WBL-21-051, 30-Day Voluntary Report in Accordance with Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative

30-Day Voluntary Report in Accordance with Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative

ML21322A109
Person / Time
Site:	Watts Bar
Issue date:	11/18/2021
From:	Anthony Williams Tennessee Valley Authority
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
WBL-21-051
Download: ML21322A109 (3)

Text

TENNESSEE 1\/4 VALLEY AUTHORITY Post Office Box 2000, Spri ng City, Tennessee 37381 WBL-21-051 November 18, 2021 10 CFR 50.4 ATTN : Document Control Desk U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington , D.C. 20555-0001 Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 Facility Operating License Nos. NPF-90 and NPF-96 NRC Docket Nos. 50-390 and 50-391

Subject:

30-Day Voluntary Report in Accordance with Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is submitting the attached voluntary 30-day report in accordance with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) 07-07 , "Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative - Final Guidance Document," Rev. 1. Samples obtained from two groundwater monitoring wells at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) contained tritium at a concentration that exceeded the threshold value for voluntary reporting in accordance with NEI 07-07 . The initial NRC notification of this condition was completed on October 28 , 2021 .

There are no new regulatory commitments in this letter. Please direct any questions concerning this matter to Brian Watson , WBN Chemistry Manager, at (423) 365-3262.

-~ peGt:ft1II ,

Anthony L. Williams IV Site Vice President Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Enclosure 30-Day Voluntary Report

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission WBL-21-051 Page 2 November 18, 2021 cc: (Enclosure)

NRC Regional Administrator - Region II NRC Senior Resident Inspector - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant NRC Project Manager - Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Tennessee Radiological Health Department Director Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation Senior Director - Water Programs Rhea County Emergency Services Chief

Enclosure 30-Day Voluntary Report Description of Event On October 27, 2021, Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) received confirmatory analysis results from two groundwater monitoring wells that were sampled in support of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative (GPI). The analysis determined that tritium levels exceeded the NEI voluntary reporting threshold of 20,000 pico-Curies/liter (pCi/L) for wells R and S which are located inside the plant Protected Area (PA). In accordance with the NEI guidance, reports to required agencies were made on the next business day, October 28, 2021. The following information is provided consistent with the NEI reporting guidelines:

i. This voluntary special 30-day report is submitted in accordance with NEI 07-07, Industry Ground Water Protection Initiative - Final Guidance Document, Rev. 1.

ii. On October 27, 2021, WBN received confirmatory analysis results for samples collected on September 23, 2021 from wells R and S. The tritium activity levels were determined to be 157,000 pCi/L and 747,000 pCi/L, respectively.

iii. Initial actions taken by the plant included notification to the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation, the Tennessee Radiological Health Department, Rhea County Emergency Services, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Based on the affected monitoring well locations, the most likely source is the Radwaste Line which is used for permitted discharges offsite. The site secured releases from the Radwaste Line. A temporary modification will be installed to allow permitted releases to continue while additional actions are taken to confirm the leak location and to replace affected portions of the Radwaste Line. An experienced vendor is assisting WBN in actions to monitor and remediate the condition.

iv. Monitoring of the sites effluent pathways for tritium indicates that tritium in the groundwater has not migrated off the plant property. The location of the exceedance was adjacent to the plant. The groundwater in the area moves towards the sites French drain system and will be discharged via a permitted pathway. Additionally, the source was effluent that was permitted for release offsite. Therefore, there is no estimated annual dose increase to any member of the public associated with this event.

v. Since there is no estimated annual dose increase to a member of the public from the groundwater pathway, no corrective actions are necessary to reduce the projected annual dose to a member of the public to less than the limits in 10 CFR 50, Appendix I. WBN will continue to monitor the condition and initiate corrective actions as needed.

WBL-21-051 E1 of 1