ASSESSMENT OF RADIONUCLIDE RELEASE FROM INTACT STRUCTURES BACKFILLED WITH CONTAMINATED CONCRETE AT THE YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER STATION

This calculation determines the release of residual radioactivity (including H-3, C-14, Co-60, Ni-63, Sr-90, and Cs-137), from subsurface structures filled with concrete debris at the Yankee Nuclear Power Station. Analyses were performed to assess the rate of release from the source of contamination and the resulting dose in the groundwater pathway. Two mechanisms were considered, diffusive release from the concrete structures (walls and floors) that remain intact and sorption onto concrete backfill placed within these structures. RESRAD was used to calculate the predicted maximum dose assuming a unit loading of 1 pCi/g on the intact structures. To the extent possible, the same assumptions in the soil DCGL calculations performed for Yankee Atomic were used in the calculation. However, modifications to some input parameter values were needed to represent the geometry of the subsurface facilities, flow through these facilities, and releases from the backfill and intact structures. Input parameters specific to these calculations included the leach rate, disposal geometry, pumping rate, porosity and bulk density. The dose results for a unit loading of 1 pCi/g on intact structures showed that Sr-90 had the highest dose (3.67E-02 mrem/yr)