Event Notification Report for July 23, 2001
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
07/20/2001 - 07/23/2001
** EVENT NUMBERS **
38037 38156 38157 38158 38159 38160
!!!!!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!!!
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38037 |
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| FACILITY: NINE MILE POINT REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/30/2001|
| UNIT: [] [2] [] STATE: NY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:20[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-2,[2] GE-5 |EVENT DATE: 05/30/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 13:08[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: PETRELLI |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/20/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |ERIC REBER R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AIND 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) ACCIDENT MITIGATION | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
| | |
|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| REACTOR CORE ISOLATION COOLING (RCIC) SYSTEM WAS DECLARED INOPERABLE. |
| |
| The RCIC system was inoperable and available for planned maintenance and |
| surveillance testing. During the planned surveillance testing, the |
| mechanical overspeed mechanism for the RCIC turbine was discovered to be |
| tripped with no overspeed trip testing having been performed. The |
| overspeed trip mechanism may be degraded thereby constituting a condition |
| that could have prevented the system from performing its function. RCIC is |
| currently in standby and inoperable but available. Troubleshooting is in |
| progress to determine the cause of the trip. This report may be retracted |
| if the cause of the trip is determined to not affect the operability of the |
| system. |
| |
| The NRC resident inspector was notified. |
| |
| ***** RETRACTION FROM THOMAS SCWALECK TO LEIGH TROCINE AT 1537 ON 07/20/01 |
| ***** |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee: |
| |
| "On 5/30/01, during Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC) surveillance |
| testing, the overspeed trip mechanism was discovered tripped with no |
| overspeed testing having been performed. The overspeed trip mechanism was |
| discovered tripped after a section of the surveillance testing that closed |
| the trip/throttle valve and then cycled the trip solenoid several times. |
| Nine Mile Point determined that, because of degraded engagement between the |
| trip tappet nut and the head lever, the overspeed mechanism was susceptible |
| to tripping during the cycling of the trip solenoid with the throttle valve |
| tripped. Additionally, Nine Mile Point concluded that with the throttle |
| valve latched open and RCIC aligned for operation, the overspeed trip |
| mechanism would not have been susceptible to tripping. Therefore, the |
| conditions that resulted in the tripping of the RCIC overspeed trip |
| mechanism during the surveillance would not have prevented RCIC from |
| performing its function. Based on the above, we are retracting the |
| 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) notification made on 5/30/01." |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. The NRC operations |
| officer notified the R1DO (Cook). |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38156 |
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| FACILITY: SUMMER REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/20/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: SC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:06[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-3-LP |EVENT DATE: 07/20/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 16:15[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: CHARLES McKINNEY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/20/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |JAY HENSON R2 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi) 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
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| OFFSITE NOTIFICATION REGARDING A SODIUM NITRITE CHEMICAL RELEASE |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee: |
| |
| "Notification is being made for exceeding the reportable quantity for |
| release of sodium nitrite from a closed cycle cooling system to the outfalls |
| discharging effluents from the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station to the |
| environment (Lake Monticello). A drain valve was left open during |
| maintenance on an instrument air compressor at approximately 1600 hours on |
| 7/19/01. The drain line discharged effluent from a closed cycle coolant |
| system containing sodium nitrite to the plant sumps for approximately 16.5 |
| hours. Following isolation of the line, a review of flow rates and |
| discharge paths found (completed at 1615 hours on 7/20/01) that |
| approximately 16,000 gallons of effluent had been discharged from the plant |
| to the environment." |
| |
| "It has been determined that approximately 135 pounds of sodium nitrite was |
| discharged from the plant during this period. The reportable quantity for |
| release is 100 pounds in a 24-hour period." |
| |
| "The hazard from sodium nitrite is from the pH level of 10.5. A daily check |
| of pH at the plant outfall that received this discharge found the pH to be |
| 9.0; therefore, there is no hazard to the environment from this release |
| since this is the normal pH at this sample point. Plant personnel will |
| continue to check the pH level of this discharge point each day." |
| |
| The licensee reported that they have not observed any environmental impacts |
| and that there was no release of radioactive materials. |
| |
| The licensee notified the Environmental Protection Agency via the National |
| Response Center at 1650 hours, and the National Response Center is |
| documenting this event under report #573719. Because the site is located in |
| an Agreement State, the licensee also notified the South Carolina Department |
| of Health and Environmental Control at 1700 hours. In addition, the |
| licensee notified the Local Planning Committee and the NRC resident |
| inspector. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38157 |
