PNO-III-87-084, on 870619,approx 235 Gallons of Reactor Cooling Water Discharged Into Lake Michigan.Caused by Inadequate Opening of Valve in Letdown Sys.Circumstance of Release Under Review

PNO-III-87-084:on 870619,approx 235 Gallons of Reactor Cooling Water Discharged Into Lake Michigan.Caused by Inadequate Opening of Valve in Letdown Sys.Circumstance of Release Under Review

ML20215L620
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	06/19/1987
From:	Defayette R, Guldemond W NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-87-084, PNO-III-87-84, NUDOCS 8706260119
Download: ML20215L620 (1)

{{#Wiki_filter:r 1RELIMINARY NOTIFICATION'0F EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-III-87-84 Date June 19, 1987 This' preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSlBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without gA verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by the Region III

 ' staff on this date.

Facility: Wisconsin Electric Power Licensee Emergency Classification-Company X Notification of an Unusual Event Point Beach Units 1 & 2 Alert'  ; Two Rivers, WI 54241 Site Area Emergency  ! General Emergency j Docket Nos. 50-266; 50-301 Not Applicable j

Subject:

RELEASE 0F PRIMARY COOLING WATER INTO LAKE MICHIGAN Between 8:40 and 8:52 a.m. on June 19, 1987, approximately 235 gallons ~of Unit I reactor cooling water was_ discharged into Lake Michigan through the Unit 2 service water discharge. The release exceeded the Technical Specification discharge limit.(averaged over 10 minutes), but the primary water was diluted with additional service water flow and approximately 360,000 gallons per minute discharge from the' condenser cooling ' water discharge. The total release was about 0.3 curies (beta-gamma). The release did not result in a significant safety or environmental hazard. Both units were operating at 100 percent power at the time of the incident. '! The release occurred when the licensee attempted to: flush a line which had been used for the planned discharge of a waste holdup tank. The procedure called for using clean demineralized-reactor makeup water for the flushing. When the makeup pump was started, however, a valve in the letdown system openeo automatically and allowed approximately 235 gallons of Unit i reactor cooling water to mix with the makeup wa'ter. -This discharge was monitored by the Unit 2 service < water discharge monitor. The release was about 58 percent over the 10 minute average discharge limit for radioactive liquids. The licensee terminated the release when an alarm was received on the Unit 2 service water discharge monitor. The resident inspector is reviewing the circumstances of the release. The licensee declared an unusual event under its emergency plan at 9:22 a.m. The classification was terminated at the same time, since the release had been stopped.

 -The State of Wisconsin will be notified.

There has been local news media interest in this incident. Region III (Chicago) was notified of this incident at 9:55 a. . (CDT), June 19, 1987 This informat .urrent of 12 noon, June 19, CONTACT: sy ,$8-5767) W. 88

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H. St. EDO NRR E/W Willste Mail: ADM:DMB Chairman Zech PA IE NMSS DOT:Trans only. Comm. Roberts ELD OIA RES Comm.'Asselstine AE0D NRC Ops Ctr MD/ Comm. Bernthal Comm. Carr SP [f,D Regional Offices INP0 8[ M NSAC3.N CA RIII Resident Offic ' PDR Licensee: 8() (Corp. Office - Reactor Lic. Only)- 8706260119 870619 Region III 6( r!hB7-084PDR Ib}}