ML061450171

E-mail from Ring to Mitchell Dresden Tritium

ML061450171
Person / Time
Site:	Dresden
Issue date:	02/15/2006
From:	Ring M A NRC/RGN-III
To:	Mark C, Riemer K R NRC/RGN-III
References
FOIA/PA-2006-0130
Download: ML061450171 (3)

Text

ISteven Orth -Fwd: Dresden tritium From: Mark F To: Mitchel Date: Wed, F

Subject:

Fwd: D Pa_ e Ring[I , Mark; Riemer, Kenneth Feb 15, 2006 7:30 AM resden tritium Ken & Mark, Attached please find a hand out that Exelon had available for employees entering the Dresden site this morning.-Mark CC: Anne Boland; Branch 1 PE/RE; Orth, Steven; Slawinski, Wayne/QJ w -- ---- -- -I I Steven Orth -Mail Page 1 I From: To: Date: "DRC1 @NRC.GOV'

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Wed, Feb 15, 2006 6:18 AM

• -te e urr .-uoumnLa P.ic I %,Reven Orin -Document.130T Panne I I..vDresden DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006 FROM: Danny Bost, Dresden Site Vice President Environmental Monitoring Program Brings Early Intervention of Small Tritium Leak As you probably know, tritium has been the subject of numerous media reports recently.

As such, I want to provide some information about a small tritium leak that has occurred onsite.During routine sampling of onsite groundwater wells in mid-January, we identified elevated levels of tritium in a shallow well near the Unit 2/3 condensate storage tanks MCSTs). Follow-up samples received last Friday, Feb. 10, confirmed the initial findings and indicated the tritium is coming from a leak in or near the pipe that canies water from the CSTs to the high pressure coolant injection (HPSI) system.On Feb. 11, station operators re-aligned HPCI suction sources for both units to the suppression pools and the HPCI suction and return lines to the CSTs were isolated.A project team has been assembled to address this Issue and excavation work to locate the source of the leak and complete repairs are currently underway near the CSTs. Tritium in the affected well measured about 500,O00 picocuries per liter. Other test wells 10 to 20 feet away contained tritiumn concentrations of 20.000 picocuries per literor less. Based on the samples collected, the leak Is slow (less than a half-cup per minute).and the tritiated groundwater is confinwed to a sall area about:30 feet In diameter near the CSTs.No abnormally high levels of rntium have been found in any of the site's other groundwater monitoring wells and the tritium poses no adverse health risks to workers at Dresden or to the public.Our environmental monitoring program worked as designed.

It alerted us to the presence of higher-than-normal tritium concentrations, enabling the station pinpoint the cause of the problem and take action to correct it in a timely manner.Tritium Is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen that is found naturallyIn the environment.

Ills present in most surface water and In higher concentrations in water used In nuclear reactors.Additional infornation on this Issue wilt be Communicated as details become available.