PNO-III-97-059, on 970723,util Decided to Delay Planned Startup of Unit 2 to Replace Leaking Seal on B Rcp.Efforts Were Unsuccessful.Unit 1 Remains Shut Down as Util Focused Attention & Resources on Unit 2 Restart

PNO-III-97-059:on 970723,util Decided to Delay Planned Startup of Unit 2 to Replace Leaking Seal on B Rcp.Efforts Were Unsuccessful.Unit 1 Remains Shut Down as Util Focused Attention & Resources on Unit 2 Restart

ML20149J538
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	07/24/1997
From:	Barger J, Grobe J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-97-059, PNO-III-97-59, NUDOCS 9707280262
Download: ML20149J538 (1)

- . _ ._. . _ . _ . . _ _ . _ . _ _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ __

f 9 9 July 24, 1997 I

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-III-97-059 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 i known by kegion III staff (Lisle, Illinois) on this date.  :

\

Facility Licensee Emergen' c y Classification 1 4 Wisconsin Electric Power Co. Notification of Unusual Event Point Beach 2 Alert '

l' Two Rivers. Wisconsin Site Area Emergency

, Dockets: 50-301 General Emergency

] X Not Applicable

Subject:

REACTOR COOLANT PUMP SEN. LEAK DELAYS' UNIT 2 STARTUP On July 23. 1997, the utility decided to delay the planned startup of 1 Unit 2 to replace a leaking seal on the 'B' reactor coolant pum).

Operations personnel had attempted to reduce the leakage from tle seal by adjusting reactor coolant system pressure and the seal injection temperature and by stopping and re. starting the pump. These efforts were

unsuccessful.

4 L

Unit 2 had been expected to resume operations in mid-tol ate July ,

i following a refueling and steam generctor outage that began in October .

1996. Early during the outage, the seals had been replaced: however, the pumps remained idle for much of the time, and the licensee was not able i to effectively test the seals until they recently achieved elevated

. temperature and pressure. During the outage the utility had also

completed 81 initiatives to im) rove the quality of operations.  ;

engineering, and maintenance. Unit I remains shut down as the utility has >

1 focussed its attention and resources on the Unit 2 restart.

The licensee now expects the Unit 2 restart to be in mid-August with a late August restart for Unit 1. The utility alans to issue a news i

announcement on the Unit 2 delay. There has ]een considerable media and

)ublic interest in the electrical power supply in Wisconsin with both '

, )oint Beach units out of service.

The State of Wisconsin will be notified. The information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with utility management. .

4 .

- e Region III (Chicago) was informed of the utility's decision to extend the Ur.it 2 outage at about'6 p m. on July 23. 1997. This information is current as of~11 a.m. on July 24. 1997.

Contact:

' JACK GROBE- J. MCCORMICK-BARGER g (630)829-9700 (630)829-9872

~

J. 9707290262 970724 I 97-059 PDR

${\

0 L ,

1-

+,-re-- ,..n, , . --,.+----,...n-- - -,~ ., ,, , , , , . . ,.,-n , - - , , , - - - --,