ML19290G354
| ML19290G354 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/16/2019 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Smith M | |
| References | |
| Download: ML19290G354 (4) | |
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List of Leaks and Spills at Operating U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants October, 2019 Introduction This is a list of operating reactor sites that experienced a radioactive leak or spill to the onsite owner controlled area where the concentration of tritium in the leak source, or in a groundwater sample exceeded 20,000 pCi/L at some time since initial startup. A tritium concentration of 20,000 pCi/L is used as the threshold for inclusion in the list because it is the drinking water standard in EPAs Safe Drinking Water Act. This version updates the September 2018 list of leaks and spills.
Source of Information Recent information was compiled by NRC staff based on input from the nuclear power plant staff, Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports and Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports (see the NRCs web site for each sites detailed annual reports at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/tritium/plant-info.html). Historical information is based on Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports, Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports, Groundwater Questionnaires, Preliminary Notifications, Event Notifications, Licensee Event Reports, NRC Inspection Reports, Special Reports, and other documents submitted by the licensees to the NRC.
Contents After a radioactive leak or spill, tritium is generally the first radionuclide to be identified in groundwater. This is because tritium travels as a form of water through the soil faster than other radionuclides. The tritium concentrations for each plant documented in the list below consist of (1) the historical maximum concentration and (2) the current concentration. These values provide a reasonable approximation of the magnitude and extent of the historical leaks and spills as well as the current conditions.
The value listed as the Historical Maximum Concentration of Tritium in a Leak Source or in a Groundwater Sample is an approximation of the historical maximum tritium concentration from abnormal releases in which tritium from reactor operations contacted the onsite soil since initial startup. The timeframe in which the historical maximum tritium releases occurred is listed next to the maximum concentration value.
The value listed as the Current Maximum Groundwater Sample Tritium Concentration is a reasonable approximation of the current maximum tritium concentrations based on reported abnormal releases to onsite groundwater, or groundwater samples that have been collected and analyzed by the licensee. If a value has not been updated from the one listed in the previous version, it indicates the value continues to be a good approximation of the current conditions.
As documented in the licensee annual reports, groundwater samples were collected from onsite locations and analyzed including both drinking water wells and non-drinking water sample points (e.g., groundwater monitoring wells, storm drains, man holes, bore holes, piezometer tubes, surface water, puddles, and rain water). Although some values in the list exceed 20,000 pCi/L, none of those samples were collected from a drinking water well or from a municipal drinking water system. None of the samples collected from drinking water wells and municipal drinking water systems have ever exceeded the EPA drinking water standard of 20,000 pCi/L.
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Summary There are 57 nuclear power plant sites in the United States that are currently operating. Historical records indicate 40 of these sites have at one time or another had leaks or spills that involved tritium concentrations greater than or equal to 20,000 pCi/L. Nine sites are currently reporting tritium in groundwater, from a leak or spill, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L. No site is currently detecting tritium in groundwater in the offsite environment, or in drinking water, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L.
Tritium rapidly disperses and dissipates in the environment, and as a result, tritium from leaks and spills is typically not detected outside the facility boundary.
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List of Historical Leaks and Spills at Operating U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants It is important that the preceding paragraphs accompany any reproduction of this list so that the information is communicated in the proper context.
October, 2019 Updates Historical Maximum Timeframe of Historical Concentration of Maximum Concentration Current Maximum Tritium in a Leak of Tritium in a Leak Plant Groundwater Sample Tritium Source or in a Source or in a Concentration, pCi/L Groundwater Sample, Groundwater Sample, pCi/L pCi/L Beaver Valley 25,583 September, 2010 12,200 Braidwood 247,000 1998 1,400 Browns Ferry 36,444 March, 2016 5,630 Brunswick 19,000,000 December, 2010 376,600 Byron 82,000 February, 2006 685 Callaway 1,600,000 July, 2014 516 Catawba 47,500 October, 2007 6,370 Columbia 270,000 March, 1993 12,400 Davis-Besse 37,500 October, 2008 875 Dresden 10,312,000 July, 2004 45,600 Duane Arnold 2,150,000 October, 2012 36,233 Fitzpatrick, J.A. 105,000 April, 2010 Not detectable Ginna, R.E. 20,000 1995 Not detectable Grand Gulf 2,240,000 March, 2014 2,690 Hatch, E.I. 6,840,000 September, 2011 114,000 Indian Point 14,800,000 February, 2016 141,000 Limerick 3,950,000 February, 2009 732 LaSalle 1,230,000 July, 2010 7,300 Millstone 4,000,000 November, 2007 2,900 Monticello 21,300 September, 2009 4,400 Nine Mile Point 44,000 August, 2012 1,875 North Anna 79,559 August, 2013 3,923 Oconee 45,000 December, 2011 5,730 Palisades 217,351 December, 2009 8,945 Palo Verde 4,200,000 March, 1993 Not detectable Peach Bottom 196,000 March, 2010 14,300 Perry 59,900 2006 154 Quad Cities 7,500,000 2008 41,400 3
River Bend 1,135,000 February, 2013 550,000 Salem 15,000,000 April, 2003 38,700 Seabrook 750,000 1999 1,790 Sequoyah 25,060 2015 4,960 St. Lucie 161,000 2000 4,520 Summer 23,000 July, 2011 6,230 Surry 31,900 October, 2007 8,960 Susquehanna >20,000 1995 494 Turkey Point >20,000 1979 3,390 Vogtle >20,000 1990s 1,940 Waterford 22,000 1997 Not detectable Watts Bar 550,000 February, 2005 6,650 4