ML19221A145

Forwards Chronology of Events from 790328 at 7:00 Am to 790402 at Midnight

ML19221A145
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	04/06/1979
From:	Conver S NRC OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS (MPA)
To:	Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
Shared Package
ML19221A143	List: ML19221A142 ML19221A145
References
NUDOCS 7905190199
Download: ML19221A145 (18)

Text

.

f5 (Y c LD April 6,1979 NOTE T0: Lee V. Gossick FRCM:

Steve Conver

SUBJECT:

CHRONL(OGY OF EVENTS 2._

.i Enclosed for your review is the chronology that we have put together to cover the period March 23 throuah April 1.

We have :. ranged all the entries in chronological order, and the source of information is indicated for each entry.

.;r We have considered the following sources of information:

l.

PNs and Press Releases.

2.

The log naintained by SP in the Respcase C"ater.

3.

The IRACT tape of all telephone lines in the Center.

(We listened to all 20 channels for the period 8:21 a.m. through 9:16 a.m.

~

on March 28.

We didn't have time to listen to more, but most of the initial notifications were comolete by 9:16.)

4.

The Region I Operations Center icg (wlich Jim Allen had hand-carried to us late this afternoon).

5.

The IRACT lag of all incoming phone calls (which shows only the caller and the person called, not the subject of the call).

6.

Your personal notes, which began on Friday, March 30.

7.

The notes maintained by people working the various desks in the IRACT.

A notebook containing our summaries for each data source is also provided in case you would like to see any supporting detail.

Per your instructions, we have tried to hit the high points, with p?rticular emphasis on the various notifications within and outside NRC.

We undvibtedly have a better handle on the former.

However, the SP people have orepa"ed a one-pager indicating how each of several states and federal ag_-ncies first learned of the accident.

I talked to Shelly Schwartz at home tonight and suggested to.htm that you would also be interested in establishing NRC's first contact with each state and federal agency.

He said he would get right on this in the morning, and he may want to discuss it with you.

I have been in contact with OPE, who will prepa e the Chairman's testimony.

To satisfy the Chairman's wish to have draft tes timony to take home this we-9and, I think we should try to get the chronology to 0PE as soon af ter noon (Friday) as possible.

Therefore, we wculd like to circulate this dra ft (or a revised draft incc corating your comments) as early as possible thfs rorning.

I think we wouid benefit frca having a number of people review the wmq 159 350

2

~hronology.

At a minimum, I think we should givs it to you, Davis, Cass.

c Thompson, NRR and IE represer.tatives at the site, Region I, IRACT people, State Programs, Public Affairs. Congressional Affairs, and Comissioners' issistants.

Some of these pecple may be able to make significant additions or chang 0s to the list.

Bill Maher will be in as early as he can tomorrow (Friday) morning, and he will be awaiting any instructions you might have.

The rest of our group will be in as soon as possible.

Please let know how you would ifke us to proceed.

d s

/ Steve Conver

Attachment:

As Stated.

~

=-

I

.l e.*

e 159 351 d

Combined Chronology of NRC Response to Three Mile Island Incident Cate/ Time Source Activity i

Wed._2Z21 JP I

32 AM _

' T,@74f PEMA(Penna. Emerg. Mgmt. Agcy.) notified by l

~

7:45 AM PNO-79-6/

licensee.

i J.1censee nctifies Region I of incident.

f G

8:00 AM Pub. Affairs Fouchard n:.tified by Region I PA.

(Ingram) i

.o Q

.2 8;c-8:02 AM Reg. I (Jim Reg. I (Bo 1

Alle.n & Eldon Bruner) (John Davis)yce Grier) notifies IE Hg.

8:05 - 8:10 AM John Davis, IE John Davis orders Sam Pryan to activate incident response ceater (IRACT) 77 74 67 8:10 AM PN-67 Reg. I activates its incident response center.

8:23 AM IRACT Tape Phone call from Weiss and Mostley to Boyce Grier( Reg. I) getting information on the accident.

8:25 AM Incoming Tel. Log Gossick calls Davis.

8:31 #1 IMCT Tape Moseley 5M notifies Stcllo & Eisenhut.

Stello says he will send radiological

~

experts /fs /4 M -

8:32 AM IRACT Tape John Davis calls L. V. Gossick.

8:34 AM IRACT Tape John Davis calls Denton's office; speaks A

to Case.

8:36 AM IRAC iape Davis cal ~is Hendrie's office; s;:eaks to Bill Dorie.

Several calls made d c / A Q S.

to reach Hendrie; finally contacted by at (clace)

(

AM).

i 8:40 AM IRACT TAPE Mike Wilbur calls Boyce Grier; obtains Wde4 technical information.

Bewn I S:45 AM Reg. I Log IE Team leaves for site (j_cj[rspectors) 4 S:46 AM IMCT TAPE Davis calls Carie, asks for Cem. Gilinsky in Chairman's absencei Gilinsky not in yet.

