ML20216J913
| ML20216J913 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vallecitos File:GEH Hitachi icon.png |
| Issue date: | 08/31/1978 |
| From: | Liza Cunningham, Higginbotham L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-78-159, NUDOCS 9804220030 | |
| Download: ML20216J913 (2) | |
Text
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N PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION
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i August 31, 1978 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-78-159 This )reliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance.
The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation a_nd is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.
Facility:
General Electric Company GE Test Reactor (GETR)
Pleasanton, California Docket No. 50-70
Subject:
TRITIUM IN GROUNDWATER NEAR VALLECITOS SITE Four members of the Region V staff attended a meeting yesterday (August 30) 4 in Oakland called by the San Francisco Bay Region Water Quality Control
(
i Board to discuss their sampling results showing elevated tritium levels in groundwaters near General Electric Company's Vallecitos Nuclear Center.
GE routinely releases tritium originating at its General Electric Test l
Reactor (GETR) to the Vallecitos Creet.
The company has continued to process a backlog of tritiated water despite the shutdown of the reactor since last October, i
1 At the meeting, representatives of various county, state and Federal agencies (NRC, EPA and USGS) discussed the Regional Water Quality Control i
Board's sampling program.
Of particular concern was a shallow well near the Vallecitos site, which had increased in tritium concentration from i
7,000 pCi/ litre in December 1977 to 30,000 pCi/ litre in May to 50,000 pCi/ litre in June.
Subsequent samples by GE in July and August showed no detectable levels.
Some other sampling locations in the area showed I
above bcckground concentrations of tritium, but were generally less than the EPA drinking water standard of 20,000 pCi/ litre.
GE releases of tritium in recent months have been less than one percent of the allowable under Part 20.
l The RWQCB and the California. Health Department agreed to additional i
studies of the well and the hydrology of the area.
GE agreed to continue l
sampling the well in cooperation with the RWQCB.
Consid'erable media interest is evident in the Bay Area.
Neither NRC, nor GE plans to issue a press release, but are responding to media inquiries along with the RWQCB.
CONTINUED g
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j Page 2 Continued PNO-78-159 August 31, 1978 i
Region V received a telephone call from the RWQCB requesting their attendance at the meeting on August 23.
A copy of a RWQCD report of sampling results were received by. mail in Region V on August 28.
Contact:
LCunningh's, FFMSI x28188 LBHigginbotham, FFt1SI x28098 l
Distribution:
Transmitted H St 64.*3 7 Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky (For Distribution) l Transmitted:
MNBB 44:ct/
P Bldg 48: 4/ 3' J. G. Davis. IE l
L. V. Gossick, ED0 '
H. R. Denton, NRR Region [][_,44l45/,
S. H. Hanauer, EDO J. J. Fouchard, PA SS Bldg 46.'Gl$7 (MAIL) 1 l
N. M. Haller,f1PA C. V. Smith, NMSS
- 0. G. Abston, 01A l
R. G. Ryan,- OSP i
l H. K. Shapar, ELD R. tiinogue, SD 555 l
i 23:.:
PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION
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