ML19220C997
| ML19220C997 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 03/31/1979 |
| From: | Lafleur J NRC OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (OIP) |
| To: | Abraham P, Cunningham J, Jennekins J CANADA ATOMIC ENERGY CONTROL BOARD, INDIA, IRELAND |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7905160153 | |
| Download: ML19220C997 (4) | |
Text
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. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION PRIORITY urr' ICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS UNCLASSIFIED WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 TLX: K 710-824-0415 3-31-79 J. D. LAFLEUR, JR., DEPUTY DIRECTOR,IP J'
NUCLEAR ENERGY BOARD ATTN: JOHN CUNNINGHAM gu sung 20-22 LOWER HATCH STREET CCNA DUBLIN, IRELAND 5161 River Road, N.W.-
TLX: 306-10 Washington, D. C. 20016 MR. P. ABPAHAM DAE SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE Dr. Clyde McClelland BHABHA ATOMIC RESEARCH CENTRE U.S. Embassy OTTAWA, CANADA TROMBAY, BOMBAY 400 085 INDIA ROY SIPPY, INS
- U.S. EMBASSY
~ BELGPADE, YUGOSLAVIA TLX: 11529 JOHi JE!!NEKINS, PRESIDENT AECS OTTAWA, CN!ADA TLX: 053-3771
SUBJECT:
THREE MILE ISLAND REACTOR STATUS THE FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY INFORMATICN IS PROVIDED ON THE THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT INCIDENT OF MARCH 28, 197?, FOR WSE AT
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YOUR DISCRETION.
2 PLANT STATUS AS OF MARCH 30 A.
GASEOUS RADI0 ACTIVITY FROM THE PRIMARY COOLANT SYSTEM LETD00N HAS 9EEN CONTAINED IN UASTE GAS DECAY TANKS SINCE
.THE LAST GASE0US RELEASE AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 P.M.
MARCH 30, 1979 AT THE PRESENT REACTOR COOLANT LETDOWN RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 GPM IT T1AY BE NECESSARY TO MAKE A PLANNED RELEASE OF RADI0 ACTIVE GAS TOMORROU TO PREVENT GAS DECAY TANK RELIEF VALVE OPERATION AT ITS SETPOINT OF 100 PSI.
THE LICENSEE HAS INSTALLED A TEMPORARY LINE FROM THE GAS DECAY SYSTEN BACK TO REACTOR CONTAINTIENT UHICH IS UNDER 79 EVALUATION SEFORE BEING PLACED IN OPERATION.
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PRESSUkb IS BEING MAINTAINED SLIGkTLY NEGATIVE {-1 PSI}
AS A RESULT v7 FAN COOLER OPERATION.
8 REACTOR COOLANT TEMPERATURES MEASURED AT FIFTY-TUO LOCATIONS AT THE OUTLET OF THE CORE HAVE CONTINUED TO COME DOUN SLOULY.
THREE OF THESE OUTLET TEMPERATURE INSTRUMENTS CONTINUE TO INDICATE ABOVE SATURATION TEMPERATURE.
C.
THE NRC STAFF UAS INFORMED BY THE LICENSEE ON FRIDAY MORNING THAT EXAMINATION OF CONTAINMENT PRESSURE DATA FOR MARCH 23 INDICATES A PRESSURE SPIKE UP TO APPROXIMATE-LY 30 PSI OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1:50 P.M.
NRC PERSONNEL ARE EVALUATING THE POSSIBILITY THAT A HYDR 0 GEN
{ CHEMICAL} EXPLOSION UAS THE CAUSE OF THE CONTAINMENT INTERNAL PRESSURE SPIKE.
D.
THE REACTOR COOLANT PATH IS THROUGH ONE REACTOR COOLANT PUMP AND ONE STEAM GENERATOR.
THE STEAM GENERATOR IS BEING FED BY AN AUXILIARY FEEDPUNP.
SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR DEPRESSURIZING THE PEACTOR AND CONTINUING C00LDOUN VIA THE RESIDUAL HEAT REMOVAI. SYSTEM ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
E.
THE VOLUME OF NON-CONDENSIBLE GASES IN THE REACTOR VESSEL HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1000 TO 1500 CUSIC FEET AT 1000 PSI.
THIS VOLUME IS ESTIMATED TO RESULT IN x UATER LEVEL OF SEVERAL FEET OVER THE TOP OF THE FUEL.
THE RATE OF GROUTH OF THE 9UESLE IN THE REACTOR VESSEL IS ESTIMATED TO EE LESS THAN 50 CUSIC FEET PER DAY AT 1000 PSI.
