Press Release-IV-08-041, NRC Issues Confirmatory Action Letter to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Lab in Boulder, Co: Difference between revisions

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page by program invented by StriderTol)
(Created page by program invented by StriderTol)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Adams
{{Adams
| number = ML083170653
| number = ML083170671
| issue date = 11/12/2008
| issue date = 11/12/2008
| title = Press Release-IV-08-041: NRC Issues Confirmatory Action Letter to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Lab in Boulder, Co
| title = Press Release-IV-08-041: NRC Issues Confirmatory Action Letter to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Lab in Boulder, Co
Line 19: Line 19:


=Text=
=Text=
{{#Wiki_filter:No. I-08-061
{{#Wiki_filter:No. IV-08-041


Contact:  Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330
Contact:  Victor Dricks


Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331 November 12, 2008 NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGU LATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I  475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov Site: http://www.nrc.gov NRC SENDS SPECIAL INSPECTION TEAM  TO BEAVER VALLEY NUCLEAR PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent a team of specialists to review the circumstances surrounding the iden tification of air trapped in a safety system at the Beaver Valley Unit 1 nuclear power plant in Shippingport, Pa. The team bega n its work at the site today. There are two nuclear reactors at Beaver Valley, both operated by FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC). 
Phone: (817) 860-8128


On Sept. 23, FENOC detected ai r (called a "void") in the suction lines for both trains of the low-head safety-injection system (LHSI) at Beaver Valley Unit 1. (The low-head safety-injection system is one of the systems that supply water to the reactor in the event of an accident at the plant. It is also used to circulate cooling water following an accident.)  At the time, FENOC determined that the system would have operated as designed. On Oct. 4 and 5, the company effectively eliminated the void by venting both loops of the system and filled the system with water. The company also verified the same conditions did not exist at Beaver Valley
November 12, 2008                                      E-Mail:  opa4@nrc.gov NRC ISSUES CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER TO NATIONAL OCEANIC & ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION LAB IN BOULDER, CO.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Action Letter to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Boulder, Co. confirming the  


Unit 2.
licensee's commitment to provide a complete accounting of all licensed radioactive material, improve security practices and assess the adequacy of its radiation safety programs.  
There was no immediate danger to public health and safety or the environment from this condition.


The NRC's Resident Inspector s assigned to Beaver Valley have been following up on the issue. The Special Inspection Team will expand on the activities of the Resident Inspectors. The team, with three full-time and two part-time members, will assess whether the initial voided condition of the system would have impacted the long-term cooling function of the LHSI system. In addition, the team will focus on assessing the timeliness and e ffectiveness of the company's corrective actions.  
NOAA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, holds an NRC license authorizing it to possess radioactive materials used in various devices for research purposes. An NRC inspector visited the facility on Oct. 8 a nd 9, with a follow-up inspection on Oct. 30 and 31, after officials reported the loss of three devices containing small quantities of radioactive material.  


NRC Region I Administrator Sam Collins said, "Although this did not impact public safety or the environment, it is important that we have a thorough understanding of what happened and why it happened. The team will also look at the actions the company has taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future."
The NRC inspector interviewed workers, inspected records and reviewed the licensee's adherence to NRC regulations for the storage, handling, use and security of radioactive materials.
The team is expected to be on-site at l east through the end of the week. An inspection report detailing the team's findi ngs will be issued 45 days after the end of the inspection.   
The inspectors identified examples of some research activities conduc ted outside the scope of the NRC license that involved small quantities of low hazard radioactive materials and some problems with inventory controls. Findings will be detailed in a wr itten report to be made publicly available. Immediate actions to address security problems were implemented on Oct. 31.  
  ###  News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:  http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.}}
 
Under the terms of the Confirmatory Action Letter, lab officials have agreed to provide a complete accounting of all licensed material and details of how it is being used; submit a license amendment requesting expanded authorization for the use of licensed radioactive material that addresses current research purposes; and assess the adequacy of the licensee's radiation safety program.   
 
###  News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:  http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.
NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs  Region IV 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, TX  76011-4125 Telephone: (817) 860-8128}}

Revision as of 08:19, 20 September 2018

Press Release-IV-08-041: NRC Issues Confirmatory Action Letter to National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Lab in Boulder, Co
ML083170671
Person / Time
Issue date: 11/12/2008
From:
Office of Public Affairs Region IV
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-IV-08-041
Download: ML083170671 (1)
v • d • e


Text

No. IV-08-041

Contact: Victor Dricks

Phone: (817) 860-8128

November 12, 2008 E-Mail: opa4@nrc.gov NRC ISSUES CONFIRMATORY ACTION LETTER TO NATIONAL OCEANIC & ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION LAB IN BOULDER, CO.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Action Letter to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Boulder, Co. confirming the

licensee's commitment to provide a complete accounting of all licensed radioactive material, improve security practices and assess the adequacy of its radiation safety programs.

NOAA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, holds an NRC license authorizing it to possess radioactive materials used in various devices for research purposes. An NRC inspector visited the facility on Oct. 8 a nd 9, with a follow-up inspection on Oct. 30 and 31, after officials reported the loss of three devices containing small quantities of radioactive material.

The NRC inspector interviewed workers, inspected records and reviewed the licensee's adherence to NRC regulations for the storage, handling, use and security of radioactive materials.

The inspectors identified examples of some research activities conduc ted outside the scope of the NRC license that involved small quantities of low hazard radioactive materials and some problems with inventory controls. Findings will be detailed in a wr itten report to be made publicly available. Immediate actions to address security problems were implemented on Oct. 31.

Under the terms of the Confirmatory Action Letter, lab officials have agreed to provide a complete accounting of all licensed material and details of how it is being used; submit a license amendment requesting expanded authorization for the use of licensed radioactive material that addresses current research purposes; and assess the adequacy of the licensee's radiation safety program.

      1. News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Region IV 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 Telephone: (817) 860-8128

Retrieved from "https://kanterella.com/w/index.php?title=Press_Release-IV-08-041,_NRC_Issues_Confirmatory_Action_Letter_to_National_Oceanic_%26_Atmospheric_Administration_Lab_in_Boulder,_Co&oldid=1058847"