ML17229A871

NPDES Noncompliance Notification:On 980903,08,14 & 18 Differential Pressure Across Intake Travelling Screens Occurred.Caused by Excessive Jellyfish Buildup.Secured 1A1 Cw Pump & Throttled Three of Four Cw Pumps

ML17229A871
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	10/01/1998
From:	Stall J FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
L-98-250, NUDOCS 9810070083
Download: ML17229A871 (6)

Text

REGULAT INFORMATION DISTRIBUTIOL. cYSTEM (RIDS)

~c ACCESSION NBR:9810070083 DOC.DATE: 98/10/01 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET FACIL:50-335 St. Lucie Plant; Unit 1, Florida Power & Light Co. 05000335 50-389 St. Lucie Plant, Unit 2, Florida Power & Light Co. 05000389 AUTH 'NAME STALL,J.A.

'UTHOR AFFILIATION Florida Power & Light Co.

RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Records Management Branch (Document Control Desk)

SUBJECT:

NPDES noncompliance notification:on 980903,08,14 &. 18 differential pressure across intake travelling screens occurred. Caused by excessive jellyfish buildup. Secured lA1 CW pump & throttled three of four CW pumps.

DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE23D COPIES RECEIVED: LTR i ENCL i SIZE:

TITLE: Environmental Event Report (per Tech Specs) E NOTES:

RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL PD2-3 PD 1 1 GLEAVES,W ,1 1

'INTERNAL: ACRS 1 1 ER 01 1 1 OGC/HDS3 1 1 RGN2 1 1 EXTERNAL: NOAC 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 0

'N NOTE TO ALL "RIDS" RECIP1ENTS:

PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE WASTE. TO HAVE YOUR NAME OR ORGANIZATION REMOVED FROM DISTRIBUTION LISTS OR REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COPIES RECEIVED BY YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION, CONTACT THE DOCUMENT CONTROL DESK (DCD) ON EXTENSION 415-2083 TOTAL NUMBER OF COPIES REQUIRED: LTTR 8 ENCL 8

I i I l Florida Power 5 Light Company, 0

6501 South Ocean Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 October 1, 1998 FRI L-98-250 10 CFR 50.36b EPP 5.4.2 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555 Re: St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Date of Event: September 3 - 18, 1998 Non-Routine Environmental Event The attached report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 5.4.2 of the St.

Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide a description of a reportable occurrence of nuisance organisms, moon jellyfish, at the St. Lucie Plant. The attached report provides the 30 day written report for moon jellyfish intrusion events between September 3-18, 1998.

Very truly yours, J. A. Stall Vice President St. Lucie Plant JAS/GRM Attachment cc: Regional Administrator, USNRC Region II Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, St. Lucie Plant 98i0070083 98iOOi" PDR O'DOCK 05000335 8 PDR an FPL Group company

0 St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Dpcket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 L-98-250 Page 1 JELLYFISH INTRUSION IN THE ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKECANAL EVENT DESCRIPTION An influx of jellyfish into the St. Lucie Plant intake canal increased to the point that the S-.inch mesh sea turtle barrier net had to be lowered on the afternoon of September 3, 1998. This barrier net was installed near the intake canal headwall to retain sea turtles in a small area of the canal so they can be quickly captured and removed. Large numbers of moon jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, accumulated on the net to the point that the net itself was in jeopardy of tearing away from its supports. When the net was lowered, at least two sea turtles passed behind the net, at which point sea turtle biologists increased capture efforts between the net and the plant intake wells. Increases in jellyfish occurred on several other occasions during the month of September, prompting the plant to lower the net. Each time, plant operations and security personnel were notified that there was an increased probability of a turtle being captured in the plant intake wells.

On several occasions, jellyfish loading increased differential pressure across the intake travelling screens of the plant. During the afternoon of September 8, 1998, Unit 2 responded to the increase in jellyfish by throttling the circulating water pump system and reducing unit power to approximately 96% for about half a day. On the evening of September 14, 1998, the breaker for the Unit 1 travelling screen 1A1 tripped due to excessive jellyfish buildup. The 1A1 circulating water pump was secured, and the unit down-powered to approximately 60%

power. The unit was returned to full power the following day. During the early morning of September 18, 1998, Unit 1 was down-powered again to approximately 93% due to increasing differential pressure across the intake travelling screens. Actions taken included throttling three of the four circulating water pumps. The unit was returned to full power prior to noon that day.

A courtesy notification to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Protected Species, concerning the sea turtle barrier net issue prompted a 4-hour notification to the NRC as per 10 CFR 50.72 on September 3, 1998. The increase of jellyfish and subsequent effect on plant operation prompted 72-hour notifications to the NRC, pursuant to the Environmental Protection Plan (EPP), Operating License Appendix B, on September 9, 14, and 18, 1998.

The increased incidence of jellyfish in the St. Lucie Plant intake system is a natural phenomenon that has occurred from time to time in the history of the plant. The 5-inch turtle barrier net was designed to be lowered under such circumstances and performed its function satisfactorily. Following a breach in the net, increased turtle capture efforts downstream toward the plant is the required protocol which is designed to reduce impact on protected

St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 L-98-250 Page 2 species of sea turtles that have entered the plant intake canal system. Plant operations and maintenance personnel took appropriate action to mitigate the effect of jellyfish loading on plant intake systems.