ML19210A155

Event Rept 76-3/10:on 760110,improper Valve Lineup Rendered Coolant Leak Detection Sys Inoperable.All Other Sys Operable During Event.Surveillance Procedures to Be Changed to Prevent Misalignment of Sampling Valves

ML19210A155
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	01/20/1976
From:	Arnold R METROPOLITAN EDISON CO.
To:
References
GQL-0069, GQL-69, NUDOCS 7910240880
Download: ML19210A155 (4)

Text

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NRC mSTpp.UTION FOR PART 50 DOCKE . c.;A R! AL' (TEf.1POR ARY FORT.ii CONTROL NO: 621 ,

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F ROr.1: Metropolitan Bdison Co. DATE OF DOC DATE REC'D LTR TWX RPT OTHER Reading, Pa. .

R.C. Arnold 1-20-76 1-21-76 XXX TO:

ORIG CC OTHER SENT!!RC PDR YYY NRC 1 Signed 0 CENT LOCAL Pl#XX ,

CLASS UNCLASS PROPINFO INPUT NO CYS REC'D DOCKET NO:

XXX 1 50-299 DESCRIPTION: ENCLOSURFS:

Reportable Occurrence # 76-3/10 on 1-10-76 Concerning Improper Valve Line-Up on Radiatio l ,

Monitor RM-A2.....

(1 Copy Received)

DO NOT REMOVE PLANT NAME: Three Mile Island # 1 NOWLEDGED FOR ACTION /INFC Rl.1ATION SAB 1-23-76 ERA 'C . CHIEF Reid LIC. ASSI. Inaram U/16 cys ACRS INTERNAL DISTRIBUTION SEC F1LD VOLLMER/EU:!CH NRC PDR ICIEGER/J. COLLINS I&E (2) r '\

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POST OFFICE BOX 542 READING, PENNSYLVANI A 19603 ,

.E 215 - 929-3601 January 20, 1976 , -

GQL 0069 .

Director of Nuclear Reactor Regulation .. .,: -

U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 x g

Dear Sir:

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Docket No. 50-289 Operating License No. DPR-50 In accordance with the Technical Specifications of our Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 (TMI-1), we are reporting the following reportable occurrence.

(1) Report Number: ER 76-03/10 (2a) Report Date: January 20, 1976 (2b) Event Date: January 10, 1976 (3) Facility: Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Unit 1 (4) Identification of Event:

Title:

Improper valve line-up on Radiation Monitor RM-A2.

Type: An abnormal occurrence as defined by the Technical Specifications , paragraph 1.8b, in that a limiting condition was violated since the coolant leak detection system sensitive to radioactivity (RM-A2) was inoperable and yet no samples of the Reactor Building atmosphere were taken and analyzed each 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> as required by specification 3.1.6.7.

(5) Conditions irior to Event:

Power: Core: 100%

Elect.: 851 MW (gross) 6 RC Flow: 138 :: 10 lb /hr.

RC Press: 2155 psig 1490 080

Director -

Page 2 January 20, 1976 RC Temp: 579 F PRZR Level: 240 inches PRZR Temp: 650 F (6) Description of Event:

From 1350 hours0.0156 days <br />0.375 hours <br />0.00223 weeks <br />5.13675e-4 months <br /> on January 8,1976, to 1400 hours0.0162 days <br />0.389 hours <br />0.00231 weeks <br />5.327e-4 months <br /> on January 10, 1976, RM-A2 (the coolant leak detection system sensitive to radioactivity) was inoperable due to improper valve line-up subsequent to completion of Quarterly Surveillance. However, during the first portion of this period (i.e. from 1350 hours0.0156 days <br />0.375 hours <br />0.00223 weeks <br />5.13675e-4 months <br /> Jan. 8, 1976, to 1915 hours0.0222 days <br />0.532 hours <br />0.00317 weeks <br />7.286575e-4 months <br /> Jan. 9, 1976) a reactor building purge was in progress and RM-A9 was fulfilling the function of RM-A2. Therefore, from 1915 hours0.0222 days <br />0.532 hours <br />0.00317 weeks <br />7.286575e-4 months <br /> Jeauary 9,1976, to 1400 hours0.0162 days <br />0.389 hours <br />0.00231 weeks <br />5.327e-4 months <br /> January 10, 1976, (18 hour2.083333e-4 days <br />0.005 hours <br />2.97619e-5 weeks <br />6.849e-6 months <br /> and 45 minutes) a leak detection system sensitive to radioactivity was not operable. Since it was not known that RM-A2 was inoperable samples of the reactor building atmosphere were not taken and analyzed each 8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> as required by Specification 3.1.6.7.

L,cn discovery of the improper valve line-up, RM-A2 was immediately returned to service.

(7) Designation of Apparent Cause of Event:

The cause of this event has been determined to be procedure in that, inadequate procedural guidance is given to direct maintenance personnel to return sample valves to their correct positions following surveillance.

In addition, the technicians who sample RM-A2 failed to recognize this improper valve line-up while taking daily samples during this event.

(8) Analysis of Event:

It has been determined that this event did not constitute a threat to the health and safety of the public in that:

a. During the event , the Reactor Building Atmosphere was being purged therefore, releases from the plant were conitored by the Reactor Building Purge Monitor (RM-A9) .

b. All other required Reactor Coolant Leak Detection Systems were inservice during the event.

(9) Corrective Action:

In addition to the immediate corrective action described above, long term corrective actions are:

1. The Surveillance Procedure will be changed to provide additional guidance to personnel after performing surveillance on radiation monitors to prevent the misalignment of sampling valves.

490 08i

Director Page 3 January 20, 19/6

2. A concentrated training effort has commencid to review this event with Radiation Chemical Technician's and reiterate the sampling procedure for RM-A2 to each individual.

(10) Failure Date: None Similar Events: None Sincerely, l

R. C. Irnold RCA:CWS:pa 1490 082