At approximately 1820 EDT on 8/11/16, St. Clair Power Plant, a coal-fired generation unit, caught fire in East China Township,
Michigan. The Radiation Safety Officer (
RSO) reported that 22 nuclear
gauges (
Texas Nuclear Model 5181, 5193, 5180A, 5192 and
Ohmart Model SHGS-2, SH-100, SR-A) are used at the site which all contain
Cs-137. The
RSO will conduct an assessment of all the nuclear
gauges on 08/12/16.
- * * RETRACTION AT 2127 EDT ON 08/12/16 FROM ROBERT TOZZIE TO JEFF HERRERA * * *
On 8/11/16 at approximately 1820 EDT, the DTE Energy St. Clair Power Plant experienced a mechanical failure in the Unit 7 Turbine that resulted in a fire. The DTE Energy Radiation Safety Officer conservatively made an immediate report (within 4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br />) to the NRC on 8/11/16 at 2215 EDT based on the immediate reporting requirements of 10 CFR 30.50(a) due to, at the time, unknown conditions of nuclear gauges located in the area of the fire. The nuclear gauges are used for level measurement purposes.
On 8/12/16, the DTE Energy Radiation Safety Officer completed an assessment of all nuclear gauges associated with the unit 7 fire. No gauges were found damaged or compromised. All unit 7 gauges were visually inspected with no structural damage identified. Radiological surveys were performed on all unit 7 gauges. Results of the radiological surveys showed normally expected dose rates and no loose surface contamination. Shutter mechanisms were closed and locked closed on all gauges in unit 7. Nuclear gauges in other units of the St. Clair Power Plant were not impacted by the fire event. These gauges were visually inspected and no signs of damage were identified. Based on the results of this assessment, DTE Energy retracts notification 52175.
Notified R3DO (Kozak) and
NMSS Events Notification (via E-mail).