ML20151X490
| ML20151X490 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Beaver Valley |
| Issue date: | 08/24/1977 |
| From: | Liza Cunningham, Flack E, Metzger J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-77-148, NUDOCS 9809170115 | |
| Download: ML20151X490 (2) | |
Text
_ _
4 f u r; x,1 p v 1
C:bg PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION L
(4 August 24, 1977 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-77-148 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information i
y presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.
s Facility: Duquesne. Light ~ Company
?
l Beaver Valley Unit 1 (DN 50-334) and Unit 2 (DN 50-412)
Shippingport, Pennsylvania
Subject:
RELEASE OF RADI0 ACTIVE MATERIAL TO CONSTRUCTION AREA At 2:00 p.m., August 23, 1977, the licensee discovered that small amounts of radioactive, borated water had been leaking from the Unit 1 Auxiliary Building via a concrete trench to the Unit 2 construction area for an undetermined time. This resulted in contamination of the trench and a mound of earth 10 feet by 10 feet by 8 feet high at the Unit 2 end of
)
the trench.
Since rebar was stored on the mound of earth, construction personnel had worked in the contaminated area and, therefore, were exposed to potential contamination.
Surveys of the mound showed radiation levels of up to 3000 cpm (100 cpm isequivalenttobackground)onthesurface. At depths of two feet in the mound, and in all areas surrounding the mound, the levels were 100 cpm or less.
/ive construction workers who worked in the contaminated area on August 23, 1977, and the health physics / decontamination personnel who performed surveys and decontamination operations on the mound, were surveyed. No radioactive contamination was found on them.
In addition, a change area through which construction workers ingress and egress the site, was surveyed and showed background radiation levels. This indicates that no significant worker contamination / exposure occurred. As a check on this indication, other construction workers and their automobiles will be checked as they report to work on August 24, 1977.
The licensee has established accecs controls around the contaminated areas.
Decontamination and necessary earth removal are in progress.
The source of water has been determined to be a sump in a boric acid o/
recovery system room, which had an inoperable pump and level alarm
/
system. The sump pump and level alarm system are being repaired.
p j < I*'
CONTINUED 9809170115 770824 PDR I8 E PNG-77-148 PDR
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l Page 2 August 24, 1977
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Continued PN0-77-148 l
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Media interest is expected because of close attention given to inadvertent releases of radioactive material from nuclear facilities. The Comonwealth of Pennsylvania has been informed. A press release has been made by the licensee on August 23, 1977.
T-NRC, Region I (Philadelphia), receivcd notification of this o'ccurrence from the Licensee by an NRC reactor inspector who was onsite at 4q~5 p.m.,
August 23, 1977. After this notification and an evaluation of the event, y
two health phystes inspectors were dispatched to the site at 6:30 p.m.,
August 23, 1977, to confirm licensee measurements.
This information is current as of 8:30 a.m., August 24, 1977.
Contact:
EDFlack, IE x28188 LJCunningham, IE x27551 JRMetzger, IE x27551 Distribution:
Transmitted H St/A /h.;
Chairman Hendrie Comissioner Bradford Comissioner Kennedy S. J. Chilk, SECY C. C. Kammerer, CA Comissioner Gilinsky (For Distribution)
Transmitted: MNBB /7:M P Bldg / a l/ 7 E. Volgenau, IE L. V. Gossick, ED0 E. G. Case, NRR Region.I '/A/c'4/
S. H. Hanauer, ED0 J. J. Fouchard, PA SS Bldg /d 13 ')-
(MAIL)
W. G. Mcdonald, MIPC C. V. Smith, NMSS R. J. McTiernan, 01A..
R. G. Ryan, OSP R. Minogue, SD H. K. Shapar, ELD PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATIUN t