ML12025A152

PSEG Nuclear LLC - Hope Creek Generating Station, NJDEP Case No. 11-12-29-0017-00 Follow Up Report

ML12025A152
Person / Time
Site:	Hope Creek
Issue date:	01/18/2012
From:	Pantazes J Public Service Enterprise Group
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, State of NJ, Dept of Environmental Protection
References
LR-E11-0163, NJDEP Case 11-12-29-0017-00
Download: ML12025A152 (2)

Text

PSEG Nuclear LLC P.O. Box 236, Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038-0236 LR-E1 1-0163 Dated: JAN 18 2012 0 PSEG Nuclear LLC Requested Certified Mail, Return Receipt Article Number: 7008 1830 0004 1876 2010 Administrator of Water Compliance and Enforcement New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 401 East State Street, 4 th Floor PO Box 422 Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0422 RE: PSEG Nuclear LLC - Hope Creek Generating Station NJDEP Case No. 11-12-29-0017-00 Follow up Report

Dear Sir/Madam:

As a follow up to the call made to the NJDEP hotline and assigned case 11-12-29-0017-00, PSEG Nuclear LLC ("PSEG Nuclear") is submitting this update concerning a reported release of approximately 17 gallons of 15% by weight of Sodium Hypochlorite into the Hope Creek Service Water Intake Structure (SWIS). This release was also reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission pursuant to that agency's reporting requirements.

On December 28th, 2011 at approximately 2209 hours0.0256 days <br />0.614 hours <br />0.00365 weeks <br />8.405245e-4 months <br />, following a planned station service water (SSW) pump swap, a motor operated valve failed to close in both automatic and manual modes in a water treatment system for the SSW pump that was secured and resulted in delays for isolating flow. This was discovered shortly after the pump was removed from service. The release was terminated by closing a manual isolation valve at 2240 hours0.0259 days <br />0.622 hours <br />0.0037 weeks <br />8.5232e-4 months <br />.

This malfunction resulted in an actual discharge of 6.4 gallons of 15% by weight of sodium hypochlorite (product) to the idle SSW pump intake which communicates with the Delaware River. The idle SSW pump was restarted at 2240 thus withdrawing all residual product from the intake and directing it to plant treatment systems. A sample was obtained from the Delaware River just-outside the intake structure, there was no detectable chlorine, and there were no abnormal conditions noted on the River.

Therefore, a two hour call to the NJDEP was initiated at 0017 on December 29th, 2011.

PSEG conducted an investigation in accordance with our problem identification and resolution process. The summary result of this investigation indicates that the motor operated valve failed to close when the SSW pump was secured and also failed to close when the valve operation switchgear manually taken to close.

The Service Water pump bays measure 30'6" by 9'6" and using mean tide level for a depth of 19.3 feet of water contain a total volume of 41,829 gallons. During normal operations when the pump is running, sodium hypochlorite is injected into the pump bay on the pump side (inside) of a travelling screen which is located approximately 20 feet from the opening into the Delaware River. Based on the size of the pump bay that the chlorine is normally injected into, the demand from river water, the adjacent pumps continuously operating and the sample demonstrating no detectable chlorine, PSEG

NJDEP - Administrator of Water Compliance and Enforcement 'JAN 182ThIi?

LR-E11-0163 believes that chlorine probably did not reach the river and therefore this event did not pose a threat to the environment.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Christopher White of my staff at (856) 339-3301, Christopher.White(cD-pseg.com.

Sincerely, Manager - Nuclear Environmental Affairs cc: NJDEP - Water Compliance and Enforcement Southern Water Enforcement Attn: Steven Mathis 2 Riverside Drive, Suite 201 Camden, NJ 08103 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Delaware Emergency Management Agency Attn: Janet Chomiszak 165 Brick Store Landing Road Smyrna, DE 19977 2