ML20059C931

Provides 1993 Annual Pulstar Emergency Drill Critique

ML20059C931
Person / Time
Site:	North Carolina State University
Issue date:	12/06/1993
From:	Wicks G North Carolina State University, RALEIGH, NC
To:	Bassett C NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II)
References
NUDOCS 9401060230
Download: ML20059C931 (8)

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4 North Carolina Sate University Department of Nuclear Engineering -g P 41 College of Engineering 5 Box 7909 Raleigh, NC 27695-7909 TEL: (919) 515-4601 FAX: (919) 515-5115 TO: Distribution DATE: December 6, 1993 FROM: Gerry Wicks EMail: WICKS @EOS.NCSU.EDU

SUBJECT:

1993 Annual PULSTAR Emergency Drill Critique An unannounced emergency drill was held on October 2, 1993 at the PULSTAR nuclear reactor on the North Carolina State University, NCSU, campus. The drill scenario was designed to assess the ability of the PULSTAR Emergency Team to hake a timely and correct response to an event involving loss of primary pool water outside the reactor building. Drill objectives were established for evaluation purposes.

Notifications were made in advance to affected off-campus agencies and affected NCSU department management. A critique was held immediately after termination of the drill.

Drill observers in attendance were:

J. Mulholland, PhD Reactor Safeguards Advisory Group D. Bass Wake County Emergency Management.

D. Rainer NCSU Director Environmental Health &

Safety L. Burnette Reactor Operator (Graduate student)

Drill controllers were:

C. Mayo, PhD Director Nuclear Reactor Program D. Peplow Nuclear Engineering (Graduate student)

Drill narticipants were:

S. Bilyj PULSTAR Reactor Operations Manager K. Kincaid PULSTAR Chief of Reactor Maintenance P. Perez Associate Director Nuclear Reactor Program A. Armisto PULSTAR Senior Instructor and SRO W. Morgan NCSU Radiation Protection Office G. Wicks NCSU Reactor Health Physicist 9401060230 931206 7 PDR ADDCK 050002971 F PDR i ((h a  %&

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Summary of Observed Events:

The drill started at 0800 .with a simulated low level pool alarm received by ' NCSU Public Safety. PULSTAR operations ,

staff was notified by Public Safety.

PULSTAR operations staff arrived at 0845 and entered the '

Control Room and Reactor Bay after determining that .the building evacuation alarm was not activated ' and that the radiation levels for the drill scenario were normal. .Upon being informed that water level was low, the emergency plan was activated. Additional PULSTAR staff was called..

Emergency Director arrived at 0900 and declared an Unusual-Nuclear Event based on pool leak rate being in excess of 7 inches per 2 hour2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> period. Sabotage of N-15 manhole and r location of leak were determined at 0912. Emergency director

. instructed staff to isolate leak. Leak was isolated at 0927 by closing valves P-1, P-5 and P-22.- Public Safety sent an .

officer to PULSTAR location at 0932 in response to sabotage.

Reactor Health Physicist arrived at 0907. NCSU Radiation '

Protection Office was called and the Radiation Protection Officer arrived at 0939. Information to notify off-campus and -

on-campus officials was obtained for the unusual nuclear event. Notifications were complete at 0950.

Pool level was steady at 0948. Assistance for controlling and evaluating leak was called at 1000 (Public Safety and NCSU staff).

Drill was terminated at 1000 based on a stable, acceptable pool level and recovery actions which were underway. Other recovery actions were discussed. Notification of . drill termination was complete at 1040 to off-campus agencies.

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Mee' tina of Obiectives:

1. Staff levels were assembled within 20 minutes after-declaration of the Unusual Nuclear Event. It should be noted that the Emergency Director and Reactor Health Physicist were in the immediate area of the PULSTAR reactor at the time the emergency plan was activated fulfilling their drill preparation responsibilities. A-response time of 30 minutes would be more realistic.

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2. The first responder entered the Control Room and Reactor' Bay alone based on the lack _of a building evacuation.

alarm and drill scenario radiation levels. Teams were-assembled after the emergency plan was activated.

3. Burlington lab evacuation was not activated'during this a drill. _This event was not considered to be a security or- j!

radiological threat requiring activation of the '! i evacuation alarm since damage was limited-to facilities outside the . reactor building. There was no intrusion alarm indicating potential damage to the Reactor building. This interpretation is allowed by emergency procedures. Public Safety responded after sabotage to the N-16 manhole was discovered.

4. The event was classified as an Unusual Nuclear Event based on the leak rate being in excess of 7 inches per_-2 hours in accordance with emergency procedures.

5. Notifications were made upon declaration <u.d termination .

of the Unusual Nuclear Event. However the 30 minute f notification time was exceeded for both declaration and i termination.  :;

6. Additional emergency assistance from Public Safety,. NCSU Information Services, and NCSU Radiation Protection _,

Office was determined to be available during_.the drill.

7. The leak was identified and isolated 90 minutes after the low level alarm actuated, which was 30 minutes after tne emergency plan was activated. Pool level was stable 110 l:

minutes after the low level alarm actuation, which.was 50 l~ '

minutes after the emergency plan was activated.

