On June 17, 2009, Catawba prepared a radioactive waste shipment cask for transportation to the Barnwell low level waste disposal facility. The shipment consisted of miscellaneous spent filters and the shipment was made on the same day. On June 18, 2009, Catawba discovered that all of the required conditions of approval in the Certificate of Compliance for the shipping container were not observed in making the shipment. Specifically, Catawba failed to conduct all of the required leak rate tests for the container prior to shipment. According to procedure, leak rate tests of the container's primary lid, secondary lid, and vent line are required to be performed. Contrary to this requirement, leak rate tests of the secondary lid and vent line were not performed. This event will require a written report to the NRC within 60 days pursuant to
10 CFR 71.95(c).
Catawba is making this ENS notification as a courtesy notification. There is no requirement for Catawba to notify any government agency of this event. However, the State of South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) will ultimately be made aware of this event by Energy Solutions at Barnwell. There is no evidence that the affected shipping container has actually leaked or is leaking. The secondary lid and vent line were successfully leak rate tested at Barnwell following notification and a request by Catawba management on June 18, 2009.
Catawba has notified the NRC Senior Resident Inspector of this event.
- * * UPDATE FROM WAYNE JARMAN TO JOE O'HARA AT 1442 ON 6/19/09 * * *
The licensee intends to notify the state warning point as well as York, Gaston, and Mecklenburg Counties.
Notified the R2DO(Bartley).