3.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULA-TION, THE DIRECTOR OF THE REGION I 0FFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF OPERATING REACTORS ARRIVED AT THE SITE AT APPROXIMATELY 2 P.M. MARCH 30, 70 DIRECT NRC ACTIVITIES AT THE SITE AND SITE VICINITY.
REPRESENAITATIVES OF HEU AND EPA ARE oROVIDING COORDINATION AND ASSIST..NCE TO THE NRC AT THE INCIDENT RESPONSE CENTER.
9 ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS AS OF MARCH 30 A.
AT APPROXIMATELY 3 P.M. ON MARCH 30, 1979, NRC ANALY-SIS OF EIGHT VEGETATION SAM,PLES FROM THE OFFSITE AREAS SHOUED NO DETECTABLE ACTIVITY.
AT 5:30 P.M.
THE PENNSYL-VANIA STATE R ADIATION HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT ENVIRONMENTAL UATER AND AIR SAMPLES COLLECTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE THREE MILE ISLAND PLANT SHOUED NO DETECTABLE ACTIVITY EXCEPT FOR SOME XENON-133 AND XENON-135, MILK 9MPLE ANALYSIS SHOUED NO ACTIVITY LEVELS A90VE BACKGROUND.
3 0FFSITE GROUND LEVEL GAMMA SURVEYS IN THE MIDDLETOUN AND GOLDS 90R0 AREAS SETUEEN 3:00 AND 6:00 P.M.
ON MARCH 30, RANGED FROM 01 T0 _1 MILLIROENTGENS PER HOUR.
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.0 TIL ;.htc UNCLASSIFIED 13 SURVEY UAS MADE BY HELICOPTER FROM 4:00 - 6:00 P.M.
ON i
MARCH 30, THE SITE UAS SURVEYED IN CONCENTRIC CIRCLES AT l
APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE INTERVALS AND AT A HEIGHT OF 300 TO 1,000 FEET.
THE HIGHEST R ADI ATION RE ADINGS 'dERE OVER THE SITE AND MEASURED 6 TO 10 MILLIROENTGENS PER HOUR.
THE PLUME FOLLOUED THE RIVER IN A NORTHUESTERLY DIRECTION AND UAS NOT DETECTABLE BEYOND FIVE TO SIX MILES FROM THE SITE.
SITE GROUND LEVEL SURVEYS CON-DUCTED BETUEEN 7: 30 - 6:00 P.M. RANGED FROM 01 TO 16 MILLIROENTGENS PER HOUR.
C.
AT 4:00 P.M. MARCH 30, UPPER LEVEL UINDS UERE FROM THE SOUTHEAST.
FORECAST INDICATED PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING IN AFTER 12 MIDNIGHT, MARCH 30 AT 5:00 P.M.
UINDS ONSITE AT'THREE MILE ISLAND UERE REPORTED AT 2 TO 3 MILES PER HOUR GENERALLY FROM EAST TO UEST.
5.
PLANT STATUS AS OF MORNING OF MARCH 31 A.
REACTOR COOLING CONTINUES USING THE 1A MAIN REACTOR COOLANT PUMP UITH STEAM GENERATOR A STEAMING TO THE MAIN CONDENSER.
CHANGES TO THIS COOLING METHOD ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THE NEAR TERM.
AN OPERABILITY STATUS OF EQUIPi1ENT IS SEING COMPILED FOR USE AS BACKUP IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE OF EXISTING OPERATING EQUIPMENT.
E.
THE HYDROGEN RECOMEINER IS IN AM OPERAELE STATUS; HOUEVER, SHIELDING OF ITS PIPING AND COMPONENTS IS NOT FULLY INSTALLED AND IS PRESENTLY CONSIDERED INADEQUATE.
LEAD FOR SHIELDING HAS SEEN LOCATED AND UILL BE MOVED TO THE SITE ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS.
CALCULATIONS OF HYDROGEN IN CONTAINMENT SHOU THAT THE PRESENT CONCENTRA-TION IS LESS THAN 4%, THE STAFF'S LIMIT ON ALLOUED CON-CENTRATION TO ENSURE AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE IS NOT O9TAINED.
ATTEMPTS ARE BEING MADE TO 087/ 1N A CONTAINMENT ATMOS-PHERE SAMPLE.
C.
THE UASTE GAS DECAY TANK rRESSURES UERE 60 PSI AT 10:15 P.M.
ON MARCH 30 AND HAD BEEN RELATIVELY CONSTANT FOR ABOUT FIVE HOURS.
THE TANK IS SET TO RELIEVE PRESSURE AT 100 - 110 PSI.
