ML19254F602
| ML19254F602 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Calvert Cliffs  |
| Issue date: | 11/05/1979 |
| From: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | Lundvall A BALTIMORE GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911160031 | |
| Download: ML19254F602 (1) | |
Text
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631 PARK AVENUE h,'\\/
,d" KING OF PRUSSIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19406 Docket Nos. 50-317
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50-318 NOV 0
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Baltimore Gas and Electric Company ATTN:
Mr. A. E. Lundvall, Jr.
Vice President, Supply P. O. Box 1475 Baltimore, Maryland 21203 Gentlemen:
This Information Notice is provided as an early notification of a possible 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 h-1ve any questions regarding the matter, please contact this office.
Sincerely, Boyce H. Grier
" Director
Enclosures:
1.
IE Information Notice No. 79-26 2.
List of IE Information Notices Issued in the Last Six Months CONTACT:
D. L. Caphton (215-337-1266) cc w/encls:
R. M. Douglass, Manager, Quality Assurance L. 8. Russell, Chief Engineer W. Gibson, General Supervisor, Operational QA R. C. L. Olson, Senior Engineer K. H. Sebra, Principal Engineer 1351 314 9uteo 0 30
ENCLOSURE 1 SSINS:
6870 Accession No:
7908220133 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D. C.
20555 IE Information Notice No. 79-26 Date:
November 5, 1979 Page 1 of 2 BREACH OF CONTAINMENT INTEGRITY Description of Circumstances:
On September 14, 1979, the Consumers Power Company (CPC) notified the NRC of discovery at the Palisades Nuclear Generating Plant of a valve misalignment that had resulted in containment integrity being breached for an indeterminate length of time.
While preparing to perform a Type "C" leak test between two manual valves in a 3" bypass line around the main 48" containment purge valve, plant personnel discovered that both of these manual isolation valves were locked in the open position.
These valves should have been locked closed.
Investigation by the licensee indicated that the valves may have been improperly positioned since April, 1978, when an efficiency test of the bypass line filters was performed.
The plant has operated at power for the major portion of that time period.
The valve misalignment had no actual impact on the public health.
However, in the event of a design basis accident wherein fuel damage and release of primary coolant inside the containment are postulated, the open valves would provide a significant path for a radioactive release from the containment.
The initial design purpose for the bypass system was to provide a long term hydrogencontro{capabilityforthecontainmentatmospherefollowingadesign basis accident.- It was intended that after approximately 30 days following an accident, when containment pressure and activity levels dropped sufficiently to permit venting, this system would be manually valved to vent the containment atmosphere, through high efficiency and charcoal filters, to the exhaust stack. Thus the components in the bypass line beyond the two manual isolation valves were not designed for the severe service they would be exposed to with the valves open during the initial pressure surge of the design casis accident, and significant uncontrolled release would result.
High radiation in the vicinity of the bypass line would also isolation valves, even if identified a hazardous operation.
DUPLICATE DOCUMENT The principal cause for this event was Entire document previously properuseandpositioningoft[.eseva entered into system under:
valve line up checklist, which is perf 1351 sm 7. 2k2fLWdN w
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y Current NRC requirements call for No. of pages:
Y control hydrogen buildup.
Palisades h
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