Based on the Emergency team actions objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 were met. Objective 5 was not met. ,

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Summary of Drill-comments:

1. Comments: Notification process was.too long and did not meet the half hour requirement.

The Reactor Health' Physicist' .was too busy making calls.

Objective 5 of the drill was not-met.

Response: Corrective actions will. include: ,

1. Use of an automated (speed . dial),

programmable type phone, .

2. Personnel.will review the state procedure for completing the NC State Warning Point. ,

notification form, '!

3. Dividing- on-campus and off-campus notification lists if staff is available.

4. Simulation of the notification. process will be performed after the above corrective actions are complete to ensure that notifications can be made within 30 minutes after an event is classified.

2. Comment: In the event of a power loss, crane use and.

access to the PULSTAR pool isolation valves P-1 and P-5 would be lost.

Response: Alternate methods to ensure access to and' closure of the pool isolation valves are being-~ '

considered by PULSTAR management. t

3. Comment: Emergency team staff arrived from 45. to 65

l minutes af ter the initiating event occurred.

Is this response timely?  !

Response: Staffing was realistically available within 30~

minutes' after .the event was classified. . i'

- Pesponse time of the staff to the' low level-alarm was 45 minutes. Response within an hour. -

and emergency staffing within 30 minutes is ,

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considered to be acceptable.

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4. Comment: Upon discovery of sabotage to the N-161. vent'  ;

valve, the Burlington lab evacuation alarm was.

not activated a'nd Public Safety responded. .l '

after 20 minutes.

Response: The sabotage was limited' to f acilities outside . -;

the reactor building and no. signs of intrusion into the reactor _ building . were present. A. -i security threat was not deemed to be present so manual initiation'of the-evacuation alarm was not made. Public Safety responded within 4

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an acceptable time after. sabotage was discovered. )

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5. Comment: Access to health physics records and equipment -

in the-health physics lab would be a problem if the reactor bay was flooded.

Response: Health physics records will be moved to the Reactor Health Physicist's office- on the second floor. Equipment will be stored at least 2 feet above the lab floor. Other equipment is- available in the- emergency lockers and NCSU Radiation Protection Office.

6. Comment: Simulated radiological enntrol was poor at the l

simulated leak location initially.-

l Improvements were observed after the simulated L

leak was isolated.

L I Response: Emergency staff will be reminded of radiological requirements in their annual training. Co-ordination of health physics coverage will be reviewed by the Reactor Health Physicist and Radiation Protection i Office.

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7. Comment: PULSTAR staff availability to address media l response should be included in the drill.

Response: Other agencies were invited to attend. NCSU~

l Information Services was notified about the drill. Since this drill occurred during off-hours, attendance. was not mandatory.

Availability of a representative from NCSU' Information Services was confirmed ~during the drill. The Emergency Plan addresses the release of information to outside agencies.

8. Comment: Pool level indication'below -45: inches is not available.. Pool level is measured by having personnel go to the upper pool elevation and using a yard stick.

Response: Other monitoring equipment is available, such as 20 foot tape measure. If the information is considered essential, personnel dose limits.

are given in the Emergency Plan and procedures.

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9.' Comment: Event status was updated periodically.

However, a prepared status board is needed to ensure consistency.

Response: An emergency condition status board will be  !

prepared for use.

10. Comment: Safety shoes were not worn by personnel moving concrete slabs to gain access to P-1 and P-5.-

Response: Life Safety and Physical Plant were contacted.  ;

Plans have been made to purchase safety shoes ,

for PULSTAR operations and support. staff. ,

11. Comment: Facility familiarization training ~ for 'off-L campus emergency response agencies is needed. . j Response: Revised training will be offered in 1994.

12. Comment: Need to synchronize time of drill for accurate ' q information. ",

Response: Reactor console clock will. be used - as .the official time unless Controller specifies otherwise.

13. Comment: Public Safety support was expeditious and thorough.

Response: None 9

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Conclusions:

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1. Drill objectives were met except - for the half . hour notification of off-campus agencies. Corrective actions-have.been identified and need to be implemented.

2. Improvements to the PULSTAR emergency response were identified and need to be addressed.. Items and assignments are given below:

a. Assigned to Reactor Operation Manager:

1. Method to access and close pool isolation valves P-1 and P-5.

b. Assigned to Reactor-Health Physicist:

1. Need automatic '(speed)' dial telephone for' .

notifications. >

2. Relocate health physics records.

3. Health physics coverage of emergency response

< teams is needed. -

4. Facility . familiarization training to be-  !

offered in 1994 to off-campus' emergency l response agencies. Co-ordinate with Associate Director, Nuclear Reactor-Program.

c. Assigned to Associate Director:

1. Need an emergency condition status board. -i

2. Facility familiarization training to. be offered in 1994 to off-campus emergency I response agencies. Co-ordinate with' Reactor Health Physicist. l, Your co-operation, participation, and assistance in the annual .

drill is appreciated. ,

Distribution: ,

C. Mayo, PhD- P. Perez L. Burnette J. Mulholland, PhD K. Kincaid D. Peplow. ,

D. Dudziak, PhD A. Armisto >

D. Rainer S. Bilyj W. Morgan- File D. Bass, Wake County l C. Bassett, Region II NRC l J. James, State of North Carolina, Division of. Radiation i Protection

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