ML20076B231

Advises That State of Wi Dept of Natural Resources Notified on 830603 That Ph of Retention Pond Discharge Was 9.4. Investigation Failed to Reveal Cause.Util Requested Removal of Ph Limits on Sewage Treatment Plant & Pond Effluents

ML20076B231
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	08/05/1983
From:	Fay C WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
To:	WISCONSIN, STATE OF
References
NUDOCS 8308190220
Download: ML20076B231 (2)

Text

- _ . . _

WISCONSIN Electnc me coww 231 W. MICHIGAN, P.O. BOX 2046. MILWAUKEE, WI 53201 August 5, 1983 STATE OF WISCONSIN Department of Natural Resources WPDES Permit Section P. O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 Gentlemen: .

WPDES Permit No. WI-0000957-2 POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT On June 3, 1983, the Department was notified that the pH of the retention pond discharge from the Point Beach Nuclear Plant (sample point 501) was 9.4 (s.u.) on June 1, 1983.

An investigation into the incident did not reveal a cause for the pH of the discharge. In order to better evaluate the pH problem, a program was initiated to monitor the pH of the various wastestreams that are routed ,

to the retention pond in addition to the pH of the influent and effluent to the retention pond. During the June 29, 1983, compliance audit conducted by Mr. Jeff Haack of the Lake Michigan DNR office, preliminary results from the monitoring program were discussed at length. It was agreed that when the program was completed, a report containing the monitoring data would be sub-mitted to the Department.

On June 16, 1983, a permit modification request for the Point Beach Nuclear Plant was submitted to the Department. We requested the removal of the pH limitations on the sewage treatment plant and retention pond effluents.

The sewage treatment plant effluent is routed to the retention pond, and the effluent from the retention pond is then routed to one of the two once-through cooling water discharges. The cooling water provides adequate buffering capacity to neutralize any excess alkalinity of the reteation pond effluent.

It is our understanding that the Department has reviewed this modification request and determined that the changes will be implemented in the permit scheduled to be reissued in August 1983.

Although we saticipate the removal of the pH limitation on the retention pond effluent, we plan to continue to investigate the current problem of high pH discharges from the retention pond. As agreed during ZEO/

8308190220 830805 21 PDR ADOCK 0S000266

[jf V f3 .

S PDR

, StOto of Witconsin DNR August 5, 1983 s,

the June 29 compliance audit, we will submit a report to the Department with the results of our ongoing pH monitoring program. If you have any questions regarding this incident or the monitoring program, please contact Mary Alyce Pezzi at 414-277-2158.

Very truly yours,,

,. , $'dl .

t>G L/ ,-

Vice President- ucit r Power C. W. Fay cc: DNR Lake Michigan Dktrict NRC Washington, DC NRC Region IIIv/'

. . . . -