ML19308D818
| ML19308D818 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Turkey Point, Crystal River  |
| Issue date: | 05/25/1976 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Cale Young HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8003180757 | |
| Download: ML19308D818 (9) | |
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7, Di-_ributi Docket Files M. Groff 1
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May 25, 1976 NRR Reading L. G. Hulman LWR 4 File W. Bivins B. C. Rusche M. D. Lynch Docaat. sos' 50-302 E. G. Case L~. Engle and 50-250/231 R. S. Boyd M. Rushbrook R. Heinema-J. Yore, ASLB
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.h-R.: C. DeYoung J. Miller Eencrahle.;C.[W.~ Bill' Young " * ',
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Mr reN[rai.Nh dadd? %$1" 2'6,1976 haa $een ' referred to tnis "^ ki.,JO
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ef flee ~ fer-reply. ;.'Insyour.mesme',,you requested our consideration of,
,y dr. t ivingston's' _ letter, fated 4srch 21, 1976.
ar. LiViniaton
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expressed his concera overf tne potential' ef fect of the Crystal' Miver, T.'
guit 3,: duel' ear;Generitim4 Plaat'(Ca-3) on the*artesian well fields
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.i I 'should ~ first. like' to. Identify-the particular nuclear power plant-to
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which kr. Livingstem ~ refers.and to then discuss drietly eacn et e.is 3
coeuents. Ine?CA-3 site is a' 4700 acre parcel of Im4 located i.7 Citrus Coduty,' Florida', oli tae.. eastern sacre of tite Cult of Mexico.
-Ine-facility is. aheut 7 1/2'anfles nortnwest of Crystal. Aiver, tlerida, 7$ miles norta of Ptampa, Florida and 33 :iles nortn.of St'. Petersaurg, Floridai ? h Ch-3 heeflity"itself 'is a pressurized, light-water nuclear:
powerfplaatdekic2ilisyraposeJ. t.sf operateT at[a ssere;pewer level e142432
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. wegavetks-'tmelweif.1 gollowingNa Mt 1ic 'he'aringToefere5 a Atewic Jafety, ~ ~
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and Licensing-emmeddete'ftEen %temie Eneraf Coisads'eien issued a conAtruilidt peerait.i edths3 1NidA[Peuer CErpora' tion authoriafnj eometruction~of the'.'I t
- CA-3 fael5ity[ ens &IpMaher 23 M.19eSDhe"funetfons and' responsioiLitie$i,
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'ei thef tsgkist6cy etadt ~ef the A.toonic 1.nergy? Comcaliaion ~ were' transferred, '
to. the. aucl+ars Regelstory Commission (E) in'Janukry 1975.
i'he astiwat'ed cate for fuel loadlag andfstart or operations for the C3-3 plant is.
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,In hia letterJef Marek 21b l976, Mr. Livingston transmitted an article
'fress the'St. PeteIraber[Tlafs.. This 'aewspape r' articiaii deali with. i:mit [
cleske experieneed f aftbeitweispeut~ fuel storase pools 'at't'ne = Iurkey Point f
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V helear Geaerating ~1tatloa,Jumits 3 ard 4, unich.are operated oy the X
t rierisa' Fower and/,.ishe sciepany and whien are located'naar clami, Florida on tse easternJaids et Flor ~ida.
A detailed dise4.ssionion this matter is provic.eJ in.aclosuic [15 I saouls'liae to ec,phasiae tnat the environeentAl I
mon i t er teg ' p rogrart at tae lurtey Point facilit'y prov^idss assurau.o taint the saf ety-t elated equip:sent anti proceoures of the lur(cy foint facility.
functituing properly and will sinimize any. Liquid release containind are radicactivity from tne plant. Similar designs aad operatin; procesures i
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isith respect to 1r. Livingston's couneut re pr/ing tae close proximity of the ck-3 facility to the aquifer wuich f.eeds tne artestan well fields of I shoulo like to Driefly-discusa tne grounawater usage St. Petersburg, and flow patterm in tue site.
Water for all public supplies in ene Crystal Elver area to the-south of the site and for most of the municipalities and industries'to the north of tne site, is obtained from wells drill (d
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Linto ' the ' fresheister Floridian Aquifer. itswever, the groundwater aquifer t
i whieh.,is dirastly mader the plant. site is a 'relatively shallow, sal ne Moreover[
-i aquifer 'whiam' dees" met ' flow 'inte ithe deeper Floridian; Aguifer.
