ML19269C389
| ML19269C389 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Wood River Junction |
| Issue date: | 12/27/1978 |
| From: | Cronin D, Crow W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7902020047 | |
| Download: ML19269C389 (3) | |
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4 UNITED STATES 3 %..
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION k,,
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WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 DEC 2 ? 1978 DOCKET N0.:
70-820 APPLICANT:
United Nuclear Corporation (UNC)
FACILITY:
Fuel Recovery Operation Wood River Junction, Rhode Island
SUBJECT:
DECEMBER 14, 1978, MEETING WITH UNC REPRESENTATIVES
_ Purpose To discuss UNC's plans for the disposal of liquid and solid process wastes and a pending amendment application for the extension of the liquid waste storage system.
Place and Date NRC office in Silver Spring, Maryland, Decemoer 14, 1978 Attendees NRC - W. T. Crow, E. Y. Shum, and R. L. Stevenson UNC - M. Andrew Clark, Manager, Resource Systems, Wood River Junction D. F. Cronin, Manager, Nuclear and Industrial Safety, Wood River Junction Discussion The meeting opened with a brief discussion of the background of the March 22 application for the disposal of the liquid waste. The following points were made:
- 1) A meeting was held on November 16, 1977, of state, UNC, and NRC perscnnel to discuss the urgency of finding an ultimate disposal method for the liquid waste;
- 2) Subsequent to the meeting of November 16, 1977, W. T. Crow, NRC, informed Mr. F. Cronin by phone that he should inmediately develop a plan for continuous disposal of the liquid effluent stream that would satisfy state and NRC requirements. Mr. Cronin was infonned that using the ammonium nitrate solution from the waste stream as a fertilizer or the continued construction of lagoons would be difficult to justify to the NRC.
It was suggested that UNC investigate possible discharge to the surface waters; 790202 c) oG
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- 3) The March 22, 1978, submittal did not address the ultimate disposal of the liquid effluent, but merely requested approval for additional lagoons and a process for recovery of uranium from stored wastes.
Treated liquids were to be diluted and discharged to surface waters provided EPA approval was received;
- 4) While the March 22, 1978, subnittal was under review by NRC, the licensee changed the design of the storage lagoons to a tank.
This change in design was submitted on October 13, 1978, for NRC's review;
- 5) On December 7,1978, UTC informed NRC that because of excess rainfall, the existing lagoons were about to overflow and they needed immediate approval to use the tank described in the October 13, 1978, submittal.
UNC personnel were asked why they continued to push for lagoo-
.orage instead of designing the system for disposal to surface waters as suggested. UNC replied that they reconsidered that approach when the state had informed them that the discharge stream from the plant would have to meet limits for nitrate that are 50 percent of the drinking wate-standards. U"C pci;t:J cut thct they '..culd '; ave to pump 1,000,000 gallons per day of groundwater for dilution to meet this requirement and that UNC dio not consider this a viable alternative; NRC agreed.
UNC then presented their plans for handling the liquid waste stream from the plant and the proposed plan for reprocessing the solids in the lagoon. Construction of this facility will commence in the spring of 1979 and recovery operations during the third quarter of 1979.
The NRC pcinted out that the staff was not satisfied with the progress that had been made during the past year and felt that UNC was not putting enough advance thought in their actions. As evidence of this, it was noted that six months after the submittal that described one lagoon design,UNC submitted a completely new design for approval.
Also, although UNC knew the capacity of the existing lagoons, they waited until they were in an emergency situation to request a separate amendment for use of the new tank.
Because of the staff's concern, the following conditions will be incorporated in the license:
- 1) No later than July 1,1979, the licensee shall subnit a proposed waste management plan for the ultimate disposal of the liquid wastes generated from plant operatio:.;
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- 2) By September 1,1979, the licensee shall start processing the residues in the existing lagoons so that these lagoons can be decontaminated to release limits.
Total decontamination to release limits shall be completed by July 1,1982;
- 3) No additional storage tanks shall be installed without NRC approval.
These meeting minutes were discussed a@gr d to by D. F. Cronin, UNC and W. T. Crow, NRC.
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W. T. Crow, Section Leader Uranium Fuel Fabrication Section Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety 0;iginal Signed by D. F. Cronin, Manager Nuclear & Industrial Safety Wood River Sinction