Information Notice No.80-06s1 – Notification of Significant Events at Operating Power Reactor Facilities

                                                            SSINS No.: 6870 
                                                            Accessions No.: 
                                                            8006190035 

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

                               July 29, 1980 

                                        Supplement IE Information 
                                             Notice No. 80-06 

NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AT OPERATING POWER REACTOR FACILITIES 

Description of Circumstances: 

Information Notice No. 80-06 (IN 80-06) issued on February 27, 1980, 
forwarded a Federal Register Notice which indicated that the NRC regulations
were amended by adding a new SS 50.72, "Notification of significant events",
to 10 CFR Part 50. The effective date of the new rule was, February 29, 
1980. This Information Notice supplements IN 80-06 and provides 
clarification on types of events that are required to be reported in 
accordance with the rule. 

Public comments on the rule indicate the need for more detailed 
clarification on what occurrences are reportable in regard to certain event 
types listed in the rule. Commenters particularly stressed the need to 
establish more definitive thresholds for notifications of certain types of 
events. Experience so far with notifications being made in accordance with 
SS 50.72 also suggest the need for clarification and more definitive 
guidance. The general categorization of some of the event types listed in 
the rule has resulted in notifications of events of less significance than 
was originally intended. As stated in the Federal Register Notice 
implementing SS 50.72, the rule was intended to require immediate 
notification of "serious events that could result in an impact on the public 
health and safety." 

The notification requirements in SS 50.72 are currently being evaluated to 
determine actions needed in light of public comments on and experience with 
the rule. Notwithstanding future actions which may include some 
modifications to the rule and supplementary regulatory guidance, a short 
term need exists for clarifying the thresholds for notifications of certain 
categories of events. The following paragraphs provide clarification on what 
is reportable pursuant to the event categories listed in items (1), (7) and 
(9) of the rule. 

Item (1) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any event requiring 
initiation of the licensee's emergency plan or any section of that plan." 
Notifications under this item refer to those initiating events or conditions
Not that place the facility in a "Notification of Unusual Event" status. An 
unusual event indicates a potential degradation of the level of safety of 
the plant. Examples of initiating events or conditions that would be 
categorized as an unusual event are listed on the enclosed pages 4 and 5 of 
NUREG-0610, "Draft Emergency Action Level Guidelines for Nuclear Power 
Plants" (Appendix 1 to NUREG-0654, "Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation 
of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of 
Nuclear Power Plants"). It is recognized that some overlap and duplication 
exists between the reporting requirements of item (1) and other items of SS 
50.72(a). 
.

Supplement to IE Information                                July 29, 1980 
Notice No. 80-06                                            Page 2 of 2 

Item (7) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any event resulting in 
manual or automatic actuation of Engineered Safety Features, including 
Reactor Protection System." Actuation of Engineered Safety Features 
including the Reactor Protection System which result from and are part of 
the planned sequence during surveillance testing does not constitute an 
event reportable under this item. 

Item (9) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any fatality or serious 
injury occurring on the site and requiring transport to an offsite medical 
facility for treatment." Serious injury is considered to be any injury that 
in the judgment of the licensee representative will require admission of the
injured individual to a hospital for treatment or observation for an 
extended period of time (greater than 48 hours). Injuries that only require 
treatment and/or medical observation at a hospital or offsite medical 
facility, but do not meet the conditions specified above, are not required 
to be reported. 

Enclosure: 
Pages 4 and 5 of Appendix 1 
     to NUREG-0654
.

         EXAMPLE INITIATING CONDITIONS: NOTIFICATION UNUSUAL EVENT 

1.   ECCS initiated 

2.   Radiological effluent technical specification limits exceeded 

3.   Fuel damage indication. Examples: 

     a.   High offgas at BWR air ejector monitor (greater than 500,000 
          ci/sec; corresponding to 16 isotopes decayed to 30 minutes; or an 
          increase of 100,000 ci/sec within a 30 minute time period) 

     b.   High coolant activity sample (e.g., exceeding coolant technical 
          specifications for iodine spike) 

     c.   Failed fuel monitor (PWR) indicates increase greater than 0.1% 
          equivalent fuel failures within 30 minutes. 

4.   Abnormal coolant temperature and/or pressure or abnormal fuel 
     temperatures 

5.   Exceeding either primary/secondary leak rate technical specification or
     primary system leak rate technical specification 

6.   Failure of a safety or relief valve to close 

7.   Loss of offsite power or loss of onsite AC power capability 

8.   Loss of containment integrity requiring shutdown by technical 
     specifications 

9.   Loss of engineered safety feature or fire protection system function 
     requiring shutdown by technical specifications (e.g., because of 
     malfunction, personnel error or procedural inadequacy) 

10.  Fire lasting more than 10 minutes 

11.  Indications or alarms on process or effluent parameters not functional 
     in control room to an extent requiring plant shutdown or other 
     significant loss of assessment or communication capability (e.g., plant
     computer, all meteorological instrumentation) 

12.  Security threat or attempted entry or attempted sabotage 

13.  Natural phenomenon being experienced or projected beyond usual levels 
     
     a.   Any earthquake 

     b.   50 year flood or low water, tsunami, hurricane surge, seiche 

     c.   Any tornado near site 

     d. Any hurricane  

                                     1-4 
.

14. Other hazards being experienced or projected  

     a.   Aircraft crash on-site or unusual aircraft activity over facility 
          
     b.   Train derailment on-site  

     c.   Near or onsite explosion  

     d.   Near or onsite toxic or flammable gas release 

     e.   Turbine failure 

15.  Other plant conditions exist that warrant increased awareness on the 
     part of State and/or local offsite authorities or require plant 
     shutdown under technical specification requirements or involve other 
     than normal controlled shutdown (e.g., cooldown rate exceeding 
     technical specification limits, pipe cracking found during operation)  

16.  Transportation of contaminated injured individual from site to offsite 
     hospital 

17.  Rapid depressurization of PWR secondary side. 

                                     1-5