ML19256C622
| ML19256C622 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 05/08/1979 |
| From: | Debevec C, Jordan E, Moseley N NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-79-104, NUDOCS 7910100626 | |
| Download: ML19256C622 (2) | |
Text
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/i PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION
/
May 8, 1979 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-79-104 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of event of POSSIBLE safety er public interest significance.
The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff on this date.
Facility:
Commonwealth Edison Company Quad Cities Unit Nos. I and 2 Docket Nos. 254 and 265 Cordova, Illinois
SUBJECT:
HYDROGEN FIRE AT STORAGE TANK FARM At approximately 1140 CDT on May 8,1979 the resident inspector at the Quad Cities site, located near Cordova, Illinois, reported a fire which had begun at 1120 CDT at the on-site hydrogen tank farm to the imgion III Office (Chicago).
Site personnel initiated an off-site alert at approximately 1125 CDT at which time the Cordova fire department was called to the site. The fire department set up seven hoses to play on the tanks and on the tank relief valves.
Two relief valves on top of the hydrogen tanks were leaking and were burning much in the manner of a bunsen burner.
Operators valved out all banks such that only the affected bank would continue to leak past the relief valve.
The hydrogen supply line to the main generators was valved out.
Both units were initially operating at full power but as a precautionary measure Unit-1 was run back to 50 percent load.
This was due to the proximity of the Unit 1 main transformer to the fire, a distance of approximately 175 feet.
The cause of the fire is not known at this time.
The work activity in progress at the time was the connection of a temporary hydrogen bank (truck trailer type).
This hookup was completed and a transfer was being made to the main tanks at the time of the start of the fire.
A muffled explosion alerted the equipment operator and the truck driver that a problem existed. At 11:20 CDT the shift supervisor was notified of a possible fire in the hydrogen tank farm.
The fire was extinguished at approximately 1243 CDT. At this time the alert was reduced to an on-site alert. The on-site alert was cancelled at 1323 CDT.
The estimated cost of the hydrogen and possible damage to the two relief valves is $200.00.
The Region III (Chicago) office was notified of the event by the CEC Corporate office at 1145 CDT.
447 201
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Continued PNO-79-104 Page 2 May 8, 1979
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The Region III Office emergency response center was activated at approximately 1150 CDT.
A direct phone line was established between Region III, IE Head-quarters, and the Quad Cities Station.
This line was maintained throughout the event and was terminated at approximately 12:45 p.m.
The tank farm has a maximum capacity of 35,000 cubic feet of hydrogen. The bank involved was at a pressure of approximately 1200 psi at the start of the event. The involved bank was vented to the atmosphere after the fire was extinguished.
The hydrogen tank farm is located approximately 1,000 feet from the Reactor Building.
The closest safety related component to the fire are the condensate storage tanks which are approximately 250 feet away.
No press release has been issued.
The States of Illonois and Iowa have been notified.
Contact:
CJDeBevec, IE x28180 ELJordan, IE x28180 NCMoseley, IE x28160 Distribution:
Transmitted H St k? 'l_ ()
Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky (For Distribution)
MNBB'h"f()
P. Bldg C 2--
J. G. Davis, If.
Transmitted:
L. V. Gossick, EDO H. R. Denton, NRR Region K LC'$ 0 H. L. Ornstein, EDO R. C. DeYoung, NRR J. J. Fouchard, PA R. J. Mattson, NPR N. M. Haller, MPA V. Stello, NRR (MAIL)
R.
G. Ryan, OSP R. S. Boyd, $dQ NRR J. J.
Cummings, OIA SS Bldg '_Ci, R. Minogue, SD H. K. Shapar, ELD W. J. Dircks, NMSS S. Levine, RES PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION 1a~47 202
.