ML14170A589
| ML14170A589 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Robinson, Brunswick  |
| Issue date: | 03/07/1980 |
| From: | James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | Jackie Jones CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8003180069 | |
| Download: ML14170A589 (4) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION II 101 MARIETTA ST., N.W., SUITE 3100 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 In Reply Refer To:
MAR 07 1980 5,
-261l 0REGULATORY DOCKET F COK Carolina Power and Light Company Attn:
J. A. Jones Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 411 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC 27602 Gentlemen:
The enclosed IE Information Notice is forwarded to you for information.
No written response to this Information Notice is required. If you have any questions related to the subject, please contact this office.
Sincerely, James P. O'Reilly Director
Enclosures:
- 2. List of Recently Issued IE Information Notices 0
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~c
Carolina Power and Light Company
-2 cc w/encl:
A. C. Tollison, Jr.
Plant Manager Box 458 Southport, North Carolina 28461 R. B. Starkey, Jr., Plant Manager Post Office Box 790 Hartsville, South Carolina 29550
00 SSINS:
6870 Accession No.:
UNITED STATES 7912190681 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 March 7, 1980 IE Information Notice No. 80-09 POSSIBLE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH CLOSED COOLING SYSTEMS FOR OPERATING POWER PLANTS As a result of information that the causative agent for meningoencephalitis, the amoeba Naeglaria fowleri, had been found in warm water ponds in Florida and Texas where two fatalities were reported, NRC initiated a study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the occurrence of Naeglaria in power plants with closed cycle cooling systems. For seven power stations examined (6 fossil, 1 nuclear), this study confirmed the presence of pathogenic Naeglaria at three plants including the nuclear plant (Dresden).
Recently, Northern States Power Company (NSP), while monitoring the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant closed cooling system for the amoeba, did identify the presence of Naeglaria. Although the Minnesota Department of Health does not consider the existence of the organism to be a public health threat, it was recognized as a possible occupational health hazard. Plant personnel were instructed to wear rubber gloves when coming into contact with the circulating water and to wear respirators when working in the area of the cooling towers.
In November 1979, NSP conducted a special chlorination program at Prairie Island that was designed by Dr. Richard Tyndall of Oak Ridge to eradicate this organism. Chlorine concentrations in the circulating water system was raised to 2.0 mg/l (measured as free chlorine) for a period of six hours to destroy both the amoebae and its encysted form. This program also included dechlorination prior to discharge and intensive monitoring to document chlorine concentrations, the impacts of chlorinated cooling tower draft and sampling to determine the efficacy of the special chlorination program in destroying Naeglaria. Preliminary results indicate that the program was successful in reducing the number of organisms present by two to three orders of magnitude.
It is recognized that there have been no reported cases of meningoencephalitis reported among power plant personnel to date; however, the seriousness of the disease (if contracted) and the confirmed presence of Naeglaria at four plants, leads us to inform all licensees with closed cycle cooling water systems of the potential occupational hazard and advise that they take appropriate action.
No written response to this IE Information Notice is required.
If you desire additional information regarding this matter, contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
0 0
IE Information Notice No. 80-09 Enclosure March 7, 1980 RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Subject Date Issued To Notice No.
Issued 80-09 Possible Occupational Health 3/7/80 All holders of Reactor Hazard Associated With Closed OLs and to near term Cooling Systems for Operating CP applicants Power Plants 80-08 The States Company Sliding 3/7/80 All power reactor Link Electrical Terminal facilities with an OL Block or a CP 80-07 Pump Shaft Fatigue Cracking 2/29/80 All Light Water Reactor Facilities holder power reactor OLs and CPs 80-06 Notification of Significant 2/27/80 All holders of Reactor Events OLs and to near term OL applicants 80-05 Chloride Contamination 2/8/80 All licensees of nuclear of Safety Related Piping power reactor facilities and applicants and holders of nuclear power reactor CPs 80-04 BWR Fuel Exposure in 2/4/80 All BWR's holding a Excess of Limits power reactor OL or CP 80-03 Main Turbine Electro-1/31/80 All holders of power Hydraulic Control' System reactor OLs and CPs 80-02 8X8R Water Rod Lower 1/25/80 All BWR Facilities End Plug Wear holder power reactor OLs or CPs 80-01 Fuel Handling Events 1/4/80 All holders of power reactor OLs and CPs 79-37 Cracking in Low Pressure 12/28/79 All power reactor OLs Turbine Discs and CPs 79-36 Computer Code Defect in 12/31/79 All ppwer reactor OLs Stress Analysis of Piping and CPs Elbow 79-35 Control of Maintenance 12/31/79 All power reactor facilities and Essential Equipment with an OL or CP 79-34 Inadequate Design of 12/27/79 All holders of power reactor Safety-Related Heat OLs and CPs Exchangers