159 352 7

e

n 2

l Da te/T_ime Source Activity d!NB IRACT TAPE DudleyThompson notifies Tom Carter, NMSS.

5 No NXSS action reqd red.

E c

8:49 A}i IRACT Tape Ward notifies J. Davidson, NMSS to make f

IAT notification.

5 f

8:50 AM LTN&

Licensee call to Reg. I with current i

l:73 Reg. I Log 1(.

yfg g,g -m fe s,.w -

s ta tus report. (p c.wrn) peen scr,;pawp a.m 8:52 AM IRACT Tape John Davis notifies Commissioner Kennedy e.;h o (Kcrr.edj was the first comissioner contacted).

Davis reports that he, Gossick, Case, and Fouchard are manning IRACT.

Kennedy says he will notify Gilinsky's office.

8:56 AM IRACT Tape Gossick attempts to mach Giiinsky through Bill Dorie and through Gilinskys office.

3 Gossick talks to John Austen and suggests that Dorie personally notify the Chairman.

8.57 AM IRACT TAPE Davis notifie, Commissioner Ahearne.

8 59 A!i IRACT Tape Bernie Weiss calls DOE Emergency Operations

• h (,:

{,

Center.

e 3 IRACT Tap (iML M

[

9:02 AM

+ 5 P I w_e Weiss notifies EPA Q

v 9:08 AM IRACT Tape Joe Fouchard calls Carl Abraham, RI Public h

Affairs, i

3 9:10 AM IRACT TAPE Gossick calls Rauj~M Congressional 1

s l

Affairs Office.

Randy Pine informe4 Gossick i

^

n that CA had recteived several inquiries V

from local Congressnen.

• 'CG

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159 353

9:03 AM Reg. I Log Maintaining open line w/ licensee at site.

l 3

Date/ Tim Source Activity b

IRACT Tape Bill Ward informs Randy Pine (CA),

5 y/

Randy Pine indicates that she wiil I

inform local Congressmen (Heinz &

Schweiker) and Rep.

9:05 AM IRACT Tape Bill Ward informs Comunications Br:c.cn, 9:10 AM IRACT Tape Grier calls Moseley to explain technical aspects of incident.

9:11 AM Incoming Log Gilinsky calls Gossick and Davis.

9:16 AM IRACT Tape Fouchard notifies DOE Public Affairs office (Bob Du~.in).

Other NRC personnel began arriving at Incident Response Center. (IRACT Tapes not yet scanned for times after 9:16 AM) 9:15 AM IRACT Notifica-White Housa S'ituation Room contacted.

tions Log 9:27 AM Incoming Log Defense Civil Preparedness A[ency (DCPA) calls Joe Hegner.

10:05 AM PN 79-67 Reg. I response team arrives at site.

T 10:20 AM SP Log Telephone to Pa. State Rad Health Dept.

(Gerusky not availah's).

Call returned at 10:45; subsequent calls every hour or two, starting about 5 25 PM to discuss status of sampling and monitoring.

\\ 10:16 AM Incoming Log Conference call:

All 'Ccmiss ;oners and Davis.

159 354 a

4 S

Date/ Time Source Activitv i

Wed. 3/28 10:30 AM PR !79-64 First Press. Release based on Preliminary Notification.

10:55 AM SP Log Press Conference (from where?) patched

?

\\)10:40 AM through to PA Rad. Health Dept.

[

SP Log Telephone call to PA Civil Lefense

]

(second call to Operations Officer at i

11:30 AM).

i 10:58 AN Incoming Log White House DUTY OFFICER to Weiss.

12:59 PM Incoming Log Region II to HQ (O'Re111y to Howard).

s 1:01 FM Incoming tog Stello to Henry Myers.

1:12 PM SP Log Telephone call to Va. Civil Cefense re rumors.

f 3:00 FM SP Log Proposed NRC Press Release cleared with Pa. Rad Health Dept.

3:45 PM PN 79-67 First PN distributed inside NRC,

gic d 5:00 PM PR 79-65 Press Release lo w.,

3 7:55 PM SP Log Call to Pa. Rad Health Dept, to say ARMS data shows count is up and gave i

status of BNL monitoring activities.

6:15 PM SP Log Pa. Rad. Health Dept. called; says i

they have ARli$ data and said they are

<eeping Governor infomed.

8:17 PM Reg. I Log Notified of decision to send NRR team to site; expected arrival next AM.

i 159 355

5 Date/ Time Source Activity Te3. 3/28 9:00 PM Region I log Notified that Salem providing equipment.

9:00 PM SP Log Verified (how?) that FAA had not been noti fied, 3

e 6

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159 356

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Z 3 Date/ Time Control No.

