Radiological environmental monitoring at NPP Cernavoda

Radiological environmental monitoring at NPP Cernavoda

presented by Alexandru RODNA,

expert, Radiation Protection and Radioactive Waste Management Compartment, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Division, CNCAN

IAEA/NENP - Technical Meeting on Environmental Issues in New Nuclear Power

Programmes, IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 20 to 23 March 2012

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Topics

1. Regulatory framework

2. Environmental monitoring program of the operator

3. Environmental monitoring program of CNCAN

4. National monitoring of environmental radioactivity

5. EURATOM Treaty art.35 verification

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1. Regulatory framework

1.1. Law no.111/1996 republished, on the safe deployment, regulation, licensing and control of nuclear activities

Article 1. – The object of the present law is the

regulation, licensing and control of the nuclear activities for exclusively peaceful purposes so that they should meet the nuclear safety conditions, the conditions for the protection of the professionally exposed personnel, the patient, the environment, the population and the property, with minimal risks in compliance with the regulations and the observance of the obligations proceeding from the agreements and conventions Romania is a party to.

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1.1 (cont’d) • Article 4. – (1) The competent national authority in the nuclear

field, with duties in regulation, licensing and control as stipulated in the present Law, is the National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN), a nation-wide public institution, acting as a legal entity, with the head office in Bucharest, being headed by a President who is also a Secretary of State, and coordinated by the Prime Minister, via the Prime-Minister’s Office.

• Article 5. – (1) CNCAN is empowered to issue regulations for the detailed specification of the general requirements for (…), protection from ionizing radiation, (…), for intervention in the event of nuclear accident, including the procedures for licensing and control, (…), as well as any other regulations necessary for the licensing and control activity in the nuclear field.

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1.2. Fundamental Norms

1.2. Fundamental Norms for Radiological Safety (NFSR)

→ approved by CNCAN President Order No.14/2000 and published in the Official Gazette of Romania, part I, no. 404/29.08.2000

→ Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation

Art. 1. – These norms set up the requirements concerning the assurance of radiological safety of occupational exposed workers, population and environment, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 111/1996 republished.

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1.2 (cont’d) Art. 17. - (1) The annual doses sum arising from all relevant practices shall not exceed the dose limits provided by these norms for exposed workers, trainees and members of population. Art. 18. - (1) CNCAN establishes, whenever is necessary, dose constraints for practices or for certain radiation sources within the practice. (2) Dose constraints shall be used as maximum limit in the process of optimisation of radiation protection. Art. 20. - (1) The licensee establishes, whenever is necessary, derived emission limits for radioactive effluents, with the assistance of a Qualified Radiation Protection Expert or an approved occupational health service. (2) CNCAN approves the derived emission limits within the licensing process.

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1.2 (cont’d) Art. 97. – With a view to ensure operational radiation protection for the population, CNCAN: examines and approves the sitting and construction of nuclear

facilities from the radiation protection point of view;

accepts the commissioning of nuclear facilities with potential contamination outside their own perimeter, only if the appropriate measures on radiation protection have been taken according to the demographic, meteorological, geological, hydrological and ecological conditions;

assesses and approves the plans for discharge of radioactive effluents, including the derived emission limits of radioactive effluents and verifies during the practice the observance of respective plans, during the licensing process of practices in which there are possible emissions of radioactive effluents.

1.2 (cont’d)

Art. 103. - (1) The licensee shall ensure the radioactivity monitoring of environmental factors around nuclear installations, radioactive waste repositories and other important nuclear facilities that shall be established by CNCAN. (2) The monitoring system of the environmental factors shall be approved by CNCAN during the licensing process. Art. 109. - (1) The release into the environment of liquid or gaseous radioactive effluents can be made only with the compliance with the derived emission limits approved by CNCAN (…) and the conditions for records, reports and notifications, provided in these norms.

