NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406
	CONTACT:	Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov

or nas@nrc.gov



I-96-73                                 November 5, 1996
Contact:  Diane Screnci                 FOR IMMEDIATE
          RELEASE
          Neil A. Sheehan     

       NRC DISPATCHES INSPECTOR TO REVIEW CIRCUMSTANCES
    OF THE CONTAMINATION OF TWO WORKERS AT THE HADDAM NECK
	                    NUCLEAR PLANT

     The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing an incident over the weekend
at the Haddam Neck nuclear power plant, in Haddam, Connecticut, in which two
workers received unplanned radiation exposures.  
     
     Northeast Utilities (NU), which operates the plant, has told the NRC that the incident
occurred last Saturday morning (November 2), when two workers were performing
decontamination and cleanup work in the plant's spent fuel transfer canal.  In
preparation for the movement of the shutdown reactor's nuclear fuel core, the workers --
one a Northeast Utilities supervisor, the other a Westinghouse refueling contractor --
spent about 15 minutes removing contamination and debris from the canal, which at the
time was dry.  After being flooded, the canal is used to move highly radioactive spent
fuel from the reactor to the nearby circulating-water storage pool.  The workers were
wearing protective clothing but not respirators, breathing equipment designed to protect
against airborne contamination.
   
    Upon exiting the work area, NU determined that the workers had unknowingly
conducted activities that created a significant potential for radiological exposure greater
than what was originally anticipated, including handling highly radioactive debris. 
Further evaluation of the airborne radioactivity in the area indicated radioactive air
concentrations that were significantly higher than expected, probably as a result or
cleaning activities conducted by the workers.  These conditions prompted NU to stop all
work in the immediate area until the causes of the changes in the radiological conditions
were understood and proper radiation protection measures were implemented.  The
employees were measured for radiation exposure, but initial recordings showed the
workers did not receive a dose higher than permissible levels.  For nuclear industry
workers, the maximum annual exposure rate is 5 rem per year.

     A senior radiation specialist from NRC Region I has been dispatched to the site to
look into the incident.

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