PNO-II-85-085, on 850824,leaking Oil from Reactor Coolant Pump Lower Motor Reservoir Contacted Pump Casing & Caught Fire.Caused by Failure of Lower Bearing & Oil Seal.Pump & Motor Vendors Contacted for Technical Assistance

PNO-II-85-085:on 850824,leaking Oil from Reactor Coolant Pump Lower Motor Reservoir Contacted Pump Casing & Caught Fire.Caused by Failure of Lower Bearing & Oil Seal.Pump & Motor Vendors Contacted for Technical Assistance

ML20134J280
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	08/26/1985
From:	Elrod S, Guenther S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
References
PNO-II-85-085, PNO-II-85-85, NUDOCS 8508290233
Download: ML20134J280 (2)

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August 26, 1985 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PN0-II-85-85 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verifi-cation or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region II staff on this date.

FACILITY: Florida Power & Light Company Licensee Emergency Classification:

St. Lucie Unit 2 X Notification of Unusual Event Docket No. 50-389 Alert Fort Pierce, Florida Site Area Emergency General Emergency Not Applicable

SUBJECT:

SMALL REACTOR COOLANT PUMP OIL FIRE Leaking oil from a reactor coolant pump lower motor reservoir came into contact with the pump casing and caught fire at 3:30 a.m. (EDT) on Saturday, August 24, while St. Lucie Unit 2 was in hot standby preparing for start-up. Primary system temperature was at 523 degrees Fahrenheit.

Florida Power & Light (FPL) declared an unusual event, in accordance with the plant emergency plan. The fire was extinguished without outside assistance, and the unusual evtnt was ended at 3:50 a.m. The fire caused no equipment damage.

After the fire, the primary system was cooled down below oil flash point temperature while FPL investigated the cause of vibration which the reactor coolant pump had been experiencing before the fire. It was determined that the pump motor's lower bearing and oil seal had failed. FPL now has cooled down the plant further and depressurized the primary system. Repairs are expected to take several days. FPL has contacted the pump and motor vendors for technical assistance.

Two employees working in the vicinity of the affected reactor coolant pump were slightly injured in accidents after the fire was out. One slipped and strained a shoulder while climbing a ladder. The other appeared affected by heat exhaustion. Both were treated at a nearby hospital and released.

Both FPL and Region II responded to media inquiries concerning the fire, which FPL announced.

The State of Florida has been informed.

FPL infonned the NRC headquarters by telephone of this incident at 4:08 a.m. on August 24.

This information is current as of 2 p.m. today.

Contact:

S. Guenther, 242-5558 S. A. El rod, 242-5536 l

DISTRIBUTION: 4 -

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