ML19262C399
| ML19262C399 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 12/21/1979 |
| From: | Fisher W, Greger L, Peck C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19262C395 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-254-79-26, 50-265-79-23, NUDOCS 8002120147 | |
| Download: ML19262C399 (7) | |
See also: IR 05000254/1979026
Text
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMEhT
REGION III
Report Nos. 50-254/79-26 and 50-265/79-23
Docket Nos. 50-254 and 50-265
License Nos. DPR-29 and DPR-30
Licensee:
Commonwealth Edison Company
Post Office Box 767
Chicago, IL 60690
Facility Name: Quad-Cities, Units 1 and 2
Inspection At:
Cordova, Illinois
Inspection Conducted: Nove be
3-15,1979
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Inspectors:
L. R. Greg
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Approved By:
W. L. Fisher, Chief
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Fuel Facility Projects and
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Radiation Support Section
Inspection Summsry
Inspection on November 13-15, 1979 (Report Nos. 50-254/79-26 and 50-265/79-23
Areas Inspected: Nonroutine, announced inspection of licensee actions
taken in response to IE Bulletin 79-19 " Packaging of Low-Level Radioactive
Waste for Transport and Burial" and, as agreed with the State of South
Carolina, verification that identified packaging discrepancies were
corrected before resumption of radwaste shipments to Barnwell, South
Carolina. The inspection involved forty inspector-hours onsite by two hTC
inspectors.
Results: No items of noncompliance or deviations were identified
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8002120147
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DETAILS
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1.
Persons Contacted
- R. Bax, Assistant Superintendent, Maintenance
- R. Flessner, Radiation Chemistry Supervisor
J. Forrest, Radwaste Supervisor
- K. Graesser, Assistant Superintendent, Administrative
- J. liielman, Quality Assurance
- N. Kalivianakis, Station Superintendent
- T. Kovach, Lead llealth Physicist
- R. Petri, Radwaste Supervisor
P. Shafer, llealth Physicist
P. Skiermont, Training Supervisor
- T. Tamlyn, Assistant Superintendent, Operations
The inspectors also interviewed several other health physics and
radwaste employees during the inspection.
- Denotes those present at the exit interview. (N. Chrissotimos,
resident inspector, also attended the exit interview.)
2.
General
This inspection was conducted to examine the licensee's treatment,
packaging, transfer, and transport of radioactive waste materials in
response to IE Bulletin 79-19 and to verify that certain procedural
modifications instituted in response to issues raised by the South
Carolina Department of Ilealth and Environmental Control were corrected
before resumption of radwaste shipments to Barnwell, South Carolina.
An Order from the South Carolina Department of llealth and Environ-
mental Control, dated October 12, 1979, prohibited further shipment
of radioactive waste to South Carolina by Commonwealth Edison Company
until certain corrective actions concerning packaging of the waste
materials were completed.
In a meeting attended by NRC, South
Carolina Bureau of Radiological Health, and Commonwealth Edison
Company personnel in Columbia, South Carolina on November 2, 1979,
NRC Region III agreed to review the first radwaste shipment, from
each Commonwealth Edison Company plant, to Barnwell, South Carolina
following rescission of the shipping ban. An Order rescinding the
October 12, 1979, Order was issued on November 9, 1979.
3.
Regulations and License
The inspectors verified that the licensee possessed current require-
ments of the commercial burial sites and current copies of the Depart-
ment of Transportation and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations
1948 207
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for the transfer, packaging, and transport of radioactive material.
Methods for maintaining these documents current had been established
by the licensee.
4.
Designation of Responsibilities
Procedure QP 13-52 from the Commonwealth Edison Company Quality
Assurance Manual delineates responsibilities, by general job descrip-
tion, for the transfer, packaging, and transport of radioactive
material. Although the licensee does not, in all cases, correlate
the general job descriptions to job titles specific to the Quad-Cities
site, no problems were noted regarding implementation of the transfer,
packaging, and transport responsibilities.
5.
Procedures and Checklists
The inspectors selectively reviewed the following procedures related
to the transfer, packaging, and transport of radioactive waste
material.
QP 13-52 (Rev.2)
Preparation and Shipment of Radioactive
Material
QRP 100-2 (Rev.2)
Offsite Shipment of Radioactive Material
QRP 100-21 (Rev.3)
Calculation of Curie Content of Radio-
active Material
QRP 100-23 (Rev. 1)
Program for Maintaining Copies of...
