ML20249A706

Forwards INES Event Reporting Form Disseminated Re Recent Declaration of Alert at Facility on 980417.Event Involved Detection of Odor of Potentially Flammable Matl in Main Turbine Condenser Area

ML20249A706
Person / Time
Site:	Limerick
Issue date:	06/15/1998
From:	Buckley B NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned)
To:	Geoffrey Edwards PECO ENERGY CO., (FORMERLY PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC
References
NUDOCS 9806180128
Download: ML20249A706 (4)

Text

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- June 15, -.1998 Mr. Garrett D. Edwards' Director-Licensing, MC 62A-1 PECO Energy Company Nuclear Group Headquarters Correspondence Control Desk P. O. Box No.195

. Wayne, PA 19087-0195'

SUBJECT:

INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR EVENT SCALE EVENT REPORTING FORM

Dear Mr. Edwards:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is forwarding the intomational Nuclear Event Scale (INES) Event Reporting Form that was disseminated regarding your recent declaration of an Alert at the Limerick Generatmg Station, Unit 1 on April 17,1998. The eventinvol.ed the detection of an odor of a potentially flammable material in the main turbine condenser area during a refueling outage.

1

' The NRC pedicipates in the INES in a limited way, as was communicated to you through Generic Letter (GL) 92-09, issued on December 31,1992. As stated in the GL, the INES rating is not

~ intended to affect emergency classifications, event reporting to the NRC, or communk.shns with the public. Because usage of the INES could les't to confusion with the existing four-level emergency respoc4e scale used in the United Sta.es, the NRC delays the INES rating for at least one week after the event is terminated. The NRC evaluates every event classsfied as an Alert or higher on the U.S. emergency response scale for its INES applicability. An INES Event Rating Form is then prepared utilizing available documentation pertaining to the event. Not every Alert l

(or higher) will necessanly receive an INES classi6 cation, as some may be rated "out of scale."

I in this case, the event was classified as "out of scale." A copy of the rating form is enclosed.

The NRC does not request a review or concurrence with the INES classification nor is any response requested. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1483.

Sincerely,

~

/S/

r)&n Bartholomew C. Bucidey, Senior Project Manager rI"I Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects -1/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-352

Enclosure:

Event Reporting Form cc w/enci: See next page DISTRIBUTION:

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June 15, 1998 Mr. Garrett D. Edwards Director-Licensire, MC 62A-1 PECO Energy Company Nuclear Group Headquarters Correspondence Control Desk P. O. - Box No.195 Wayne, PA 19087-0195

SUBJECT:

INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR EVENT SCALE EVENT REPORTING FORM

Dear Mr. Edwards:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is forwarding the Intemational Nuclear Event Scale (INES) Event Reporting Form that was disseminated regarding your recent declaration of an Alert at the Limerick Generating Station, Unit 1 on April 17,1998. The event involved the detection of an odor of a potentially flammable materialin the main turbine condenser area during a refueling outage.

The NRC participates in the INES in a limited way, as was communicated to you through Generic Letter (GL) 92-09, issued on December 31,1992. As stated in the GL, the INES rating is not intended to affect emergency classifications, event reporting to the NRC, or communications with the public. Because usage of the INES could lead to confusion with the existing four-level emergency response scale used in the United States, the NRC delays the INES rating for at least one week after the event is terminated. The NRC evaluates every event classified as an Alert or higher on the U.S. emergency response scale for its INES applicability. An INES Event Rating Form is then prepared utilizing available documentation pertaining to the event. Not every Alert (or higher) will necessarily receive an INES classification, as some may be rated "out of scale."

In this case, the event was classified as "out of scale." A copy of the rating form is enclosed.

The NRC does not request a review or concurrence with the INES classification nor is any response requested. if you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 415-1483.

Sincerely, i

C t.

@,0 t{

Bartholomew C. Buckley, Senior Project Manager Project Directorate 1-2 Division of Reactor Projects - t/11 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-352

Enclosure:

Event Reporting Form oc w/ encl: Gee next page

1.

+

Mr. Garrett D. Edwards Umorick Generating Station, Units 1 & 2 PECO Energy Company oc:

J. W. Durham, Sr., Esquire -

Chief-Division of Nuclear Safety Sr. V.P. & General Counsel PA Dept. of Environmental Resources PECO Energy Company P.O. Box 6469 2301 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17105-6469 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Manager-Umerick Ucensing,62A-1 Director-Site Engineering PECO Energy Company Umerick Generating Station 965 Chesterbrook Boulevard P.O. Box A Wayne, PA 19087-5691 Sanatoga, PA 19464 Mr. James D. von Suskil, Vice President

. Umerick Generating Station Manager-Experience Assessment Post ONice Box A Umerick Generating Station Sanaloga, PA 19464 P.O. Box A Senatoga, PA 19464 Plant Manager.

Umorick Generating Station Ubrary P.O. Box A U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Sanatoga, PA 19464 Region i 475 Allendale Road Regional Administrator, Region i King of Prussia, PA 19406 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road Senior Manager-Operations King of Prussia, PA 19406 Umerick Generating Station P.O. Box A Senior Resident inspector Sanatoga, PA 19464 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Limerick Generating Station Dr. Judith Johnsrud P.O. Box 596 National Energy Committee Pottstown, PA 19464 Sierra Club 433 Orlando Avenue Director-Site Support Services State College, PA 16803 Umerick Generating Station P.O. Box A Sanatoga, PA 19464 Chairman Board of Supervisors of Umerick Township 646 West Ridge Pike

. Unfield, PA 19468 m.__-.______

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THE INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR EVENT SCALE (INES)

EVENT RATING FORM (ERF)

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car-arra wACr COUNTRY USA FACILITY LIMERICK GENERATING STATION FACILITY BWR NAME UNIT 1 TYPE ASPECTS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO THE PUBLIC:

YES NO ACCIDENT O INCIDENT O DEVIATION O RADIOACTIVE RELEASES OFF-SITE D

E RADIOACTIVE RELEASES ON SITE D

E WORKERS INJURED BY RADIATION O

E WORKERS INJURED PHYSICALLY O

E PLANT SAFEW IS UNDER CONTROL E

O THE EVENT REPORTED IS A DISCOVERY OF A DEFICIENCY BY ROUTINE SURVEILLANCE O

E A PRESS RELEASE WAS MADE E

D (IF YES, PLEASE ATTACH IT)

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SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT: On 17 April 1998, workers in the main turbine condenser bay detected a strong odor, described as that of propane or acetylene.

Parsonnel were evacuated from the area, and the building ventilation system was us:id to purge the odor from the building. An ALERT Emergency Classification was dsclared as a precautionary ~ measure as the licensee worked to identify and isolate the source of the odor. The source of the odor was later discovered to be an industrial lubricant from a gearbox being used in the main turbine condenser bay. This lubricant has a flash point of greater than 180C (356F) and is not considered to be a firo hazard.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE RATING: This event is rated as out of scale in accordance with Part 1-1.3 of the INES Users Manual, as it did not involve any possible radiological hazard and did not affect the safety layers.

CONTACT NAME Riche,d J. Benett U

ADDRESS USNRC, Weehinston, DC 20555 PHONE (301) 415 1482 ggg PAX (301) 810-5151 PLEASE ATTACH AD0f710NAL WORMATION ON JUSTIFICATION OF THE EVENT RATING AND DIFFICULTIES ENC 0%unsu, F NasuED Enclosure