Event Notification Report for October 14, 2001

POSSIBLE REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKAGE

During an inspection, while the plant was in shutdown mode 3, a dry white residue was discovered on a loop 2 hot leg spare thermowell plug. Being conservative they looked at this condition as a possible RCS pressure boundary leakage while in an operating mode. However, there was no active leak from the spare thermowell plug. The plant has 36 hours to be in mode 5. They will determine the type of repair work necessary to remedy the problem.

The NRC Resident Inspector was notified.

* * * RETRACTION 1623 10/31/2001 FROM RODRIGUEZ TAKEN BY STRANSKY * * *

"On October 14, 2001, at 0914 PDT, Southern California Edison (SCE) made a 4-hour telephone notification in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(i) for the initiation of a nuclear plant shutdown required by Technical Specification (TS). The purpose of this call is to retract that notification.

"On October 14 2001, Unit 2 was being shutdown to Mode 5 to begin secondary plant equipment repairs. While in Mode 3, plant personnel discovered a white powdery substance on an RCS thermowell and considered that this could be dried boric acid and evidence of an RCS boundary leak. SCE logged entry into TS 3.4.13, action 'B' to be in Mode 3 within 6 hours and Mode 5 within 36 hours after discovery of RCS pressure boundary leakage. Even though the plant was shutdown and on its way to mode 5, because TS 3.4.13, action 'B' also required a reduction in plant mode, SCE conservatively considered this to be a 'shutdown required by the TS and made the phone report to the NRC in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(I)

"To investigate this finding, SCE:
1. Removed the thermowell threaded plug and the threads were found clean and dry with no evidence of an RCS pressure boundary leak.
2. Inspected the thermowell with a fiber-optic scope and found it clean and dry with no evidence of an RCS pressure boundary leak,
3. Inspected the thermowell-to-nozlle weld and found no indications (i.e., weld cracks or defects) present.
4. Analyzed the white powder and concluded it was not boric acid crystals.

"Based on this evidence, SCE concluded that an RCS pressure boundary leak did not exist. Therefore, entry into TS 3.4.13, action 'B' was not required and a phone-report to the NRC for 'initiation of a plant shutdown required by the TS' was not required and is now being retracted.

"At the time of the initial report Unit 2 was shutdown in mode 3, and Unit 3 was operating at about 100 percent power. The NRC Resident Inspectors will be notified of this occurrence and will be provided with a copy of this report."

HOO Notified R4DO (Spitzberg).

REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM BOUNDARY LEAKAGE

During an inspection, while the plant was in intermediate shutdown (2235 lbs. pressure), an unisolable leak at the "A" loop hot leg temperature element was detected (at 0530 hrs) measuring 3 drops/min. On the second entry (at 0940 hrs) when pressure was 400 lbs. no active leak was detected. The plant entered an NOUE at 1145 and TS action statement to be in cold shutdown within 30 hours was initiated. Since the plant was already in intermediate shutdown, it should be in cold shutdown within 2-3 hours.

The NRC Resident Inspector was notified along with State and local agencies.


* * * UPDATE ON 10/14/01@ 1621 FROM LOCASCIO TO GOULD * * *

The plant went to below cold shutdown at 1620 at which time the NOUE was terminated.

The NRC Resident Inspector was notified. State and local agencies will be notified.

Notified Reg 2 IRC Team manager, EO(Imbro) and FEMA(Ciboch)

* * * RETRACTED AT 1715 EST ON 11/20/01 BY GROVER WEEDZELL TO FANGIE JONES * * *

"On 10/14/01 during containment walkdowns for Surry Unit I Refueling Outage, it was reported that a non-isolable fault existed on the 'A' loop hot leg temperature element, TE1413. A 4 hour Event Notification (#38386) was made pursuant to 10CFR50.72 (b)(2)(i), a Non-Emergency Technical Specification Required Shutdown.

"Subsequent NDE inspections of the RCS pressure boundary components following unit shutdown identified that a non-isolable fault did not exist. The most probable leakage path was through mechanical pipe threads of the temperature element thermowell.

"Based on the inspection results, NRC Event Notification #38386 is being retracted because a non-isolable fault did not exist in the RCS.

"Repairs on TE 1413 are complete."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. The R2DO (Caudle Julian), NRR EO (Elinor Adensm) have been notified.