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1.3. Specific regulations

• Norms regarding the limitation of the radioactive effluents discharges to the environment (NDR-04)

→ approved by CNCAN President Order No.221/2005 and published in the Official Gazette of Romania, part I, no. 820/09.09.2005

→ IAEA Safety Guide No. WS-G-2.3 “Regulatory Control of Radioactive Discharges to the Environment” (2000)

→ method for DEL’s calculations (by the applicant / licensee)

→ procedure for DEL’s approval (by CNCAN)

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1.3 (cont’d)

• Norms regarding the monitoring of radioactive emissions from nuclear or radiological facilities (NSR-21)

→ approved by CNCAN President Order No.276/2005 and published in the

Official Gazette of Romania, part I, no. 923/17.10.2005 → IAEA Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.8 “Environmental and Source Monitoring for

Purposes of Radiation Protection” (2005) → requirements for monitoring at the emission source the radioactive

effluents resulted from an authorized nuclear activity, under normal operation (in all operational stages) and radiation emergency, of NPP’s, research reactors, nuclear fuel production plants, U and Th mining and milling facilities, radioactive waste and spent fuel storage and disposal facilities, other types facilities (medical, research, educational) where unsealed or sealed radioactive sources are used

→ specific requirements for the monitoring of radioactive emissions of a CANDU-type NPP

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1.3 (cont’d)

• Norms regarding the monitoring of environmental radioactivity around nuclear and radiological facilities (NSR-22)

→ approved by CNCAN President Order No.275/2005 and published in the Official

Gazette of Romania, part I, no. 923/17.10.2005 → IAEA Safety Guide No. RS-G-1.8 “Environmental and Source Monitoring for

Purposes of Radiation Protection” (2005) → Canadian Standard CAN/CSA-N288.4-M90 “Guidelines for Radiological

Monitoring of the Environment” (1990) → requirements for monitoring at the receiving media the radioactive effluents

resulted from an authorized nuclear activity, under normal operation (in all operational stages) and radiation emergency, of NPP’s, research reactors, nuclear fuel production plants, U and Th mining and milling facilities, radioactive waste and spent fuel storage and disposal facilities and some radiological facilities using unsealed radioactive sources

→ specific requirements for the monitoring of environmental radioactivity around a CANDU-type NPP

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1.3 (cont’d)

NSR-21

Article 6. – (3) In order to perform the routine monitoring of radioactive effluents, the applicant/licensee shall: a) Perform all the required pre-operational investigations; b) Design, draft the required operational procedures, and unfold a

proper monitoring program for radioactive effluents, while and after the plant is operated, in order to prove that there are no unexpected radioactive releases;

c) Periodically report to CNCAN the results of radioactive effluent monitoring programs;

d) Immediately notify to CNCAN any significant changes of the level of radioactive releases into the environment and any increases of the levels of radiation fields into the environment or of radioactive contaminations of the environment, (…).

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1.3 (cont’d)

Article 10. – (1) The monitoring of radioactive effluents at their emission source shall unfold based on monitoring programs for radioactive emissions, in both routine and emergency cases. (2) The monitoring of radioactive effluents in their receiving media shall unfold based on monitoring programs for environmental radioactivity, in both routine and emergency situations. Article 11. - (1) In order to design the radioactive emissions monitoring program, the environmental radioactivity monitoring program, the routine monitoring program, and the emergency monitoring program, the applicant/licensee shall consult an Qualified Radiation Protection Expert, (…). (2) All the monitoring programs are to be approved by CNCAN during the licensing process.

1.3 (cont’d)

NSR-22 • Chapter I: Purpose and scope • Chapter II: General requirements and responsibilities • Chapter III: Environmental radioactivity monitoring programs • Chapter IV: Routine monitoring of environmental radioactivity

– IV.1. Monitoring of environmental radioactivity in different operational stages

– IV.2. Support-programs – IV.3. Techniques for environmental sampling and environmental

samples measurements – IV.4. Specific requirements on environmental radioactivity

monitoring around NPP (CANDU-type)

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1.3 (cont’d)

• Specific requirements and a guide for selecting those radionuclide – environmental compartments corresponding to critical radionuclides and exposure pathways specific to CANDU-type reactors

