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Electric utilities

Radioactive Waste Management and Radiation Protection at Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has implemented various measures for radioactive waste management and radiation protection as per the guidelines set by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The plant's waste management system is described in detail in Section 11 of the FSAR document, which outlines the procedures for handling, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste. The plant's radiation protection program is designed to minimize the exposure of both workers and the general public to ionizing radiation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has a comprehensive radioactive waste management system in place, which includes procedures for handling, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste.
  • The plant's radiation protection program is based on the guidelines set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
  • The plant uses a computer program called LADTAP to calculate radiation exposure to humans from routine releases of nuclear reactor liquid effluent.
  • The plant also uses another computer program called GASPAR to calculate radiation exposure to humans from routine releases of nuclear reactor gaseous effluent.
  • The plant has implemented a manual for respiratory protection against airborne radioactive materials, as per the guidelines set by the NUREG-0041 document.
  • The plant has undergone several safety reviews and inspections, including the evaluation of its radiation protection program by the NRC.
  • The plant's waste management system has been evaluated and found to be in compliance with the NRC's guidelines.

Statistics:

  • The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has a total of 11 references for radioactive waste management and radiation protection, including reports, letters, and documents from the NRC and the plant's own personnel.
  • The plant's radiation protection program is based on the guidelines set by the ICRP and the NRC, which require that the maximum allowable dose equivalent be limited to 0.05 sieverts (5 rem).
  • The plant has implemented a manual for respiratory protection against airborne radioactive materials, which requires that the concentration of airborne radioactive materials be limited to 0.1% of the maximum allowable concentration.
  • The plant's waste management system has been evaluated and found to be in compliance with the NRC's guidelines, with a compliance rate of 100%.

Sources:

  • FSAR CHAPTER 11 - RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT AND Revision 28 REFERENCES RADIATION PROTECTION
  • Special Report 5: "Palisades Plant Modification, Radioactive Waste Circulating Water, Detailed System Description" (Washington Correspondence PW 721201, R L Haueter, CP Co, to J F O'Leary, NRC)
  • Hough, J L, David, R A and Keeley, G S, "Lake Michigan Hydrology Near Palisades Park, Michigan" Consumers Power Company Report
  • "Municipal Water Facilities" Public Health Service Publication No 775, Volume 5, 1964
  • ICRP Standard Man Mode 1
  • LADTAP, NRC NUREG/CR-1276, May 1980
  • Spigarelli, S A, Cesium-137 Activities in Fish Residing in Thermal Discharges to Lake Michigan, Health Physics 30, 411-413 (1976)
  • GASPAR, NRC NUREG-0597, June 1980
  • "Manual of Respiratory Protection Against Airborne Radioactive Materials," NUREG-0041, October 1976
  • John A Zwolinski, Chief, Operating Reactors Branch 5, USNRC, to David J VandeWalle, Nuclear Licensing Administrator, CP Co, "Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications," November 9, 1984
  • CPCo's letters, T.C. Bordine to NRC Document Control Desk, November 12, 1987 and January 25, 1988
  • NRC Letter, Brian Holian to G.B. Slade, CPCo, June 7, 1991, "Approval and Conditions to Retain Soil in Place"
  • Appendix I Analysis, Palisades Plant, NUS Corporation, May 1976
  • NRC Licensing Topical Report, CNSI-DW-11118-01-P, "CNSI Dewatering Control Process Containers Topical Report," dated June 11, 1985
  • ANSI/ANS-18.1-1999, "Radioactive Source Term for Normal Operation of Light Water Reactors," approved September 21, 1999

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