ML083500579
| ML083500579 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 12/15/2008 |
| From: | Jamie Benjamin, Skokowski R A NRC/RGN-III |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-III-08-013 | |
| Download: ML083500579 (2) | |
Text
PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - REGION III December 15, 2008 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE - PNO-III-08-013
This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.
Facility Quad Cities Station 2 Exelon Generation Company, LLC Cordova, Illinois Docket: 50-265 License: DPR-30 Licensee Emergency Classification Notification of Unusual Event Alert Site Area Emergency General Emergency x Not Applicable
SUBJECT:
QUAD CITIES UNIT 2 SHUTDOWN DUE TO A STEAM PIPING BELLOWS FAILURE INSIDE OF THE MAIN CONDENSER
DESCRIPTION:
At 2:00 a.m. CST, on December 12, 2008, Exelon Nuclear Company notified the NRC Resident Inspectors that Quad Cities Unit 2 had experienced a partial loss of feedwater heating that affected Unit power and that power was being controlled below 95 percent. The resident
inspectors responded to the site to monitor the utility's response and investigation of the event. At 11:00 a.m., site management informed the resident inspector that a planned maintenance outage for switchyard work would be moved ahead to investigate the feedwater heating issue. A normal plant shutdown was completed at 11:04 p.m.
A bellows failure inside of the main condenser that connects extraction steam piping to a high pressure feedwater heater was identified as the likely cause of the problem. The bellows is comprised of a section of extraction steam piping that has been replaced with corrugated metal to allow flexibility in the line for normal expansion and c ontraction.
Currently, the plant is in Mode 4 and depressurized. The utility's inspection activities inside of the main condenser confirmed the suspected bellows failure. Limited damage to insulation and lagging adjacent to the failure was identified. In addition, damage to a separate steam line bellows inside of the main condenser was also identified. The utility is in t he process of repairing these issues. In addition, the licensee is investigating the cause of the event.
The duration of the shutdown related to the bellows' failure is expected to exceed 72 hours8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br />.
The NRC resident inspectors are monitoring the utility's on-going activities.
The information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with licensee management.
The State of Illinois has been notified.
This information is current as of 3:00 p.m. on December 15, 2008.
CONTACTS:
Richard Skokowski Jamie Benjamin (630) 829-9620 (630) 829-9753