PNO-III-03-020, A: Quad Cities, Alert Declared Due to Relief Valve Failing to Close (Update)
| ML031070465 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Quad Cities  |
| Issue date: | 04/17/2003 |
| From: | Reynolds S, Ring M NRC/RGN-III/DRP/RPB1 |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-III-03-020A | |
| Download: ML031070465 (2) | |
April 17, 2003 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE - PNO-III-03-020A This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III staff on this date.
Facility Licensee Emergency Classification Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station Notification of Unusual Event Exelon Nuclear x Alert Cordova, IL Site Area Emergency Docket: 50-265 General Emergency License: DPR-30 Not Applicable
SUBJECT:
ALERT DECLARED DUE TO RELIEF VALVE FAILING TO CLOSE (UPDATE)
DESCRIPTION:
At 1:37 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, April 16, Unit 2 of the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station manually shut down the reactor because a power operated relief valve (PORV) in the containment building unexpectedly opened and failed to close. Unit 1 was not affected by the problem and remained at full power.
The licensee declared an ALERT, according to its emergency procedures, and notified appropriate local, state, and federal government agencies.
The reactor was later placed in cold shutdown (reactor cooling water temperature below the boiling point), and the ALERT classification was terminated at 10:51 p.m. CDT.
NRC inspectors at the plant monitored the licensees response to the PORV problem. NRC Region III staffed its Incident Response Center and entered Monitoring Phase at 2: 35 p.m.
The Monitoring Phase was canceled after the ALERT was terminated.
A special NRC inspection team, comprised of four Region III inspectors, will review the circumstances surrounding the valve failure and the licensees response to the problem.
The licensee issued three news releases, and there was considerable area news media coverage of the valve problem and ALERT classification.
The States of Illinois and Iowa will be informed of this updated information. The information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with utility management.
This information is current as of 11:30 a.m. CDT on April 17, 2003.
CONTACTS: Mark Ring Steve Reynolds 630/829-9703 630/829-9601