Event Notification Report for September 30, 1999

                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                              Operations Center

                              Event Reports For
                           09/29/1999 - 09/30/1999

                              ** EVENT NUMBERS **

36198  36238  36239  36240  36241  36242  36243  36244  

!!!!!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED  !!!!!!!
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36198       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: MILLSTONE                REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/19/1999|
|    UNIT:  [] [2] []                 STATE:  CT |NOTIFICATION TIME: 08:15[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-3,[2] CE,[3] W-4-LP           |EVENT DATE:        09/19/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        07:30[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  MYERS                        |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |NIEL DELLA GRECA     R1      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|ARPS 50.72(b)(2)(ii)     RPS ACTUATION          |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|                                                   |                          |
|2     A          N       0        Hot Standby      |0        Hot Standby      |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE PLANT HAD AN RPS ACTUATION ON A LOW LEVEL STEAM GENERATOR SIGNAL.        |
|                                                                              |
| The plant had a reactor protection signal actuation due to an actual low     |
| level steam generator trip signal.  The reactor was already shut down with   |
| all rods fully inserted, so there was no affect on the reactor from this     |
| actuation.  The steam generator level was restored to above the low level    |
| trip setpoint.  The cause of the low steam generator level appears to be due |
| to inadequate procedures, but they are still investigating.                  |
|                                                                              |
| The NRC resident inspector along with state and local agencies were notified |
| by the licensee.                                                             |
|                                                                              |
| ****************** UPDATE AT 1314 ON 09/29/99 FROM KEN TRUESDALE TO LEIGH    |
| TROCINE *****************                                                    |
|                                                                              |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee:   |
|                                                                              |
| "Background"                                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| "A valid low steam generator lever signal was processed through the Reactor  |
| Protection System (RPS) coincident logic.  This signal was not expected      |
| because steam generator level was being maintained by control room personnel |
| within the band required/allowed by the applicable procedure.  At the time   |
| of the trip signal, the reactor was in Mode 3 with the Trip Circuit Breakers |
| (TCB) open.  At the time the ESF signal was generated, a normal reactor      |
| shutdown had been completed (entry into Mode 3), control rods had been       |
| inserted, and steam generator level was being maintained within a specified  |
| range as required by the applicable procedure."                              |
|                                                                              |
| "Reportability"                                                              |
|                                                                              |
| "For the steam generator level trip event, an ESF was not needed to mitigate |
| the consequences of an event, and an ESF did not actuate as a result of the  |
| trip signal.  A normal reactor shutdown had been completed (entry into Mode  |
| 3), control rods had previously been inserted, and steam generator level was |
| being maintained within a specified range as required by the applicable      |
| procedure.  For the MP2 steam generator trip event, the consequences of an   |
| event were not mitigated, and an ESF component did not actuate.  Therefore,  |
| since an ESF signal did not process to an ESF component (TCBs were open), an |
| actuation did not occur, and an event did not exist which required           |
| mitigation; this report is being retracted."                                 |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector.  The NRC operations center |
| notified the R1DO (Silk).                                                    |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36238       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: GRAND GULF               REGION:  4  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [1] [] []                 STATE:  MS |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:26[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-6                             |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        08:30[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  WALTER CADE                  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  WILLIAM POERTNER             +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |JEFF SHACKELFORD     R4      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |DWIGHT CHAMBERLAIN   R4      |
|DDDD 73.71               UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH  |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| POTENTIAL SABOTAGE WITH SAFETY EQUIPMENT                                     |
|                                                                              |
| Immediate compensatory measures were taken upon discovery.                   |
|                                                                              |
| The NRC resident inspector has been notified by the licensee.                |
