PNO-IV-97-024, on 970428,new Fuel Assembly Raised from Location in Spent Fuel Pool Rack & After Being Moved Short Distance Laterally,Fell from Spent Fuel Pool Handling Machine.Licensee Assembled Team to Perform in-depth Review

PNO-IV-97-024:on 970428,new Fuel Assembly Raised from Location in Spent Fuel Pool Rack & After Being Moved Short Distance Laterally,Fell from Spent Fuel Pool Handling Machine.Licensee Assembled Team to Perform in-depth Review

ML20138D058
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	04/29/1997
From:	Harrell P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-97-024, PNO-IV-97-24, NUDOCS 9705010018
Download: ML20138D058 (1)

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April 29,1997 O

l PREl.lMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-97-024 I t

This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially 1

received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is l

known by Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.

1 Facility Licensee Emeraency Classification l

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

}

Subject:

DROPPED NEW FUEL ASSEMBLY 4

At 9:37 p.m. (CDT) on April 28,1997, during plant refueling activities, a new (unused) fuel assembly was raised from its location in the spent fuel pool rack, anJ after being moved a short distance laterally, fell from the spent fuel pool handling machine. The fuel i assembly dropped about 2 feet, landed on top of the junction of two rack dividers, and fell against an adjacent wall. The fuel assembly is currently leaning against the spent fuel pool s liner at a 45 degree angle and is about 15 degrees from being upright. Of the four fuel j i storage locations adjacent to the divider junction, two were empty and two contained new i i fuel assemblies. The integrity of spent fuel was never affected as a result of this event.

L When the drop of the assembly occurred, the area was evacuated and confirmation was 1 performed that there was no release of radioactive material and the radiation levels did not i

increase. The licensee re-entered the area and is currently in the process of securing the assembly in place to ensure that it does not topp!p. The licensee is in the process of generating a procedure to provide instructions to regain control of the assembly in order to move it to a safe location.

The licensee has stopped all fuel movernent activities until the cause of the dropped assembly can be identified and corrected. The licensee assembled a team to perform an l in-depth review of this event, t

i The state of Louisiana has been informed.

3 Region IV received notification of this cccurrence by telephone from the senior resident j inspector at approximately 10 p.m. (CDT). Region IV has informed the EDO/NRR/PA.

The licensee issued a press release on this issue on April 29,1997.

l j This information has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 3:30 p.m. (CDT)

on April 29,1997.

I

Contact:

P. Harrell (8171860-8260

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9705010019 970429 PDR I&E PNO-IV-97-024 PDR I

010011 o t

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