ML18256A319
| ML18256A319 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/09/2018 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | |
| Smith M | |
| References | |
| Download: ML18256A319 (4) | |
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List of Leaks and Spills at U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants September, 2018 Introduction This is a list of operating reactor sites that experienced a radioactive leak or spill to the onsite owner controlled area at some time since initial startup. The term leaks and spills includes all types of non-routine releases in which tritium from reactor operations contacted the soil. The list only includes leaks or spills where the concentration of tritium in the leak source, or in a groundwater sample was greater than 20,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A tritium concentration of 20,000 pCi/L is used as the threshold for inclusion in the list because it is the drinking water standard in EPAs Safe Drinking Water Act. This version updates the September 2017 list of leaks and spills.
Source of Information Recent information was compiled by NRC staff based on input from the nuclear power plant staff, Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports and Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports (see the NRCs web site for each sites detailed annual reports at https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/tritium/plant-info.html). Historical information is based on Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Reports, Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Reports, Groundwater Questionnaires, Preliminary Notifications, Event Notifications, Licensee Event Reports, NRC Inspection Reports, Special Reports, and other documents submitted by the licensees to the NRC.
Contents The tritium concentrations for each plant documented in the list below consist of (1) the historical maximum concentration and (2) the current concentration. These values provide a reasonable approximation of the magnitude and extent of the historical leaks and spills as well as the current conditions.
The value listed as the Historical Maximum Concentration of Tritium is an approximate historical maximum tritium concentration from abnormal releases in which tritium from reactor operations contacted the soil in an unintended fashion since initial startup. The timeframe in which the historical maximum tritium releases occurred is listed next to the maximum concentration value.
The value listed as the Current Concentration of Tritium is a reasonable approximation of the current maximum tritium concentrations based on samples that have been collected and analyzed by the licensee. If a value has not been updated from the one listed in the previous version, it indicates the value continues to be a good approximation of the current conditions.
As documented in the licensee annual reports, samples were collected from onsite locations and analyzed including both drinking water wells and non-drinking water sample points (e.g.,
ground water monitoring wells, storm drains, man holes, bore holes, piezometer tubes, surface water, puddles, and rain water). Although some values in the list exceed 20,000 pCi/L, none of those samples were collected from a drinking water well or from a municipal drinking water system. None of the samples collected from drinking water wells and municipal drinking water systems have ever exceeded the EPA drinking water standard of 20,000 pCi/L.
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After a radioactive leak or spill, tritium is generally the first radionuclide to be identified in groundwater. This is because tritium travels as a form of water through the soil faster than other radionuclides.
Summary There are 60 nuclear power plant sites in the United States that are currently operating.
Records indicate 43 of these sites at one time or another have had leaks or spills that involved tritium concentrations greater than or equal to 20,000 pCi/L. Ten sites are currently reporting tritium, from a leak or spill, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L. Although many sites have had leaks or spills involving tritium, no site is currently detecting tritium in the offsite environment, or in drinking water, in excess of 20,000 pCi/L. Tritium rapidly disperses and dissipates in the environment, and as a result, tritium from leaks and spills is typically not detected outside the facility boundary.
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List of Historical Leaks and Spills at U.S. Commercial Nuclear Power Plants It is important that the preceding paragraphs accompany any reproduction of this list so that the information is communicated in the proper context.
September, 2018 updates Historical Maximum Timeframe of Historical Plant Concentration of Maximum Concentration Current Concentration of Tritium, Tritium, pCi/L of Tritium pCi/L Beaver Valley 25,583 September, 2010 15,516 Braidwood 247,000 1998 4,630 Browns Ferry 7,520,000 January, 2015 10,500 Brunswick 19,000,000 December, 2010 317,000 Byron 82,000 February, 2006 554 Callaway 1,600,000 July, 2014 711 Catawba 47,500 October, 2007 3,490 Columbia 270,000 March, 1993 12,600 Davis-Besse 37,500 October, 2008 1,360 Dresden 10,312,000 July, 2004 114,000 Duane Arnold 2,150,000 October, 2012 49,957 Fitzpatrick, J.A. 105,000 April, 2010 Not detectable Ginna, R.E. 20,000 1995 Not detectable Grand Gulf 2,240,000 March, 2014 3,630 Hatch, E.I. 6,840,000 September, 2011 21,600 Indian Point 14,800,000 February, 2016 65,900 Limerick 3,950,000 February, 2009 700 LaSalle 1,230,000 July, 2010 7,020 Millstone 4,000,000 November, 2007 6,160 Monticello 21,300 September, 2009 943 Nine Mile Point 44,000 August, 2012 435 North Anna 79,559 August, 2013 1,620 Oconee 45,000 December, 2011 6,770 Oyster Creek 10,000,000 2009 2,120 Palisades 217,351 December, 2009 7,258 Palo Verde 4,200,000 March, 1993 Not detectable Peach Bottom 196,000 March, 2010 12,800 Perry 59,900 2006 264 Pilgrim 69,000 December, 2013 25,900 Quad Cities 7,500,000 2008 941,000 3
River Bend 1,135,000 February, 2013 610,000 Salem 15,000,000 April, 2003 43,300 Seabrook 750,000 1999 2,790 Sequoyah 25,060 2015 4,610 St. Lucie 161,000 2000 3,080 Summer 23,000 July, 2011 2,510 Surry 31,900 October, 2007 59,300 Susquehanna >20,000 1995 236 Three Mile Island 900,000 1981 7,480 Turkey Point >20,000 1979 13,600 Vogtle >20,000 1990s 1,660 Waterford 22,000 1997 Not detectable Watts Bar 550,000 February, 2005 4,990 4