|                                                                              |
| (Refer to the HOO Log for additional details.)                               |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Hospital                                         |Event Number:   36239       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  WOMACK ARMY MEDICAL CENTER           |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|LICENSEE:  WOMACK ARMY MEDICAL CENTER           |NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:46[EDT]|
|    CITY:  FORT BRAGG               REGION:  2  |EVENT DATE:        09/28/1999|
|  COUNTY:  CUMBERLAND                STATE:  NC |EVENT TIME:        11:05[EDT]|
|LICENSE#:  32-04054-04           AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  DOCKET:  03002631                             |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |RUDOLPH BERNHARD     R2      |
|                                                |SCOTT MOORE          NMSS    |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  CAPTAIN DAUS                 |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|LADM 35.33(a)            MED MISADMINISTRATION  |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| POSSIBLE MEDICAL MISADMINISTRATION AT WOMACK ARMY MEDICAL CENTER (24-hour    |
| report)                                                                      |
|                                                                              |
| At 1000 on 09/29/99, the radiation safety officer was notified of a          |
| potential medical misadministration at Womack Army Medical Center located at |
| Fort Bragg in North Carolina.  The following information was provided:       |
|                                                                              |
| At 1100 on 09/28/99, a patient was scheduled to received 2 mCi of I-131 as   |
| part of a yearly whole body scan.  (The patient had a history of thyroid     |
| cancer, and the patient's thyroid had previously been removed.)  At 1105, a  |
| technician measured a dose of 2.76 mCi of I-131.  The technician then made a |
| revision to the dose on the paperwork and administered the dose prior to     |
| obtaining the authorized user's approval of the change Apparently, the       |
| technician assumed that the authorized user would approve the change.  The   |
| authorized user subsequently signed the paperwork (after the dose was        |
| administered).                                                               |
|                                                                              |
| This was in violation of the licensee's Quality Management Program which     |
| requires the authorized user to approve (either verbally or in writing) dose |
| revisions prior to administration.   The licensee stated that the authorized |
| user's verbal approval of a dose revision can be given prior to the          |
| administration if the authorized user is not physically available to sign an |
| approval prior to performance of an administration involving a dose          |
| revision.  In that case, the paperwork can be signed by the authorized user  |
| after the administration.                                                    |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee stated that adverse health effects are not expected as a result |
| of this event.  At the time of this event notification, it was not known     |
| whether or not the patient and/or attending physician had been notified of   |
| the potential medical misadministration.                                     |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC Region 2 office (Hector Bermudez).             |
|                                                                              |
| (Call the NRC operations center for licensee contact telephone numbers.)     |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36240       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: PERRY                    REGION:  3  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [1] [] []                 STATE:  OH |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:58[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-6                             |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        15:45[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  BRIAN P. STETSON             |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |TONY VEGEL           R3      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(vi)     OFFSITE NOTIFICATION   |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| OFFSITE NOTIFICATION OF NON-RADIOLOGICAL TREATED WATER BEING RELEASED TO THE |
| ENVIRONMENT VIA A PATHWAY NOT SPECIFIED IN THE NPDES PERMIT                  |
|                                                                              |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee:   |
|                                                                              |
| "Non-radiological treated water was released to the environment via a        |
| pathway not specified in the NPDES permit.  [The] State of Ohio              |
| Environmental Protection Agency was notified."                               |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee stated that raw water from the lake is treated with a           |
| coagulator and gravity filter before being stored in a clearwell.  The water |
| in the clearwell is then used as seal water for the circulating water pumps  |
| and service water pumps.  The clearwell overflows to the storm drains, and   |
| various released of this treated water has occurred over the life of the     |
| plant.  The NPDES permit does not allow treated water to be released via the |
| storm drain system.                                                          |
|                                                                              |
| Operators recently received training of the NPDES permit requirements        |
| following a previous valve failure that resulted in a release of chlorinated |
| water to a storm drain on 08/17/99.  (Refer to event #36037 for additional   |
