ML20216J870

PNO-78-139:on 780802,while Operating Unit 1 Waste Evaporator & Discharging Evaporator Bottoms to Evaporator Bottoms Storage Tank,Leak Occurred in Connecting,Schedule 10,SS Piping

ML20216J870
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	08/03/1978
From:	Higginbotham L, Metzger J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-78-139, NUDOCS 9804220016
Download: ML20216J870 (2)

Text

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION '

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August 3, 1978

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l PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-78-139 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of an event of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information i

presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff as of this date.

Facility: Salem Unit 1 (DN 50-272)

Public Service Electric and Gas Company Hancock's Bridge, New Jersey

Subject:

LEAK 0F CONTAMINATED WATER On August 2, 1978, while operating the Unit 1 waste evaporator, and discharging evaporator bottoms to the evaporator bottoms storage tank, a ,

leak occurred in the connecting, Schedule 10, SS piping. The major portion of the leakage was collected by the Unit 1 contaminated drain system and directed to the waste holdup tank. The radioactivity of the water was 1.8 x 10-3 microcurie per milliliter.

Approximately 10 gallons of the water passed through a piping chase to a >"

vertical piping penetration and into the Unit 2 (under construction) "

spent resin storage tank room below. This room had been isolated previously from construction activity due to a similar event on December 9,1977.

( An additional amount of water wetted the upper exterior wall of the

= spent resin storage tank room within the auxiliary building by leaching through the unfinished concrete wall. Although this wall is in an active construction area, it is not readily accessible to workers passing through or working in the area. The wetted area on the wall is reading 40,000 disintegrations per minute and the entire area was roped off to preclude entry and possible personnel contamination.

Operation of the waste evaporator system was terminated shortly after the leakage was discovered and repairs are being planned.

This PN is issued for information only. The resident reactor inspector will follow up on the repairs during his routine inspections.

Media interest is expected because of high local attention to a similar event in the past. The State of New Jersey has been informed. A press release is not planned by the licensee nor NRC.

NRC, Region I, (Philadelphia) received notification of this occurrence l by telephone from the resident reactor inspector at 9:30 a.m., August 3, 1978.

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- Continued - g 9804220016 780803 PDR I&E PNO-78-139 PDR

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION Continued PNO-78-139 Cl.

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August 3, 1978

Contact:

J. R. Metzger, IE x28188; L. B. Higginbotham, IE x28098 Distribution: Transmitted H St M L 9 Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY l Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA l Commissioner Gilinsky (For Distribution)

Transmitted: MNBB,2-.3 3. PB1dg1237 Region g 2,1*/f:,

L. V. Gossick, EDO H. R. Denton, NRR S. H. Hanauer, EDO

.. J. J. Fouchard, PA SS Bldg AI YO (MAIL)

N. M. Haller, MPA C. V. Smith, NMSS 0. G. Abston, 01A R. G. Ryan, OSP R. Minogue, SD i H. K. Shapar, ELD 1 1

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION

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