ML19340C815
| ML19340C815 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden, Byron, Braidwood, Quad Cities, Zion, LaSalle  |
| Issue date: | 10/24/1980 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Reed C COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8012170510 | |
| Download: ML19340C815 (1) | |
Text
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,[ga neog[c UNITED STATES g
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION r
REGION 111 f 'o 8
799 ROOSEVELT ROAD 8
%...+ j GLEN ELLYN. ILLINOIS 60137 4
i CCT 24 880 1
Docket Nos. 50-10, 50-237, 5'
'9; 50-254, 50-265; 50-295, 50-304; 50-373, 50-374;50-45p,50-455;50-456and50-457 l
Commonwealth Edison Company ATTN.
Mr. Cordell Reed, Vice President Post Office Box 767 Chicago, IL 60690 l
Gentlemen:
This IE Information Notice No. 80-37 is provided as an early notification of a possibly significant matter.
It is expected that recipients will review the in-formation 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 or Bulletin will be issued to recommend or request specific licensee actions.
If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact this office.
i Sincerely,
.n'.& b x
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' James G. Kep hr Director
Enclosure:
IE Information Notice No. 80-37 cc w/ enc 1:
Mr. J. S. Able, Director Mr. Gunner Sorensen, Site of Nuclear Licensing Project Superintendent Mr. D. J. Scott, Station Mr. R. Cosaro, Project Superintendent Superintendent i
Mr. N. Kalivianakis, Mr. J. F. Gudac, Station Station Superintendent Superintendent Mr. K. Graesser, Station Central Files Superintendent Director, NRR/DPM Mr. L. J. Burke, Site Director, NRR/ DOR i
Construction Superintendent AEOD Mr. T. E. Quaka, Quality Resident Inspectors, RIII Assurance Supervisor PDR i
Mr. R. H. Holyoak, Station Local PDR Superi.T yndent NSIC Mr. B. B. Stephenson, TIC 1
Project Manager Mr. Dean Hansell, Office of Mr. V. I. Schlosser, Assistant Attorney General Project Manager Myron M. Cherry, Chicago Mr. R. E. Querio, Station l
Superintendent
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SSINS No.:
6835 Accession No.:
8008220249 l
UNITED STATES IN 80-37 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 October 24, 1980 IE Information. Notice No. 80-37:
CCNTAINMENT COOLER LEAKS AND REACTOR CAVITY FLOODING AT INDIAN POINT UNIT 2 Discription of Circumstances:
This Notice contains information regarding multiple service water leaks into containment with resulting damage to reactor instrumentation and potential damage to the reactor pressure vessel.
Upon containment entry on October 17, 1980 at Indian Point Unit 2, to repair a malfunctioning power range nuclear detector, it was discovered that a significant amount of w.ter was collected (approximately 100,000 gal) on the containment floor, in the containment sumps, and in the cavity under the reactor pressure vessel (RPV).
This collected water probably caused the detector malfunction, and the water in the cavity under the RPV is believed to have been deep enough to wet several feet of the pressure vessel lower head, causing an unanalyzed thermal stress condition of potential safety significance.
This condition resulted from the following combination of conditions:
(1) Both containment sump pumps were inoperable, one due to blown fuses from an unknown cause and the other due to binding of its controlling float; (2) The two containmer.; sump level indicating lights which would indicate increasing water level over the water level range present in the containment were stuck (on) and may have been for several days, leaving the operator with no operable instrumentation to measure water level in the containment; (3) The moisture level indicators in the containment did not indicate high moisture levels, apparently because they are designed to detect pressurized hot water or steam leaks (i.e., a LOCA), and are not sensitive to the lower airborne moisture levels resulting from relatively small cold water leaks; (4) The hold up tanks which ultimately receive water pumped from the containment sump also receive Unit 1 process water, lab drain water, etc.
These other water sources masked the effect of tessation of water flows from the Unit 2 sump; (5) There were significant, multiple service water leaks from the containment fan cooling units directly i
onto the containment floor.
These coolers have a history of such leakage, which cannot be detected by supply inventory losses since the supply system (se:~. '
water system) is not a closed system; (6) The two submersible pumps in the cavity under the Reactor Pressure Vessel were ineffective since they pump onto the con-tainment floor for ultimate removal by the (inoperable) containment sump pumps.
There is no water level instrumentation in the cavity under the RPV, nor was I
there any indication outside the containment when these pumps are running.
The licensee has installed redundant sump level annunciated alarms in the control room and has installed an annunciated alarm in the control room to indicate if either submersible pump in the reactor cavity activates.
The licensee has also repaired the service water leaks, installed guide bushings l
on the sump pump control floats to prevent their binding, and has repaired the containment sump water level indicators.
i
i IN 80-37 October 24, 1980 Page 2 of 2 I
The licensee plans in the longer term to replace the containment fan unit cooling coils.
J It is anticipated that results of a continuing NRC investigation idio this incident will result in issuance of an IE Bulletin and/or an NRR Generic Letter in the near future which will recommend or require specific licensees and applicant actions.
In the interim, we recommend that all liceasee ascertain that the potential does not exist for undetected water accumulation in the containment.
This Information Notice is provided to inform licensees of a possibly significant matter.
No written response to this Information Notice is required.
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IN 80-37 October 24, 1980
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RECENTLY ISSUED IE INFORMATION NOTICES Information Date of l
Notice No.
Subject Issue Issued to, 80-36 f.ailure of steam 10/10/80 All nuclear power generator support bolting reactor facilities holding Ols or cps 80-35 Leaking and dislodged 10/10/80 All categories G and Iodine-124 implant seeds G2 medical licensees 80-34 Boron dilution of reactor 9/26/80 All pressurized water coolant during steam reactor facilities generator decontamination holding power reactor OLs 80-33 Determination of teletherapy 9/15/80 All teletherapy timer accuracy (G3) licensees 80-32 Clarification of certain 8/12/80 All NRC and agreement i
requirements for Exclu-state licensees
'sive-use shipments of radioactive materials 80-31 Maloperation of Gould-8/27/80 All light water reactor Brown Boveri Type 480 facilities holding OLs volt type K-6005 and or cps K-DON 6005 circuit breakers 80-30 Potential for unaccept-8/19/80 All boiling water reactor able interaction betw'een facilities holding power the control rod drive scram reactor OLs or cps.
function and non-essential control air at certain GE BWR facilities l
l 80-29 Broken studs on Terry 8/7/80 All light water reactor l
turbine steam inlet facilities holding flange power reactor OLs or cps
- Supplement to Notification of 7/29/80 All holders of reactor 80-06 significant events at and near-term OL operating power reactor applicants facilities 80-28 Prompt reporting of 6/13/80 All applicants for and required information holders of nuclear power to NRC reactor cps i
- Operating Licenses or Construction Permits
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