Licenses
QRP 100-44 (Rev. 3)
Release of Radioactive Material Ship-
ments
QRP 100-50 (Rev. 1)
Radioactive Waste Transportation
QRP 100-S2 (Rev. 3)
Vehicle / Package Release Form
QRP 100-S26 (Rev. 1)
RCT Worksheet for Radwaste Shipments
QOP 2090-0 (Rev. 9)
Drum Operations
QOP 2090-2 (Rev. 4)
Drum Filling
QOP 2090-3 (Rev. 3)
Drum Mixing
QOP 2090-5 (Rev. 4)
Drum Capping
QOP 2090-7 (Rev. 1)
Drum Shipping
QOP 2090-9 (Rev. 1)
Manual Cement Feed to a 55 Gallon Drum
QOP 2090-10 (Rev. 4)
Loading Storage Line Drums into Top-
Loading Casks
QOP 2090-11 (Rev. 4)
Loading Overpack Drums into Top-Loading
Casks
QOP 2090-12 (Rev. 3)
Loading Dry Active Waste (DAW) Contain-
ers on Unshielded Trailers
QOP 2090-13 (Rev. 3)
Loading Storage Line Drums into Rear
Loading Casks
QOP 2090-S1 (Rev. 1)
QC Radioactive Waste Cask Shipment
Check Sheet
f948
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No discrepancies from the procedure review and approval format
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specified in Section 6.2 of the Technical Specifications were noted.
The licensee had completed a review of the radiation protection
procedures relating to the transfer, packaging, and transportation
of radioactive material and had commenced a review of pertinent
operating procedures. As specified in the September 21, 1979, response
to IEB 79-19, the licensee expects to complete the review of all
applicable procedures by January 1, 1980.
The licensee has identified needed revisions and additional procedures
during the review. Additional needed revisions were identified by
the inspectors. The following procedures need implementation or re-
vision:
Operation of Compactor (Need procedure.)
Use of DAW Wooden Box (Need procedure.)
QP 13-52 (Revise regarding container seals.)
QRP 100-2 (Identify carrier, define package, provide exclusive use
instructions, and clarify use of vehicle contamination control in-
formation.)
The operating procedure review currently underway will include an
evaluation of the need for cask handling procedures specific to each
cask model. At present, the operating procedures group casks into
" top-loading" and " rear-loading" categories for procedural treatment,
but do not incorporate cask specific information such as torque re-
quirements.
This matter will be reviewed further during a future inspection in
order to examine the results of the operating procedure review and
to review revisions to procedures. The lack of a procedure for
compacting radioactive trash was identified by the licensee before
this inspection. An internal Action Item Request (AIR 4-79-22) had
been initiated by the licensee to correct this matter.
6.
Training
The inspectors reviewed the training programs for personnel involved
in the treatment, transfer, packaging, and transport of radioactive
waste materials. Although the training program is not presently
well developed in these areas, training documentation substantiated
that at least limited initial training is given to radiation protection
personnel regarding regulatory and license requirements and procedures.
No retraining program has been established.
Training on the proper operation of radioactive waste systems is
given to operations personnel.
Such training, although provided on
a continuing basis, appears to lack clear definition regarding con-
. tent and administration.
1948 209
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As specified in the September 21, 1979, response to IEB 79-19, the
licensee is presently reviewing and revising the training programs
for personnel involved in the treatment, transfer, packaging, and
transport of radioactive waste materialr. This training effort is
expected to be completed by early 1980.
This matter will be reviewed further during a future inspection in
order to examine the results of the training reviews and changes
implemented by the licensee.
7.
Audits
The inspectors reviewed the licensee's audit activities regarding
low level radioactive waste transfer, packaging, and transport
activities. These areas are audited approximate'y annually accord-
ing to licensee personnel and audit records. Administration of the
audit function was satisfactory regarding audit plans, reports,
corrective actions, qualifications of personnel, etc.
A special audit was coaducted by an offsite audit team on
September 26-27, 1979. The audit included an examination of Items
1-6 of IEB 79-19.
One item remained open from the September audit:
lack of a retraining program in regulatory requirements regarding
low level radioactive waste transfer, packaging, and transport. As
noted in Section 8 of this report, this item will be reviewed further
during a future inspection.
8.
Waste Packaging Systems
The inspectors observed the operation of the installed cement solid-
ification system used to solidfy spent resin in 55 gallon drums.
The drums, containing fifty pounds of dry cement, are moved to a
filling station, where water and resin are added, then to a mixing
station for addition and mixing of cement, and finally to a capping
station where the mix is inspected and the drum is capped and closed.