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| FACILITY: LIMERICK REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/20/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: PA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 21:57[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4 |EVENT DATE: 07/20/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 14:50[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: PETE ORPHANOS |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/20/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |WILLIAM COOK R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AUNA 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) UNANALYZED CONDITION | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|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
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| DISCOVERY OF THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF REACTOR CORE ISOLATION COOLING |
| (RCIC) REMOTE SHUTDOWN PANEL CAPABILITY DURING A POSTULATED MAIN CONTROL |
| ROOM FIRE |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee: |
| |
| "A review of the Limerick fire safe shutdown analysis identified that during |
| a fire in the control room, RCIC system operation from the remote shutdown |
| panel (RSP) may not be available for safe shutdown of the unit. A |
| postulated fire that results in a short of the Division 1 DC distribution |
| system to ground causes a voltage control device to fail integral to [an |
| RSP] instrument power supply inverter. This ground, potentially caused by a |
| fire that affects Division 1 DC in the control room, results in failure of |
| the fused instrument power supply to the RCIC RSP inverter." |
| |
| "The current fire safe shutdown analysis credits only one safe shutdown |
| method as being analyzed as acceptable during a worst case main control room |
| fire. This analysis requires RCIC to be operational from the RSP to support |
| acceptability of the method. With this loss of RCIC RSP capability during a |
| [main control room] fire, this event is reportable under |
| 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(ii)." |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38158 |
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| FACILITY: LASALLE REGION: 3 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/21/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [2] [] STATE: IL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:26[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-5,[2] GE-5 |EVENT DATE: 07/21/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 15:28[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MARK OKOPNY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/21/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |GARY SHEAR R3 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi) 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 |
|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
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| OFFSITE NOTIFICATION REGARDING A MINOR FISH KILL IN THE COOLING LAKE DUE TO |
| INCREASING SUMMER TEMPERATURES |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee: |
| |
| "... this notification is being made pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(xi) and |
| Exelon Reportability Manual Section SAF 1.9. At 1528 CST on 07/21/01, it |
| was discovered that a minor fish kill took place in LaSalle County Nuclear |
| Station's cooling lake due to increased temperature. As summer air |
| temperatures increase, the cooling lake temperature increased to 97�F, |
| beyond the threshold at which point species susceptible to increased |
| temperature begin to perish. It was communicated to the Illinois Department |
| of Natural Resources that approximately 2,000 fish, mainly Gizzard Shad, had |
| perished." |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38159 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| FACILITY: BRAIDWOOD REGION: 3 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/22/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [2] [] STATE: IL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:15[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 07/22/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 13:30[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: DAN COMISKY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/22/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |GARY SHEAR R3 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi) 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 |
|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| OFFSITE NOTIFICATION REGARDING A MINOR FISH KILL |
| |
| This notification was being made pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(xi), |
| Braidwood Station Technical Specification Appendix B 4.1, and Exelon |
| Reportability Manual Section SAF 1.9. At 1330 CDT on 07/22/01, it was |
| communicated to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that |
| approximately 700 fish had perished in a minor fish kill in Braidwood |
| Nuclear Station cooling lake due to increased temperature. As summer air |
| temperature increased, the cooling lake temperature increased to above 97 |
| degrees F, beyond the threshold at which point species susceptible increased |
| temperature begin to perish. |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 38160 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: OYSTER CREEK REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/22/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 19:08[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-2 |EVENT DATE: 07/22/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 17:44[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MALCOLM BROWNE |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/22/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |WILLIAM COOK R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NONR OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|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
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| CALLED IN AS A 24 HOUR NOTIFICATION |
| |
| A dead sea turtle, species unknown, was discovered in dilution intake |
| structure bay # 5. The sea turtle has a gash in the back of the head which |
| may have been caused by a boat propeller. National Marine Fisheries was |
| notified. The licensee will notify the New Jersey Department of |
| Environmental Protection. |
| |
| The licensee will contact the NRC resident inspector. |
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