Event Notification Report for July 20, 2001
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
07/19/2001 - 07/20/2001
Power Reactor
Event Number: 38156
Facility: SUMMER
Region: 2 State: SC
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: CHARLES McKINNEY
HQ OPS Officer: LEIGH TROCINE
Region: 2 State: SC
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: CHARLES McKINNEY
HQ OPS Officer: LEIGH TROCINE
Notification Date: 07/20/2001
Notification Time: 17:06 [ET]
Event Date: 07/20/2001
Event Time: 16:15 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/20/2001
Notification Time: 17:06 [ET]
Event Date: 07/20/2001
Event Time: 16:15 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/20/2001
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
JAY HENSON (R2)
JAY HENSON (R2)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
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.
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.
Power Reactor
Event Number: 38157
Facility: LIMERICK
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: PETE ORPHANOS
HQ OPS Officer: LEIGH TROCINE
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: PETE ORPHANOS
HQ OPS Officer: LEIGH TROCINE
Notification Date: 07/20/2001
Notification Time: 21:57 [ET]
Event Date: 07/20/2001
Event Time: 14:50 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/20/2001
Notification Time: 21:57 [ET]
Event Date: 07/20/2001
Event Time: 14:50 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/20/2001
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
Person (Organization):
WILLIAM COOK (R1)
WILLIAM COOK (R1)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
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.
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.