ML20034D859
Text
Chris Ahola, CHP Radiation Protection Manager
May16,2016 Ms.PoonamAcharya ProjectManager DepartmentofToxicSubstancesControl 5796CorporateAvenue Cypress,CA90630
Subject:
SanOnofreNuclearGeneratingStation(SONGS)MesaFacilityRequestfor RadiologicalAssessment
DearMs.Acharya,
ThisletterrespondstoonerequestinyourletterdatedFebruary16,2016toMs.
PhuongTranofSouthernCaliforniaEdisonCompany(SCE)regardingtheactivitiesassociated withtheVoluntaryCleanupAgreementfortheSONGSMesaFacility,Parcels5,6,and7(the MesaFacility).Inaddition,yourletterrequeststhatSCEperformaradiologicalassessmentof theMesaFacilityduetoitsproximityandsupportingoperationstotheSONGSplantsite.You alsorecommendedthattheNuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)andtheCalifornia DepartmentofPublicHealth(DPH)becontactedtoreviewandapprovetheradiationrelated assessments.1Inresponse,thislettersubmitsradiologicalassessmentscompletedfortheMesa Facility.AlsoprovidedistheNRCcorrespondencethatsupportsthefindingsinthose assessments.Theseradiologicalassessmentsdemonstratethat:
1.ReportsproducedfortheSONGSRadiologicalEnvironmentalMonitoringProgram (REMP)demonstratethatnodetectableradioactivecontaminationfromSONGS plantrelatedactivitiesisattheMesaFacilityorthesurroundingareas.
2.NodetectableradioactivecontaminationfromSONGSplantrelatedactivitiesis presentontheMesaFacilityfrommaterialinadvertentlytransferredtotheMesa Facility.
TheradiologicalassessmentdocumentsarecontainedoneachoftheenclosedtwoCDsandare summarizedbelow.
AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport SCEinstitutedtheradiologicalenvironmentalmonitoringrequiredbyNRCandU.S.
EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyregulationsonanannualbasissincetheSONGSplantsstarted operating.TheREMPobjectiveistoprovidemeasurementsofSONGSplantrelated radionuclidesintheareassurroundingtheplantandmonitoringofpotentialexposure
1YourMarch23,2016letteralsorequestedthatRadiologicalassessmentfortheMesaFacilityshouldbe completedandapprovedbytheNRCand/orCDPHpriortoclosureofParcel5.
Ms.PoonamAcharya May16,2016 Page2of4
pathways.TheAnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReports(AREOR)documentthe comprehensivemonitoringundertakentodemonstratethenegligibleimpactofSONGS operationonthelocalenvironment.CDTabs1through5arethe2015through2011AREORs, respectively.2 Preoperational3samplingwasperformedatcontrollocationsbothwithintheSONGSplant areaandwellawayfromtheSONGSarea4.Thepreoperationalsamplingidentifiedradioactive materialprimarilyduetoweaponstestingatlocationsawayfromtheSONGSplant.Subsequent testinghasalsoshowntheeffectsoftheChernobylandFukushimaincidents.Sampling pathwaysconsistofair,drinkingwater,oceanwater,fish,crustaceans,soil/sediment,sand, kelp,localcropsanddirectradiation.5Theenclosedreports,andpastAREORs,haveshownthat SONGSplantrelatedactivitieshavecausednodetectableradioactivecontamination.Several REMPdatacollectionstationsarelocatedontheMesaFacility,includinganairsampler,local gardenforcropsanddirectradiationmonitoringstations,whichdirectlycorrelatetoa conclusionofnodetectableradioactivecontaminationontheMesaFacilityfromSONGSplant relatedactivities.
MesaFacilitySpecificRadiologicalAssessment Duringthe1980s,somelimitedradiologicalmaterialwasinadvertentlytransferredfromthe SONGSplantsitetotheMesaFacility.Theradiologicalmaterialwasprimarilycontaminationon toolsandequipment.AstheSONGSNRCLicensedidnotallowforthecontaminatedmaterial tobeontheMesaFacility,upondiscoveryofcontaminatedmaterial,suchmaterialwas immediatelysecured,transferredbacktotheappropriatelocationwithintheSONGSplantarea, andtheMesaFacilityareawasverifiedtohavenodetectableradioactivecontaminationfrom thismaterial.
