PNO-IV-97-015, on 970320,alert Declared at Waterford 3 Site as Result of Release of Gaseous Ammonia from Nearby Chemical Processing Plant.Licensee Notified Coast Guard of Event. State of La Informed

PNO-IV-97-015:on 970320,alert Declared at Waterford 3 Site as Result of Release of Gaseous Ammonia from Nearby Chemical Processing Plant.Licensee Notified Coast Guard of Event. State of La Informed

ML20138F383
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	03/20/1997
From:	Harrell P, Keller L NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-97-015, PNO-IV-97-15, NUDOCS 9705050381
Download: ML20138F383 (1)

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l M rch 20,1997 '

PREllMlNARY NOTIFICATION OF EVERf'DR DidtMAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-97-015

~ . c. u This preliminary notification consti@dd{SPjyY g tig'gevents of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significarg The aoh rs as initially received without verification or eM1b@informa SMi$jlpgy all that is known by Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.

Facility Licensee Emeraency Classification Entergy Operations, Inc. Notification of Unusual Event Waterford 3 X Alert l Killona, Louisiana Site Area Emergency Dockets: 50-382 General Emergency Not Applicable

Subject:

AMMONIA RELEASE NEAR WATERFORD-3 At 1:03 a.m. (CST), an Alert was declared at the Waterford 3 (W3) site as a result of a release of gaseous ammonia from a nearby chemical processing plant. W3 operated at 100 percent power throughout this event.

Just prior to the declaration of an Alert, three barges came loose from their mooring upstream of the plant, were swept down the river and hit the structure at the plant that protects the circulating water intakes, a nonsafety-related supply of cooling water to the main condenser. Some minor damage was done to the protective structure; however, there was no impact on the plant. The licensee notified the Coast Guard of the event. j After hitting the protective structure at the W3 site, the barges continued downstream and hit the loading dock of a chemical processing plant, which caused a pipe, used to transfer ammonia from the plant to a barge, to rupture. The ruptured pipe released a

" puff" of ammonia since this pipe was isolated from the processing plant. The licensee was notified by the local emergency response organization and declared an Alert, which was declared to ensure all onsite personnel would seek sheltering. At the time of the event, the wind was blowing in a direction away from the plant.

At 1:42 a.m., the licensee confirmed that the release had been of short duration und terminated the Alert.

The state of Louisiana has been informed.

Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from senior resident inspector at 1:40 a.m. (CST) on March 20,1997. Region IV has informed EDO, NRR and the PAO.

This information has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 10:45 a.m.

on March 20,1997.

Contact:

P. Harrell L. Keller (8171860-8250 (504)783-6253 9705050381 PDR I&E 970320 PNO-IV-97-015 PDR St oh