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hydrel'egic.~ data,.includingithree test wells to the easi of the site, 2
P aat fsite,, tae groundwater flew is i
i indicates 'that. La the visi' lty of tha l
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a to the weet and'sen'thwe'st'toward'the1 Gulf'of Mexico. Therefore rthe t1'ow is away free any potential users of groundweter.
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Finally,, the salt water frusa ene Gulf has intruded.into tne 'enallow-fue J.aC secff aquifer eastwarfabout. ttiree miles inliad fro.a 'the-site.
concludes, theseiere, that tk groundwater wnich would es attacted-in cus-
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event of any ' Liquid;releaseateentsialmg radioactivity is unsuitable for
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This conclusion potabli uses and migrates away from the regional users.
vulch as valid for those users in the inwediate vicinity of the plaat-site, st. Petersourg, voien is over is evea more applicable to the resiaents, ot' 40 miles to tne soutn, who draw their pota.ile water supply fron tae daeper FloriJian Aquiter, q
la sunemory, ~ the: design features of tne spent twel pocis ' of, tne C.1-3 i
f acility 'minissise any 11eeis wmieh lmight;eecur,' tne,eaviroosaeatal monitoring progra.a v111:deteet:.may3 eahage f of radioactivity and' the direction of '
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- groundveser[Iles wiR,sarrylamp postulated released away frem potesla veter,, '
All' rhesef festers. peevide.~aseurance that operatica^ ef the UK-J i
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facility vill'eavy islaiselieffect(.cyt public healtn and safety even if
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small leaka > were to'eccur -ia thi spent ~ fuel pools at ene Cx-3 ' facility.
1 oelieve enis istter is resposelve 'to your request ror our consideration H
ot snis matte'r.
1 a. enclosing ' taa letter.fra etr..Livingston ' tu accordance i
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s ENCLOSURE 1 DISCUSSION OF THE SPENT FUEL STORAGE POOL LEAKS AT TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR GENERATING UNITS 1 AND 4 Introduction
' Spent fuel storage pools at nuclear generating stations are water filled and are used to store fuel assemblies which have produced power in the reactor. Tne water in the pool provides cooling to the used fuel assemblies and provides radiation protection to plant personnel. The fuel assemblies are transferred to the pool through a water filled canal.
The water in the pool is expected to contain radioactive materials at very low concentrations as a result' of the normal reactor refueling operation.
Discussion The spent fuel pools at, Turkey Point consist of two mz sive reinforced concrete structures sited above ground and linad with stainless steel.
Each pool has a capacity of 810,000 gallons and is enclosed in its own auxiliary building. The pool walls and bottom pad were constructed of reinforced concrete wnich varies in thickness from three to six feet. These structures were built on impermeaole rock foundation and wera designed to withstand the forces of the maximum probable hurricane or earthquake that could occur in the area of the site.
A leak monitorins system was installed between the stainless steel spent fuel pool liner and the concrete pool walls.
This leak monitoring system detects leaks which may occur through the pool liner. Moreover, this system directs any leakage to a collection point in the liquid waste disposal system.
Both spent fuel storage pools at Turkey Point have leaked water due to imperfections in the stainless steel pool liners. The maximum leakage rate from each pool was approximately 1.5 gallons per minute (gpm).
The present leakage rate has been reduced to less than 0.5 Epm from each unit. Leakage from the spent fuel storage pools is being collected, accounted for, and returned either to the pool or to waste storage tanks.
The water in the pools has a very low concentration of radioactivity.
This concentration is monitored by plant personnel using radiation detection instruments to assure that any unusual or unanticipated concentration of activity is detected. When necessary, appropriate action is taken_to maintain the concentration at a conservative limit that assures the health
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. and safety of oparating personnel. For example a cleanup system is provided so that plant personnel can reduce the level of water activity, if necessary.
Consequently, no abnormal radiation levels have resulted at the plant site from the pool leaks. The stainless steel liner and the massive concrete walls of the pools, coupled with an impermeable foundation, will prevent the amount of leaked fluid from becoming so great that it cannot be collected and returned to the pool or waste storage tanks. For tha same reason, the present leaks will be prevented from increasing to a flow rate that exceeds the capacity of the pool makeup water system. Mor'eover, in addition to the installed makeup system, alternate water supplies are available such that ample cooling and shielding of the spent fuel stored in the pools will always be provided.
The facility operating license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station contains stringent limitations on the amounts of uncontrolled radioactive material that can be released from the plant site.
It also contains strict requirem*-r.ts for the establishment of an environmental monitoring program.
