ML20009C206

Forwards LER 81-053/03L-0.Detailed Event Analysis Encl

ML20009C206
Person / Time
Site:	McGuire
Issue date:	05/13/1981
From:	Parker W DUKE POWER CO.
To:	James O'Reilly NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
Shared Package
ML20009C207	List: ML20009C206 ML20009C210
References
NUDOCS 8107200375
Download: ML20009C206 (3)

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Vec t Pet SI D EN T ICLEPHONE: ARE A 704 ser.- p Ooucv0N May 13, 1981 s'a-4o s s Mr. James P. O'Rei]'y, Director U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission m Region II 9

101 Marietta Street, Suite 3100 0 pr y 3 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 A -

N g1. J gf g , i ,,. \ J 3 Re: McGuire Nuclear Station Unit 1 .'_ JUL 1719816 -

Docket No. 50-369 --

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Dear Mr. O'Reilly:

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Please find attached Reportable Occurrence Report R0-369/81-53. s report concerns liquid from the Ventilation Unit Condensatica Drain Tank being re-leased into the Condenser Discharge without prior analysis. This incident -

..s considered to be of no significance with respect to the health and safety of the public.

Very truly yours, l , t William O. Parker, Jr.

RWO:pw Attachment cc: Director Mr. Bill Lavallee Office of Management & Program Analysis Nuclear Safety Analysis Center U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Post Office Box 10412 Washington, D.C. 20555 Palo Alto, CA 94303 i

i 8107200375 810513 PDR ADOCK 05000369 S PDR

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MCGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION INCIDENT REPORT Report Number: 81-53 Report Date: May 5, 1981 Occurrence Date: April 13, 1981; 1620 hours0.0188 days <br />0.45 hours <br />0.00268 weeks <br />6.1641e-4 months <br /> Facility: McGuire Nuclear Station - Unit 1; Cornelius, N. C.

Identification of Occurrence: Liquid from the Ventilation Unit Condensation Drain Tank (VUCDT) was released into the Condenser Discharge (RC) without prior analysis.

Conditions Prior to Occurrence: Mode 3; Hot Standby Description of Occurrence: On the afternoon of April 13, an indication was received in the control room of a high level in the VUCDT. The tank was pumped out. The next shift noted that the tank was empty and realized that the tank contents had been released via the RC discharge to the environment _

without the proper analysis. This release violated the surveillarce require-ments stipulated by Technical Specification 4.11.1.1.1.

Apparent Cause: The Control Room personnel who made the release were unaware of the importance of monitoring a batch release from the VUCDT. Several're-leases had been made prior to fuel loading. It was assumed that since the unit had nat yet become critical, and no radiation activity was present in any of the p? systems or atmospheres, monitoring of the tank at that time was not __ed. Furthermore, it was believed that the VUCDT was auto-matically shunted to the Floor Drain Tank (FDT) and not to the RC discharge.

There was also a failure to follow step 2.4 of the procedure which stipulates:

"The transfer and handling of all waste shall be coordinated with the Chemistry Radwaste Group."

Shif t personnel were not informed that the VUCDT could n t be released via the RC discharge without the flow proportional sampler installed. This led to some of the confusion which precipitated this incident.

Analysis of Occurrence: Weeks before this incident, several informal dis-cussions had been conducted concerning the VUCDT; administrative controls sampling, releases, responsibilities, etc. Since the VUCDT flow proportional sampler was not installed at that time, it was agreed that the contents could not be released via the RC discharge but rather be pumped to the FDT and be released via the Radioactive liquid waste system.

On the afternoon of April 13, the level indication for the VUCDT read 90% full.

Following confirmation of the level indication, the control room operators (unaware that the VUCDT was not lined up to go to the FDT, and unaware of any complications even if the contents were released to the environment) placed the pump in "AUT0" mode and proceeded to pump the tank contents into the RC discharge. The release began at 1620 hours0.0188 days <br />0.45 hours <br />0.00268 weeks <br />6.1641e-4 months <br /> and was terminated at 1930 hours0.0223 days <br />0.536 hours <br />0.00319 weeks <br />7.34365e-4 months <br />.

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Report Number 81-53 Page 2 About 2230-2300 that evening, the STA and Shif t Supervisor who relieved the previous shift, became aware that the contents of the VUCDT had been released without the requi.ed sampling and analysis. A 1000 nl. sample was collected and delivered to H. P. for analysis. This sample war, counted 0 0115 and the lower limits of detection were not met. Another sample was collected in a 3500 ml. container because the first sample did not meet the geometry require-ments for proper analysis. A second sample was analyzed (no activity present) and the results were reported to the Control Rooe.

Safety Analysis: Radiation monitor EMF-44 was operable during the release and did nct isolate or alarm.

The results of the analysis performed on the remaining contents of the tank confirmed that no detectable radioactivity was preesnt in the VULDT. The health and safety of the public were, therefore, not affected by this incident. A ilow proportional sampler has now been installed in the release lina so that a ecmposite sample can be obtained and analyzed during any future releases.

Corrective Action: Health Physics counted and analyzed the sample drawn from the VUCDT and reported the results.

A technician was dispatched to 1 WM 222 on April 14, and locked the valve closed.

A second lock was added to this valve for extra protection. A new procedure,

" Ventilation Unit Condensate Drain Tank Operation", was written to eliminate the deficiencies found.

The flow proportional sampler for the VUCDT, which as in the process of being built at the time of incident, has been installe/..

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