ML19263B094

Repts Instances on 781108 & 781116 of Reduced Effectiveness of Type a Shipping Casks.Leakage Into Environment Did Not Occur Despite Defective Cover & Bolt Assemblies

ML19263B094
Person / Time
Site:	07109096, 07109108
Issue date:	12/18/1978
From:	Counsil W NORTHEAST UTILITIES
To:	NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
References
NUDOCS 7901040333
Download: ML19263B094 (3)

Text

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U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Sir:

Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 71.61, flortheast Nuclear Energy Company, as holder of License fiumber DPR-21 and a registered user of U. S. ilRC certified packages USA /9096/A and USA /9108/A wishes to report instances in which there was a reduction in the effectiveness of the authorized packaging during use.

Details of the instances are provided in the attached report.

Very truly yours, flortheast fluclear Energy Company b

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W. G. Counsil Vice President WGC/ REB /llm Enclosure (6)

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10EliTIFICATION OF OCCURRENCE I

Use of USNRC Certified " Type A" casks with cover gaskets and cover bolt deficiencies.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO OCCURRENCE USNRC Certified " Type A" casks are used for shipments of radioactive materials of greater than " Type A" quantities that qualify as low specific activity materials.

DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE ~

On two occasions USNRC certified casks, with defects, were used to transport radioactive waste to a burial site. The first shipment was made on 11/9/78. This shipment was made with a CNSI 21-300 cask, (USA /9096/A), trailer license number SC21886, and contained solidified liquid waste in a disposable " Type A" package. The cask inner cover gasket was missing. The second shipment was made on 11/16/78. This shipment was made with a CNSI 21-300 cask (USA /9096/A), trailer license number SC28192, and contained solidified liquid waste in a disposable

" Type A" package. Four (4) of the eighteen (18) cask inner cover bolts were 2 inches long, whereas the drawing specified 1.5 inches long bolts.

DESIGNATION OF APPARENT CAUSE OF OCCURRENCE

,The cask deficiencies were identified during implementation of a trial Quality Assurance program that was being used for training purposes, and therefore, were not initially recognized as deficiencies with respect to plant procedural controls in compliance with 10CFR71. This error was realized on 11/16/78 when the effectiveness of the training program was reviewed for compl'iance with the conditions for use of the cask certifi-ca ti ons.

ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE The cask cover gasket and bolts are used to ensure there is no leakage of the contents of the cask into the environs during conditions normal to' transportation.

In the absence of the cover gasket or the use of improper bolts to secure the cask cover, cask integrity was not assured. However, the radioactive waste being shipped was already contained in " Type A" packages prior to securing the cask. These " Type A" packages were new and the covers had gaskets. Therefore, since the material being shipped for burial was contained in approved " Type A" packages that would preclude leakage during conditions normal to transportation, a leakage path to the environs was not available.

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+ 1 CORRECTIVE ACTION The cask owner was notified of tP2 cask deficiency on the date of shipment. Asof11/16/78, the NNEC0 Quality Assurance program has been applied to radioactive shipments requiring the use of a USNRC certified casks to ensure the cask is in compliance with the condi-tions of the ifcense prior to release for transportation in comerce.

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\\J December 18, 1978 gc eg ge Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards-U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Sir:

Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR 71.61, flortheas'c fluclear Energy Company, as holder of License flumber DPR-21 and a registered user of U. S. flRC certified packages USA /9096/A and USA /9108/A wishes to report instances in which there was a reduction in the effectiveness of the authorized packaging during use.

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Details of the instances are provided in the attached report.

Very truly yours, Northeast Nuclear Energy Company y) bV tj/]V

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W. G. Counsil Vice President WGC/ REB /llm Enclosure (6) y.u.

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TDENTIFICATION OF OCCURRENCE I

Use of USNRC Certified " Type A" casks with cover gaskets and cover bolt deficiencies.

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO OCCURRENCE USNRC Certified " Type A" casks are used for shipments of radioactive

• materials of greater than " Type A" quantities that qualify as low specific activity materisis.

DESCRIPTION OF OCCURRENCE ~

On two occasions USNRC certified casks, with defects, were used to transport radioactive waste to a burial site. The first shipment was made on 11/9/78. This shipment was made with a CNSI 21-300 cask, (USA /9096/A), trailer license number SC21886, and contained solidified liquid waste in a disposable " Type A" package. The cask inner cover gasket was missing. The second shipment was made on 11/16/78. This shipment was made with a CNSI 21-300 cask (USA /9096/A), trailer license number SC28192, and contained solidified liquid waste in a disposable

" Type A" package. Four (4) of the eighteen (18) cask inner cover bolts were 2 inches long, whereas the drawing specified 1.5 inches long bolts.

DESIGNATION OF APPARENT CAUSE OF OCCURRENCE

,The cask deficiencies were identified during implementation of a trial Quality Assurance program that was being used for training purposes, and therefore, were not initially recognized as deficiencies with respect to plant procedural controls in compliance with 10CFR71. This error was realized on 11/16/78 when the effectiveness of the training program was reviewed for compl'iance with the conditions for use of the cask certifi-cations.

ANALYSIS OF OCCURRENCE The cask cover gasket and bolts are used to ensure there is no leakage of the contents of the cask into the environs during conditions normal to'trar.sportation.

In the absence of the cover gasket or the use of improper bolts to secure the cask cover, cast integrity was not assured. However, the radioactive waste being shipped was already containec) in "Tvpe A" packages prior to securing the cask. These " Type A" packages were new and the covers had gaskets. Therefore, since the material being shipped for burial was contained in approved " Type A" packages that would preclude leakage during conditions nonnal to transportation, a leakage path to the environs was not available.

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N CORRECTIVE ACTION _

The cask. owner was notified of the cask deficiency on the date of shipment. As of 11/16/78, the NNEC0 Quality Assurance program has been applied to radioactive shipments requiring the use of a USNRC certified casks, to ensure the cask is in compliance with the condi-tions of the license prior to release for transportation in commerce.

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