Information Notice 1980-06, Notification of Significant Events at Operating Power Reactor Facilities

Notification of Significant Events at Operating Power Reactor Facilities

ML031180150
Person / Time
Site:	05000000
Issue date:	07/29/1980
From:	NRC/OI
To:
References
IN-80-006, NUDOCS 8006190035
Download: ML031180150 (5)

UNITED STATES SSINS No.: 6870

NIUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Accessions No.:

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 8006190035 WIASHINlGTON, 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

IE Information Notice No. 80-06 (IN 80-06) issued on February 27, 1980,

forwarded a Federal Resister Notice which indicated that the NRC regulations

were amended by adding a new i 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 orovides 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 neec 3o establish more defini- tive thresholds for notifications of certain types of events. Experience so

far with notifications being made in accordance with § 50.72 also suggest the

need for clarification and more definitive guidance. The general categoriza- tion of some of the event types listed in the rule has resulted in notifica- tions of events of less significance than was originally intended. As stated

in the Federal Register Notice implementing § 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 § 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 § 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

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.' 4xamples 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 g 50.72(a).

Supplement to IE Information July 29, 1980

Notice No. 30-06 Item (7) of § 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 I 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 hosoital for treatment or observation for an extended

period of time (greater than 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br />). 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 ADpendix I

to NUREG-0654

EXAMPLE INITIATING CONDITIONS: NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL EVENT

1. ECCS initiated

2. Radiological effluent technical specification limits exceeded

3. Fuel damage indication. Examples:

a. High offgas at SWR air ejector monitor (greater than 500,000 yci/sec;

corresponding to 16 Isotopes decayed to 30 minutes; or an Increase of

100,000 jcilsec within a 30 minute time period)

b. High coolant activity sample (e.g.. exceeding coolant technical speci- fications 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.s 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, selche

c. Any tornado near site

'J. 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 ftamaable gas

release

e. Turbine failure

15. Other plant conditions exist that warrant increased

of State and/or local offsite authoritles or awareness on the part

require plant shutdown under

technical specification requirements or involve

shutdown other than normal controlled

(e.g., cooldown rate exceeding technical Peccirication

cracking found during operation) limtts, pipe

16. Transportation of contaminated injured individual

hospital from site to offsite

17. Rapid depressurization of PWR secondary side.

. V,

1-5

SuPoleeent go - formaticn

r-:_ enclosure

Notice xo. 0-'6 July 29, 1980

REC7_' .' C'_-

' I',^

- X-- ^- --

noItcrr o.n Subject Issued To

ssla d

n .'otce 'io. ,LSr iECG

80-28 Prompt Reporting Of 6/13/30 All applicants for and

Required Information holders of nuclear power

To N'RC reactor construction

30-27 Degradation of Reactor 6/11/80 All Pressurized Water

Coolant %umo Studs . Reactor Facilities

holding power reactor

OLs or CPs

30-25 Evaluation of Contractor 5/10'/80 All Part 50 Licensees

OA Programs

30-23 Transcortation of 5/30/80 Material Licensee in

Pyrophoric Uranium Priority/Categories II-A,

II-D, III-I and IV-DI;

Agreement State Licensees

in equivalent categories

80-24 Low Level Radioactive 5/30/80 All NRC and Agreement

Wiaste Burial Criteria State Licensees

80-23 Loss of Suction to 5/29/80 All power reactor

to Emergency Feedwater facilities with an

Pumps OL or CP

80-22 Breakdown In Contamination 5/28/80 All power reactor

Control Programs OLs and near term CPs

80-21 Anchorage and Support of 5/16/80 All power reactor

Safeity-Related Electrical facilities with an

Equipment OL or CP

80-20 Loss of Decay Heat Removal 5/8/80 All light water reactor

Capability at Davis-Besse facilities holding

Unit 1 While in a Refueling power reactor OLs or CPs

Mode