Information Notice 1992-32, Problems Identified with Emergency Ventilation Systems for Near-Site (within 10 Miles) Emergency Operations Facilities and Technical Support Centers

Problems Identified with Emergency Ventilation Systems for Near-Site (within 10 Miles) Emergency Operations Facilities and Technical Support Centers

ML031200384
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Crane
Issue date:	04/29/1992
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-92-032, NUDOCS 9204230088
Download: ML031200384 (3)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

April 29, 1992 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 92-32:

PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED WITH EMERGENCY VENTILATION

SYSTEMS FOR NEAR-SITE (WITHIN 10 MILES)

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FACILITIES AND TECHNICAL

SUPPORT CENTERS

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (ARC) is issuing this information notice

to alert addressees to potential problems resulting from inadequate maintenance

and testing of Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) and Technical Support Center

(TSC) emergency ventilation systems.

These problems could result in a situa- tion after an accident in which the EOF or TSC would not provide the level of

protection to emergency workers that was intended. It is expected that recipi- ents will review the information for applicability to their facilities and

consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems.

However, sugges- tions contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

Through routine inspection activities, the NRC has identified concerns with the

operational readiness of EOF and TSC emergency ventilation systems. The

following are three examples of recent inspection results:

1. Brunswick, February 1991.

While observing a requested startup of the

emergency ventilation system for the EOF, the inspector noted that the

system was in poor material condition. The inspector also noto the

licensee had not implemented procedures for operating, maintaining, or

functional testing of the-system.

(Inspection Report 50-325,3I91-03).

2. Vogtle, May 1991.

During a demonstration of the EOF ventilatiQk system, the system failed to provide a positive pressure in the EOF in the emer- gency mode. After initial repair efforts, the system again fai d to

initiate the emergency mode when required. The licensee had nether a

maintenance program nor test and operating procedures for the system.

(Inspection Reports 50-424,425/91-04 and 50-424,425/91-08).

9204230088 iIDR

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IN 92-32 April 29, 1992 3. Crystal River, May 1991.

During an annual exercise, the TSC ventilation

system failed to maintain facility habitability after approximately

2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> of operation. The facility was originally designed for 29 persons

assuming a heat load of 450 btulhr per person. A heat load assumption of

640 btu/hr per person for an approximate 70 persons occupancy level would

have been more applicable. The licensee had neither operating procedures

nor a maintenance and testing program for the ventilation system.

(Inspection Report 50-302/91-08).

Discussion

The NRC requires licensees and applicants to provide emergency facilities and

equipment in support of operating nuclear power plants in the following

regulations:

1. 10 CFR 50.47, "Emergency Plans," Section (b)(8)

2.

10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E, Section IV.E, "Emergency Facilities and

Equipment"

Guidance for implementing the requirements contained in the regulations is

provided in NUREG-0737, Supplement 1, "Clarification of TMI Action Plan

Requirements." This NUREG document was transmitted to licensees via

Generic Letter 82-33, "Supplement 1 to NUREG-0737 - Requirements for Emergency

Response Capability," dated December 17, 1982.

It provides general design and

performance criteria for EOF and TSC ventilation systems.

The NRC has not

specifically identified maintenance and test criteria for these ventilation

systems, but instead has provided a degree of flexibility within which

licensees can exercise management prerogative in their maintenance programs.

Other documents that provide guidance on maintenance and test programs for

ventilation systems, which many licensees have used as a basis for maintenance

and test programs, are:

I. Regulatory Guide 1.52, "Design, Test, and Maintenance Criteria for

Post-Accident Engineered-Safety-Feature Atmosphere Cleanup System Air

Filtration and Adsorption Units of Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power

Plants"

2. Regulatory Guide 1.140, "Design, Test, and Maintenance Criteria for Normal

Ventilation Exhaust System Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of

Light-Water Cooled Nuclear Power Plants"

3. American Society of Mechanicdl Engineers (ASME) Standard N510, "Testing of

Nuclear Air Treatment Systems"

If dose assessment, communications, or decisionmaking capability is lost or

impaired because the EOF and/or TSC become uninhabitable and are evacuated, the

ability of the licensee's emergency response staff could be severely impaired, thus jeopardizing protection of the health and safety of the public.

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IN 92-32

April 29,. 1992 This information notice requires

you have any questions about the

of the technical contacts listed

Reactor Regulation (NRR)

project

no specific action or written response.

If

information in this notice, please contact one

below or the appropriate Office of Nuclear

manager.

C!,;g

f

i

S

k1'1"

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical contacts:

Glen W. Salyers, RII

(404) 331-5604

Daniel M. 6arss, NRR

(301)

504-2922 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attact.1wnt

I §-32 IN 92'2

April 29. 1992

Page 1 of I

LUST OF MECEKTLT

ISSUED

hiC INFORMATION NOtICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

subject

IisiitCe

issued to

52-31 Electrical Connection

04127/92

A11 holders Of OLS Or CPs

problem In Joneson

for nuclear power reactors.

tokogawa Corooratlon

.S-80 Programale mdi- cating Controllers

92-30

Falsification c' Plant

04/22/92

111 holders of OLS Or CPS

Records

for ruclear power reactors

and all licensed operators

and senior operators.

92-21 Spern Fuel Pool Re-

04/22n2

All holders of Ots or CPS

Sump.

I

activity Calculations

for nuclesr power reactors.

92.29 Potential Breater Ni.-

04/17/92

All holders of OLs or cPS

coordination Caused by

for nuclear power reactors.

Instantaneous Trip

Circuitry

92-28 Inadeguate Fire SuPores-

04/08/92

All toloers of OLs or CPs

sion Systes Testing

for nuclear power reactors.

92-27 The-rwlly Induced Acceler-

04/03/92

All holders of Ota Or CPS

atdd Aging and Failure of

for nuclear power reactors.

ITEC/GOLO A.C. Aelays UVd

in Safety-Belated ApPlic.

Ations

92-26 Pressure Locking of motor-

04/02/92

All holders of OLS or CPs

Operated Flelible Wedge

fe- nuclear power reactors.

Cate Valves

92-25 Potential Neatness in

03/3/

92

All holders of 0LS Or CPs

Licensee P-ocedures fo, A

for ruClear Power ractors.

Loss of the Betueling

Cavity Water

OL

Operating LIcenst

Cr

• Construftion Pe-it