ML20087L344

Ao:On 740325,valve Permitting 150 Gallons of Reactor Coolant to Enter Waste Holdup Tank Inadvertently Opened.Caused by Personnel Error.Operator Reprimanded & Reminded That Utmost Care Must Be Exercised on Valve Lineup Operations

ML20087L344
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	06/13/1974
From:	Burstein S WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER CO.
To:	Oleary J US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 8403270153
Download: ML20087L344 (3)

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r7h' June 13, 1974 Mr. John F. O' Leary, Director Directorate of Licensing U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545

Dear Mr. O' Leary:

DOCKET NO. 50-266 GASEOUS DISCHARGE FOLLOWING WATER DRAINAGE TO WASTE HOLDUP TANK POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT Thic letter is to report the details of an operating -

event at Poin*c Beach Nuclear Plant, Facility Operating License No. DPR-24, that is now being defined as an abnormal occurrence as covered in Section 15.1.a.C of the Technical Specifications.

This written report is filed in accordance with Section 15.6.6.A.2 of the Technical Specificationc.but because of the.reclassifica-tion of the event does not meet the ten day reporting requirement of this specification.

This incident occurred on March 25, 1974, and was ori-ginally documented as an in-plant significant operating event.

This was the appropriate interpretation-for the initial event in that the inadvertent opening of a valve permitted 150 gallons of reactor coolant to enter the waste holdup tank, radioactivity in this liquid being contained within plant systems. Later follow-up work by the Chemistry and Health Physics Group, however, deter-mined a low level monitored release that followed shortly there-after was attributed largely to the above event. The calculations below, conservatively attribute the total release to this event.

The fact that an inadvertent liquid release to the waste holdup tank resulted in an unscheduled but monitored gaseous re-lease to the atmosphere changes the definition of the event to that of an abnormal occurrence. In reviewing this occurrence at this later date, it was determined that the reporting requirement-per the above Technical. Specifications had not been met. The commitment to report this event as an abnormal occurrence was-made by telephone to Mr. K. Baker of Region III Compliance, on June 7, 1974.

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O Mr . John F . O ' Leary June 13, 1974 At approximately 2145 hours0.0248 days <br />0.596 hours <br />0.00355 weeks <br />8.161725e-4 months <br /> on March 25, 1974, an opera-tor inadvertently opened the letdown line cation domineralizer drain valve 1-380 while placing the ion exchanger on line. This action allowed approximately 150 gallons of reactor coolant sys-tem letdown water to be drained to the waste holdup tank.

Approximately two minutes after the opening of valve 1-380, the control Operator noted a decreasing volume control tank level and immediately bypassed the demineralizer to prevent further letdown line loss to the waste holdup tank. The valve lineup at the demineralizer was then rectified and the dominerali-zer placed back in Lervice.

Approximately fifteen minutes following the water drain-age, the R-14 auxiliary building exhaust stack monitor alarmed.

This was caused by the drained water releasing dissolved gas in the waste holdup tank, the gasses venting by the normal and monitored vont path to atmosphere.

An analysis of the release is as follows:

1. Total gaseous activity released = 27.56 Ci

a. Total release period - 240 minutes

b. Average concentration of release - 6.6 x 10-5 pCi/cc

c. Total volume released = 4.18 x 10 11 cc .

d. Activity released 1 x 6.6 x 10-5 pCi/cc x 1 x 100 pCi/cc 4.18 x 10 11 cc = 27.56 Ci

e.  % MPC at site boundary Xe-133 = <.01

s. Particulate activity released - non detectable

3. Iodine activity released - non-detectable The results indicate that the maximum activity at the site boundary was an extremely small fraction of permissible levels and that the event constituted no hazard to the health and safety of the public.

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Mr. John F. O' Leary June 13, 1974 -

The Operations Superintendent has discussed the event with the operator involved and has reminded him of the utmost care which must be exercised on all valve lineup operations.

Very truly yours,

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Sol Burstein Execut've Vice President

- cc: Mr. James G. Keppler, Regional Director Directorate of Regulatory Operations, Region III U. S. Atomic Energy Commission 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137 e

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