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HomeMy WebLinkAbout851163.tiff "%iv" nw4RS SSINS No. : 6835 f ? IN 85-46 B1 995 UNITED STATES JUN 1 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT �j coLo• WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 GREELEY. June 10, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-46: CLARIFICATION OF SEVERAL ASPECTS OF REMOVABLE RADIOACTIVE SURFACE CONTAMINATION LIMITS FOR TRANSPORT PACKAGES Addressees: All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license"(OL). Purpose: This information notice is provided to clarify the application of the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements pertaining to the control and monitoring of removable radioactive surface contamination on packages and transport vehicles. It is expected that recipients will review this information for applicability to their transportation activities, and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude any problems from arising due to inappropriate applications of the DOT requirements. However, suggestions contained in this notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required. Specific clarification and guidance is provided in the Attachments on: 1. Averaging of Wipe Samples 2. Use of Higher Efficiency Wipe Sampling Methods 3. "Wrapping" of Packages 4. Exclusive-use Vehicle Surveys for Surface Contamination Background: The recent resumption of transportation of commercial power reactor spent fuel in the U. S. has focused renewed attention on the chronic problem of cask "weeping. " This is a phenomena whereby certain casks, after their removal from underwater storage basins (pools) and decontamination, subsequently exhibit an increase in the level of removable radioactive surface contamination during and after transport. This increase is believed to be the result of a "weeping" or "sweating" of previously entrapped activity within surface pores, fissures, etc. Its occurrence and magnitude appear to be dependent on such variables as cleanup methods, surface porosity, types of detergents used, surface treatment history, duration of and temperature during transport, and the period of time between completion of transportation and performance of a contamination survey. Although the levels of contamination which have been observed in cask "weeping" episodes do not present a significant health and safety problem, the levels have been 851163 8506060707 I , IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 Page 2 of 3 technically above the regulatory limits, particularly when no further consideration is given to determining the wiping efficiency more precisely than the ten percent efficiency that is assumed within the regulatory limit. Recent changes to DOT regulations as promulgated in Docket HM-169 (48 FR 10218, March 10, 1983, and. 48 FR 31214, July 7, 1983) have also raised a question because of an apparent unintended revision in the regulatory language relating to averaging of wipe samples. Notwithstanding the guidance in this notice, shippers of radioactive packages, particularly spent fuel casks, are reminded of the continuing need for improving cask decontamination methods and spent fuel pool techniques, so as to maintain removable radioactive surface contamination levels as low as practicable. Current Regulatory Requirements: The DOT regulations in 49 CFR 173.443 prescribe limits for control of removable (nonfixed) radioactive contamination. The level of such contamination on the external surfaces of each transport package offered for shipment must be kept as low as practicable. Determination of the nonfixed contamination may be made by wiping (e.g. , "smears") an area of 300 cm2 of the surface concerned with an absorbent material , using moderate pressure, and measuring the activity on the wiping material . Sufficient wipe samples should be taken in the most appropriate locations so as to yield a representative assessment of the nonfixed contamina- tion levels. The limits of §173.443, Table 10, are restated below: TABLE 10 - REMOVABLE EXTERNAL RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION - WIPE LIMITS Maximum Contaminant Permissible limits uCi/cm2 dpm/cm2 Beta-gamma emitting radionuclides; all radionuclides with half-lives less than ten days ; natural uranium; natural thorium, uranium-235; ura- nium-238; thorium-232; thorium-228 and thorium-230 when contained in ores or physical concentrates 10-5 22 All other alpha emitting radionuclides. . 10-6 2. 2 The above limits apply to packages transported as nonexclusive use, e. g. , mixed freight. For packages shipped as exclusive-use by rail or public highway, the provisions of §173. 443(b) provide that the removable (nonfixed) radioactive surface contamination at any time during transport may not exceed 10 times the limits stated above. At the beginning of transport, however, the levels may not exceed those stated above. Further, pursuant to §113.443(c) , any transport IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 Page 3 of 3 vehicle in which packages are transported within the "factor of 10" higher values, e.g. , above the Table 10 limits, must be surveyed with appropriate radiation detection instruments after each use and shall not be returned to service until the radiation dose rate is below 0. 