Communications

Agency Addresses Tritium Issue

Speech S-10-002, From NRC Reporter, Vol. 6, Issue 8, March 3, 2010

The agency is addressing the issue of tritium leakage in several ways.

Chairman Gregory Jaczko spoke about the issues in his speech at a nuclear industry conference 17-Feb-2010, and the Office of Public Affairs has posted relevant material on a public webpage.

Speaking at the sixth annual Platts Nuclear Energy Conference in Bethesda, Chairman Jackzo acknowledged that the conference is an important forum for discussion "the opportunities, challenges, and implications of the resurgence of interest in nuclear power," and the majority of his comments related to those issues. However, he pointed out, current concerns about leaking pipes and tritium highlight the fact that "NRC must always stay focused on ensuring that the existing fleet continues to operate in a safe, secure, and environmentally sensitive manner."

"That is our core mission, and I assure you that the agency has not lost sight of that," he said.

Chairman Jaczko said that tritium leakage takes on greater significance in the area of public perception: "People are asking legitimate questions – what's leaking, where's it leaking, how much is leaking, and – most importantly – what's being done to deal with the problem?"

The Chairman said that the agency always inspects licensees who have such leaks and in each case makes certain that the licensee is taking the appropriate steps to find the source and to protect the public and the environment. While that is being done, "We always have to ask ourselves at every turn whether we can we do more," he said. "That's why the agency is participating in a buried piping task force to evaluate the need for specific corrosion protection standards that could be implemented at nuclear power plant facilities."

A Road Less Traveled...a Road not Far...Soon, -Nils J. Diaz, Chairman

Excerpt from speech concerning groundwater contamination

• One oversight issue that requires attention is the management of tritium from a radiological protection standpoint. The NRC is diligently reviewing recent and ongoing instances of groundwater contamination involving tritium at operating and decommissioning power reactors. Tritium contamination is currently being addressed at power reactor sites in several States, including Illinois, New York, and Arizona. Tritium is a weak beta emitter and is found extensively in nature. From my perspective, the fundamental issue in these cases is that, regardless of the minimal public health and environmental impacts of these contamination events, the releases were uncontrolled and identified after the fact. Beyond tritium and these particular cases, I believe that the industry as a whole should proactively address unanticipated radioactive releases from the technical and environmental standpoints.

Statement Submitted by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission to the Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate Change, and Nuclear Safety - United States Senate Concerning NRC Oversight

Excerpt from testimony concerning groundwater contamination

• Radiological Protection
  As part of NRC's requirements for operating a nuclear power plant, licensees must keep releases of radioactive material to unrestricted areas during normal operation as low as reasonably achievable and comply with radiation dose limits for the public. In addition, NRC regulations require licensees to have various effluent and environment monitoring programs to ensure that the impacts from plant operations are minimized. The permitted effluent releases result in very small doses to members of the public living around nuclear power plants. The NRC oversees these licensee programs to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety and the environment. Recently, the NRC staff has been monitoring instances of, and licensee actions to address, groundwater contamination involving tritium at operating and shutdown power reactors undergoing decommissioning. In addition, the NRC is in the process of establishing a tritium lessons learned task force to review these incidents and identify lessons learned from them to determine what, if any, changes are needed.