PNO-II-97-007, on 970130,kV step-up Transformer Caught Fire & Exploded at Crystal River.Explosion Lifted Transformer Off of Base & Toppled on Side.Offsite Help Requested & Received by Derosa Volunteer Fire Dept

PNO-II-97-007:on 970130,kV step-up Transformer Caught Fire & Exploded at Crystal River.Explosion Lifted Transformer Off of Base & Toppled on Side.Offsite Help Requested & Received by Derosa Volunteer Fire Dept

ML20134C334
Person / Time
Site:	Crystal River
Issue date:	01/31/1997
From:	Julian C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
To:
References
PNO-II-97-007, PNO-II-97-7, NUDOCS 9701310368
Download: ML20134C334 (1)

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January 31, 1997 PRELIKDIARY MOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENQE PNO-II-97-007 Thic preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of. events of POSSIBLE sofoty or public interest significance. The information is as initially recoived without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region II staff in-Atlanta, Georgia on this date.

Facility Li'consee Eneraency Classification Florida Power Corporation X Notification of Unusual Event Crystal River 3 Alert Cryctal River, Florida Site Area Emergency Dscketst.50-302 General Emergency Not Applicable

Subject:

NEWS MEDIA INTEREST IN FOSSIL PLANT TRANSFORMER EXPLOSION NEAR CRYSTAL RIVER 3

'At cpproximately 1:20 a.m. Thursday morning January 30, 1997, a main 230 kV.ctop-up transformer caught fire and exploded at Crystal River Unit 4 (cool plant' north of nuclear Unit 3). The explosion lifted the trcnsformer off of its base and toppled it on its side. There were no

.ptracnnel injuries. The fire lasted approximately 30 minutes and was extinguished by foam application. Crystal River Unit 3 (CR3) cupplemented the response by dispatching four extra fire brigade qualified individuals to Unit 4 and supplying four pallets of foam from thoir warehouse. The dispatched individuals were not filling roles on tho' required CR3. fire brigade. Offsite help was requested and received by the DeRosa Volunteer Fire Department. The transformer shell split but remained largely intact so there was minimal oil loss to the environment.

Tho transformer oil did not contain PCBs.

Tho impact on CR3 was limited to a minor 230 kV switchgear perturbation duo to CR4 separating frcan the grid with no loss of offsite power to CR3.

This caused reactor building purge to be secured which the operators restored after approximately five minutes. As a precautionary measure, l tho operators manually aligned the control room habitability complex  ;

vcntilation to recirculation mode for approximately 4.5 hours5.787037e-5 days <br />0.00139 hours <br />8.267196e-6 weeks <br />1.9025e-6 months <br /> due to the  !

Emoko~ plume from the fire extending over CR3. After receiving further information on the nature of the transformer failure, the Operations Shift Supervisor determined the explosion warranted a declaration of a  ;

NOUE and notified the State of Florida and the NRC Operations Center at cpprcximately 1:45 p.m. The CR3 NOUE emergency' action level criteria is caccvere explosion near or within the 0.83 Site Daundary but not offseting plant operations." CR4 is approximately 0.7 miles away from  !

CR3. The operators originally believed the event was a fire that did not involve a severe explosion. Florida Power Corporation has not issued a proco release at this time.

Tho Senior Resident Inspector has been reviewing the licensee's actions.

The State of Florida has been informed.

'This information is current as of 2:15 p.m. January 30, 1997.

Contact:

C. JULIAN (404)331-5526 L 3

9701310368 970131 PDR I&E 0 \

PNO-II-97-OO7 PDR

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