5 mrem/hr and the removable contamination is below the limits stated in the above table. (An exception to this vehicle survey requirement is provided by §113.443(d) for closed transport vehicles (highway) which are dedicated solely to the transport of radioactive materials packages and are appropriately marked on the exterior of the vehicle. Also, in such cases the removable surface contamination on packages within such vehicles may be at the "factor of 10" limits at the start of transport). No specific action or written response to this information notice is required. If you have any questions on this matter, please contact the appropriate NRC Regional office or the technical contact listed below. AlJCIcan, birector Divis. of Emergency Preparedness an ngineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement Contact: A. W. Grella, IE (301 ) 492-7746 Attachments: 1. Averaging of Wipe Samples 2. Use of Higher Efficiency Wipe Samples 3. "Wrapping" of Packages (Casks) 4. Exclusive-use Vehicle Surveys for Surface Contamination 5. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices Attachment 1 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 AVERAGING OF WIPE SAMPLES The DOT regulations currently state in §173.443(a) that ". . . the amount of radioactivity measured on any single wiping material when averaged over the surface wiped . . . " shall not exceed the Table 10 values. Prior to the regulatory amendments by DOT in 1983 (see Docket HM-169, 48 FR 10238, March 10, 1983) , formerly applicable §173. 397(a) provided that wipe samples could be ". . . averaged over any area of 300 square centimeters of any part of the pack- age surface. " A February 21, 1984 query was made by NRC to DOT to clarify this matter. It read as follows: The language of §173.443(a) has been modified somewhat from that contained in the previous §173. 397(a). The new language no longer specifically addresses averaging of multiple wipe samples within any given 300 cm2 area of a package surface. We understand that it was not DOT' s intention to disallow such averaging and further that DOT will consider processing a future rule change to restore such a provision to §173.443. A suggested text for such a modifi- cation is enclosed. In the interim, until the text has been formally modified, we will continue to consider that averaging of multiple wipe samples over any 300 cm2 area of a package surface is an acceptable practice. In their March 19, 1984, reply to NRC the DOT stated: It was not our intent to disallow averaging of wipe samplings over a 300 cm2 area. Consequently, we believe this is an acceptable practice and will take the necessary action to clarify this in §173.443(a). . . . Attachment 2 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 Page 1 of 2 USE OF HIGHER EFFICIENCY WIPE SAMPLES As is stated in §173.443(a): "Other methods of assessment of equal or greater efficiency may be used. When other methods are used, the detection efficiency of the method used shall be taken into account and in no case shall the nonfixed contamination on the external surfaces of the package exceed ten times the limits listed in Table 10. " NRC also queried DOT on this matter, as follows: We understand that DOT considers that the reference in §173.443(a) stating that 'other methods of assessment of equal or greater effi- ciency may be used, ' may include other wipe sampling methods wherein the efficiency has actually been demonstrated to be greater than 10 percent. Therefore, in effect, the wipe sample limits stated in §173.443(a) and (b) and Table 10 therein, are limits "by default," which do not take advantage of utilizing an efficiency which has been demonstrated to be greater than 10 percent. In our evaluations of licensees' package surveys, we therefore plan to accept assessments based on efficiencies which have been appropriately demonstrated to have a higher than 10 percent efficiency. The reply by DOT on the usage of higher efficiency wipe samples was as follows: It is our interpretation of this section that wiping methods with a demonstrated efficiency greater than 10 percent may take this greater efficiency into account. As you point out, the higher efficiency must be documented and in no case may the removable levels exceed 10 times the values in Table 10. It should be understood that where the term "detection efficiency" is used, it refers to the efficiency of alternate methods for quantifying the amount of removable contamination on a package surface. It does not refer to the labor- atory term relating to instrument effectiveness for counting analyses. An additional clarification also was received from DOT relative to use of contamination assessment techniques with greater than 10% efficiencies in exclusive-use vs nonexclusive-use shipments. It stated that "the provision for using higher efficiency techniques, described in 49 CFR 173.443(a) may also be used when operations are being performed in accordance with §173.443(b). " An acceptable method of demonstrating wipe (smear) efficiency is repetitive wiping of a portion of the package surface. The demonstrated wipe efficiency is the ratio of the initial smear activity to the summation of activity on all the wipes of the designated portion of the package surface. For the purpose of this calculation, one can assume all activity is removed when two consecu- tive wipes show less than 10% of the activity of the initial wipe. Because of variations in package surfaces and contamination characteristics, care should be Attachment 2 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 Page 2 of 2 taken to ensure that the demonstrated wipe efficiency is representative of the wipes to which it is applied. This will normally require delaying package decon- tamination until after conduct of wipe efficiency determinations if an efficiency greater than 10% is used. In no case, however, may