water activity detected.
system.
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 reactor pipe tunnel to con-building were found to structed.
be contaminated.
Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 2 of 3 e
o o
Plant Date Apparent Cause Radiological Consequence Licensee Follow-up Action a
~7 Brunswick 1 5/8-9/79 Operator Error and Equipment Failure.
v u,
Air mixing valve of RWCU Total release of 12 MCI Tank transfer procedure * [
backwash tank lef t open of corrosion product.
reviewed. Caution tag after 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 ifne for Highest on site gr und Temporary line broken 5
N tank in yard for feed-water of 3 x 10 pCf/1 -
inside turbine building 7
water heaters was not capped H, Highest qtr. avg. off-and capped.
after tank removal.
Rx steam siteoutfal.1ofsubsugface released into ground from drainage was 1.8 x 10 buried line.
pCi/1.
North Anna 9/25/79 Construction Error Relief valve on the volume Airborne radioactivity Still 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 HPCs. Auxiliary Building releasing dissolved noble gases was evacuated.
to the auxiliary building via the waste system vent.
An incorrectly connected vent line allowed venting i
directly to the auxiliary building.
I Enclosure IE Circular No. 79-21 Page 3 of.3 i
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1 IE Circular No. 79-21 Enclosure October 19, 1979 Page 1 of 2 LISTING OF IE CIRCULARS ISSUED IN LAST SIX MONTHS 4
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 Materials Punctured Regulator Diaphragms Priority I, Fuel 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.
andMalfunctionofi, Relief Fuel. cycle and Operating Valve "0" Ring in yertain Self-Power Reactor Licensees Contained Breathing Apparatus
,/
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 1254 302 4
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