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| Discovered date | Reporting criterion | Title | Description | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 53254 | 13 March 2018 05:00:00 | 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi), Notification to Government Agency or News Release | Press Release Planned | LacrosseSolutions is preparing to issue a short press release related to the detection of tritium above background levels detected in site groundwater sampling wells. Following is a summary of the release: The LACBWR (LaCrosse Boiling Water Reactor) site contains a network of industrial groundwater monitoring wells. Analytical results from a routine sampling event on December 28, 2017, indicated above background levels of tritium in the monitoring well closest to the reactor building. All wells sampled in December were resampled on February 14, 2018. From that sampling event, one additional well resulted positive for tritium. The monitoring well closest to the reactor building has a tritium concentration equivalent to the EPA limit for drinking water. No other radionuclides were found in the groundwater monitoring wells. EnergySolutions is using Haley & Aldrich, a national environmental consulting firm experienced in this area, to assist EnergySolutions in further testing and development of a groundwater monitoring plan to monitor the source of the tritium. On March 6, 2018, Dairyland Power Cooperative directed their employees working at the coal plant next to LACBWR to switch to bottled drinking water instead of well water until more information is known about the source of tritium. This was a prudent and cautious step to address any concerns employees may have. The drinking water wells draw water from a much deeper depth than the groundwater that is approximately equal to the river height. No radionuclides were detected in the drinking water levels above background. The State of Wisconsin and the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission were briefed and are closely following the issue. The licensee has been communicating with NRC R3 (Edwards) and NRC HQ (Vaaler) since the initial sampling event. | |
| ENS 52575 | 24 February 2017 18:45:00 | 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi), Notification to Government Agency or News Release | Offsite Notification to State of Wisconsin Due to Inadvertent Release of Contaminated Water | The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) was notified today at 1245 (CST) of an inadvertent release of radioactively contaminated water (as required by the licensee's site permit to report any release of contaminated water into the Mississippi River). At approximately 0715 on February 23, 2017, Solutions Management was notified by a Radiation Protection Technician (RPT) that the containment berm of the East (immediately north of Turbine Building) Baker Tank (20,000 gallon storage tank) was full and spilling out of the containment berm. The water that spilled out of the containment berm had pooled to the north of the tank and eventually began draining into the Radiological Controlled Area (RCA) storm sewer drain. Upon discovery and initial investigation the RPT ascertained that a sump pump hose which was left in the tank overnight was siphoning into the containment berm. The RPT immediately removed the hose from the water in the Baker Tank to stop the water from siphoning. Once the water was secured actions were taken (to minimize the contamination). Approximately 400 gallons had been lost from the tank. The 400 gallons was siphoned from the tank through a garden hose attached to a sump pump which was sitting in the containment berm. Over the course of approximately 16 hours the water siphoning from the tank filled the containment berm which holds a little over 3,100 gallons and spilled on to an asphalt surface. The water then traveled approximately 30 feet over the asphalt surface to the storm sewer which contained inlet protection in accordance with the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan. After filtering through the inlet protection the water remained in the storm water drain until the volume was sufficient enough to reach the 10 inch discharge piping (approximately 12 inches). The water traveled approximately 100 feet to the next storm water drain where it remained until the volume was sufficient enough to reach the 10 inch discharge piping (approximately 8 inches). When the manhole was opened, the level of the water was just above the bottom of the 10 inch discharge piping and was flowing slowly. The water leaving the 10 inch discharge piping flowed to a 60 inch discharge pipe that discharges to the Mississippi River. Water samples and smear surveys were analyzed, documented and reviewed by the Lacrosse Solutions (Solutions) Radiation Protection Manager (RPM) and NRC Region 3 Inspector Dr. Peter Lee, who was on site performing a routine inspection. Analytical results of the released water showed that it contained only Cs-137 in concentrations ranging from 1.1E-06 uCi/ml to 2.86 E-06 uCi/ml. The concentration levels exceed the 10CFR20 Table 2 limits for effluents (water) for Cs-137 which is 1 E-06 uCi/ml. The concentration levels exceed the 10CFR20 Table 2 limits for effluents(water) for Cs-137 which is 1 E-06 uCi/ml. Although the concentration levels exceed the 10CFR20 Table 2 limits for effluents (water) for Cs-137 they did not exceed the criteria for reportability which is 20 times the Table 2 effluent limit for Cs-137. The smear surveys of the storm sewer piping, manhole vaults taken during entries into the RCA yard drain & Administration Building drain manholes were all considerably less than CA posting criteria. The Standard Dose Calculations used for planned water releases were utilized for the water release assuming no dilution. Using the Standard Dose Calculations it was calculated that 1.05 E-02 mRem was the worst case for organs and 5.72E-03 mRem for total body dose. Following the RPM's review, it was determined that the asphalt area of the RCA could be down posted as a CA and the storm drain vault to the north of the Administration Building could be unplugged to allow regular flow of storm water. Solution's has issued a Conditions Report (CR) and initiated an investigation to prevent this occurrence from happening again. Regulatory reportability limits for liquid effluent releases were not exceed as result of this event. | |
| ENS 42908 | 16 October 2006 12:16:00 | 10 CFR 50.72(a)(1)(i), Emergency Class Declaration | Unusual Event - High Airborne Particulate in the Reactor Building | Even though there have been no operations on going over the weekend, airborne activities have increased to above ten times the normal levels. Activity levels were increasing during work processes last week but did not reach abnormally high levels. The licensee is taking air samples and swipe surveys to determine the source. The element of interest is Americium. Workers entering the building are required to wear filter masks.
Conditions at time of incident: SAFSTOR, decommissioning work in progress involving saw-cutting of Upper Control Rod Drive Mechanism (UCRDM) seal inject supply and effluent lines, plasma arc cutting of metal in Reactor Vessel upper cavity, and welding of lifting lugs on Reactor Vessel upper cavity expansion joint structure. Description: Thursday afternoon October 12, 2006, air samples of Reactor Building indicated higher levels of Americium-241 (Am-241) than normal. As of Monday morning October 16, 2006, Reactor Building ventilation through HEPA filters had not reduced the level of Am-241 as expected. Unusual Event was declared and investigations commenced to identify source of contamination. Immediate evaluation/corrective actions: Upper cavity work was halted Thursday afternoon following the air sample results. It was believed that welding or plasma arc cutting in the upper cavity had created the airborne problem. Air sampling on Friday October 13, 2006, indicated Am-241 levels still remained higher than normal. At that time, all personnel entering the Reactor Building were required to wear respirators. Air sampling continued through the weekend. When Am-241 levels had not decreased to acceptable levels by Monday morning, October 16, 2006, an Unusual Event was declared due to the unexpected nature of the airborne activity, lack of identification of the source of the activity, and activity level being greater than 10 times normal for the nuclide Am-241. Following declaration, the Operations Review Committee (ORC) was convened. Various strategies for identifying the source of the contamination were discussed and established. Surveys were conducted in the Reactor Building basement and the source of the contamination was tentatively identified as effluent from the UCRDM draining that occurred on Thursday morning October 12, 2006. Further analysis and clean-up is in progress. Notified the R3DO (Skokowski).
The licensee secured from their Unusual Event at 0727 CDT. The licensee determined the source of the airborne activity, completed decontamination procedures and ventilated though a HEPA filter. Airborne samples are satisfactory. Notified R3DO (R. Skokowski), NMSS (M. Burgess), IRD (M. Leach), DHS (G. Gray), FEMA (K. Biscoe), and NORAD-NC (Hardaway). |