PNO-III-97-012, on 970224,licensee Notified NRC Resident Inspector Ofc That Loose Radioactive Surface Contamination Spread Throughout Turbine Bldg,During Transfer of Radwaste Processing Filters from Temporary Storage Barrel

PNO-III-97-012:on 970224,licensee Notified NRC Resident Inspector Ofc That Loose Radioactive Surface Contamination Spread Throughout Turbine Bldg,During Transfer of Radwaste Processing Filters from Temporary Storage Barrel

ML20138F417
Person / Time
Site:	Big Rock Point File:Consumers Energy icon.png
Issue date:	02/26/1997
From:	Kozak T, Paul R NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-97-012, PNO-III-97-12, NUDOCS 9705050387
Download: ML20138F417 (2)

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RECElVED IWMf%'Pd6 e f PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EMHl0COMMMY ggkRRENCE PNO-III-97-012 i i  !

This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of l!

POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as

, initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically l j all that is known by Region III staff (Lisle Illinois) on this date.  !

Facility Licensee Emergency Classification  !

. Consumers Power Co. Notification of Unusual Event ,

! Big Rock Point 1 Alert  !

Charlevoix, Michigan Site Area Emergency l

! Dockets: 50-155 General Emergency l l X Not Applicable '

l i

Subject:

CONTAMINATION RELEASE TO THE TURBINE BUILDING  ;

i j On February 24, 1997, the licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector j Office that loose radioactive surface contamination was spread throughout j the turbine building during the transfer of radioactive waste (radwaste) processing filters from a temporary storage barrel into a shielded cask. ,

Following the event, the turbine building was posted as a contaminated  !

area and access was allowed to the area in accordance with licensee-  :

i procedures for contaminated areas.

! Radwaste handlers were using long-handled tools from above the radwaste  ;

processing area to transfer the spent filters. The filters had been in 2

i the storage barrel for approximately one month and had dried out. The licensee believes that dried resin on the filters was disturbed during the filter transfers and the ventilation flow carried the material to the turbine building.

Contamination levels ranged from 300,000 disintegrations per minute (dpm) i on large area surveys (smears) in the turbine building to 1 million dpm -l

on large area smears in the radwaste processing area. The primary i radionuclide present in the contamination was cobalt-60. The gamma radiation dose rate from the contamination on the large area smear was less than 5 millirem per hour and the beta dose rate on the smear was

) approximately 320 milli-Rad per hour. Beta radiation is effectively shielded by personal clothing. Although several individuals were slightly externally contaminated, no individuals were internally contaminated as a

result of this event. The cumulative dose to the contaminated personnel g50 87 970226 PNO-III-97-012 PDR 4M

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,,. M PNO-III-97-012 <

was estimated to be less than 1 millirem. The cumulative personnel dose during decontamination activities was approximately 30 millirem and was primarily from normal radiation dose rates in the areas which were decontaminated.

There were no indications that a release of radioactive material to the environment occurred during this event. There was no measurable increase in the stack gas monitor during this event and no contamination detected during surveys outside of the plant. 1 Approximately 90% of the turbine building has since been decontaminated.

The licensee expects to complete the cleanup and release the turbine building for normal access on February 26, 1997.

A regional NRC radiation specialist will review the circumstances surrounding this event during an inspection beginning March 3.1997.

The State of Michigan has been notified. The information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with licensee management.

This information is current as of 9:00 a.m. (C5T) on February 26, 1997.

Contact:

T. K0ZAK R. PAUL (630)829-9866 (630)829-9710