| information.)  As a result of this heightened awareness, an operator         |
| performing rounds questioned the clearwell overflow release path, and it was |
| discovered that pathway was not in accordance with the NPDES permit.         |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector and the State of Ohio       |
| Environmental Protection Agency.                                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36241       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: SAN ONOFRE               REGION:  4  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [1] [2] [3]               STATE:  CA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:21[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] W-3-LP,[2] CE,[3] CE             |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        10:25[PDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  CLAY WILLIAMS                |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |JEFF SHACKELFORD     R4      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |JOSEPH GIITTER       IRO     |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(vi)     OFFSITE NOTIFICATION   |LEDYARD (TAD) MARSH  NRR     |
|                                                |WILLIAM BEECHER, HQ  PAO     |
|                                                |KEN CIBOCH, HQ       FEMA    |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          N       0        Decommissioned   |0        Decommissioned   |
|2     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|3     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ERRONEOUS MEDIA REPORTS OF AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY AND THE NEED FOR AN           |
| EVACUATION DURING THE LICENSEE'S PERFORMANCE OF A TEST OF THE EMERGENCY      |
| NOTIFICATION SYSTEM SIRENS                                                   |
|                                                                              |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee:   |
|                                                                              |
| "This notification is for San Onofre Units 1, 2, and 3 and is being made in  |
| accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(vi) for an event related to the public      |
| health and safety for which a news release is planned or notification to     |
| other government agencies has been or will be made.  Southern California     |
| Edison (SCE) is providing this information to the NRC due to possible        |
| questions the NRC may receive from the public."                              |
|                                                                              |
| "On September 29, 1999, at 1019 PDT, SCE initiated a test of the offsite     |
| sirens.  All local residents, businesses, and schools were notified of the   |
| test beforehand.  At about 1025 PDT, SCE was notified that a local cable     |
| [television] station had broadcast an actual emergency evacuation message to |
| local residents.  That erroneous message has been corrected, and all local   |
| media outlets have been notified not to pick up the incorrect report."       |
|                                                                              |
| "[ ... ]  At the time of this occurrence, Unit 1 remained permanently        |
| defueled, and Units 2 and 3 were operating at about full power."             |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee stated that the cause of the erroneous message is currently     |
| under investigation.  The licensee also stated that the site received a      |
| couple of calls from members of the public and that 911 received over 100    |
| calls as well.                                                               |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspectors, the emergency             |
| preparedness staff at NRC Region 4, and the NRC NRR project manager for San  |
| Onofre Units 2 and 3 (L. Raghaven).  NRC Region 4 plans to notify the State  |
| of California and the applicable Federal Emergency Management Agency's       |
| regional office (FEMA Region 9).                                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36242       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: HOPE CREEK               REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [1] [] []                 STATE:  NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:58[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4                             |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        11:33[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  ART BREADY                   |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |DAVID SILK           R1      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|AARC 50.72(b)(1)(v)      OTHER ASMT/COMM INOP   |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| LOSS OF CONTROL ROOM INDICATION OF RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENT RELEASE VIA THE      |
| SOUTH PLANT VENT RADIATION MONITORING SKID FOR GREATER THAN 8 HOURS          |
|                                                                              |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee:   |
|                                                                              |
| "At 1049 [hours] on 09/29/99, the South Plant Vent (SPV) Radiation           |
| Monitoring Skid (RMS) was removed from service for a scheduled radiation     |
| protection surveillance.  Following completion of this surveillance, the     |
| skid was returned to service at 1127 [hours].  At 1133 [hours], the SPV RMS  |
| skid began giving erratic indications including high effluent radiation,     |
| high particulate activity, and high noble gas activity.  Radiological        |
| surveys of the plant vent stack and other associated areas revealed no       |
| change from normal radiological conditions.  Checks of corroborating         |
| channels revealed no change from normal radiological conditions.             |
| Compensatory measures have been initiated [in accordance with] plant         |