the removable contamination levels exceed ten times the Table 10 limits for packages in exclusive-use ship- ments when no consideration is given to a demonstrated higher wiping efficiency. Upon such an appropriate demonstration, however, removable contamination limits may not exceed 100 times the Table 10 limits, as would be the case for a wiping method demonstrated to have been 100% efficient. In general , licensees may only utilize demonstrations of high smear collection efficiencies which have been determined by smear results taken on the same cask for which the initial smears (using the assumed 10% efficiency) indicated the regulatory limit was exceeded. Licensees will not be allowed to use the generic collection efficiencies obtained on one specific cask for other future cask shipments. Attachment 3 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 "WRAPPING" OF PACKAGES (CASKS) The question of "wrapping" the exterior of transport packages has been raised on several occasions, particularly in instances where "weeping" of contamination has occurred on casks that have been immersed in spent fuel storage pools prior to transport. DOT also was queried on this matter by NRC as follows: The issue of whether exterior "wrapping" of casks can be used to achieve compliance with removable contamination limits has been raised on a number of occasions. Our position on this, with which I understand you also concur, is as follows: ° The addition of "wrapping" to an NRC-certified package would not be permissible without obtaining prior authorization of the modification in the applicable NRC certificate. In proposing such a provision, an applicant' s safety analysis obviously would have to address heat retention since the contents are a heat source. ° The "wrapping" of a non-NRC certified package would not relieve the shipper from compliance with the removable contamination limits applicable to the exterior surface of the unwrapped package unless the wrapping constituted an integral part of a DOT Specification 7A, Type A, package design. In such cases, the shipper' s documented package safety evaluation would need to address whether the wrap- ping would maintain its closure integrity during the normal conditions of transport. The reply to NRC by DOT on this matter read as follows: For both NRC-certified and non-NRC-certified packages, any wrap- ping must be addressed in the package design evaluation. For NRC- certified packages this would include specific mention in the certificate of compliance. For DOT Specification 7A, Type A, pack- ages, the shipper' s package safety evaluation would have to document the ability of the wrapping to successfully pass the Type A tests. Attachment 4 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 EXCLUSIVE-USE VEHICLE SURVEYS FOR SURFACE CONTAMINATION The exact requirements of §173.443 are sometimes misunderstood as they relate to quantitative limits on the vehicle surface during the survey required by §173.443(c). For this purpose, the vehicle surface is meant to be those sur- faces wherein or on which packages are stowed during transport. That paragraph does not actually set forth any quantitative limit on the surface of the vehicle itself during the survey which is performed to return the vehicle to service. The important subtlety therein is that the quantified limit of §173.443(b) applies to the packages in the vehicle. The "bottom line" of §173.443(b) and (c), considered collectively, is as follows: o The acka es within an exclusive-use vehicle may have up to 22,000 d m 100 cm2 during and at the completion of transport but must be limited to 2,200 d/m/100 cm2 at the start of trans- port, unless the vehicle is dedicated to radioactive materials service only, and so marked, pursuant to §173.443(d), in which case the 22,000 d/m/100 cm2 limit applies at the start of trans- port. o §173.443(c) requires a survey of an exclusive-use vehicle (and also, presumably the dedicated vehicles) after transport of pack- ages that indicate removable contamination above the Table 10 limits, but within the "factor of ten" higher limit of 22,000 d/m/100 cm2. o §173.443(c) does not address quantitative limits on the surface of the vehicle during the survey, however, the vehicle may not be released for other service until the 2,200 d/m/100 cm2 and 0.5 mrem/hr limits are met. o Noncompliance with §173.443(c) would therefore exist if the survey to return a vehicle to service was not performed, and/or the contamination or radiation dose rate on the vehicle exceeded the stated limits upon its release for other service. Attachment 5 IN 85-46 June 10, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Date of Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to 85-45 Potential Seismic Interaction 6/6/85 All power reactor Involving The Movable In-Core facilities holding Flux Mapping System Used In an OL or CP Westinghouse Designed Plants 85-44 Emergency Communication 5/30/85 All power reactor System Monthly Test facilities holding an OL 85-43 Radiography Events At Power 5/30/85 All power reactor Reactors facilities holding an OL or CP 85-42 Loose Phosphor In Panasonic 5/29/85 All power reactor 800 Series Badge Thermo- facilities holding luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) an OL or CP Elements 85-41 Scheduling Of Pre-Licensing 5/24/85 All power reactor Emergency Preparedness facilities holding Exercises a CP 85-40 Deficiencies In Equipment 5/22/85 All power reactor Qualification Testing And facilities holding Certification Process an OL or CP 85-39 Auditability of Electrical 5/22/85 All power reactor