PNO-IV-98-045, on 980926,Unit 3 Declared Unusual Event of Hurricane Warning in St Charles Parish.River Bend Station Continued to Operate at Full Power Since Hurricane Force Winds Were Not Predicted in Vicinity of Site

PNO-IV-98-045:on 980926,Unit 3 Declared Unusual Event of Hurricane Warning in St Charles Parish.River Bend Station Continued to Operate at Full Power Since Hurricane Force Winds Were Not Predicted in Vicinity of Site

ML20153G156
Person / Time
Site:	Waterford
Issue date:	09/28/1998
From:	Harrell P, Greg Pick NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-98-045, PNO-IV-98-45, NUDOCS 9809290373
Download: ML20153G156 (2)

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Srpttmbsr 28,1998 PRELIM! NARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNU3UAL OCCURRENCE

,. PNO-IV-98-045

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

Facility Licensee Emeraency Classification Entergy Operations, Inc. X Notification of Unusual Event Waterford 3 Alert Killona, Louisiana Site Area Emergency ,

Dockets: 50-382 General Emergency Not Applicable

Subject:

PREPARATION FOR HURRICANE GEORGES At 11:20 a.m. (CDT) on September 26,1998, Waterford Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 3 (Waterford 3) declared an unusual event because of a hurricane waming in St. Charles Parish. Waterford 3 in preparation for the hurricane, initiated action in accordance with its hurricane response procedures, established a 115 person contingent at the plant in the event that the hurricane threatened the facility. Waterford 3 started both diesel generators to demonstrate operability and topped off the fuel tanks. River Bend Station continued to operate at full power since hurricane force winds were not predicted in the vicinity of the site. Both facilities secured equipment onsite that would be exposed to any high winds.

On September 25, Region IV dispatched regional inspectors to relieve the resident inspectors at River Bend Station and Waterford 3, and to provide assistance to Entergy Operations, Inc., as requested. At 4 p.m. on September 27, Region IV activated the incident response center in the monitoring phase of the normal mode because of the potential for Hurricane Georges to make land fall near New Orleans, LA and affect Waterford 3. At that time, Hurricane Georges was located 145 miles southeast of New Orleans, LA at that tirne.

At approximately 5 p.m. on September 27, Region IV issued a press release to notify the media of NRC actions in response to the hurricane.

At 6 a.m. on September 28, Hurricane Georges was located approximately 118 miles east of New Orleans with the center near latitude 30.4 North and 88.9 West (near Biloxi, MS) when the north part of the eye of Hurricane Georges made land fall; the hurricane was moving NNW at approximately 7 mph. At last report, the winds at Waterford 3 were blowing at approximately 18 mph. The maximum winds measured at the site occurred at approximateiy 12 midnight and were measured at 28.5 mph. Waterford 3 continues in an unust,al event because the hurricane waming remains in effect in the area. The unit was shutdown approximately 10 days ago because of equipment problems unrelated to the hurricane waming. The plant commenced a cooldown from Mode 3 (hot shutdown) at 1:30 p.m. on September 27, in response to a prediction from St. Charles Parish of possible hurricane force winds at the site within 12 hours1.388889e-4 days <br />0.00333 hours <br />1.984127e-5 weeks <br />4.566e-6 months <br />. The plant cooldown was suspended after weather predictions were modified. The plant will remain in a shutdown condition (Mode 4 at 260 degrees F) until any threat from the hurricane has passed.

9809290373 900928 "

PDR I&E . '4 PNO-IV-98-045 PDR u #

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., PNO-IV-98-045 *

• i NRC inspectors were onsite at hoth Waterford 3 and River Bend Station throughout the evening and will remain onsite until the threat of the hurricane has passed. The Region IV

. State. Liaison Officer is at the Louisiana Emergency Operations Center in Baton Rouge. The state of Louisiana continues to monitor the advance of Hurricane Georges.

I Region IV will continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Georges until further notice.

The state of Louisiana has been informed.

Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from the licensee at 11:20 .);

a.m. on September 26.

i Region IV has informed EDO/NRR/PA.

This information has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 8:30 a.m.

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Contact:

Phil Harrell Greg Pick {

'(817)860-8250 (817)860-8270 l

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