| technical specifications.  The effect of this failure is a loss of control   |
| room indication of radioactive effluent release via the [SPV] Stack. The     |
| loss of this assessment capability for greater than [8] hours requires a     |
| [1-hour] report to the NRC [in accordance with] the Hope Creek [Emergency    |
| Classification Guidance].  Maintenance technicians are currently             |
| troubleshooting the problem, and the cause of erratic indications is not yet |
| known."                                                                      |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee plans to notify the NRC resident inspector.                     |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36243       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: ROBINSON                 REGION:  2  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [2] [] []                 STATE:  SC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 21:10[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [2] W-3-LP                           |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        20:39[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  HAROLD CHERNOFF              |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/29/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          ALE                   |RUDOLPH BERNHARD     R2      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |LEDYARD (TAD) MARSH  NRR     |
|AAEC 50.72 (a) (1) (I)   EMERGENCY DECLARED     |JOSEPH GIITTER       IRO     |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(vi)     OFFSITE NOTIFICATION   |JANET QUISSELL       RCT     |
|NOCM                     COMM ASST BRIEF        |HENRY BAILEY         IRO     |
|                                                |FRANK CONGEL         IRO     |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|2     N          N       0        Cold Shutdown    |0        Cold Shutdown    |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ALERT DECLARED DUE TO THE SIGHTING OF A TORNADO WITHIN THE PROTECTED AREA    |
|                                                                              |
| At 2039 on 09/29/99, a tornado was confirmed within the protected area, and  |
| it has abated.  Accordingly, the licensee declared an Alert at 2049.  The    |
| licensee does not plan to activate its emergency facilities.  There were no  |
| injuries reported.  Minor damage to non-power block buildings has been       |
| identified.  Site inspections are currently in progress.  Offsite power      |
| remains available, and no fission product barriers were affected.            |
|                                                                              |
| The unit is currently in Cold Shutdown with the reactor vessel head on.      |
| Preparations for head lift were in progress at the time of the event.  The   |
| unit was shut down for a refueling outage on 09/24/99, and the licensee      |
| stated that there was no loss of shutdown cooling.  Reactor coolant system   |
| was at 188�F and depressurized.                                              |
|                                                                              |
| Weather reports indicate that the storm has moved to the east.               |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector, the state of South         |
| Carolina, and Darlington, Lee, and Chesterfield Counties.  The NRC senior    |
| resident inspector was on site at the time of this event notification.  In   |
| addition to the notifications referenced above, the NRC operations officer   |
| notified the Department of Energy (Brown), Environmental Protection Agency   |
| via the National Response Center (Gauthier), U.S. Department of Agriculture  |
| (Conley), Department of Health and Human Services (Wilson), and Federal      |
| Emergency Management Agency (Stinedurf).                                     |
|                                                                              |
| *************** UPDATE AT 2224 ON 09/29/99 FROM HAROLD CHERNOFF TO LEIGH     |
| TROCINE **************                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| The Alert was terminated at 2203.  The licensee notified the NRC resident    |
| inspector, the state of South Carolina, and Darlington, Lee, and             |
| Chesterfield Counties.  The NRC operations center notified the R2DO          |
| (Bernhard), NRR EO (Marsh), IRO (Congel and Giitter), NRR (Collins), Region  |
| 2 (Bonser, Plisco, Reyes, Trojanowski, and Vias), and EDO (Miraglia).   In   |
| addition, the NRC operations officer notified the Department of Energy       |
| (Brown), Environmental Protection Agency via the National Response Center    |
| (Robertson), U.S. Department of Agriculture (Conley), Department of Health   |
| and Human Services (Wilson), and Federal Emergency Management Agency         |
| (Stinedurf).                                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| *************** UPDATE AT 2240 ON 09/29/99 FROM HAROLD CHERNOFF TO LEIGH     |
| TROCINE **************                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| At 2240, a follow-up notification was made to update NRC managers on the     |
| status of the plant and to provide notification pursuant to                  |
| 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(vi).  The following text is a portion of a facsimile        |
| received from the licensee:                                                  |
|                                                                              |
| "No injuries have been identified.  Minor damage to non-power block          |
| buildings.  A tree was identified leaning on a branch feeder to non-power    |
| block buildings.  Tenting material from the turbine deck was reported on the |
| roof of the control room.  No damage to the control room was incurred (as    |
| verified by a pressurization test).  Offsite power  remained available.      |
| Both RHR pumps were available. [The] 'A' RHR [pump] was in operation.  [The] |
