ML21278A082

2021 List of Leaks and Spills

ML21278A082
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/05/2021
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
Smith M
References
Download: ML21278A082 (4)

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List of Leaks and Spills at Operating U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants October, 2021 Introduction This is a list of operating reactor sites that experienced a radioactive leak or spill to the onsite owner controlled area where the concentration of tritium in the leak source, or in a groundwater sample exceeded 20,000 pCi/L at some time since initial startup. A tritium concentration of 20,000 pCi/L is used as the threshold for inclusion in the list because it is the drinking water standard in EPAs Safe Drinking Water Act. This version updates the October 2020 list of leaks and spills.

Source of Information Recent information was compiled by NRC staff based on input from the nuclear power plant staff, Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports and Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports (see the NRCs web site for each sites detailed annual reports at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/tritium/plant-info.html). Historical information is based on Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports, Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports, Groundwater Questionnaires, Preliminary Notifications, Event Notifications, Licensee Event Reports, NRC Inspection Reports, Special Reports, and other documents submitted by the licensees to the NRC.

Contents After a radioactive leak or spill, tritium is generally the first radionuclide to be identified in groundwater. This is because tritium travels as a form of water through the soil faster than other radionuclides. The tritium concentrations for each plant documented in the list below consist of (1) the historical maximum concentration and (2) the current concentration. These values provide a reasonable approximation of the magnitude and extent of the historical leaks and spills as well as the current conditions.

The value listed as the Historical Maximum Concentration of Tritium in a Leak Source or in a Groundwater Sample is an approximation of the historical maximum tritium concentration from abnormal releases in which tritium from reactor operations contacted the onsite soil since initial startup. The timeframe in which the historical maximum tritium releases occurred is listed next to the maximum concentration value.

The value listed as the Current Maximum Groundwater Sample Tritium Concentration is a reasonable approximation of the current maximum tritium concentrations based on reported abnormal releases to onsite groundwater, or groundwater samples that have been collected and analyzed by the licensee. If a value has not been updated from the one listed in the previous version, it indicates the value continues to be a good approximation of the current conditions.

As documented in the licensee annual reports, groundwater samples were collected from onsite locations and analyzed including both drinking water wells and non-drinking water sample points (e.g., groundwater monitoring wells, storm drains, man holes, bore holes, piezometer tubes, surface water, puddles, and rain water). Although some values in the list exceed 20,000 pCi/L, none of those samples were collected from a drinking water well or from a municipal drinking water system. None of the samples collected from drinking water wells and municipal drinking water systems have ever exceeded the EPA drinking water standard of 20,000 pCi/L.

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Summary There are 55 nuclear power plant sites in the United States that are currently operating. Historical records indicate 38 of these sites have at one time or another had leaks or spills that involved tritium concentrations greater than or equal to 20,000 pCi/L. Seven sites are currently reporting tritium in groundwater, from a leak or spill, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L. No site is currently detecting tritium in groundwater in the offsite environment, or in drinking water, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L.

Tritium rapidly disperses and dissipates in the environment, and as a result, tritium from leaks and spills is typically not detected outside the facility boundary.

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List of Historical Leaks and Spills at Operating U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants It is important that the preceding paragraphs accompany any reproduction of this list so that the information is communicated in the proper context.

October, 2021 Updates Historical Maximum Timeframe of Historical Concentration of Maximum Concentration Current Maximum Tritium in a Leak of Tritium in a Leak Plant Groundwater Sample Tritium Source or in a Source or in a Concentration, pCi/L Groundwater Sample, Groundwater Sample, pCi/L pCi/L Beaver Valley 25,583 September, 2010 4,220 Braidwood 247,000 1998 794 Browns Ferry 36,444 March, 2016 3,030 Brunswick 19,000,000 December, 2010 150,000 Byron 82,000 February, 2006 459 Callaway 1,600,000 July, 2014 794 Catawba 47,500 October, 2007 7,720 Columbia 270,000 March, 1993 11,000 Davis-Besse 37,500 October, 2008 660 Dresden 10,312,000 July, 2004 15,600 Fitzpatrick, J.A. 105,000 April, 2010 Not detectable Ginna, R.E. 20,000 1995 347 Grand Gulf 2,240,000 March, 2014 3,920 Hatch, E.I. 6,840,000 September, 2011 1,700,000 Limerick 3,950,000 February, 2009 674 LaSalle 1,230,000 July, 2010 4,240 Millstone 4,000,000 November, 2007 5,030 Monticello 21,300 September, 2009 453 Nine Mile Point 44,000 August, 2012 242 North Anna 79,559 August, 2013 3,945 Oconee 45,000 December, 2011 4,600 Palisades 217,351 December, 2009 63,153 Palo Verde 4,200,000 March, 1993 Not detectable Peach Bottom 196,000 March, 2010 7,970 Perry 59,900 2006 354 Quad Cities 7,500,000 2008 48,800 3

River Bend 1,135,000 February, 2013 400,000 Salem 15,000,000 April, 2003 60,500 Seabrook 750,000 1999 1,320 Sequoyah 25,060 2015 25,700 St. Lucie 161,000 2000 2,570 Summer 23,000 July, 2011 935 Surry 31,900 October, 2007 9,630 Susquehanna >20,000 1995 202 Turkey Point >20,000 1979 5,050 Vogtle >20,000 1990s 2,260 Waterford 22,000 1997 Not detectable Watts Bar 550,000 February, 2005 2,660 4