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 Entered dateEvent description
ENS 491693 July 2013 00:24:00

The following event description is based on information currently available. If through subsequent reviews of this event additional information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the information being provided at this time a follow-up notification will be made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73. On 7/2/2013, at approximately 2027 MST, Palo Verde Unit 1 experienced a reactor power cutback from 100% rated thermal power due to explosion (in a non-safety related load center (1ENGNL02)). The unit was at normal temperature and pressure prior to the cutback. At 2035 (MST) PVNGS Unit 1 declared an Unusual Event due to the explosion EAL HU 2.2. Unit 1 is stable at 61% rated thermal power. No ESF actuations occurred and none were required. The event did not result in any challenges to the fission product barrier or result in any releases of radioactive materials. There were no adverse safety consequences or implications as a result of this event. The event did not adversely affect the safe operation of the plant or health and safety of the public. The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified DHS SWO, FEMA, DHS NICC, and Nuclear SSA via email.

* * * UPDATE ON 7/3/13 AT 0229 EDT FROM JEONG LIM TO PETE SNYDER * * * 

Palo Verde Unit 1 is stable at 58% rated thermal power and is implementing abnormal operating procedures for reactor power cutback due to loss of one Main Feedwater Pump and degraded electrical power due to loss of non-class 13.8kV load center 1ENGNL02. Load center 1ENGNL02 was damaged from an apparent electrical malfunction that originated within the load center. The 13.8kV supply breaker to load center 1ENGNL02 tripped to deenergize the load center. Palo Verde Fire Department personnel responded but determined that the load center was deenergized and no fire existed and no extinguishing agents were applied. No damage to other equipment in proximity to load center 1ENGNL02 was identified during a preliminary inspection of the area around the damaged load center. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified. At 2315 (MST) on 07/02/2013, the Unusual Event was terminated. Notified R4DO (Gaddy), NRR EO (Nieh), IRD MOC (Gott), DHS SWO, FEMA, DHS NICC, and Nuclear SSA via email.

ENS 4492421 March 2009 11:53:00

The following event description is based on information currently available. If through subsequent reviews of this event, additional information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the information being provided at this time, a follow-up notification will be made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73. On March 21, 2009, from approximately 09:00 Mountain Standard Time (MST) until 14:00 MST, Palo Verde maintenance personnel will be performing scheduled maintenance to repair one of two redundant 120 VAC power supplies in Unit 2 that provides power to various alarms in the main control room. This work will require both power supplies to be de-energized resulting in approximately 50 percent of the Unit 2 plant annunciators being unavailable. The following compensatory measures will be in place for the duration of the scheduled work:

   Other assessment indications will remain available: 
       Plant Monitoring System
       Qualified Safety Parameter Display System
       Emergency Response Facility Data Acquisition System
   No changes in plant power or operating mode are planned.
   A third licensed operator will be in the control room.

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of the scheduled outage and this ENS call.

  • * * UPDATE FROM JAMES BLAZEK TO DONALD NORWOOD AT 1821 EDT ON MARCH 21, 2009 * * *

The power supply was successfully repaired and all annunciators were restored to normal as of 1515 MST. The Licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R4DO (Hay) and NRR EO (Holian).

ENS 426812 July 2006 01:23:00

On July 1, 2006, at approximately 19:28 MST Palo Verde Unit 3 experienced a manual reactor trip from approximately 100% rated thermal power due to a large leak in the condensate system. The sight glass for the 'A' condensate demin vessel blew out of the vessel creating an approximate 6 inch diameter hole. Several thousand gallons of condensate were discharged to the Turbine Building and the environment. Radiation Protection has sampled the condensate water and have verified no activity is present. Unit 3 was at normal operating temperature and pressure prior to the trip. The 'A' Main feedwater pump tripped on low suction pressure and a Reactor Power Cutback Signal was received. Condenser hotwell levels continued to decrease. When the main control board annunciator for the 'B' Main Feedwater Pump Trip Circuit Energized was received the reactor was manually tripped. All CEAs fully inserted into the reactor core. The event was diagnosed as an uncomplicated reactor trip. No ESF actuations occurred and none were required. Safety related buses remained energized during and following the reactor trip. The offsite power grid is stable. No significant LCOs have been entered as a result of this event. There was no loss of normal heat removal capabilities, or loss of any safety functions associated with this event. No major equipment was inoperable prior to the event that contributed to the event. No primary or secondary safety valves lifted during the event. The event did not result in any challenges to fission product barriers and there were no adverse safety consequences as a result of this event. The event did not adversely affect the safe operation of the plant or the health and safety of the public. Unit 3 is stable at normal operating temperature and pressure in Mode 3. There is no estimated time and date for the Unit 3 restart at the time this call is being made. AFW is being used to feed the steam generators and is discharging steam to the main condenser. The licensee stated that the leak has been secured and that there is no significant standing water in the turbine building lower levels. All the water has drained into sumps or out doors. There does not appear to be any electrical or personnel safety hazards as a result of the water leak. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

      • UPDATE FROM RAY BUZZARD TO JOHN KNOKE AT 17:28 ON 07/03/06 ***

The following event description is based on information currently available. If through subsequent reviews of this event, additional information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the information being provided at this time, a follow-up notification will be made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73. This notification is a follow-up to the manually initiated reactor trip event reported on July 1, 2006 (ENS 42681). The notification indicated that the reactor was manually tripped from approximately 100% rated thermal power due to a large leak in the condensate system. Prior to the transient the unit was operating at approximately 100 % rated thermal power, however, the manual trip was actually initiated from approximately 55% rated thermal power following a reactor power cutback caused by the loss of the A train main feedwater pump on low suction pressure. In addition, the ENS report stated that Radiation Protection had sampled the condensate water and verified no activity is present. The condensate actually was found to contain tritium at a concentration of 1.22E-5 uCi/ml. The water from the spill flowed to the onsite storm drains, was captured behind dams, and transferred to the onsite retention basins. Samples of resin from the spill were also collected, analyzed by gamma spectroscopy, and found to not contain licensed radioactive material. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R4DO (Shannon)