Ac_ti vi t) _

F._lG.,hl 3/29

.Mie-Licensee notified NRC that he is (o'/0F0) stopping the discharge.

3/29 - 4:00 PM

.GdfL.

1 Elsasser reported regarding briefings provided Sen. Hart, Heinz, Simpson (Wyo.) and!

Ertel.

Questions were answered oy NRC.

C-6G.kT Elsasser reported regarding briefings 3/29 - 5:30 PM f

provided by Met. Ed.

Sen. Schweiker, Congressmen Gooding (York), flike McCormack; Waller (Lancaster), '4eidler (L.I. NY).

, M

'a 3, 4

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3/29 - M35 Y Log Pa. Rad Health called backi said to idSSPm hold river dump because of Governor's concern; gave them update on ARMS data.

3/29 - la s 5T og Offer from DOE Emergency Assistance L

1.'o5Po1 contact (Joe Deal) from Harrisburg airport.

9:00 -S':30 m o

P 3/29

-2 h "

TF Log Updated status reports to Md., W. Va.

and U.S. Bureau of Rad. Health, i

d 3/29 7

Reg. I Log Periodic ARMS flight t

hour i

intervals.

3/29 - 2fM.

Eh Log Pa. Rad. Heal th says "go" if NRC ich~: Pro a

wants to have water dumped.

j i

3/29 - 10:12 PM C 2 lb T 1 08 Industrial Waste Discharge verified to be d

f f

159 358

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.I_.[..~.~NRC requests Met. Ed. to teminate

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.. h release of slightly contaminated

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industrial waste.

Pemission to resurt.e

".T release granted at 12:15 a.m. - 3/30 -

T ~I coordinated with State and State press release issued.

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combined cnronolocv of NRC Response to_Three Mile Island Incident Date/Tima Source Ac ti'rity

-M Oia[kT EMT asks IE/ site to relay to Met. Ed 3/30 - CO M

1.'isAn that NRC says OK to release industrial

-5 r

waste. Notify NRC when release I.

convences.

3/20-)205Trra w

I Industrial Waste Tank overflowing onto ground.

~

3/30 - 4535 ~r>M M Q.

~.L l g

Fire in Unit One Aux. Building Basement -

(picked up frem intercom).

Fire in ventilation system.

3/30 - 0800 l r:

$,; Log Status report to EPA h

3/30 - 0820 89n

$/3 Log Status report to FDA, Bureau of Radiological Health 3/30-0830byn I Log Status report to Md. Rad. Health.

3/30 - 0850 A7)1 c3P Log Call from FPA requesting status (?)

3/30 - 0925[rn1 M IL State notified of release - evacuation rumored - site does not plan to call e

for evacuation.

3/30 - 0915 to

$ P Lag Calls to Pa. Civil Defense re potential 1010 Pirn evacuation.

p; 3/30 - 9:50 dyb PN 79-673 PN 673 Issued.

59 60 3/30 - ILOO.^gn

-?.e?, f T

Evacuation - scme confusion - evidently b

State has recorrended evacuation of Middictown (Doc Collins).

Plant /NRC has not re;c mended evacuation.

2 Date/ Tire Scurce Activity 3/30 - 1025b77) -est&

6 107 Lost comunication with Unit 2 Control J

room.

3/30 -

30,h n M I

State has advised residents within 10 miles to go inside/ shut windows.

NRC position re'r.ains - no evacuation /unnec-essar; to take a / special precautions.

3/30 - ll45 th N[qE Release at 1109 for E 15 secs.

I'- eg 3/30-12?3f/c C-- M $ 9 '~ M Chairman of NRC recorrir. ended to Governor l

J J

of Pa. to evacuate 5 mi. radius.

3/30 - 1207 fm E40

,'1 [0 EPA, Region III advised of evacuation recomendation 3/30-1230fm M <b[l~

The NRC evacuation recomendation'has been changed or is clarified as follows:

pregnant women and preschool children in the 5 mi. radius should be evacuated.

This re.comendation to Gos. Pa. - not public.

Dr. Langford of EPA was notified of this change.

3/30

-MGA.

f'[ Log Another conversation with FDAA re

/ I0 0 M h2MM Governor's recom.endation

. i a i d. L f

.b OfNatieral Security Council meeting at 1330.

150 3

l.'19\\ 3 F n

,A o

3/30 - 03' E 4 u Log Ca lls to Md. Celawa re, fl.Y., ?!.J.,

M%

Va., W. Va. Rad. Health regarding Go' ernor's reco ;nr. Air. inn

3 Date/ Time Scurce Activity 3/30 - 2:00 PM Mossburg Denton +12 arrive by helicopter at Gossick Notes site; National Security Council called. President wants to talk to Denton.

