Information Notice No. 79-16, Nuclear Incident at Three Mile Island

IN79016 

                               June 15, 1979 

MEMORANDUM FOR:     B. H. Grier, Director, Region I 
                    J. P. O'Reilly, Director, Region II 
                    J. G. Keppler, Director, Region III 
                    K. V. Seyfrit, Director, Region IV 
                    R. H. Engelken, Director, Region V 

FROM:               Norman C. Moseley, Director, Division of Reactor 
                    Operations Inspection, OIE 

SUBJECT:            Information Notice No. 79-16, NUCLEAR INCIDENT AT THREE 
                    MILE ISLAND 

     The subject document is transmitted for issuance on June 22, 1979. The 
Notice should be issued to all research reactors and test reactors with 
operating licenses. Also enclosed is a draft copy of the transmittal letter.


                                        Norman C. Moseley, Director 
                                        Division of Reactor Operations 
                                          Inspection 
                                        Office of Inspection and Enforcement

Enclosures:
1.   Draft Transmittal Letter
2.   Information Notice No. 79-16

CONTACT:  H. A. Wilber, TP
          49-28180 
.

(Draft transmittal letter to each research reactor and test reactor with an 
operating license) 

                                            Information Notice No. 79-16 
Addressee: 

The enclosed Information Notice No. 79-16 is forwarded to your for 
information. No specific action is requested and no written response is 
required. If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please
contact this office. 

                                        Sincerely, 


                                        Signature 
                                        (Regional Director) 

Enclosure:
1.   Information Notice No. 79-16
2.   List of IE Information Notices
       Issued in 1979 
.

                              UNITED STATES 
                       NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                   OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 
                                     
                               June 22, 1979 

                                            Information Notice No. 79-16 

NUCLEAR INCIDENT AT THREE MILE ISLAND 

Description of Circumstances: 

On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 2 
experienced core damage which resulted from a series of events which were 
initiated by a loss of feedwater transient. The seriousness of this incident
makes an understanding of its causes important to research and experimental 
facilities. This notice transmits copies of Inspection and Enforcement 
Bulletins (IEBs) 79-05, 79-05A and 79-05B to inform you of the details as 
known at the time the bulletins were issued. Enclosures 1 and 3 of IEB 79-05
and Enclosure 2 of IEB 79-05A have been deleted from this transmittal. IEB's
similar to the 79-05 series were issued to licensees with boiling water 
reactors and pressurized water reactors supplied by vendors other than 
Babcock and Wilcox. 

No specific action or written response to this Information Notice is 
required. If you desire additional information regarding this matter, 
contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office. 

Enclosures:
1.   IE Bulletin No. 79-05
       with Enclosures
2.   IE Bulletin No, 79-05A
       with Enclosures
3.   IE Bulletin No. 79-05B