ML20196B479

Responds to Requesting Comment on Concerns Expressed by Constituent B Moller in Re Radioactive Liquid Releases from Subj Plant.No Safety Concerns Exist at Plant to Change Staff Conclusions

ML20196B479
Person / Time
Site:	Rancho Seco
Issue date:	06/20/1988
From:	Stello V NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:	Cranston A SENATE
Shared Package
ML20196B484	List: ML20196B479 ML20196B502
References
NUDOCS 8806300280
Download: ML20196B479 (5)

Text

l

• A 400 o UNITED STATES

! 1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l; WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 p

% # June 20, 1988 The Honorable Alan Cranston United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Cranston:

In response to i 20, 1988 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)ourletterdatedMay

, you requested that the NRC coment on concerns expressed by or.e of your constituents, Ms. Barbara Holler, in her letter to vou dated May 16, 1988 regardingradioactiveliquidreleasesfromthe(anchoSec6fluclear)

Generating Station. -

Ms. Holler referred to an April 14, 1984 newspaper account of radioactive liquid releases from Rancho Seco t.at occurred between 1980 and 1984. The newspaper article described radioactive 1 auid releases from Rancho Seco that appeared to have exceeded the Federal regulatory limits as set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Title 40 Part 190 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Ms. Moller stated that there was no consistency between Federal and utility radioactive liquid release limits.

The EPA limits are given in terms of exposure to offsite personnel. Each nuclear power station is required to develop an offsite dose calculation manual that converts quantities of cesium isotopes and other radionuclides released from the site into a corresponding exposure to offsite personnel. In the case

! of liquid releases, the conversion takes into account, in addition to the types of radionuclides and their half-lives, the amount of dilution provided by onsite and offsite water sources. B2 tween 1980 and 1984, the conversion calculations performed by Rancho Seco personnel were incorrect and Rancho Seco I releases created dose conditions offsite which could have exceeded regulatory exposure limits to the public. Investigations by Brookhaven National Laboratory personnel showed that even though conditions for exposure in excess of regulatory limits existed offsite, no person was exposed to a dose in excess of the EPA limits.

In addition to the EPA radioactive release limits which are given in terms of public exposure limits, the NRC in 10 CFR Part 20 prescribes release limits in terrn of concentration of each radioisotope, including cesium isotopes. The NRC limits can be applied by utility personnel directly, without the use of a dose calculationmanual,andserveasabackuptothemorestringent(site-specific)

EPA limits.

The utility develops release limits based on offsite exposure design objectives published by the NRC in 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix 1. The limits based on design objectives are substantially more conservative than the EPA or NRC limits to ensure that (assuming utility personnel perform calculations correctly) plant releases will not approach Federal limits.

The miscalculations by Rancho Seco personnel between 1980 and 1984 prompted an extensive NRC evaluation of the Rancho Seco radioactive liquid release program.

8806300200 080620 PDR ADOCK 05000312 H PDR

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l The Honorable Alan Cranston The results of the evaluation are described in the Rancho Seco restart safety evaluation, NUREG-1286, Supplement 1, Section 4.3. Following the NRC evaluation, Rancho Seco liquid waste handling systems were modified and calculational techniques to determine permissible liquid release levels were revised. The Rancho Seco liquid release limits are based on arid conditions in the imediate vicinity of the plant with minimal water available for dilution.

As a result, permissible liquid discharge levels from Rancho Seco are much lower than those applicable to most plants in the United States which typically have a large body of water to serve as a dilution source in the imediate vicinity of the plant. Ms. Mo11er's concerns that radioactive releases from Rancho Seco may contaminate majP California water systems and agricultural lands are not realistic. The sn. ll amounts of radioactive liquid releases from Rancho Seco, when eventually diluted by the major water systems referenced by Ms. Moller, would make a virtually indistinguishable contribution to naturally occurring radiation in the water and soil.

In a separate concern, Ms. Moller implied that radioactive waste disposal sites are not available to Rancho Seco. Rancho Seco waste continues to be shipped to the low level waste disposal sites at Beatty, Nevada, and Richland, Washington.

In compliance with the Low Level Waste Policy Amendment Act, California is developing an in-state low level radioactive waste disposal site that is expected to begin operation in 1992.

All U.S. nuclear utilities, including Rancho Seco, store high level waste (spent fuel) on site while a high level waste repository is being developed.

