ML20249B014

PNO-76-009:on 760119,CP&L Notified Region II by Telephone, That Explosion Occurred in Stack House.Most Probable Cause, Accumulation of Off Gases from Condenser Collected in Stack House Through Open Loop Seal on Drain Line

ML20249B014
Person / Time
Site:	Brunswick
Issue date:	01/20/1976
From:	Gower G, Roy G, Thornburg H NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-76-009, PNO-76-9, NUDOCS 9806190282
Download: ML20249B014 (1)

Text

PRELIMINARY N' 'FlvaTION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL r' 'URlu.tiCE --PNO-76-09

• .* *e k

Q'hcs cp This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of eventa of g ,

POSSIBLE safety or public int.erest significance. The information LM presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation , /cg[ '

and is basically all that is known by OIE staff as of 12:00 noon on .

date of this notification. IT SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY NOTED THAT THIS I NOTIFICATION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT LATER MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT. AN OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE (BLUE SHEET) SUBSEQUENTLY WILL BE ISSUED IF WARRANTED.

I Facility: Brunswick Steam Electric Plant No. 2 e

hiubject: EXPLOSION IN THE STACK HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE SITE STACK

, j Carolina Power and Light Co. notified Region II by telephone on January 19, 1976, at 11:00 a.m., that an explosion had occurred i in the Stack House at 7:58 a.m. on January 19, 1976. ..y ,

- At 8:00 a.m., a fire alarm was sounded upon discovery of smoke "- ,

t emanating from the stack house. The Licensee immediately initiated steps to reduce reactor power from 82%. At 8:10 a.m., the reactor i was manually tripped from approximately 28% power. ,

There were no injuries or known radioactive releases to the public.

gj Minor damage to the Stack House hatch cover is all that is evident i at this time. The Shift Foreman did receive some surface contamination that was removed by showering. ,

I

! Preliminary evaluation by the licensee states that the most probable cause was an accumulation of off gases from the condenser collected in the stack house through an open loop seal on a drain line from

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the main off gas line to the stack. The source of ignition is not

/

t known at this time.

~

The Licensee is aware of the stack house explosion at the Cooper site on January 7, 1976, and the licensee has formed a Task Force to determine cause, extent of damage and necessary followup and will notify Region II of their findings shortly.

l No news release is planned by either Carolina Power and Light Co. or i NRC. Region II plans to send two inspectors to the site on January 20, 1976. to review this matter.

Contact:

G. C. Gower, IE x27261 GWRoy, IE x27353 HDThornburg, IE x27541 1

Distribution:

Chairman Anders Commissioner Mason S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Gilinsky Commissioner Rowden G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Kennedy C. C. Kammerer, CA L. V. Gossick, EDO D. F. Knuth, IE J. A. Harris, PA B. C. Rusche, NRR J. La Fleur, ISP T. J. McTiernan, AIA K. R. Chapman, NMSS '

H. K. Sha ar, ELD W* , , ,

- Transmitted: PBldgj  ; H St4O  ; MNBB T k ; Luge w d

_ PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE l _ _._

9806190282 760120 m

PDR I&E PNO-76-OO9 PDR -

• .* *+ (h{lgmcp This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notico of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information b M/

' presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation y / g l and is basically all that is known by OIE staff as of 12:00 noon on / ,

date of this notification. IT SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY NOTED THAT THIS NOTIFICATION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT LATER MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT. AN OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE (BLUE SHEET) SUBSEQUENTLY WILL BE ISSUED IF WARRANTED.

I Facility: Brunswick Steam Electric Plant No. 2 1 hiubject: EXPLOSION IN THE STACK HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE SITE STACK g

- ', (

Carolina Power and Light Co. notified Region II by telephone on

. January 19, 1976, at 11:00 a.m., that an explosion had occurred

, i in the Stack House at 7:58 a.m. on January 19, 1976. ,, ,

, At 8:00 a.m., a fire alarm was sounded upon discovery of smoke % ,

t emanating from the stack house. The Licensee immediately initiated j steps to reduce reactor power from 82%. At 8:10 a.m., the reactor i was manually tripped from approximately 28% power. ,

There were no injuries or known radioactive releases to the public.

l Minor danage to the Stack House hatch cover is all that is evident at this time. The Shift Foreman did receive some surface contamination

. that was removed by showering. ,

l'l Preliminary evaluation by the licensee states that the most probable j

I cause was an accumulation of off gases from the condenser collected in the stack house through an open loop seal on a drain line from the main off gas line to the stack. The source of ignition is not known at this time.

[f

/

J

~

The Licensee is aware of the stack house explosion at the Cooper site on January 7, 1976, and the licensee has formed a Task Force to determine cause, extent of damage and necessary followup and will y _

notify Region II of their findings shortly.

j No news release is planned by either Carolina Power and Light Co. or NRC. Region II plans to send two inspectors to the site on January 20, 1976, to review this matter.

Contact:

G. C. Gower, IE x27261 GWRoy, IE x27353 HDThornburg, IE x27541 Distribution:

Chairman Anders Commissioner Mason S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Gilinsky Commissioner Rowden G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Kennedy C. C. Kammerer, CA L. V. Gossick, EDO D. F. Knuth, IE J. A. Harris, PA B. C. Rusche, NRR J. La Fleur, ISP T. J. McTiernan, AIA K. R. Chapman, NMSS H. K. Shapar, ELD W*

- Transmitted: P Bldg 9 O ; H St N 4 ; MNBB T k ; Luge > 2 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE n-- .- .

9006190282 760120 .C PDR I&E -

PNO-76-OO9 PDR ,

! .