Amounts of resin, water, and cement are standardized and specified
in operating procedures.
Inspection of the completed mix is visual;
radwaste operators use color and consistency to decide whether the
mix is acceptable and contains no free standing liquid. After
capping there is no opportunity to detect the presence of liquid.
The inspectors emphasized to licensee representatives during the
inspection and at the exit interview the importance of ensuring that
the drums do not contain free liquid.
A urea formaldehyde solidification process was used for a small
number of containers in the past; no further use is planned.
Installation of Dow Solidification Process equipment is in progress
(scheduled for operation in early 1980.) Replacement of the cement
process by the Dow Solidification Process will depend on the success
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of the new installation.
It is planned to keep the cement system
available for use at present.
Contaminated filters are packaged in 55 gallon drums or metal boxes,
depending on filter size. Drums are prepared by pouring a concrete
mix around a centered core. The boxes, used for larger filters, are
loaded with dry cement.
For compactible dry active waste (DAW), the licensee uses equipment
which compacts ano bands the waste into bales for packaging in
appropriate containers.
9.
Examination of Package
One of the drums of cement solidified resin in storage was opened
for examination by the inspectors. No liquid was present on top of
the solid mass. Six holes were then punched in the side of the drum
near the bottom, about ten inches from the bottom and about twenty
inches from the bottom. No water was present at any of the locations.
Probing into the mix disclosed unbound resin beads. These were
present in greater quantity near the bottom of the container. Unbound
beads are apparently typical according to licensee representatives,
who have photographs of a sectioned drum which show that loose resin
is present in the periphery of the mixture.
10.
Radioactive Waste Shipments
The inspectors examined two radwaste shipments (No. 948 and No. 949)
made during the inspection. Radiation levels associated with the
loaded shipments were verified by the inspectors, who also reviewed
and selectively verified the procedures and checklists associated
with the shipments.
Both shipments consisted of 55-gallon drums (seven) containing
cement solidified resins. The drums were loaded into HN600 casks,
which are certified to carry greater than Type A quantities of LSA
material.
Total activities in the casks were approximately 50
curies and 80 curies, respectively, of LSA material. All external
radiation levels were within regulatory requirements. A temporary
"see-through" enclosure was constructed to restrict access of un-
authorized persons to the cask on one of the shipments. This action
was necessitated by radiation levels in excess of 10 mR/hr at three
feet from the cask. No discrepancies were identified with either
shipment.
Both shipments departed the site for transport to a commercial
burial site on November 14, 1979.
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11.
South Carolina Sbipment Discrepancy Reports
The inspectors reviewed licensee records regarding two shipments
(RSR Nos. 875 and 876) in response to discrepancies identified by
personnel from the State of South Carolina Bureau of Radiological
Health at the Barnwell, South Carolina burial site.
No enforcement action was warranted in either case as the discrep-
ancies were associated with casks which were not used as " packages."
The casks were used to provide shielding to reduce vehicle radiation
dose rates to within DOT limits; 55-gallon drums within the casks met
the applicable " packaging" requirements.
Although not mentioned in these discrepancy reports, problems have
been encountered in the past with cask closure bolts / nuts being
loose upon arrival at the burial site even though licensee personnel
claim to have tightened them adequately before departure from their
site. This matter is being pursued by licensee personnel with the
cask supplier.
12.
Exit Interview
The inspectors met with licensee representatives (denoted in
Paragraph 1) at the conclusion of the inspection on November 15,
1979. The inspectors summarized the scope and findings of the
inspection.
In response to certain items discussed by the in-
spectors, the licensee:
Stated that procedural changes / additions identified during
a.
their reviews and the NRC inspectors' review would be effected.
(Paragraph 5)
b.
Acknowledged the inspectors' comments that the training program
for the transfer, packaging, and transport of radioactive waste
materials was weak and stated that a revised training program
would be finalized by January 18, 1980, and the program imple-
mented by March 31, 1980. The training review is to include
radwa te operator training / retraining. (Paragraph 6)
c.
Stated that methods for preventing loosening of cask lid bolts / nuts
during transportation were being pursued. (Paragraph 11)
d.
Acknowledged the inspectors' comments regarding the need for
ensuring solidification of radwaste. (Paragraph 8)
e.
Acknowledged the inspectors' comments regarding the cement
solidified 55 gallon drum that was examined by the inspectors.
(Paragraph 9)
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