ML20084L314

Ro:On 740327,radwaste Discharge Pipe Broke at Radwaste Bldg Wall.Caused by Caisson Used for Concrete Support Driven Into Ground Near Southwest Corner of Radwaste Bldg.Permanent Pipe Connected to Discharge Line on 740401

ML20084L314
Person / Time
Site:	Quad Cities
Issue date:	04/09/1974
From:	Kalivianakis N COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO.
To:	Oleary J US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
ML20084L319	List: ML20084L314 ML20084L322 ML20084L326
References
NJK-74-28, NUDOCS 8305200629
Download: ML20084L314 (3)

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p, Mr. John F. O' Leary, Director Directorate of Licensing Regulation U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545 Referenca: Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 Docket No. 50-254, DPR-29, Appendix A Section 1.0.A.3 Dcar Mr. O' Leary:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the details of a break in the radioactive vaste discharge pipe on March 27, 1974. This occurrence was previously reported to you by telegrem on April 1, 1974, and was discussed with Region III Regulatory Operations personnel by telephone that same day.

PROBLEM AND INVESTIGATION At 9:00 on March 27, 1974 a caisson to be used for concrete support of the new radwaste building was driven into the ground near the southwest corner of the present radwaste building. Vibrations and impact of this caisson on the radwaste discharge pipe caused the pipe to be severed at the radwaste building wall. This pipe break uas not actually discovered until the afternoon of March 31, 1974, when con-tractors' personnel observed bubbling in standing unter around the caisson. The radiation protection department was notifind of the situation on April 1, 1974 at 7:35 a.m.

Immediately liquid radwaste discharge uns terminat ad and the area was surveyed with end-wimlow GM meters and found to be slightly contaminated. Station construction was notified and the area in the vicinity was excavated which revealed the broken discharge pipe.

CAUSES AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS On the morning of April 1, 1974, station construction depart-ment hooked up a tcmporary steel pipe and fire hose to re-connect the raduastc discharge line. This was found to be t'}.tf 5[

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satisfactory for temporarily discharging liquid radwaste.

Radiation protection personnel surveyed the temporary line and found that the line did not leak. The area was roped off and identified as a radioactive materials area.

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On the. morning of April 7, 1974 a permanent 316 stainless steel pipe was connected to the radwaste discharge effluent line at the building wall to replace the temporary line.

Approximately 50 feet of the line was replaced. This covers the portion that will be under the new radwaste building and the roadway.

i SAFETY IMPLICATIONS During the time period March. 27, 1974 to April l', 1974, ap-proximately 118,000 gallons of liquid radioactive waste was discharged into the sand-sediments on the south side of the radwaste building. The total activity discharged into the sand was approximately 0.191 curies. . Station construction

barrelled thirteen 55-gallon barrels with sand which was-reading 1000-2000 counts per minute. These barrels were sealed and shipped from the site as low level radwaste.

On the morning of April 1, 1974 three sediment' samples were taken in the-trench near the broken discharge line at a depth of 1 meter, Thane samples worn takon aftor starinn enn=truceinn had barrelled 13 barrels of sand.

The results of the activity in these sand samples as analyzed by Ge(Li) detection were as follows:

i Sample Sample Sample Location Size (g) Size (cm2) uCi/g pCi/cm2-

' A 1 meter 20 38 Cs-136 1.69X10-4

! below Cs-137 21.67X10-4 surface Co-134 12.60X10-4 I-131 0.68X10-4

Total 36.54x10-4 9~.65X10-2 B 1.5 meters 22 40 Cs-136 1.03X10-4 below Cs-137 11.80X10-4 surface Cs-134 6.98X10-4 I-131 0.95X10-4 Total 2.08X10-4 5.20X10-2 In addition water samples were taken in well #1 and well #5

~ onsite at Quad-Cities Nuclear Power Station. The results of Ge (Li) analysis indicated that no appreciable activity above background existed.

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O Mr. J. F. O' Leary April 9, 1974

'f Water samples were taken on April 4th in three caissons in the area of the broken line. Also, sediment samples were

~taken at 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 meters below the

' spill. On April 5th, three other sediment ramples were l taken at 0.3 meters below the surface at distances of 5 to i 10 meters from the point at which the line was severed.  ;

Analysis of these samples at the site indicato no signifi-cant activity above background levels. Additionally, Eberlinc 1

Instrument Company will be.unalyzing portions of these same

! sampics. i i Eberline will also be sampling water wells at various places j routinely in the following month to determine any contami-nation above background levels.

1 Results of any analyses which are above background levels will be reported in a timely manner.

l CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE i

There has been no previous failure of the radwaste discharge i line at Quad-Citics Station. It is felt that the new stain-L loss steel line installed'along with caution practiced by

.cenetruction pm.sennel while ucrhing in thic arca should eliminate any further occurrences of this type.

Very truly yours, COMMONWEALTH EDISON COMPANY

QUAD-CITIES NUCLEAR POWER STATION 4

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N. J. Kalivianakis Station Superintendent i

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,. cc: Region III, Directorate of Regulatory Operations J. S. Abel i

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