ML12255A162
| ML12255A162 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Prairie Island  |
| Issue date: | 09/11/2012 |
| From: | Shear G Division Reactor Projects III |
| To: | Crackel C - No Known Affiliation |
| References | |
| G20120623, LTR-12-0450, SECY-2012-0422 | |
| Download: ML12255A162 (3) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III 2443 WARRENVILLE ROAD, SUITE 210 LISLE, IL 60532-4352 September 11, 2012 Clinton E. Crackel 603 Graham Road North Aurora, IL 60542-9119
SUBJECT:
PRAIRIE ISLAND EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS
Dear Mr. Crackel:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your e-mail dated August 15, 2012, addressed to NRC Chairman Macfarlane regarding the emergency diesel generators (EDG) at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. In your e-mail, you questioned which EDGs did not start (i.e., the Unit 1 Fairbanks Morse EDGs, or the Unit 2 SACM EDGs). The Prairie Island EDGs were the subject of a 10 CFR 50.72 Event Notification dated August 14, 2012, which detailed a Technical Specifications required shutdown based on both EDGs being declared inoperable.
The EDGs which were the subject of the 10 CFR 50.72 Event Notification report were the Unit 1 Fairbanks Morse EDGs. The operators performed a planned Technical Specification required monthly run of the EDG. The D1 EDG was the first to be tested. The unit started and initially operated as expected. However, part way into the surveillance test, the operators identified a small candle flame at the exhaust manifold. Operators shutdown the EDG and declared the EDG inoperable. Per Technical Specification requirements, the operators tested the D2 EDG to determine if a common cause failure existed. The D2 EDG also started and initially ran as expected, but subsequently also developed a candle flame at the exhaust manifold. With both EDGs inoperable, Technical Specifications required that one EDG be returned to operable within two hours. Neither EDG could be returned to operable within the two hour requirement so operators, per Technical Specification requirements, placed the plant in a shutdown condition within the subsequent six hours. The NRC resident inspectors monitored the stations activities throughout the EDG runs and subsequent reactor shutdown. The NRC inspection activities continue and the results of our inspection will be documented in our next quarterly inspection report.
Please contact Karla Stoedter, Senior Resident Inspector at Prairie Island, at 651-388-8209, or Ken Riemer, Prairie Island Branch Chief, at 630-829-9628, if you have further questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Gary L. Shear, Acting Division Director Division of Reactor Projects
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III 2443 WARRENVILLE ROAD, SUITE 210 LISLE, IL 60532-4352 September 11, 2012 Clinton E. Crackel 603 Graham Road North Aurora, IL 60542-9119
SUBJECT:
PRAIRIE ISLAND EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATORS
Dear Mr. Crackel:
On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am responding to your e-mail dated August 15, 2012, addressed to NRC Chairman Macfarlane regarding the emergency diesel generators (EDG) at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. In your e-mail, you questioned which EDGs did not start (i.e., the Unit 1 Fairbanks Morse EDGs, or the Unit 2 SACM EDGs). The Prairie Island EDGs were the subject of a 10 CFR 50.72 Event Notification dated August 14, 2012, which detailed a Technical Specifications required shutdown based on both EDGs being declared inoperable.
The EDGs which were the subject of the 10 CFR 50.72 Event Notification report were the Unit 1 Fairbanks Morse EDGs. The operators performed a planned Technical Specification required monthly run of the EDG. The D1 EDG was the first to be tested. The unit started and initially operated as expected. However, part way into the surveillance test, the operators identified a small candle flame at the exhaust manifold. Operators shutdown the EDG and declared the EDG inoperable. Per Technical Specification requirements, the operators tested the D2 EDG to determine if a common cause failure existed. The D2 EDG also started and initially ran as expected, but subsequently also developed a candle flame at the exhaust manifold. With both EDGs inoperable, Technical Specifications required that one EDG be returned to operable within two hours. Neither EDG could be returned to operable within the two hour requirement so operators, per Technical Specification requirements, placed the plant in a shutdown condition within the subsequent six hours. The NRC resident inspectors monitored the stations activities throughout the EDG runs and subsequent reactor shutdown. The NRC inspection activities continue and the results of our inspection will be documented in our next quarterly inspection report.
Please contact Karla Stoedter, Senior Resident Inspector at Prairie Island, at 651-388-8209, or Ken Riemer, Prairie Island Branch Chief, at 630-829-9628, if you have further questions.
Sincerely,
/RA/
Gary L. Shear, Acting Division Director Division of Reactor Projects DOCUMENT NAME: G:\\DRPIII\\1-Secy/C_Crackel_ltr.docx Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Sensitive Non-Sensitive To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the concurrence box "C" = Copy without attach/encl "E" = Copy with attach/encl "N" = No copy OFFICE RIII-DRP RIII-DRP NAME KRiemer:mz GShear DATE 09/10/2012 09/10/2012 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Letter to Clinton E. Crackel from Gary L. Shear dated September 11, 2012
SUBJECT:
Prairie Island Emergency Diesel Generators DISTRIBUTION: G20120623; LTR-12-0450, SECY-2012-0422 S. Kennedy, EDO RidsEdoMailCenterResource P. Buckley, RIII T. Tomczak, RIII