ML19350A064
| ML19350A064 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oyster Creek |
| Issue date: | 11/25/1980 |
| From: | Finfrock I JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT CO. |
| To: | Grier B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| References | |
| RO-50-219-80-11, NUDOCS 8012010318 | |
| Download: ML19350A064 (3) | |
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OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION
- '%,l' fg8g (609) 693-1951 P.O. BOX 388
- FORKED RIVER
- NEW JERSEY a 08731 C"'
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4 November 25, 1980 Mr. Boyce H. Grier, Director Office of Inspection and Enforcement Region I United States Nuclear Regulatory Comission 631 Park Avenue King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
Dear Mr. Grier:
SUBJECT:
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Docket No. 50-219 Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report No. 50-219/80-11 This letter forwards two copies of Nonroutina Environmental Operating Report No. 50-2;9/80-11 in compliance with paragraph 4.5 of Appendix B to the Technical Specifications.
Very truly yours, jf
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J, van R. Finfrock, Jr.
ice President-Generation IRF:dh Enclosures cc: Director (17 copies)
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulations United States Nuclear Regulatory Comission Washington, D. C.
20555 c/o Distribution Services Branch, DDC, ADM 8012010 3 @
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4 0YSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION Forked River, New Jersey 08731 L
Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report No. 50-219/80-11 I
Report Date November 25, 1980 i.
Occurrence Date t'
November 18, 1980 Identification of Occurrence l
' A number of dead fish (approximately'85-105 Blue Runner, ~Caranx chrysos) were
.i-observed in Oyster Creek approximately one mile east of the Route 9 Bridge and i
in the residential lagoons on the south side of the creek.
i This event is considered to be an Unusual /Important Environmental Event as defined in the Technical Specifications, Appendix B, paragraph 4.5.
2 Conditions Prior to Occurrence Steady State Power 5
Dilution Pump Flow:
5.20 x 10 gpm - 2 pumps Circulating Water 5
Pump Flow:
4.60 x 10 gpm - 4 pumps Water temperatures were measured prior to this event as follows:
Location Temperature Range Between 1230 on 11/17 and 0730 on 11/18 Intake 42.6 - 45.1 F [5.9 - 7.3 C]
Discharge 63.0 - 65.3*F [17.4 - 18.7 C]
US Route 9 Bridge 48.9 - 51.3 F [9.5 - 10.8 C]
Description of Occurrence At approximately 0730 hours0.00845 days <br />0.203 hours <br />0.00121 weeks <br />2.77765e-4 months <br /> ~ on November 18, a resident on Oyster Creek observed 20-40 dead' fish in a cove on the southern side of the creek approximately one mile east of the US Route 9 bridge. This observation was reported to John Feeney of the NJDEP who notified JCP&L persannel at the Oyster Creek Station.
.The fish were subsequently identified as Blue runner, Caranx chrysos.
In order to detemine the extent of this mortality, surveys of the Oyster Creek shoreline were conducted on November 18 and trawl sarrples were taken in the cove where the dead fish were first observed, as well as in three of the residential lagoons, on November 19. An additional 56 Blue runner were taken in the shorline surveys and 7 were taken in the trawl samples; a resident on one of the lagoons volunteered 2 fish which were previously removed from the creek. The fish were all recently killed and appr6ximately 200 mm long (fork length).
In addition to the Blue runner, a single White perch (Morone americana) was taken in one of the trawl samples, however, this fish had apparently been dead for some time.
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~Nonroutine; Environmental Operating Report No. 50-219/80-11 Page 2 Apparent Cause-of Occurrence The water temperature in.0yster Creek apparently fell below the lower lethal j,
temperature for the.affected species.
Analysis of Occurrence-
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- According to the_ literature, the Blue runner is commonly found from Care Cod to -
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- Brazil and on rare occasions, as' far north as Nova Scotia.
It is most abundant-1I
'in the southern part of its range,:however, significant numbers migrate as far
- north as Barnegat Bay, spend the.sumer in the estuary, and would normally.
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' semigrate from the bay to retsrn to warmer southern' waters in the fall.. The fish a
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efound dead in;0yster Creek-were apparently, distracted from the'ir. fall' migration by the warm water discharged into Oyster Creek. There are no-temperature
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itoleranceJdata 'available for.the Blue runner, however, a similar mortality of-lE this species,'and a. closely relat.ed species, the Crevalle jack (Caranx hippos),
it occurred in'1978 when the. discharge canal temperatures fell below 9 C as a j-result of a plant shutdown.
In addition, a mass mortality of Crevalle jack ii resulting from a sudden, natural -drop in water temperature below 9.8 C was
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reported by:Hoff--(1971) from the Slocum River along the Massachusetts coast.
In lt the present incident, the water temperature in Oyster Creek-- (as measured at the -
US Route 9 bridge)^ during the 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> period prior _ to the discovery of the dead fish ranged from 9.5-10.8*C.
These observations indicate that the Blue runner cannc+ survive when the water temperature falls below 10*C.
In sumary, the fish were attracted to and remained in, the heated waters of
~ Oyster. Creek beyond the time when they would normally have emigrated from the bay. Ambient bay-temperature subsequently fell below their apparent lower lethal temperature (approx.10"C), effectively restricting the fish to the heated waters of Oyster Creek. As the ambient water temperature continued to 1
decline, the heated discharge water was not sufficient to maintain the Oyster Creek temperature above 10*C,- resulting in the mortality.
Corrective Action i
JCP&L _is currently investigating the feasibility.of installing blocking devices in the discharge canal in order to divert. fish that might be attracted to the -
heated discharge.
Failure Data i,
Not applicable.
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