ML20247F395
| ML20247F395 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 01/26/1987 |
| From: | Leinwander M SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247F042 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-89-2, FOIA-89-A-7 NUDOCS 8905300073 | |
| Download: ML20247F395 (2) | |
Text
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4 REPORT OF INTERVIEW OF MARK P. LEINWANDER Date Interviewed: January 26,* 1987 Date Dictated:
February 5,1987 On January 26, 1987, Mark P. LEINWANDER, a Chemistry Technician at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's (SMUD) Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station (Rancho Seco), was interviewed by Senior Investigator Ronald A. Meeks.
LEINWANDER - s interviewed at NRC's Resident Inspector office at Rancho Seco.
LEINWANDER's business telephone is (209)333-2935.
LEINWANDER was interviewed relative to his knowledge of the alteration of counting times in conjunction with the analysis of radioactivity in water contained in the Regenerate Holdup Tank (RHUT) at Rancho Seco.
With respect to the alteration of counting time, LEINWANDER stated:
1.
He has been employed since August 1984 as a Chemistry and Radiation Protection Technician at Rancho Seco.
2.
In the Spring 1985 the Chemistry Lab was very busy because of the' restart activities anticipated for May 1985.
It was during this time that the counting time for analysis of radioactive isotopes in the,RHUT was lowered from the normal 2000 seconds count time.
3.
The count time varied from day to day and the Chemists had to check to see what the count time was for the day.
4 When peaks were identified in the analysis and the reactor building basin was full, which precluded the RHUT water being returned to the secondary system, the analysis was rerun at a lower count time to preclude identifying radioactive peaks in the analysis.
5.
Both Bill WILSON and Steve MANOFSKY instructed LEINWANDER to count for shorter periods of time.
6.
At the initiation of this policy to lower the counting time, LEINWANDER objected and talked to the Radiation and Protection Superintendent, KELLIE.
IgkLIE told LEINWARDER that NRC agreed with the policy as long as Rancho W e's Lower Limits of Detection (LLD) was met.
7.
The alteration of counting times was frustrating to LEINWANDER because it was not the same each day.
8 A temporary demineralize was installed between the RHU1 A rr.d B tanks
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arsd when identifiable peaks were analyzed at the lower counting time, the water was run through the temporary deminerali7ers if there wts not
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any room in the casement to receive the RHUT water.
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LEINWANDER recalls one inc'ident when RHUT water was sampled six times [.(4 when each analyzation identified detectable peaks of radioactivity at EXHIBIT
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the lower count time. The water was eventually sent through the temporary demineralizers.
l 10.
LEINWANDER recalls one occasion when Chemistry and Radiation Technician, j
Rob WILLIAMS notified the Control Room that identifiable peaks were made j
at a 2000 second count time. WILLIAMS had completed the paperwork on this analyzation when he was later notified to rerun the analysis at a lower counting time.
11.
It was LEINWANDER's understanding that the releases were not made at the higher counting time because of SMUD public statements that no radio-active releases were to be made from Rancho Seco.
- 12. LEINWANDER recalls that instructions regarding the lower counting time was either put on the Chem Lab blackboard or in a memorandum that was circulated among the Chemistry and Radiation Protection Technicians.
- 13. LEINWANDER understood that water in the primary system was circulated from a Miscellaneous Waste Holdup Tank through the condensate (MWHUT) to the Demineralized Reactor Coolant Storage Tank (DRCST). This water was high in tritium but needed to be released, therefore a modification was established which sent the water from the DRCST to the RHUTs.
LEINWANDER stated that no samples were taken from the DRCST tank.
14 It was LEINWANDER's impression that the majority of Chemistry and
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Radiation Protection Technicians were upset about the instructions 'to lower the counting time on the radioactivity analysis. LEINWANDER recalls these technicians complaining to either WILSON and/or MANOFSKY about the fact that they did not agree with lowering the counting time.
MANOFSKY and WILSON instructed technicians to lower the counting time so that the water could be released and still show compliance with SMUD's public statement on no radioactivity releases from Rancho Seco.
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