ENS 40904
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
01:00 Jul 29, 2004 | |
| Title | Unidentified Reactor Coolant System (Rcs) Leak |
| Event Description | This is an 8-hour notification being made to report exceeding the design basis for the reactor coolant leakage outside of containment. An unidentified reactor coolant system (RCS) leak of 1.0 gpm on Salem Unit 1 occurred on 7/28/04 at 2100 hours0.0243 days <br />0.583 hours <br />0.00347 weeks <br />7.9905e-4 months <br />. It was discovered (that) a pressure instrument weld from 13 charging pump [PDP] discharge piping failed in the auxiliary building. Tech Specs for RCS unidentified leakage was entered. Station abnormal operating procedures (ABRC-001 RCS Leak) were entered and leakage monitoring program referenced. The leak was isolated closing the root valve of the instrument line (discharge pressure transmitter) by 2135 hours0.0247 days <br />0.593 hours <br />0.00353 weeks <br />8.123675e-4 months <br />. The RCS leakage was outside of containment and was greater than design of 3840 cc/hr. This leakage would have exceeded the GDC-19 limits for control room habitability during the time of the leak initiation and leak isolation. 13 charging pump remained in service and the leak is locally isolated. The tech spec for RCS unidentified leakage was exited and ASME tech spec for the failed weld was entered. There were no unusual or unexpected responses. All systems functioned as required. There were no personnel injuries.
A maintenance tech in the auxiliary building notified control room of a leak about the same time that control room personnel noticed that the Volume Control Tank level was decreasing approx. 0.3gpm. The area around the Positive Displacement Pump (PDP) was roped off and the leak was isolated. Airborne levels in the roped off area was 8000 cpm (from 2130 to 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br />). Nobody was evacuated from auxiliary building. At 0040 hours4.62963e-4 days <br />0.0111 hours <br />6.613757e-5 weeks <br />1.522e-5 months <br /> airborne samples were within normal limits. The area around # 13 PDP is still roped off until the surface contamination is cleaned up. Lower Alloways Creek Township will be notified of this by the licensee. The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified of this event by the licensee.
The following retraction was obtained from the licensee via e-mail: On July 28, 2004, it was discovered that a pressure instrument weld from 13 charging pump developed a leak into the auxiliary building. An 8-hour call to the NRC was made for exceeding the ECCS leakage outside containment (Event Number 40904). The leak was self-revealing, in that the area radiation detectors as well as the fire protection sensors detected it. The leak was identified and isolated by closing the manual root valve for the instrument line in approximately 35 minutes from discovery. Section 5 of Appendix A of Regulatory Guide 1.183 states that engineered safeguards feature (ESF) systems that recirculate sump water outside of the primary containment are assumed to leak during their intended operation. The guidance indicates that this release source includes leakage through valve packing glands, pump shaft seals, flanged connections, and other similar components. The guidance further indicates that this release source may also include leakage through valves isolating interfacing systems. The leak that was identified and isolated shortly after discovery was a piping system failure and not the type of leakage that is considered to be a release source for which the radiological consequences should be analyzed. Therefore, further review of the event indicated that identified leak did not challenge the limits of 10CFR100 for offsite releases and 10CFR50 Appendix A General Design Criterion 19 (GDC-19), thus event report 40904 is withdrawn. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector of the retraction. The Headquarters Operations Officer notified R1DO (Caruso). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
Salem  New Jersey (NRC Region 1) | |
| Reporting | |
| 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(A), Loss of Safety Function - Shutdown the Reactor | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+1.25 h0.0521 days <br />0.00744 weeks <br />0.00171 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Bruce Lashbrook 02:15 Jul 29, 2004 |
| NRC Officer: | John Mackinnon |
| Last Updated: | Sep 21, 2004 |
| 40904 - NRC Website
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Unit 1 | |
|---|---|
| Reactor critical | Critical |
| Scram | No |
| Before | Power Operation (100 %) |
| After | Power Operation (100 %) |