Palo Verde provides the following response:
1. What survey method are used when removing dry chemical fire extinguishers from the RCA? Palo Verde performs a loose and fixed contamination survey on fire extinguishers prior to release for recharge/maintenance. Since the extinguisher is sealed and typically pressurized you can assume that any contamination present is external. 2. What survey method are used when removing CO2 or water fire extinguishers from the RCA? Same as #1 above 3. Do you test the fire extinguishers to ensure they are pressurized? No 4. Do you empty the fire extinguishers prior to release? No 5. Do you have fire extinguishers in the containment during power operations? No a. If YES, have you ever detected activation products (e.g. Zn-65)? 6. Do you have any OE you could share? If you use a SAM to monitor the extinguisher for release beware that most dry chemical fire extinguishers use potassium bicarbonate (aka Purple-K) or potassium chloride (Super-K) which contain significant amounts of K-40. If you discharge the fire extinguisher prior to removal from the RCA this can drop the amount of NORM below the alarm threshold. Some fire extinguisher horns (nozzle) are made of composite materials that can also contain NORM. You could baseline your extinguishers using an MCA to determine approximate amounts and types of activity present. ********************************************************************** Seth J. Kanter, CHP, RRPT Sr. Health Physicist Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Mail Sta. 7397 5801 S. Wintersburg Rd. Tonopah, AZ 85354 Phone (623) 393-3130 Cell (602) 376-7131 or (602) 402-5764 Fax (623) 393-1853 Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are my own Liviu Librescu ********************************************************************** From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Danek, Joe Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 10:56 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Powernet: Fire Extinguishers; Survey Methods and Release St. Lucie would appreciate answers to the following questions: 7. What survey method are used when removing dry chemical fire extinguishers from the RCA? 8. What survey method are used when removing CO2 or water fire extinguishers from the RCA? 9. Do you test the fire extinguishers to ensure they are pressurized? 10. Do you empty the fire extinguishers prior to release? 11. Do you have fire extinguishers in the containment during power operations? a. If YES, have you ever detected activation products (e.g. Zn-65)? 12. Do you have any OE you could share? Thanks! [cid:[email protected]] Brent L. Robinson TECHNICAL RP SUPERVISOR Florida Power & Light St. Lucie Plant 6501 S. Ocean Drive Jensen Beach, Florida 34957 (772) 467-7308 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> --- NOTICE --- This message is for the designated recipient only and may contain confidential, privileged or proprietary information. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original and any copy or printout. Unintended recipients are prohibited from making any other use of this e-mail. Although we have taken reasonable precautions to ensure no viruses are present in this e-mail, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of this e-mail or attachments, or for any delay or errors or omissions in the contents which result from e-mail transmission.
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