THE RADIATION FIELD {60 R/HR AY CONTACT} PREVENTS RESETTING RELIEF POINTS.
D.
REACTOR COOLANT EMPERATURES MEASURED BY INCORE THERMOCOUPLES AT 52 LOCATIONS PRESENTLY SHOU ONLY ONE LOCATION AB0VE SATURATION TEMPERATURE.
TEMPERATURES IN THE CORE AS MEASURED FROM OUTLET THERMOCOUPLES ARE GRADUALLY DECREASING.
OTHER SYSTEM PARAMETERS ARE REMAINING STABLE.
6 ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS AS OF MORNING MARCH 31 A.
THREE SURVEY FLIGHTS OF ONE-HOUR LENGTH UERE CON-DUCTED BEGINNING AT 9:30 P.M.
ON MARCH 30, AND AT MIDNIGHT 3
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ON MARCH 31.
AT A DISTANCE OF ONE MILE FROM THE PLANT, MAXINUM READINGS RANGED FROM 0 5 MILLI-ROENTGENS PER HOUR {MR/HR} TO 1 5 MR/HR.
AT THE 15 MILE POINT, READINGS OF 0 1 TO 0 2 MR/HR UERE OBTAINED DURING THE TUO EARLIER SURVEYS AND D.5 NR/HR DURING THE LATEST.
FLIGHTS ARE BEING MADE AT APPR0XINATELY THREE HOUR INTERVALS.
a B.
OFFSITE GROUND LEVEL GAMMA SURVEYS IN THE MIDDLETOUN AREA AND NORTH, BETUEEN 9:30 P.M. ON MARCH 30 AND 1:00 AM ON MARCH 31, INDICATED LEVELS FROM 0 2 TO 0 5 MR/HR.
THESE MEASUREMENTS UERE TAKEN IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE PLUME MEASURED IN AERIAL SURVEYS.
C.
AT 3:00 P.M.
ON MARCH 29, { PRIOR TO THE RELEASES OF MARCH 30} THE LICENSEE RECOVERED THERM 0 LUMINESCENT DOSIMETERS FROM 17 FIXED POSITIONS LOCATED UITHIN A 15 NILE RADIUS OF THE SITE.
THE DOSINETERS HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR THREE MONTHS AND HAD BEEN EXPOSED FOR ABOUT 32 HOURS AFTER THE INCIDENT.
ONLY TU0 DOSIMETERS SHOUED ELEVATE? EXPOSURES AB0VE NORMAL LEVELS.
THE HIGHEST READING OBSERVED UAS ON THREE MILE ISLAND, C.4 NILES NORTH OF THE REACTOR AT THE NORTH UEATHER STATION.
AT THIS LOCATION, THE QUARTERLY ACCUMULATED EXPOSURE UAS S1 MR, APPROXIMATELY 65 MR AB0VE THE NORMAL QUARTERLY EXPOSURE RATE.
THE OTHEP HIGH EXPCSURE UAS 05 SERVED AT NORTH BRIDGE, 0 7 MILES NNE OF THE REACTOR AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SITE.
AT THIS LOCATION, THE TOTAL QUARTERLY ACCUMU-LATED EXPOSURE UAS 37 MR OR APPROXIMATELY 22 MR ABOVE THE NORNAL QUARTERLY EXPOSURE RATE.
D.
DURING THE EVENING MILKING HOURS ON MARCH 30, MILK.
SAMPLES UERE COLLECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AT THE FOLLOUING LOCATIONS:
HARRISBURG {2 SITES}, YORK, MIDDLETOUN, BAINBRIDGE, ETTERS.
ANALYSES SHOUED NO DETECTA0LE RADI0 IODINE.
THE COUS HAD BEEN FED ON STORED FEED BUT HAD BEEN OUTSIDE FOR EXERCISE.
E.
THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ALSO COLLECTED UATER SAMPLES AT FILTRATION PLANTS AT COLUMBIA, PA {FOR THE CITY OF LANCASTER} AND URIGHTSVILLE ON MARCH 30 IN THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON.
BOTH SAMPLE POINTS ARE DOUNSTREAM OF THREE MILE ISLAND.
NO DETECTABLE ACTIVITY UAS FOUND.
7.
ADDRESSEES REQUESTED TO NOTIFY NRC 0FFICIAL CONTACTS IN HOST GOVERNMENTS {REF.A-0221} AND DOE ASSISTANT SECRETARY BERG 0LD ASAP DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, AND USE AS APPROPRIATE IN ANSUERING INGUIRIES.
6 NOTE INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND
"'07 FULLY EVALUATED.
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