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Information on Connecticut Yankee Process Water Discharged To The Connecticut River The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is Connecticut Yankee's primary regulator for releases of water containing any amount of radioactivity. The NRC requirements are contained in CY's license, 10 CFR Part 20, and 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix I (Code of Federal Regulations). These requirements establish the concentration of radioactivity that can be released as well as the dose that any member of the public may receive. The State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) also plays an important role in the regulation of CY water releases. Water released at CY must meet the requirements of CY's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The NPDES permit establishes the amounts of non-radiological materials that may be released by CY and reaffirms the limits set by the NRC. On October 1, 2000, a new NPDES Permit was authorized by the CT DEP. At Connecticut Yankee, as for all power plants, water plays a key role. When Connecticut Yankee was operating, most of the water was used for cooling plant equipment. With CY shutdown, we primarily use water to shield and cool the stored fuel, but there is also some water left from our operating days to be drained from some systems. Some of this water contains radioactive ions and particles. The ions and particles got into the water when it flowed through reactor coolant system pipes, valves, and systems. Prior to releasing any of this water to the environment, it is passed through demineralizers and filters to remove the ions and particles. Once all requirements are met and the water is sampled and verified below limits, the water is released according to the requirements set by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Releases of radioactive materials in water, or "effluents," are closely monitored and controlled by plant operators using approved procedures. When water is released, specific information, such as total volume released, dilution water volume and radioactivity in the water is utilized to estimate the radiation dose, however small, to a hypothetically maximum exposed member of the public. A computer program performs calculations for the following exposure pathways: food, water, shoreline activity, swimming, and boating. Radiation doses are calculated for the whole body and the major organs for three age groups – adults, teens and children. The computer model uses conservative assumptions that tend to cause the calculated doses to be higher than what is actually received by any real member of the public. The NRC requirements, NPDES permit limits and the conservative factors in the computer program ensure that releases of water from Connecticut Yankee could never reasonably impact the environment. Sensitive radiation monitors continually monitor water releases. Alarms are set on these radiation monitors to automatically stop the release and warn plant operators should the amount of radioactivity in the water be higher than planned. The radiation monitors permanently record their readings on charts that are maintained by Connecticut Yankee and are subject to review by the NRC. In addition to the monitoring and controls in place for releasing water from the plant, samples of the surrounding environment are routinely taken and analyzed for radioactivity. These environmental sample locations are strategically placed in pathways that could lead to the highest potential radiation exposures to the public. This sampling and analysis program verifies that the actual exposure to the public from periodic releases of radioactivity is not higher than that estimated from effluent measurements and computer modeling. A report summarizing all releases of radioactive material from the plant is issued annually to the NRC. This is called the "Annual Radioactive Effluent Report." The results of the environmental sampling program are also reported to the NRC in the "Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report." Both of these reports are made available to the public by the federal government and can be found in the local public document room at the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown. The following data shows the dose information for the daily releases. To help put the number in perspective, below is a listing of average annual dose from everyday exposures: Radon in Average Household 200 millirem * Average Connecticut Resident (within 50 miles) whole body dose from CY radioactive effluents, Offsite Dose Calculation Manual, Docket No. 50-213, February 1997. ** Average Connecticut Resident (within 50 miles) whole body dose from CY radioactive effluents, Haddam Neck Plant, Annual Radioactive Effluent Report, April 30, 1998. To calculate the radiation dose you receive check the Environmental Protection Agency web site Dose Calculator Whole Body Dose from Connecticut Yankee discharges, to a Hypothetical Person living at the discharge canal, (swimming, drinking the milk, eating the
fish, meat and vegetables served by the same water source):
2001 Monthly Dose 2002Monthly Dose (mrem)
2003 Monthly Dose (mrem) 2004 Monthly Dose (mrem)
January 0.0234 February 0.00530 March 0.0357 April 0.0150 May 0.0011 June 0.00157 July 0.00388 August 0.00115 September 0.00838 October November December
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