AttherequestoftheDepartmentoftheNavy(DoN),6theNRCsentaDecember1,2015letter toCommanderFletcheroftheDoN(CDTab12)affirmingthatSCEappropriatelyaddressedand remediatedtheseincidents,assupportedbytheNRCsInspectionReport(IR)#50206/8102 (CDTab13).FurthersupportthattheMesaFacilitydoesnothavedetectableradioactive contaminationfromSONGSplantrelatedactivitiesisshowninthedocumentationonthe enclosedCD.CertifiedHealthPhysicistshiredbySCEpreparedmemoranda(CDTabs710) thatdiscuss(i)theassessmentoftheincidentswhenradiologicalmaterialwasinadvertently transferredtotheMesaFacilityareafromtheSONGSplant,(ii)howtheincidentswere addressedandremediated,ifneeded,and(iii)thestepstaken,includingadditionalsurveys,to
2LinktoSCEAREORsatNRCswebsite:http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/opsexperience/tritium/plant specificreports/sano23.html 3PriortotheoperationofSONGSUnit1in1968.
4TheAREORsidentifythesamplinglocations.
5SplitsamplingisperformedwiththeDPH.
6TheMesaFacilityislocatedonDoNland.
Ms.PoonamAcharya May16,2016 Page3of4
showthatnodetectableradioactivecontaminationremainedonParcels5,6,and7duetosuch incidents.
ConclusionRegardingRadiologicalContaminationontheMesa
TheREMPAREORs(currentandhistorical)showthatSONGSplantrelatedactivitieshavenot causedanydetectableradioactivecontaminationontheMesaFacilitythroughanalysisof environmentalmedia,suchassoil,air,andwater.Additionally,theareaswhereradioactive materialwasinadvertentlybroughttotheMesaFacilityhavebeenfullyremediatedandsurveys wereconductedtodemonstratethatnodetectableradioactivecontaminationfromSONGS plantrelatedactivitiesisontheMesaFacility.
ContactwithNRCandDPH
Asnotedabove,similartotheDTSCsrequestthatSCEcontacttheNRCregardingtheMesa Facilityradiationrelatedassessment,theDoNhadpreviouslyrequestedtheNRCprovidean opinionregardingdetectableradioactivecontaminationontheMesaFacilityfromtheincidents mentionedabove.TheNRCsDecember1,2015letter(CDTab12)indicatesthatSCEhas appropriatelyaddressedandremediatedanySONGSplantrelatedradioactivematerials contamination,alsocitingtotheSONGSREMP.Thus,asnodetectableradioactive contaminationfromSONGSplantrelatedactivitiesisattheMesaFacility,theNRCconcludes thattheMesaFacilityisnotsubjecttoNRClicensing.SCEhasbrieflydiscussedtheDTSCrequest withDPHrepresentatives,whohaveinformedSCEthatDPHwillrespondtoaDTSCrequestfor reviewoftheinformationenclosedwiththisletter.SCEhascopiedDPHonthistransmittal.In lightoftheenclosedinformation,includingtheNRCsDecember1,2015letter,ifDTSCbelieves thatDPHsreviewisnolongernecessary,pleaseletmeknow.
WewouldbepleasedtodiscusstheradiologicalassessmentswithyouandotherDTSCstaff.
Shouldyouhaveanyquestions,pleasecontactMr.BrianMetzat949.368.7311.
Sincerely,
ChrisAhola,CHP RadiationProtectionManager
cc:
GonzaloPerez,DPH,ChiefRadiologicalHealthBranch
NinoMascolo,SCE
StevieVaughan,SCE
BrianMetz,SCE
PhuongTran,SCE
Ms.PoonamAcharya May16,2016 Page4of4
ListofdocumentscontainedwithineachenclosedCD
Tab Document 1
SONGS2015AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport(AREOR) 2 SONGS2014AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport(AREOR) 3 SONGS2013AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport(AREOR) 4 SONGS2012AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport(AREOR) 5 SONGS2011AnnualRadiologicalEnvironmentalOperatingReport(AREOR) 6 DTSCFebruary16,2016lettertoSCErequestingaradiologicalassessmentofMesa LeaseParcels5,6,and7 7
May28,2015MemotoFile(amendingApril10,2014MemotoFile)Assessing RadiologicalEventsattheMesaandrecommendingadditionalsurveys 8
April11,2014AddendumtoMemotoFileregardingAdequacyof1981Radiological SurveysforMesaLocationsaandb 9
April30,2014MesaSurveyPlan.Describestheplanforconductingthesurveysfor residualcontaminationontheMesa 10 July2,2014MemotoFileregardingResultsofConfirmatoryRadiologicalSurveyat theMesasummarizingsurveyresultstoconfirmnoevidenceispresentofdetectable radioactivecontaminationcomparedtobackground 11 SurveysthatdocumentthetoolsandequipmentlocatedontheMesapriortotheir salewerenotcontaminated 12 December1,2015letterfromU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissiontoCommander DouglasFletcher,DepartmentofNavy 13 February13,1981letterfromU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissiontoSCE.
- a. InspectionReport50206/8102