PNO-IV-97-066, on 971115,new Fuel Damage Occurred.Licensee Suspended Fuel on-load & Conducting Investigation Into Why Damage Occurred.Licensee Expects Delivery of Replacement Fuel Assembly on 971123.State of Tx Informed

PNO-IV-97-066:on 971115,new Fuel Damage Occurred.Licensee Suspended Fuel on-load & Conducting Investigation Into Why Damage Occurred.Licensee Expects Delivery of Replacement Fuel Assembly on 971123.State of Tx Informed

ML20199B504
Person / Time
Site:	Comanche Peak
Issue date:	11/17/1997
From:	Harry Freeman, Tapia J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-97-066, PNO-IV-97-66, NUDOCS 9711190009
Download: ML20199B504 (1)

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. 1- N:v:mber.17,1997

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,a PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV 97-066 Thispreliminary 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 Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.

Easility Licensee Emeroency Classification Texas Utilities Electric Co. Notification of Unusual Event-Comanche Peak 2 Alert Glen Rose, Texas Site Area Emergency Dockets: 50-446 General Emergency X Not Applicable Subjoct:' NEW FUEL DAMAGE On Noveruer 15,1997, the licensee was transferring new fuel assemblies from the new fuel storage area into Fuel Pool 2 in preparation for subsequent loading into the reactor.

Four new fuei assemblies had been loaded into the storage racks in the fuel pool. As the fifth assembly was being lowered into the fuel racks, the nozzle appears to have caught on the top edge of the fuel rack, thereby creating a bending moment between the fuel assembly and the long-handled tool used to move the fuel assemblies. Oparators pulled the assembly upward and found that the top nozzle assembly appeared to be cocked out of position arid was no longer perpendicular to the vertical axis of the fuel assembly. The licensee lef t the assembly suspended appioximately 1.5 feet above the fuel racks. The top nozzle assembly is attached to the rest of the assembly by 25 guide tubes. The licensee contacted the fuel vendor, Siemens, and was informed that structuralintegrity would be assured if at least 4 of the 25 guide , abes remained attached to the top nozzle assembly.

The licensee believed that a majority of the guide tubes became unattached; however, the minimum required number of tubes (4) were intact. To ensure security, they wrapped aircraf t cable around the suspended new fuel assembly prior to moving it to a location where it can be inspected more closely.

The licensee has suspended the fuel on-bad and is conducting an investigation into why the damage occurred. The acting Senior Resident inspector responded to the site and observed the suspended fuel assembly. He also confirmed that no spent fuel was involved and that no spent fuel was stored in the vicinity of the suspended assembly or in the path that will be taken to move the new fuel assembly to its inspection location. The licensee expects delivery of a replacement fuel assembly on November 23,1997.

The state of Texas has been informed.

Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from the Senior Resident inspector at 1 p.m. on November 15,1997. Region IV has informed EDO/NRR/PA.

This information has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 11 a.m. on November 17,1997.

Contact:

J. l. Tapia H. A. Freeman 3 (817)860-8243 (254)897-1500 fp p

9711190009 971117

• PDR I&E PNr)-IV 066 PDR;