• Specific requirements and the method to be used for selection of indicator locations for monitoring the airborne and liquid radioactive effluents

• Specific requirements for selection of control and background locations for monitoring the airborne and liquid radioactive effluents

• Specific requirements and the method to be used in calculation of the sampling frequencies

• Specific requirements regarding the measuring frequencies

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1.3 (cont’d) • Chapter V: Monitoring of environmental radioactivity in

emergency situations – V.1. Emergency monitoring preparedness – V.2. Environmental radioactivity monitoring during an emergency – V.3. Specific monitoring techniques in emergency situations

• Chapter VI: Monitoring of environmental radioactivity in prolonged exposure situations

• Chapter VII: Results of environmental radioactivity monitoring programs

• Chapter VIII: Quality management in environmental radioactivity monitoring

• Chapter IX: Reporting the results of environmental radioactivity monitoring programs

• Chapter X: Regulatory control • Chapter XI: Transitory and final dispositions

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1.4. Other responsible authorities Law no.111/1996 republished, on the safe deployment, regulation, licensing and control of nuclear activities

Article 37. – (1) The central environment protection authority shall organize, under the law, the environmental radioactivity surveillance network on the territory of Romania, providing the necessary information flow for the integrated monitoring system of the environment parameters. (4) Whenever necessary, the central environment protection authority shall notify CNCAN and the Ministry of Administration and Interiors on its findings in the monitoring activity exercised by it, and shall collaborate with these with a view to set up the necessary measures to be taken.

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1.4 (cont’d)

(2) The environment agreements and licenses, provided by law, shall be issued by the central authority for the environmental protection (…). (3) The environment agreement, stipulated under paragraph (2), is a prerequisite for the issuance of the sitting license for a nuclear facility by CNCAN. (4) The environment license, stipulated under paragraph (2), shall be released after CNCAN has issued the testing operation license, or the operation license (for instances when CNCAN issues an operation license without having issued a testing operation license prior to that).

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1.4 (cont’d)

Article 39. — (1) The Ministry of Health shall organize:

a) the monitoring network of the contamination with radioactive materials of food products, over the whole food chain, including drinking water, as well as of other goods aimed to be used by the population, according to the law. The monitoring of the radioactive contamination degree of these goods and products, whether home-made or imported, aimed to be used on the territory of Romania, shall thus be ensured;

(2) Whenever necessary, the Ministry of Health shall inform CNCAN and other interested ministries of its findings in the monitoring activity, and collaborate with these in order to establish the joint actions called for.

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2. Environmental monitoring program of the operator

• “Preoperational Environmental Monitoring Program for Cernavoda NPP”, 1984-1994

• Monitoring of the Cernavoda site began in 1984 with the Pre-operational Program;

• Since 1984 until 1996, the Preoperational Environmental Radiation Monitoring Program has analyzed environmental samples to define background radiation, both from natural and man-made sources. This program detected fallout from the reactor accident at Chernobyl in April of 1986;

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2. (cont’d)“Preoperational Environmental

Monitoring Program for Cernavoda NPP” • The Preoperational Environmental Radiation

Monitoring Program has been conducted by two romanian research institute:

• Institute for Nuclear Research – Pitesti ; • Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear

Engineering - Bucharest • In the Preoperational Environmental Radiation

Monitoring Program the following types of samples were analyzed:

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–Water; –Air (air samples were analyzed for gross beta, and

alpha activities, radon, thoron and radon daughters, I-131);

–Soil and sediment; –Natural vegetation and fodder, crops; –Food samples( milk, fish, meat, eggs, honeh, wine

were analyzed for gross beta, gamma emitting radionuclides and tritium)

2. (cont’d)“Preoperational

Environmental Monitoring Program for Cernavoda NPP”

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• Radiometric measurements were made at all sample collection locations including the fixed stations for the riutine monitoring program.