The NRC verifies through its inspection and enforcement program that these radioactive material release limits are not exceeded and that the requirements of the environmental monitoring program are satisfied. We have verified that the utility's environmental monitoring program has shown no indication of offsite movement of the leakage.
Corractive Action Florida Power and Light Company is presently examining methods for permanently repairing tne pool liners. One method under consideratich is to use current industry practice; this would, result in the replacement, f the relatively thin pool liner with thicker stainless steel plate.
A thicker pool liner would be resistant to minor imperfections l'n the plata and in the liner's welded joints.
Prior to performing repairs on one of the two pools, all of the stored fuel assemblies would be moved to the other spent fuel storage pool.
CONTROLWO. 0 0 3 4 ACTIOM CONTROL " D ATES S FROM:
x COMPL DEAOUNEl 5/26/76
[ Rep. C. W. " Bill Young ACKNOWLEDG M ENT
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QATE OF DOCUMENT
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4/26/76 INTERIM REPLY
. PREPARE FOR SIGNATURE TO:
NRC FINAL REPLY CHAIRMAN FILE LOCATION O EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Omitted OTHER:
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& LETTER OMEMO O REPORT O OTHER SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REM fg Enc 1 ltr fm Ed Livingston re the safety Return enclosure w/ response of the Crystal River plant in view of the leaks at Turkey Point LPDR?
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Congress of tfje Unitch States Deuse of Representatibes unsnoten. ac.
April 2[1976 19 Congressional Liaison Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, D. C.
20555 Sir:
The attached comunication is sent for your consideration.
Plears investigate the statements contained therein and forward me the necessary information for re-ply, returning the enclosed corre-spondence with your answer.
Yours truly, M. C.
C. W. Bill Young, Florida 6th Attention: Dostson Hunt i,,rf/,-
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6995 79th Ave North Pinellas Park, Florida 33565 March 21, 1976 Representative C. W. Bill Young Office No. 341 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C.
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Dear Representative Young:
((httached is an article as it appeared in the St. Pete rsburg Times. With the plant being built at Crystal River and it's close prorimi ty to o
g the aquarier that feeds the artisian well fields of St. Pete rsburg/
Pinellas County area, it really makes me. wonder if perhaps we aren't
! putting too much trust in the Nuclear Industry; especially with statements such as "too minor to repair". I can really understand why the Industry (pressure,d the extension of the Price-Andersen Bill.
[/Before I close I would also like to ask you to co-sponsor H.Res 951, V to establish a Select Committee on Nuclear Proliferation and Nuclear D Export Policy.
Sincere y
- ours,
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I d Livingston r.
RECEIVED
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MinAl ( AP)- Att mpts to plug haa in pits storing used radioactive fuel at Flori-da Power & Light Co.'s Turkey Point power 1S d.0 plant have been unsuccessful, say officiah from the company and the Nuclear Energy Commission.
The " spent fuei" pits at the plant have 3
been leaking for two years, but the releases h
of radiation have been small and pose no 4
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(,1 flow of radioactive water from the leaks have been hampered by intense radioactiv-ity inside the pits that makes it impossible -
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The leaks are undesirable, and we. ryCommissio 's o
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The pita are hea'vily-shielded. Saulti
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ddit' al fuel' i ary buildings of concrete and stainless ", "ldlike to get rid of them,but they are- {t s$
ossible hat we ight eeladjacenttothenuclearreactorlocated
- wou'no safety hazard" said A. D. Schmidt.:
air theleaksbefore they
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s a Biscayne Bay 25 miles south ~of Mbmi. :Each year, fuel that sa no longer usdal FP
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h b h mperedbythe er producing electricity is unloaded as sby are not going to fall apart."Omaials say permanent repairs m
's.., Repaireffortsmay e atorage of spent ellets of uranium andeth'er radioactive ld be required to unload the fuel to iaterial, placed in the pits and flooded 'have to wais until all of the fuel can beunloaded and the p iith water. Although no longer useful, the "In that case, they would have to ship The water picks up andwashes away the ' meantime, the atorage pita are nearing ca uelholds lethal radiation.
pacity so FPLis seeking federal approval to l
" Leaks do not heal themselves," said haps to the adiation. It is this water that is leaking, expand the storage area.
Leaks were disco'vered in one of the pita
- n 1972 and were considered too minor to rpair, a company spokesman said. The.' Norman C.Moseley,and enforcement for the Nucelar R storage."
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second of the two pits was found to be leak-
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