| 'A' emergency diesel generator and dedicated shutdown diesel were operable   |
| but not in operation. Security  systems were being powered by the security   |
| emergency diesel generator."                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector, the state of South         |
| Carolina, and Darlington, Lee, and Chesterfield Counties.                    |
|                                                                              |
| *************** UPDATE AT 2257 ON 09/29/99 FROM HAROLD CHERNOFF TO LEIGH     |
| TROCINE **************                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee called to ensure that the offsite notifications were added to   |
| the list of reporting criteria.                                              |
|                                                                              |
| *************** UPDATE AT 2400 ON 09/29/99 BY LEIGH TROCINE **************   |
|                                                                              |
| A Commissioners' Assistants' Briefing was conducted at midnight on 09/29/99. |
| The following notifications were made (*office did not participate):  IRO    |
| (*Giitter), Chairman Dicus (Boyce), Commissioner Diaz (Hsia), Commissioner   |
| McGaffigan (Sharkey), Commissioner Merrifield (Doane), EDO (Satorius), DEDE  |
| (Paperiello), NRR (*Dennig), NRR EO (Marsh), R2DO (*Berhhard), OPA           |
| (Beecher), CAO (Madden), SECY (Hart), OSP (Lohaus), OIP (*Hauber).  The NRR  |
| EO (Marsh) was the briefer.                                                  |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee issued a press release.                                         |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36244       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: HOPE CREEK               REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/29/1999|
|    UNIT:  [1] [] []                 STATE:  NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:22[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4                             |EVENT DATE:        09/29/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        21:33[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  KEN BRESLIN                  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  09/30/1999|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  LEIGH TROCINE                +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          UNU                   |DAVID SILK           R1      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |LEDYARD (TAD) MARSH  NRR     |
|AAEC 50.72 (a) (1) (I)   EMERGENCY DECLARED     |JOSEPH GIITTER       IRO     |
|                                                |STINEDURF            FEMA    |
|                                                |FRANK CONGEL         IRO     |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO A FREON LEAK FROM A CONTROL ROOM CHILLER INTO  |
| THE AUXILIARY BUILDING                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee declared the unusual event at 2133 on 09/29/99 due to a release |
| of toxic gas (a Freon leak) deemed to be detrimental to safe operation of    |
| the plant.  No radiological release is in progress.  The 33' wind direction  |
| is from 146� at 17.9 miles per hour.  There were no protective actions       |
| recommended.                                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| At 2117 hours on 09/29/99, the 'B' control room ventilation train chiller    |
| tripped resulting in an automatic start of the 'A' control room ventilation  |
| train.  The trip was the direct result of a major freon leak dispersing into |
| the auxiliary building.  All non-essential personnel were evacuated from the |
| auxiliary building.  An Unusual Event was declared at 2133 hours on 09/29/99 |
| in accordance with Emergency Classification Guidance Section 9.4.1.B,        |
| release of toxic gas deemed detrimental to safe operation of the plant.  No  |
| personnel injuries have occurred, and all access to the auxiliary building   |
| is being controlled until follow-up actions are complete.                    |
|                                                                              |
| The 'A' control room vent train is currently in service.  There is no        |
| indication of any freon in the control room, and the control room was not    |
| placed on recirculation.                                                     |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee plans to terminate the Unusual Event when the freon leak is     |
| isolated and when air levels in the auxiliary building are restored to       |
| normal.                                                                      |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee stated that the emergency response data system (ERDS) has not   |
| been activated because ERDS is down for the performance of Y2K upgrades.     |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector, the states of Delaware and |
| New Jersey, and the Lower Alloways Creek Township.                           |
|                                                                              |
| ******************** UPDATE AT 0204 ON 09/30/99 FROM KEN BRESLIN TO DOUG     |
| WEAVER ********************                                                  |
|                                                                              |
| The leak was terminated because the full freon charge in the chiller         |
| dispersed (2,200 pounds), and the atmosphere in the auxiliary building has   |
| been restored to normal.  As a result, the licensee terminated the Unusual   |
| Event at 0158 hours on 09/30/99.                                             |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector, the states of Delaware and |
| New Jersey, and the Lower Alloways Creek Township.  The NRC operations       |
| officer notified the R1DO (Silk), NRR EO (Marsh), IRO (Giitter), and FEMA    |
| (Caldwell)                                                                   |
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021