• The samples were usually collected and anlyzed quarterly and the results provided to Cernavoda NPP staff twice a year ;



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• The results of Preoperational Environmental Radiation

Monitoring Program was summarized, analyzed and

presented to CNCAN prior first criticality of Unit 1;

• Analyzing the results of measurements performed by the two reserch institutes, on samples taken around Cernavoda during 1984-1993 it can be noticed that the environmental radioactivity was modified after the Chernobyl NPP accident.



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• The Environmental Radiation Routine Monitoring Program for Cernavoda NPP was elaborated and approved in 1995 – RD-01364-RP7. The program started in March 1996

• 1999 revision: new monitoring points, new sample types, some modifications of sampling frequencies (the sampling program is controlled by plant emission values; if the emissions as measured at the discharge point, remain bellow the action level - 6% from DEL - environmental samples will be collected with a routine frequency; if the emission values increase above the action level, the sampling and analytical frequencies are also increased for the affected environmental pathway)

2. (cont’d)“Routine Environmental

Monitoring Program of Cernavoda NPP”

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• 2004 revision: new sampling points and sample types, in order to observe CNCAN requirements of monitoring the environmental radioactivity around DICA, DIDR and ground water in the area;

• 2005 revision: new sampling points, new sample types • 2007 revision: new sampling points, sample types,

modification of analytical frequencies, according to NSR-22 (issued in 2005)

• All the revisions must be assessed and approved by CNCAN; the results of the program must be reported annually by the NPP, for evaluation.



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ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM SAMPLING LOCATIONS - INDICATOR, CONTROL OR

REFERENCE LOCATIONS SAMPLING AND ANALYTICAL FREQUENCY ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA AND SPECIFIC NUCLIDES

TO BE MONITORED; MONITORING FREQUENCY ANALYTICAL FREQUENCY; DOSE ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT OF ADEQUACY OF SOURCE CONTROL



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SAMPLING LOCATIONS

2. (cont’d)“Routine Environmental Monitoring Program of Cernavoda NPP”

INDICATOR LOCATIONS FOR

AIR MONITORING

TLD’s LOCATIONS

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SAMPLING LOCATIONS


INDICATOR LOCATIONS

FOR AIR MONITORING

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SAMPLING LOCATIONS (ON-SITE)


AIR MONITORING STATION

WATER (DEEP UNDERGROUND)

WATER (UNDERGROUND FROM

INFILTRATION)

SOIL

TLD’s LOCATIONS

VEGETATION (GRASS) –

GRAPES

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SAMPLING LOCATIONS (ON-SITE)


TLD’s LOCATIONS

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SAMPLING LOCATIONS


TLD’s LOCATIONS (3-5 Km)

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SAMPLING LOCATIONS

(OFF-SITE 3-30 Km)

WATER - POTABLE

MILK

MEAT

VEGETABLES – FRUITS

FISH

SOIL

SEDIMENT

WATER (SURFACE)

P

L

C

V

P

SL

SD

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Environmental media Sampling frequency Analysis Frequency

Airborne particulate Monthly (Integrated

sample) Monthly

Airborne Radioiodine Quarterly (Integrated

sample) Quarterly

Airborne Tritium Monthly (Integrated

sample) Monthly

Ambient gamma (TLD’s) Quarterly (Integrated

sample) Quarterly

Water (surface water from

Danube) Weekly

Monthly (composite

sample)

Water ( CCW duct) Weekly (Integrated sample) Weekly

Water (underground water from

infiltration) Monthly Monthly

Water (deep underground water) Monthly Monthly

Water (potable water) Monthly Monthly

Soil Twice a year Twice a year

2. (cont’d)“Routine Environmental Monitoring

Program of Cernavoda NPP” Sample types, sampling and analytical frequencies of Cernavoda NPP

environmental monitoring program

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Program of Cernavoda NPP” Sample types, sampling and analytical frequencies of Cernavoda NPP

environmental monitoring program

Environmental media Sampling frequency Analysis Frequency

Sediment Twice a year Twice a year

Milk Weekly

Weekly (gamma

spectrometry and H-3)