Equipment Qualification facilities holding Records At Licensees' an OL or CP Facilities 85-38 Loose Parts Obstruct Control 5/21/85 All PWR facilities Rod Drive Mechanism designed by B&W holding an OL or CP 85-37 Chemical Cleaning Of Steam 5/14/85 All pressure water Generator At Milestone 2 reactor facilities holding an OL or CP OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit SSINS No. : 6835 IN 85-45 WHO COUNTY C^ INRERS UNITED STATES r1 (i 7r1`1, C7r? rs NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION " G� '' ;.; OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT : JUN 1 8 WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 1985 I June 6, 1985 IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-45: POTENTIAL SEISMIC INTERACTION INVOLVING THE MOVABLE IN-CORE FLUX MAPPING SYSTEM USED IN WESTINGHOUSE DESIGNED PLANTS Addressees: All power reactor facilities holding an operating license (OL) or a construction permit (CP). Purpose: This information notice is provided as notification of a potentially generic problem involving seismic interactions within the movable flux mapping system at Westinghouse designed plants. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem from occurring at their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute requirements and, therefore, no specific action or written response is required. Description of Circumstances: On June 22, 1984, Carolina Power and Light (CP&L) Company informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of a potentially reportable item per the provisions of 10 CFR 50. 55(e) and 10 CFR 21 at their Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant (SHNPP) Unit 1. The NRC was informed that interactions between the nonsafety related portions of the flux mapping system and the tubing/seal table during a seismic event had not been adequately considered by Westinghouse. At that time CP&L was waiting for Westinghouse to perform a structural integrity analysis for the portion of the in-core flux mapping system that is located above the in-core instrumentation tubing/seal table. In a letter dated February 12, 1985, CP&L informed the NRC that the potential seismic interactions were indeed reportable. The potential interactions exist because portions of the flux mapping system that have not been seismically analyzed are located directly above the in-core instrumentation tubing/seal table. Failure during a seismic event could possi- bly cause multiple failures in the flux mapping tubing or fittings that would produce a small break loss of coolant accident. Recent discussions with Westinghouse have revealed that the potential seismic interactions could exist at other Westinghouse plants including operating plants. Furthermore, multiple failures of flux mapping tubing and/or fittings constitute an unanalyzed small break loss of coolant accident because the break flow would effectively be from 8506060677 IN 85-45 June 6, 1985 Page 2 of 2 the bottom of the reactor vessel . Thus , the consequences could be beyond the licensing design basis for loss of coolant accidents. It should be noted that any loss of reactor coolant system pressure boundary integrity caused by seismi- cally induced failures in the flux mapping system would be outside the design basis of a plant and, therefore, unacceptable, regardless of whether the conse- quences were within those for loss of coolant accidents analyzed in safety analysis reports. The NRC staff has discussed this issue with the Westinghouse Regulatory Response Group. Based on discussions with the Regulatory Response Group and Westinghouse, it is our understanding that Westinghouse will notify their customers of this problem by letter in the near future. No specific action or written response is required by this information notice; however, contingent upon the results of further staff evaluations, a bulletin or a generic letter requesting specific licensee actions may be issued. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Regional Admini- strator of the appropriate NRC regional office or this office. as afar Jordan, Director Divisio of Emergency Preparedness and E ineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement Technical Contact: David Powell (301) 492-7155 Attachment: List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices Attachment 1 IN 85-45 June 6, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Date of Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to 85-44 Emergency Communication 5/30/85 All power reactor System Monthly Test facilities holding an OL 85-43 Radiography Events At Power 5/30/85 All power reactor Reactors facilities holding an OL or CP 85-42 Loose Phosphor In Panasonic 5/29/85 All power reactor 800 Series Badge Thermo- facilities holding luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) an OL or CP Elements 85-41 Scheduling Of Pre-Licensing 5/24/85 All power reactor Emergency Preparedness facilities holding Exercises a CP 85-40 Deficiencies In Equipment 5/22/85 All power reactor Qualification Testing And facilities holding Certification Process an OL or CP 85-39 Auditability of Electrical 5/22/85 All power reactor Equipment Qualification facilities holding Records At Licensees' an OL or CP Facilities 85-38 Loose Parts Obstruct Control 5/21/85 All PWR facilities Rod Drive Mechanism designed by B&W holding an OL or CP 85-37 Chemical Cleaning Of Steam 5/14/85 All pressure water Generator At Milestone 2 reactor facilities holding an OL or CP 84-55 Seal Table Leaks At PWRs 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 facilities holding an