ML19318C668
| ML19318C668 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Haddam Neck File:Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co icon.png |
| Issue date: | 05/28/1980 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Counsil W CONNECTICUT YANKEE ATOMIC POWER CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007020140 | |
| Download: ML19318C668 (1) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES meev o,,
NUCt. EAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3
S REctON l c'
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$31 PARK AVENUE g
KING OF PRUS$1 A PENNSYLVANI A 19406 May 28, 1980 Docket No. 50-213 Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company ATTN: Mr. W. G. Counsil Vice President - Nuclear Engineering and Operations P. O. Box 270 Hartford, Connecticut 06101 Gentlemen:
The enclosed IE Information Notice No. 80-22, " Breakdowns in Contamination Control Programs," is forwarded to you for information.
No written response is required.
If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, Y
'n Boyce H. Grier
- Director
Enclosures:
f-1.
IE Information Notice No. 80-22 2.
List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices CONTACT:
P. J. Knapp (215-337-5243) cc w/encls:
R. Graves, Plant Superintendent D. G. Diedrick, Manager of Quality Assurance J. R. Himmelwright, Licensing Safeguards Engineer 4
8007020(9,
i ENCLOSURE 1 SSINS: 6870 Accessions No:
UNITED STATES 8005 50059 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION r
0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT M
1 WASHINGTON, DC 20555
/
j IE Information Notice No. 80-22 Date:
May 28, 1980 Page 1 of 2 BREAKDOWNS IN CONTAMINATION CONTROL PROGRAMS Description of Circumstances Recent inspections at power reactors have revealed breakdowns in contamination control programs resulting in releases of radioactive materials to the unre-stricted area and off-site environment by several different pathways.
The fi hway was via disposal of supposedly clean trash in the nearby coun sani landfill.
High background radiation levels due to an onsite build p of radioactive waste precluded adequate radiation surveys of clean trasjf prior to removal from the restricted area.
In addition, the surveys wi#e being conducted by 1,oroperly trained personnel.
The result was the undetected disposal of rad) Metive material in the local sanitary landfill.
An NRC inspector observed the practice and confirmed his suspicions when he detected levels of radiation 10 to 20 times normal background levels at the landfill.
Subsequent surveys by the licensee, the State, and the NRC revealed j
several other areas in the landfill with higher than normal dose rates.
1 Excavation by the licensee revealed items with contamination levels up to 100 mrem /hr contact reading.
These items had been delivered with the clean trash from the plant and buried at the landfill.
A second pathway was identified to be through the sale by the licensee of scrap materials to salvage dealers in the surroundin Several items with contamination levels in excess of the licensee'g area.s unrestricted area release limits were discovered to have been sold to these vendors.
Maximum dose rates on these items did not exceed 1.0 mrem /hr.
This condition evidently also resulted tre the elevated background radiation levels within the plant and the practice of permitting unqualified personnel to conduct radiation surveys.
A third pathway was found during a recent NRC inspection.
An NRC inspector's radiation survey revealed soil contamination on site extending beyond the protected area fence.
Radiation levels as high as 1.5 mrem /hr were measured on contact with the soil.
The contamination is believed to be atmospheric fallout of particulate radioactivity which was exhausted from the plant stack during containment purge following explosive plugging of steam generator tubes.
The steam generator manways were not covered and the purge system was not equipped with HEPA filters.
The licensee's survey program did not include routine, periodic site and perimeter surveys.
i L- -
~
IE Information Notice No. 80-22 Date:
May 28, 1980 Page 2 of 2
'1is IE Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a significant 6
matter that is still under review by the NRC staff.
It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities.
No specific action or response is requested at this time.
If NRC evaluations so indicate, further licensee actions may be required.
No written response to this IE Information Notice is required.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Director of the appro-priate NRC Regional Office.
1
ENCLOSURE 2 IE Information Notice No. 80-22 Date:
May 28, 1980 Page 1 of 1 RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES 7.nformation Subject Date Issued to Notice No.
Issued 80-14 Safety Suggestions from 4/2/80 All Power Reactor Facil-Employees ities with an (Operating License (OL) or Construction Permit (CP), Fuel Fabrica-tion and Processing Facili-ties and Materials Priority 1 Licensees 80-15 Axial (Longitudinal) 4/21/80 All Power Reactor Facil-Oriented Cracking in ities with an OL or CP Piping 80-16 Shaft Seal Packing 5/5/80 All Power Reactor Facil-Causes Binding in Main ities with an OL or CP Steam Swing Check and Isolation Valves 80-17 Potential Hazards 5/5/80 Ali Radiographic Licensees Associated With i
Interchangeable Parts On Radiographic Equipment 80-18 Possible Weapons 5/5/80 All Power Reactor Faci-Smuggling Pouch lities with an OL, Fuel Fabrication and Processing Facilities and Materials Priority I Licensees 80-19 NIOSH Recall of Recir-5/6/80 All Power Reactors with an culation-Mode (Closed-OL, Research Reactors, Fuel Circuit) Self-Contained Facilities and Priority I Breathing Ap aratus Material Licensees (Rebreathers 80-20 Loss of Decay Heat Re-5/8/80 All Power Reactor Faci-moval Capability at lities with an OL or CP Davis-Besse Unit 1 While in Refueling Mode 80-21 Anchorage and Support 5/16/80 All Power Reactor Faci-of Safety-Related lities with an OL or CP Electrical Equipment
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