ML20028D663

RO 82-10:on 821210,during shutdown,364 Dead or Severely Stressed Fish Collected.Caused by Temp in Discharge Canal Below Lethal Temp for Affected Species

ML20028D663
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	01/07/1983
From:	GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
Shared Package
ML20028D637	List: ML20028D636 ML20028D651 ML20028D663
References
RO-82-10, NUDOCS 8301190345
Download: ML20028D663 (3)

Text

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OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STAT (ON Forked River, New Jersey 08731 Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report No. 50-219 82-10 Report Date January 7, 1983 Occurrence Date December 10, 1982

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Identification of Occurrence Fishkill in Oyster Creek during a shutdown of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. The following dead or severely stressed fish were collected in Oyster Creek:

Species Number Dead Length (mm) crevalle jack (Caranx hippos) 166 110-204 blue runner (Caranx chrysos) 80 171-218 bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) 76 274-476 Atlantic needlefish (Strongylura marina) 28 250-661 scup (Stenotomus chrysops) 9 205-247 American eel (Anguilla rostrata) 2 -

conger eel (Conger oceanicus) 1 -

ladyfish (Elops saurus) 1 410 northern kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis) 1 185 TOTAL 364 This event is ccnsidered to be a noncoutine environmental operating report as defined in the Technical Specifications, Appendix "B", paragraph 5.6.2.

Conditions Prior to Occurrence Prior to shutting down for maintenance at approximately 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> on December 9, the plant was operating as follows: .

Dilution Pump Flow: 5.20 x 105 gpm - 2 pumps Circulating Pump Flows 3.45 x 105 gpm - 3 pumps Water temperatures were measured at 2130 hours0.0247 days <br />0.592 hours <br />0.00352 weeks <br />8.10465e-4 months <br /> on December 9 as follows:

Location Temperature 'F (*C)

Intake 48.0 (8.9)

Discharge 59.5 (15.4)

U.S. Route 9 Bridge 51.1 (10.7) 8301190345 830207 PDR ADOCK 05000219 S PDR

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Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report Page 2 Report No. 50-219 82-10 Description of Occurrence The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station began a controlled reactor shutdown at approximately 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> on December 9,1982, consistent with OCETS condition 2.1.5. At approximately 2220 hours0.0257 days <br />0.617 hours <br />0.00367 weeks <br />8.4471e-4 months <br /> both operating dilution pumps were taken out of service, while three circulating pumps continued to operate. By 0330 hours0.00382 days <br />0.0917 hours <br />5.456349e-4 weeks <br />1.25565e-4 months <br /> on December 10 no further heat was being rejected and water temperatures were as follows:

Location Temperature *F (*C)

Intake 46.0 (7.8)

Discharge 45.9 (7.7)

U.S. Route 9 Bridge 48.9 (9.4)

Large numbers of bluefish were observed swimming in the eastern-most condenser discharge bay at 2300 hours0.0266 days <br />0.639 hours <br />0.0038 weeks <br />8.7515e-4 months <br />. The water temperature in that area was 54*F, the warmest area in the discharge canal at that time. By 0200 hours0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br />, water temperature at the condenser discharge had declined to 50*F and the bluefish were obviously stressed and moving closer to the surface. The bluefish began to disperse and move down the discharge canal at approximately 0235 hours0.00272 days <br />0.0653 hours <br />3.885582e-4 weeks <br />8.94175e-5 months <br /> when the condenser discharge temperature was 47*F. At 0330 hours0.00382 days <br />0.0917 hours <br />5.456349e-4 weeks <br />1.25565e-4 months <br />, stressed and dying bluefish began to appear along the banks of Oyster Creek in the vicinity of the U.S. Route 9 bridge.

Stressed jacks (crevalle jack and blue runner) were first observed in the area between the condenser discharge and the 30" discharge pipe at 0030 hours3.472222e-4 days <br />0.00833 hours <br />4.960317e-5 weeks <br />1.1415e-5 months <br /> when the condenser discharge' temperature was 52*F. The jacks began to die at approximately 0200 hours0.00231 days <br />0.0556 hours <br />3.306878e-4 weeks <br />7.61e-5 months <br /> at a temperature of 50*F. Dead and dying jacks were first observed at the U.S. Route 9 bridge at 0315.

Stressed and dead fish were dipnetted along the length of Oyster Creek from 0030 to 0600 hours0.00694 days <br />0.167 hours <br />9.920635e-4 weeks <br />2.283e-4 months <br /> on December 10. Additional surveys of the creek banks were conducted later in the day on December 10 and during the morning of December

11. This effort yielded 314 dead or stressed fish, 234 of which weto jacks.

Bluefish (49 individuals) and Atlantic needlefish (24 individuals) were the only other species found in any abundance. An additional 27 bluefish, 3 Atlantic needlefish and 4 scup were captured in & stressed condition in a gill net set near the mouth of Oyster Creek. Diver surveys of the discharge canal bottom yielded 12 jacks,1 Atlantic needlefish, 2 American eel and 1 conger eel.

Apparent Cause of Occurrence The water temperature in the discharge canal fell below the lower lethal temperature for the affected species following plant shutdown.

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Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report Page 3 Report No. 50-219 82-10 Analysis of Occurrence A review of the literature on the affected species reveals that blue runner and crevalle jack will die when water temperatures are lower than 50*F(10*C) and bluefish when temperatures are lower than 37.9 to 47.3*F (3.3 to 8.5"C).

Lower lethal temperatures are not readily available for the other affected species; however, data on their distribution indicates that most would not be expected to occur in Barnegat Bay at the prevailing ambient temperatures and cold shock is the most probable cause of death. Exceptions to this are the American eel and conger eel which appeared to have been dead for some time.

Their deaths were probably unrelated to the station shutdown.

Corrective Action Since no further mortality is expected on the affected species and no other species should be stressed or die, no immediate corrective action will be taken. 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 +

Not Applicable.

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