ML19220C425
| ML19220C425 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 03/30/1979 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Herbein J METROPOLITAN EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7905010300 | |
| Download: ML19220C425 (2) | |
Text
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- 4 UNITED STATES
, gR "lGog NUCLEAR RE'iULATORY COMMISSION ,,( ,0g f.M ) REGION 1 631 PARK AVENUE e '* i g 4 [ KING OF PR USSI A, PF.N NSY t.V ANI A 19406 March 30, 1979 Docket Nos. 50-289 50-320 Metropolitan Edison Company ATTN: Mr. J. G. Herbein Vice President - Generation P. O. Box 542 Reading, Pennsylvania 19640 Gentlemen: This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter. It is expected that recipients will review the information for possible applicability to their facilities. No specific action or response is requested at this time. If further NRC evaluations so indicate, an IE Circular, Bulletin or NRR Generic Letter will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions. If you have questions regarding the matter, please contact this office. Sincerely, _ W Boyce H. Grier Director
Enclosures:
1. IE Information Notice No. 79-09 2. List of Information Notices Issued in 1979 es, 0 ~ '; c t as 790EClo^ sob . I..- [ I
4 e Metropolitan Edison Company 2 cc w/encls. E. G. Wallace, Licensing Manager J. J. Barton, Proiect Manager s R. C. Arnold, Vice President - Generation L. L. Lawyer, Manager - Generation Operations G. P. Miller, Manager - Generating Station - fluclear J. L. Seelinger, Unit 1 Superintendent W. E. Potts, Unit 1 Superintendent - Technical Support J. 3. Logan, Unit 2 Superintendent G. A. Kunder, Unit 2 Superintendent - Technical Support I. R. Finfrock, Jr. Mr. R. Conrad g G. F. Trowbridge, Esquire Miss fiary V. Southard, Chairman, Citizens fcr a Safe Environment ) [. bb b
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 IE Information Notice No. 79-09 Date: March 30, 1979 Page 1 of 2 SPILL OF RADI0 ACTIVELY CONTAMINATED RESIN Description of Circumstances: In May 1978, a spill of contaminated resin slurry occurred outside the auxiliary building at the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 3. A plant radioactive waste pumo was being used to transfer resin from a holdup tank inside the building, through a trailer-mounted control station, into a shielded shipping cask. The cask and trailer, owned and operated by a contractor, were located outside of plant buildings because of space limitations. All hoses in the transfer line were metal braided and all piping was steel except for a polyvinylchloride (PVC) tee i'aside the trailer, where flush water could be added after each transfer. Resin entered the cask through a fill cap where it was mixed with a solidifying agent. An automatic isolation valve in the transfer line was designed to close upon receipt of a high cask level signal from level instrumentation on the fill cap. The resin spill occurred when this valve closed prematureiy; the resultant pressure surge caused the PVC tee inside the trailer to break. Resin flowed from the broken tee into the trailer sump. Bolted seams in the sump leaked, spilling resin onto asphalt pavement under the trailer. Water from the spilled resin slurry flowed into a nearby storm drain. Factors contributing to the cause or consequences of the spill included: use of a PVC pipe fitting in the resin transfer line, inadequate hydro-static test of the system before use, failure to leak test the trailer sump, and insufficient precautions taken to mitigate the consequences of a spill. Technical Specifications require radioactive waste systems to be tested and operated in accordance with procedures approved by licensee management. It should be noted that this requirement applies to systems owned and/or operated by contractors at licensed power reactors. It is the responsibility of lice d e used for the transfer of contami that dif fer from permanent syste DUPLICATE DOCUMENT ment and procedures should inclu Entire document previously entered into system under: ANO [ O1 f' ]J J / L. L No. of pages: =}}