Monthly (Gross Beta

and C-14 on

composite sample)

Deposition Monthly (Integrated

sample) Monthly

Fish Twice a year Twice a year

Meat Annual Annual

Vegetables Annual Annual

Leafy vegetables Twice a year Twice a year

Fruits Annual Annual

wheat Annual Annual Cereals

maize Twice a year Twice a year

Wild vegetation Monthly (May -

October)

Monthly (May -

October)

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Program of Cernavoda NPP”

• Analysis Types:

– Gamma spectrometry analysis

– Tritium analysis by liquid scintillation

– C-14 analysis by liquid scintillation

– Gross beta analysis

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• All radionuclide analyses were carried out in the Cernavoda NPP Environmental Control Laboratory located at 2 km from first reactor of Cernavoda NPP.

• Since 2005 Environmental Control Laboratory Cernavoda became a member of IAEA’s ALMERA (Analytical Laboratories For Measuring Environmental Radioactivity) Network.

• The network was organized to support the Agency’s activities in the field of radiation protection and radiological assessment of areas affected by accidental or planned release of radioactive material.



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• Participation of the Environmental Laboratory NPP Cernavoda in the ALMERA Proficiency Tests was a good opportunity to monitor and demonstrate the performance and analytical capabilities of laboratory.

• These proficiency tests help to monitor and demonstrate improvements in accuracy, precision and international compatibility of measurements of radionuclides in environmental samples over time by the members.



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• About 11000 samples were analysed from March 1996 to December 2011 in order to monitor environmental radiation around the Cernavoda NPP.

• No gamma emitting radionuclides excepting Cs-137 (from Chernobyl event) and gamma emitting radionuclides naturally occurring (7Be, 40K, 228Ac, 212Bi, 214Bi, 212Pb, 214Pb) were detected in all these samples.

• Sixteen years of experience in CANDU NPP operation at Cernavoda have shown that tritium is the most significant radionuclide released in gaseous and liquid effluents, representing more than 80% of the radioactive releases.



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• For this reason the environmental monitoring program is heavily oriented toward measurement of tritium.

• Untill now, the only radionuclide detected in the environment is the Tritium (3H), in small quantities resulting in radiation doses to the population much smaller than the dose constraints established by CNCAN.

• Background tritium concentration in the Cernavoda area had values between 0.032 and 0.186 Bq/m3 (measurements performed in the preoperational program by IFIN-HH Bucharest).



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• The tritium activity in air, water and food was used to calculate the supplementary dose received by a member of critical group, living in Cernavoda. The air monitoring station is located in Cernavoda town at about 2.5 km distance from the plant.


Program of Cernavoda NPP -TRITIUM PUBLIC DOSES BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS”

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• The food consumption rates used for calculation are:

Food Consumption rate

Fruits/Vegetables/

Cereals 251.85

Beef Meat 13.38

Milk 193.45

Poultry 13.38

Pork Meat 13.38

Water 700

Fish 7.3

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* These values represent the detection limit of the method.

** Mean values between Danube water average values from two locations, upstream and downstream the release point and Danube – Black Sea Chanel.

*** For 2007-2010 tritium concentration in water was measured on drinking water samples.

Average values of H-3 (Bq/kg)

Environmental

media

Year

Vegetables

(Bq/kg) Fruits (Bq/kg)

Meat

(Bq/kg) Milk (Bq/l) Fish (Bq/kg)

Water

(Bq/l)

Air

(Bq/m3)