OL or CP 85-20 Motor-Operated Valve Failures 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 Due To Hammering Effect facilities holding an OL or CP OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit SSINS No. : 6835 IN-85'-44, n ;EPS UNITED STATES ' ' 77` NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION , (OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 1 ' J(JN 1rgjg85r WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 May 30, 1985 •. IE INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 85-44: EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM MONTHLY TEST Addressees: All nuclear power reactor facilities holding an operating license and NFS Erwin, General Atomics, UNC Montville, B&W LCR Lynchburg, and B&W Lynchburg. Purpose: This information notice is being issued to bring malfunctions of the communi- cation system to the attention of licensees and remind them of their responsi- bility to test required communication systems in accordance with 10 CFR 50. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions , if appropriate, to preclude a similar problem occurring at their facilities. However, suggestions contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required. Discussion: Section 50. 54(q) of Part 50 requires licensees to follow emergency plans which meet the requirements of Appendix E to Part 50. Section IV. E. 9. d of Appendix E requires monthly tests of provisions for communicating with NRC from the control room, the Technical Support Center, and the Emergency Operations Facility. Licensee emergency plans might contain additional testing requirements. Emergency preparedness exercises and specific tests by NRC Headquarters Opera- tions Officers have identified serious communication malfunctions, which were previously undetected because of inadequate monthly testing. In most of those cases, neither the Emergency Notification System (ENS) nor Health Physics Network (HPN) telephones were found to have been tested routinely. This Information Notice reminds licensees of their responsibility for satisfy- ing the requirement for monthly testing of the ENS and HPN telephones. The NRC is responsible for testing ENS and HPN telephones located in the NRC Resident Inspector' s office and for testing the link between the NRC Operations Center and the Regional Office Operations Center since communications with the licensee via HPN and ENS are completed through the Headquarters Operations Center. This Information Notice also clarifies that violations in this area may be categorized at Severity Level III , and civil penalties may be considered. 8505280195 IN 85-44 May 30, 1985 Page 2 of 2 Compliance with the regulation cited above may be achieved through implementa- tion of the testing scheme shown in Attachment 1. The primary system for emergency communications with the NRC is a combination of the ENS and the HPN. Licensees should note that the backup means of communications for a given link is not required to be tested unless the primary system is not available. No specific action or written response is required by this information notice. If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the Regional Administrator of the appropriate Regional Office or the technical contact listed below. Edk. Jorda�or Divi n of Emergency Preparedness an Engineering Response Office of Inspection and Enforcement Technical Contact: H. M. Hawkins, IE 301-492-4145 Attachments: 1. Testing of Emergency Communications Links Between Licensees and NRC 2. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices Attachment 1 IN 85-44 May 30, 1985 TESTING OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS LINKS BETWEEN LICENSEES AND NRC The matrix below indicates the primary modes of operation for the NRC communi- cations links which are to be tested monthly by the licensee. FROM 10 Headquarters* Control Room ENS only Technical Support Center ENS and HPN Emergency Operations Facility ENS and HPN ENS = Emergency Notification System HPN = Health Physics Network * Communication between the Licensee and appropriate Regional NRC Office will always be completed through the Headquarters Operations Center. The communications link between the Headquarters Operations Center and the Regional Office is tested by NRC. Attachment 2 IN 85-44 May 30, 1985 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Date of Notice No. Subject Issue Issued to 85-43 Radiography Events At Power 5/30/85 All power reactor Reactors facilities holding an OL or CP 85-42 Loose Phosphor In Panasonic 5/29/85 All power reactor 800 Series Badge Thermo- facilities holding luminescent Dosimeter (TLD) an OL or CP Elements 85-41 Scheduling Of Pre-Licensing 5/24/85 All power reactor Emergency Preparedness facilities holding Exercises a CP 85-40 Deficiencies In Equipment 5/22/85 All power reactor Qualification Testing And facilities holding Certification Process an OL or CP 85-39 Auditability of Electrical 5/22/85 All power reactor Equipment Qualification facilities holding Records At Licensees' an OL or CP Facilities 85-38 Loose Parts Obstruct Control 5/21/85 All PWR facilities Rod Drive Mechanism designed by B&W holding an OL or CP 85-37 Chemical Cleaning Of Steam 5/14/85 All pressure water Generator At Milestone 2 reactor facilities holding an OL or CP 84-55 Seal Table Leaks At PWRs 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 facilities holding an OL or CP 85-20 Motor-Operated Valve Failures 5/14/85 All power reactor Sup. 1 Due To Hammering Effect facilities holding an OL or CP OL = Operating License CP = Construction Permit Hello