IR 05000029/1986004

Insp Rept 50-029/86-04 on 860225-28.No Violation or Deviation Noted.Major Areas Inspected:Licensee Radwaste Mgt Program,Including Mgt Controls,Radioactive Effluent Release Records & Effluent Control Instrumentation

ML20202E650
Person / Time
Site:	Yankee Rowe
Issue date:	04/03/1986
From:	Mark Miller, Pasciak W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20202E599	List: IR 05000029/1986004 ML20202E596
References
50-029-86-04, 50-29-86-4, IEB-80-10, NUDOCS 8604140023
Download: ML20202E650 (6)

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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

REGION I

Report N /86-04

. Docket N License N DPR-3 Priority Category Licensee: Yankee Atomic Electric Company 1671 Worcester Road Framingham, Massachusetts 01701 Facility Name: Yankee Nuclear Power Station Inspection At: Rowe, Massachusetts Inspection Conducted: February 25-28, 1986 Inspector: 3(ar.tk 7tgJlut, .

6/94 M. MITler, Radiation Specialist

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Approved by: -

Wk Y 3 EL W.Papiak, Chief,EffluentsRadiation da-;e Protection Section Inspection Summary: Inspection on February 25-28, 1986 (Report No. 50-29/86-04)

Areas Inspected: Routine, announced inspection of the licensee's radioactive waste management program. Areas reviewed included: management controls, radioactive effluent release records, effluent control instrumentation and Offsite Dose Calculation Manual implementatio Results: Within the areas inspected, no violations were identifie W604190023 860404 PDR

O ADOCK 05000029:

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DETAILS 1.0 Licensee Personnel Contacted

• N. St. Laurent, Plant Superintendent-B. Roberts, Assistant Plant Superintendent J. Kay, Technical Services Superintendent

• T. Henderson, Technical Director

• G. Babineau, Radiation Protection Manager

• R. Mellor, Chemistry Manager D. Vassar, Operations Manager J. Gedutis, Senior Chemist P. Hollenback, Radiation Protection Engineer M. Thisell, Chemist

• Denotes those present at exit meeting on February 28, 1986.

2.0 -Purpose-The' purpose of this routine inspection was to review the licensee's radioactive waste management and effluent controls program with respect to the following elements:

L * Radioactive Waste Management

• Radioactive Liquid Waste Processing and Effluent Control

= Radioactive Gaseous Effluent Control

• ODCM Implementation and Semiannual Effluent Reports 3.0 Radioactive Waste Management The inspector reviewed the management structure as it pertains to liquid and gaseous radioactive waste processin The chemistry department is responsible for the coordination and direction of waste processing, sample analyses,' and Offsite Dose Calculation Manual (ODCM) implementation; while calibration of the waste effluent and p.'ocess monitors is the responsi-bility of the radiation protection department. Operation c f the radwaste disposal sjstem and waste handling is performed by the auxiliary operator, whose actions are overseen by the shift supervisor. The managers of the chemistry and radiation protection departments report to the plant Tech-nical Director, who in turn reports to the Plant Superintendent. The semiannual effluent report and real time dispersion and offsite dose ,

calculations are the major support duties of the corporate environmental i grou ;

The chemistry manager had been in this position since August 1984,. form- l erly with the corporate environmental department. Initiatives to improve l management oversight and t o improve laboratory instrumentation and chem-

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, istry facilities have been implemented. A noted strength was the use of a l surveillance matrix for all required daily, monthly and quarterly samples, i l l

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and the use of a release permit summary. Documentation of on-the-job training and retraining of chemistry personnel was also a noted improve-ment as of January,198 Review of the licensee's position description indicated that most position responsibilities were not complet For example, the chemistry manager and radiation protection manager position descriptions did not reflect their responsibilities for implementing the Process Control Program, Offsite Dose Calculation Manual and Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications. The licensee stated that a major rewrite for all-the positions was in progress. The licensee agreed to revise the chemistry and radiation protection managers' position descriptions by August, 1986. This item will be reviewed during a subsequent inspection (29/86-04-01).

4.0 Radioactive Liquid Waste Processing and Effluent Control 4.1 Chemistry Surveillances The inspector reviewed licensee documentation and verified sampling locations to determine if liquid effluent sampling and analysis was being conducted as required by Technical Specification Table 4.11- Routine chemistry surveillances were documented and reviewed weekly -

to ensure all required sampling and radionuclide analyses were per-formed. Final review of the completed verification forms included the chemistry manager's approval. Composite samplers were a' o noted to be operationa The inspector reviewed analysis records for completion covering the period January 1985 through February 21, 1986. All required analyses were complete .2 Liquid Effluent Releases The inspector reviewed selected radioactive liquid release discharge

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permits, as well as associated procedures, analysis printouts and calculations for 1985 through January, 1986. Procedure OP-9246, revision seven, " Radioactive Liquid Releases" governs the prepara-tion, sampling and documentation of all radioactive liquid release The inspector determined that no Technical Specification limits for liquid effluents had been exceeded in 1985 and 1986 to date. The inspector noted that all signatures were included on the discharge permit except for one occasion. This omission occurred because an older form was used. The licensee had all old forms removed from the chemistry lab files.