1997 9.5 9.1 7.3 9.4 7.3 10.34 0.52

1998 8.2 7.5 820 8.9 7.6 10.07 0.42

1999 9.7 7.1 8.7 9.1 8 10.22 0.84

2000 9.1 7.5 8 8.8 7.3 10.69 1.26

2001 7.03 7.71 9.27 7.37 6.91 8.77 1.84

2002 6.24 5.51 7.1 6.72 8.9 8.88 1.37

2003 5.8 3.12 4.12 5.5 3.89 6.52 1.26

2004 9.07 20.55 4.56 6.74 4.44 17.98 0.48

2005 6.71 7.22 7.33 6.03 5.1 15.68 0.46

2006 10.3 8.49 6.1 12.57 13.8 19.36 0.28

2007 5.25 11.72 10.83 13.45 8.04 3.48 0.61

2008 11.27 9.64 5.41 11.56 7.10 4.64 0.85

2009 15.24 15.27 4.53 8.67 8.11 3.57 0.99

2010 12.60 12.44 6.99 9.84 6.53 3.88 1.49

2011 8.46 10.68 2.40 4.44 2.96 4.65 0.29

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Inhalation Supplementary Dose

(μSv/year)

Ingestion Supplementary Dose

(μSv/year)

Total Supplementary Dose

(μSv)

1997 0.09 0.21 0.3

1998 0.07 0.20 0.27

1999 0.121 0.21 0.331

2000 0.212 0.21 0.422

2001 0.325 0.18 0.505

2002 0.517 0.17 0.687

2003 0.476 0.13 0.606

2004 0.182 0.32 0.502

2005 0.173 0.26 0.433

2006 0.107 0.34 0.447

2007 0.230 0.14 0.37

2008 0.321 0.14 0.461

2009 0.37 0.15 0.52

2010 0.56 0.24 0.8

2011 0.11 0.13 0.24



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Program of Cernavoda NPP -TRITIUM PUBLIC DOSES”

The annual tritium dose for a member of the critical group in Cernavoda

0.66

2.10 1.91

4.76 4.51

7.17

4.97

7.086.72

9.86

4.00

6.48

4.07

2.72

0.27 0.33 0.42 0.51 0.69 0.61 0.50 0.43 0.45 0.37 0.24

8.05

0.30

0.800.520.46

0

3

6

9

12

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Do

se (

mic

ro

Sv

)

assessed dose based on radioactive effluents monitoring program results assessed dose based on environmental monitoring program results

3. CNCAN environmental monitoring program

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NSR-22, art. 111. – For the cases of nuclear or radiological installations which could significantly impact the environment, (…), CNCAN can deploy its own environmental radioactivity monitoring program, in the influence area of the installation, in order to verify the validity of the results provided by the operators and to confirm the exposure of the public is maintained below the dose constraints established by CNCAN.

•CNCAN “Annual Plan for inspections in the off-site environment of nuclear installations” – Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Control Program around

Cernavodă NPP, consisting in independent sampling and environmental measurements, performed by the CNCAN's laboratory for environmental radioactivity functioning within the Section for Radiation Emergencies

3 (cont’d)

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Overall description of CNCAN Environmental Radioactivity Monitoring and Control Program around Cernavodă NPP

3 (cont’d)

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CNCAN sampling locations around Cernavoda NPP

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4. National monitoring of environmental radioactivity

• Continuous monitoring of environmental radioactivity on the

Romanian territory is carried out by several organisations.

4.1. The National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), by its Reference Laboratory for Radioactivity (NRL), which ensures the surveillance through a National Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance Network (NERSN), consisting of 37 laboratories (SSRM) and through the automatic early warning system for radiation in the environment (EWS). – The monitoring program of these 37 laboratories includes

measurements of air, water, vegetation, uncultivated and cultivated soils, vegetables, fruit and milk;

– EWS supports routine radiological surveillance and provides monitoring data needed in emergency situations. Data from EWS are provided also to the EURDEP system.

4.1. (cont’d)

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The NERSN network of 37 SSRM laboratories

4.1. (cont’d)

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NEPA's ambient gamma dose rate network in the vicinity of the Cernavoda and Kozloduy NPPs

4.1. (cont’d) • Romania operates automatic systems for the monitoring of

ambient gamma dose rate all over the country and particularly in the vicinity of NPPs, as well as one on the Danube River.

• The automatic ambient dose rate monitoring system comprises 88 stations, spread over the national territory and close to NPPs, all with real time data transmission.

