ML19323J369
| ML19323J369 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Rancho Seco |
| Issue date: | 04/03/1980 |
| From: | Eisenhut D Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Mattimoe J SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19323J370 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8006200068 | |
| Download: ML19323J369 (4) | |
Text
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w uqk UNITED STATES g.-
. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION G
j wAsHWOTON, D. C. 20666 k*****,/
April 3, 1980 Dacket 'No. 50-312 Mr. J. J. Mattimoe Assistant General Manager and Chief Enginecr Sacramento Municipal Utility District 6201 S Street P. O. Box 15830 Sacramento California. 95813
Dear Mr. Mattimoe:
A number of concerns have been recently brought to our attention regarding the transient (known as "the light bulb incident") which occurred at the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station on March 20, 1978. These concerns are stated in the enclosed memorandum dated March 14, 1980, from Robert M. Bernero and Frank H.
Rowsome, of the NRC's Probabilistic Assessment Staff, to Harold R. Denton and Carl Michelson. The memorandum concluded that the transient at your facility could have led to results as serious as those which were experienced during the accident at Three Mile Island (TMI). The memorandum states that after the steam generators boiled dry during your March 1978 transient, the only reason that flow was reesta-blished to the steam generators was that a level indication randomly drifted low enough to cause flow from the Auxiliary Feedwater System to automatically actuate.
It is hypothesized that the steam generator level indication might not have drifted low, and the results would have been boiling in the core without the benefit of high pressure injection flow and without operator knowledge of system indications.
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Although you have responded to ourTetter oIMarch 6,1980,.oroviding us with your assessment of the issues surrounding the recent event at the Crystal River Unit No.
3 facility and their ap'olicability to Rancho Seco, the issues raised in the Bernero/
Rowsome memorandum appear to transcend those which you were previously as:.ed to address. Therefore, provide comments on the enclosed memorandum paying particular attention to the following:
1.
The hypothesis that the March 20, 1978, event e.t Rancho Seco could have easily degraded to allow results as serious as those experienced at TMI.
2.
The safety problems pointed out in Items 1, 2 and 3 on Pages 3 and 4 of the memorandum.
8006200061
Mr. J. J. Mattimoe You should provide your connents within 30 days of receipt of this letter.
If you have any questions related to this letter, please contact your Project Manager, Daniel Garner at 301-492-7435.
Sincerely.
0 E'E%fGc Darrell G. Eisenhut, Acting Director Division of Operating Reactors Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
3/14/80 Memo cc w/ enclosure:
See next page i
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' Sacramer,to Municipal Utility District cc w/ enclosure (s):
Christopher Ellison, Esq.
David S. Kaplan, Secretary and Dian Grueuich, Esqdommission G;neral Counsel California Energy
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1111 Howe Avenue 6201 S Street-Sacrvnento, Califoriita 95825 P. O. Box 15830
.95813 Sacramento, California Ms. Eleanor Schwartz California State Office Sacramento. County 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 3.E., Rm. 201 Board of Supervisors
- 827.7th_ Street, Room 424 Washington, D.C.
20003 Sacramento, California 95814 Docketing and Service Section Office of the Secretary Business and Municipal Department U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Sacramento City-County Library Washington, D.C.
20555 828 I Street-Sacramento,' California 95814 Resident Inspector 0.
~ Di Technical Assessment gy 0 alifornia 95628 Office of Radiation Programs Dr. Richard F. Cole
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U. S Environmental Protection Agency e1 Crystal Ma11 #2 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Arlington, Virginia 20460 Washington, D.C.
20555 U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Mr. Frederick J. Shon "9
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A fl S C0 INATOR 215 Fremont Street U.' S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission San Francisco, California 94111 Washington, D.C.
20555 Mr. Robert B. Borsum Elizabeth S. Bowers, Esq.
Babcock & Wilcox Chairman, Atomic Safety and
't!uclear Power Generation Division Licensing Board Panel Suite 420, 7735 Old Georgetown Road U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Lethesda, Maryland 20014 Washington, DC 20555 Thomas Caxter, Esq.
Shaw, Pittman, Potts ! Trowbridge 1800 H Street, l!W
'4ashington, D. C.
2003G H:rbert H. Brown, Esq.
Mr. Michael R. Eaton Lawrence Coe Lanpher, Esq.
Energy Issues Coordinator Hill, Christopher and Phillips, P. C.
Sierra Club Legislative Office 1900 M St., NW 1107 9th St., Room 1020 Washington, D._C.
20036 Sacramento, CA 95814 H21cn Hubbard P. O. Box 63 Sunol, California 94586 c.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District cc w/ enclosure (s):
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Mr. R. C. Arnold Panel Senior Vice President U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Metropolitan Edison Company Washington, D.C.
20555 100 Interpace Parkway Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board Panel Mr. J. G. Herbein U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Conmission Vice President Washington, D.C.
20555 Metropolitan Edison Company P. O. Box 480 California Department of. Health Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057 ATTN: Chief, Environmental Radiation Control Unit Mr. James H. Taylor Radiological Health Section ihnager, Licensing 714 P Street, Room 498 Babcock & Wilcox Company Sacramento, California 95814 Power Generation Group P. O. Box 1260 Mr. William Cavanaugh, III Lynchburg, VA 24505 Vice President, Generation and Construction Arkansas Power & Light Company P. O. Box 551 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 Mr. J. A. Hancock Director, Nuclear Operations Florida Power Corporation P. O. Box 14042, Mail Stop C-4 St. Petersburg, Florida 33733 Mr. Lowell E. Roe Vice President, Facilities Development Toledo Edison Company Edison Plaza 300 Madison Avenue Toledo, Ohio 43652 Mr. Wil liam 0. Pprker, Jr.
Vice President - Steam Production i
Duke Power Company P. O. Box 2178 422 South Church Street Charlotte, North Carolina 28242
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