A high level waste repository is expected to begin operation in the year 2003.

Ms. Moller also expressed concern over newspaper accounts of radioactive water releases at Rancho Seco that occurred inside the reactor building. The reactor building is a water and airtight structure which houses most of the radicactive plant systems. Liquid and gaseous releases from these systems occasionally occur; however, the reactor building is designed to contain and collect the releases.

The collected radioactive material is processed by plant systems for reuse or for disposal as radioactive waste.

The radioactive releases referenced by Ms. Holler, although not significant in terms of public health and safety, were evaluated by the NRC staff for indication of problems which could adversely impact future operations. The releases occurred during restart related tests which were part of an overall program to test plant components, systems and system interfaces. The fests associated with the releases identified some problems with plant hardware and procedures. These were corrected and the tests were subsequently completed with satisfactory results. The staff did not consider that these problems were significant in terms of overall operational capability.

The Honorable Alan Cranston There are numerous additional technical issues, including the pipe wall thickness concern mentioned by Ms. Moller, which the NRC staff is evaluating at Rancho Seco and at other nuclear power plants. The nuaber of open issues at Rancho Seco is comparable to that of an average nuclear power plant. Should any of the open issues develop into safety concerns, the NRC will take appropriate steps to

. resolve the problem.

At the present time, there are no safety concerns identified at Rancho Seco which change the staff.'s conclusions as stated in the restart safety evaluation, NUREG- 1286, regarding operational readiness at Rancho Seco. The staff will continue to monitor the plant to ensure.that future operations are conducted safely and in compliance with applicable Federal safety standards.

Sincerely, W M j'T.K,Rchm ictor Stello, Jr.

Executive Director for Operations

-DISTAIBUTION Docket File G. Holahan NRC PDR w/cy of incoming OGC LPDR w/cy of inccming GPA/CA (3)

ED0 #0003721 SECY (3)

EDO Reading V. Stello T. Murley D.Mossburg,PMAS(EDO#0003721)w/cy of incoming J. Sneizek PShea PDV Reading w/cy of incoming GXalman D. Crutchfield JLee PDV Greeen Ticket File CWillis

• See previous concurrence

• DRSP/PDV *NMSS *NRR/DREP *DRSP/D:PDV G. Kalman:cw T. Johnson, HMSS C. Willis G. Knighton 6/1/88 6/1/88 6/1/88 6/3/88

• ADR/DRSP *D/DRSP *ADP

• Tech Edit. G. Holahan D. Crutchfield F. Miraglia 6/1/88 /3/88 6/3/88 6/5/88

• RR ' .MR GPA/CA h ED0 /

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E NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 h' p, 1 iy

'bs Y N  %, EDO Principal Correspondence Control /

FROM: DUE: 06/08/88 EDO CONTROLt 0003721 DOC DT 05/20/88 FINAL REPLY:

Srn. Alan Cranston TO:

OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF: ** GRN ** CRC NO: 88-0476 l

Exscutive Director j DESC: ROUTING:

ENCLOSES LETTER FROM BARBARA MOLLER CONCERNING JMartin RADIOACTIVE WATGER RELEASES FROM RANCHO SECO DATE: 05/25/88 ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

NRR Murley SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Roturn incoming with reply.

Mark envelope Attn Jim kohlenberger.

NRR RECEIVED: MAY 25, 1988 ACTION: DRSP:CRU'ICHFIELDT '

NRR ROUTING: MURLEY/SNIEZEK MIRAGLIA MARTIN GILLESPIE ETl0N MOSSBURG DUE TO NRR DIRECTOR'S OFF 'E BY ,d~e 3.L937, -

.)

~

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET PAPER NUMBER: CRC-88-0476 LOGGING DATE: May 25 88 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: A. Cranston--Const Ref AFFILIATION: U.S. SENATE LETTER DATE: May 20 88 FILE CODE: ID&R-5 Rancho Seco

SUBJECT:

Contaminated water releases from Rancho Seco nuc plant ACTION: Direct Reply DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack, Docket SPECIAL HANDLING: None l

NOTES: Barbara Moller DATE DUE: Jun 8 88 SIGNATURE: . DATE SIGNED:

AFFILIATION:

d Rec'd Off. EDO DateQAf,p p TimeJo .s 95 (po ._06371 L. _. _ . _ . - ~ . _ . _. ___. -

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