3/30 - tis &

NRR Operations Center established at 3;3CFin nearby residence; notifications to President Carter and Gov _ Thornburgh, b

,/

3/30 Essk PR No. 79-67 Press release "no imminent danger of j-bl.3cEin core melt; technical experts (Denton p

et al) on site" 3/30 - approx..

Unverified Wayne Kerr plus 5 arrived at site to 3:30 Pm

(

assist IE Health Physics.

(By tnis point, 83 NRC personnel on site and in vicinity (51 IE, a SP, 3 PA, 25 NRR).)

3/30 - 1NM5-M

'C h.D (Madden) acting as Administrative Officer T.46 Pir, reported the following:

Trailer, manned by HRR (Denton) and the White House Communicatiom Group is now behind the Observation Center ano wired for use.

Additional Trailer by 2145 will be

^

wired w/6 telephones.

i60 0

- Boyce Grier is dcwntown in Harrisburg at a Press Conference w/Stello, Denton, Gov. Thornburgh.

- Air National Guard Unit at Harrisburg

Combined Chronolocy of NRC Resconse to Th ee Mlle Island Incident Date/'ime Source JActivity 3/31-0125/m

$ flog Coordinating meeting held at Capital City Airport (EPA, DOE, Pa. Dept. of Environnental Resources, FDA, NRC).

3/31 - 0350/hn

$hLog Telephone call from Bettis, Radiological Assistance Team at Comand Post at Capital City Airport; analytical equipment in airport hangar.

3/31-0600$m

@ de r Oak Ridge man believes he can use the Loose Parts t',onitor to tell the size of the bubble in the vessel.

' 3/31 - 0625. h $r Log Call fmm Pa. Civil Defenre; provided status update.

Ern 3/31 - 0900 approx.

Public Affairs Center activated at site; ifmited operation until 4/1 40 3/31 - 0830" approx.

Trailer. moved just outside plant gate!;

NRR operations center in full force.

3/31 - 0917 AM N Log Call from HEL asking what their role would be if evacuation necessary; said Pa. Civil Defense has lead and referred to them; gave status update.

3/31 - 0925 b 5

Log Call from CEQ. gave status report.

3/31 - 0920 M N Log Call from N.Y. Rad Health Bureau; save

}h status report.

3/31 - 10000IO $h Log Call from Defense Civil Preparedness Acency.,cav,e. status report.

_~

2 Date/ Time Source Activity 3/31 - 1200 to

@ Log 1230[}n Conversations with FDA-Bureau of Radiological Health re supplies of potassium iodine.

3/31 - uw SPLog Pa. Rad Health Dept, agrees to refer 9,'00A all calls relating to health natters to NRC.

3/31 - M HP b

Log Informed that Governor, W. Va. had 6.'06 frh activated State Radiological Assistance Team.

3/31 - 10:45 PM Pf,-67G NRC representative (Sterlo?) at facility infomed that sabotage attempt would be tr.ade during the night.

FBI, Pa. State police and licensee were notified, i

l i

i e

160 003 I

F

Combined Chronoloov of NRC Response to Three Mile Niand Incident Da te/ Time SL_

_ Activity Sun. 4/1 4/1 - 013087t\\ SP tog Called DOE Cormand Center (they do not know where EPA people are); also called Pa. Rad Health.; EPA lab is next door but no one there.

4/1 - 0811No sP tos Cail to ea. Red seaita co0E wii, collect all data and transmit results to NRC).

Meeting scheduled at 0830 to set up coordination.

4/1-0936hrtTPLog Contact established by tubenau/Vaden at Pa. Rad. Health offices, 4/1-ll10hW1 hey 2-NRC Personnel on site (65 I&E; 27 NRR; 5 others).

PN-67H NRC established 37 TLD stations at distances from 1 to 12 miles from plant.

160 004 4/1 PN-67H All utilities with an operating B&W reactor were sent an NRC Bulletin to:

(1) provide info. on TMI-2 incident (2) require a, prompt review of their plant conditions, (3) G ke action to prevent such an incident.

NRC inspectors are being sent to each licensed 3&W

. reactor to provid increased inspection

~

coverage.

=

Combined Chronolocy of NRC Response to Three Mile Island Incident _

Date/ Time Source Activity 4/2 - 0335 M

-6 43-b Hg. requests licensee to send sample of containment air (2330 sample) to Bettis, 4/2-0550[rT) s St 1

Phone link dropped out/I!Q will try to re-establish conf. call.

4/2

.0625 h o 6

f Phone link re-established.

4/2 - Midnight Gossick Notes Denton briefed Governor of Pa.

160 005

=_

2 Date/ Time

.19.L Activity 4/1 - W-

-e=G@p-f b g President Carter is on site in Unit 2 W

q 9 */C-N.3 7hn Control Room.

4/1 - 8:40 PM Gossick Notes Called DOE /EOC to request cleanup of A

Building... General Public Utilities requested help.

r 160 006

=

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