• All data from the automatic ambient dose rate monitoring stations around Cernavodă NPP are transmitted to the network coordination centre of NRL; they are checked, validated, stored and forwarded to the Cernavodă NPP operator, the Cernavodă Town Administration and to those SSRM’s responsible for the monitoring of the NPP's influence area.

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4.1. (cont’d) • SSRM Cernavodă, Constanţa, Călăraşi and Slobozia, under the

co-ordination of NRL, are performing a special monitoring program in the influence area of Cernavodă NPP, consisting in sampling of air, wet and dry atmospheric deposition, surface and drinking water, ground water, uncultivated and cultivated soil, spontaneous and cultivated vegetation, milk and fish, with different frequencies.

• Gross-beta measurements are performed by local SSRM’s, gamma-spectrometry analyses are performed at SSRM Constanta, H-3 and C-14 analyses are performed at NRL Bucharest, with different frequencies.26

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4.2. National Public Health Network

The national public health network consists of 19 laboratories covering the entire national territory, technically coordinated by 4 regional Institutes of Public Health. • For drinking water sampled in the surroundings of the NPP, gross alpha and beta

activity, as well as H-3 are measured monthly; Cs-137 and Sr-90 are determined quarterly.

• Milk samples from local farms, markets or dairies are taken on a monthly basis; gross alpha and beta activity and K-40 content are measured; for Cernavoda NPP surroundings, quarterly analysis of Cs-137 and Sr-90 is performed.

• Daily sampling of 2 – 3 served meals from school, kindergarten and some other canteens is performed for gross beta and alpha activity and K-40, Cs-137 and Sr-90 quarterly determinations.

• Quarterly, meat, fish, cereals/flour/bread, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and apples from local producers are sampled around NPP; gross alpha and beta activity and K-40, Cs-137 and Sr-90 content are assessed.

5. Verification of art.35 EURATOM

• Art. 35 of the Euratom Treaty requires that each Member State shall establish the necessart facilities to carry out continuous monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in air, water and soil and to ensure compliance with the basic safety standards. \

• Art. 35 also gives the European Commission (EC) the right of access such facilities in order to verify their operation and efficiency.

• The main purpose of verifications performed under Art. 35 is to provide an independent assessment of the adequacy of monitoring facilities for:

o liquid and airborne discharges of radioactivity into the environment by a nuclear installation;

o levels of environmental radioactivity on site and in the marine, terrestrial and aquatic environment around the site, for all relevant pathways;

o levels of environmental radioactivity on the territory of the Member State.

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5 (cont’d)

• From 4 to 12 June 2007, a verification team from DG TREN of EC visited the site of the Cernavodă NPP and various environmental radioactivity monitoring and measuring sites located in the south-eastern part of Romania.

• Verification activities comprised the followings:

– the verification of liquid and gaseous radioactive discharges from the Cernavodă NPP (sampling and monitoring systems, analytical methods, quality assurance and control aspects, reporting);

– the verification of the Cernavodă site-related environmental radiological monitoring programmes as implemented by the operator and by the regulator (technical aspects of monitoring and sampling activities, analytical methods used, quality assurance and control, archiving and reporting);

– verification of part of the national monitoring network (infrastructure, analytical methods, quality assurance and control aspects, reporting).

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5 (cont’d)

Conclusions of the art.35/Euratom verification:

(1) The verification activities that were performed demonstrated that the facilities necessary to carry out continuous monitoring of levels of radioactivity in the air, water and soil around the Cernavodă NPP site, as well as the verified parts of the national monitoring system for environmental radioactivity and of the food import control facilities are adequate.

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5 (cont’d)

(2) A number of topical recommendations are formulated. These recommendations aim at improving some aspects of discharge monitoring from, and environmental surveillance around the Cernavodă site and the national monitoring system. The recommendations do not discredit the fact that environmental monitoring around the Cernavodă site as well as the verified parts of the national monitoring system for environmental radioactivity are in conformity with the provisions laid down under Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty.

Documents

Radiological environmental monitoring at NPP Cernavoda