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4.3 Effluent Monitor Calibration and Functional Checks The inspector examined the liquid effluent monitor calibration and functional test records and logs to determine compliance with Tech-nical Specification Tables 4.3-3 and 4.3-6. The inspector noted that procedures for calibration of the radiation detector and for the electronic calibration were not combined, but were well coor-dinated between the radiation protection and I&C departments. The liquid radwaste effluent line and steam generator blow down tank effluent line monitors required calibration at 18 month intervals and daily functional tests. The inspector determined that all required calibrations and functio 1a1 tests were conducted. In addition, all channel checks which were required for each shift were logged with the exception of one channel check for the steam generator blow down monitor on January 21, 1986. The inspector viewed this as an isolated cas .4 Radioactive Liquid Waste Processing The inspector toured the radwaste disposal building and discussad system operation with cognizant licensee personnel. In addition, the following procedures were reviewed:

OP-2380 " Operation of the Waste Disposal Evaporator System"

OP-2379 " Recirculating Releasing Monitor Test Tank"

OPF-9416.2 " Liquid Waste Evaporator Operation"

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OP=941G " Chemistry Control of Primary Auxiliary Systems

DP-3872 "WD-1 Gravity Drain Tank High Level"

DP-3889 " Condensate High Conductivity."

The inspector observed that the waste processing system was being maintained and most instrumentation, for example, radiation monitors, temperature indicators, tank level indicators and flow measuring devices were all operational. The licensee also stated that the solidification operation would be more automated in the future. The inspector noted that system drawings and procedures, all controlled documents, were available at the waste disposal buildin .5 IE Bulletin 80-10 The inspector discussed the licensee's program to routinely sample nonradioactive systems that would have the potential for unmonitored, uncontrolled release to the environment. Although the license in-corporated these systems in their chemistry sampling surveillance procedures, there was no action statement based on exceeding an a priori criteria. The chemistry manager stated that the need for predetermined actions to block system use, until the unexpected radioactivity could be investigated will be evaluated. This item will be reviewed during a subsequent inspection (29/86-04-02).

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5.0 Radioactive Gaseous Effluent Control 5.1 Chemistry Surveillances The inspector reviewed licensee documentation and discussed grab and continuous sampling procedures to determine if liquid effluent sampling and analysis was being conducted as required by Technical Specification Table 4.11- Routine chemistry surveillances were documented and reviewed weekly to ensure all required sampling and radionuclide analyses were performed. Procedures OP-8523 and 8041 described routine and special primary vent stack sampling method The inspector reviewed analysis recorde for completion covering the period January 1985 through February 21, 1986. All required analyses were complete .2 Gaseous Effluent Releases The inspector reviewed selected radioactive gaseous release discharge permits, as well as associated procedures, analysis printouts and calculations for 1985 through January,1986. Procedure OP-9247

" Radioactive Gaseous Releases" was being implemented to estimate gaseous activity and to document all controlled radioactive gaseous releases. Purging tests of the vapor container were also documented as routine gaseous release The inspector determined that no Technical Specification limits for gaseous effluents had been exceeded for 1985 and 1986 to date. The inspector also verified that radioactive gaseous filtering systems were used for all releases during this same time period. However, review of estimated offsite doses indicated that a batch gas release, subsequent to the purging of the Main Coolant Loop Number 4, resulted in an unplanned and unauthorized gas release on July 5, 1984. The activated charcoal filter (F-10) failed to retain the -iodine gas causing a maximum iodine level off-site for one hour of 29% Maximum Permissible Concentration. Although no Technical Specification or 10 CFR 20 limits were exceeded, the licensee completed the following corrective actions: the primary vent stack iodine alarm setpoint was lowered to provide warning of unplanned releases in the future, the charcoal in F-10 was replaced, and charcoal samples will be periodi-cally withdrawn to determine removal efficienc The inspector discussed with the licensee their surveillance of the high efficiency particulate filters and noted that Yankee Rowe's Technical Specifications do not require the licensee to perform in place filter testing except for the filters that are part of the Control Room Emergency Ventilation Syste Further, the licensee

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stated that the HEPA filters, which were installed in 1975, have not been tested since their installatio The licensee only verifies the differential pressure across the filter to determine filter effectivenes The inspector suggested that the licensee evaluate the applicability of conforming to acceptable industry practices of periodic in place filter testin This item will be reviewed during a subsequent in-spection (29/86-04-03).

5.3 Effluent Monitor Calibration and Functional Checks The inspector examined the gaseous effluent monitor calibration and functional test records and logs to determine compliance with Tech-nical Specification Tables 4.3-3 and 4.3-7. The inspector determined that the primary vent stack (PVS) monitor channels, the steam generator blow down monitors and the main coolant system leakage air particulate monitor were all calibrated and tested in accordance with specifications and related procedures. In addition, the inspector noted that special iodine grab sampling of the PVS was being conducted, since the iodine channel has been erratic and assumed non-operationa .0 Offsite Dose Calculation Manual and Semi-Annual Effluent Reports The inspector reviewed the licensee implementation of the ODCM in accordance with Technical Specifications and Procedure OP-9251, "Use of the Offsite Dose Calculation Manual." The inspector noted that the licensee's methodology which was previously approved by NRC was being implemented. Calculated off-site doses were well below administrative limits and effluent monitor setpoints were conservative. The inspector determined that the computer sof tware program that generates the setpoints had been verified against predetermined acceptance criteri However, the potential to exclude all reported radioisotopes in the set-point calculation did exist because of a formatting problem. The licensee stated the program would be modified to ensure all reported isotopes would be inputted to determine the liquid and gaseous monitor setpoint This itera will be reviewed during a subsequent inspection (29/86-04-04).

The inspector also reviewed the Semi-Annual Radioactive Effluent reports for 1984 and the first-half of 1985. No abnormal releases were noted, there were no Licensee Event Reports pertaining to radioactive waste systems or effluents, and there were no changes to the ODC .0 Exit Interview The inspector met with the licensee representatives (denoted in Section 1)

at the conclusion of the inspection on February 28, 1986. The inspector summarized the purpose, scope and findings of the inspection. At no time during this inspection was written material provided to the licensee by the inspector.