ML13210A179

NUREG/KM-0002, the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire of 1975 Knowledge Management Digest.

ML13210A179
Person / Time
Site:	Browns Ferry
Issue date:	05/31/2013
From:	Felix Gonzalez Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
To:
Beltz G
References
NUREG/KM-0002
Download: ML13210A179 (16)

Text

The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire of 1975 Knowledge Management Digest NUREG/KM-0002 May 2013 Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Table of Contents Introduction............................................................................................................. 1 Facts about the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire................................................... 2 Impact of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire...................................................... 3 Timeline of the Regulatory Changes in Fire Protection due to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire........................................................... 4 DVD Topics............................................................................................................ 5 Questions and Answers........................................................................................... 6 Note: NUREG/KM-0002 supersedes NUREG/BR-0361 (TVA file photo)

The The three-Unit Browns Nuclear Power Plant, Limestone County, AL, owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority

Introduction Fire events provide a unique source of historical data, but only when the lessons learned provide advancements in safety. When these lessons are learned but not preserved, they are often repeated.

The purpose of this knowledge management NUREG (NUREG/KM) and DVD is to preserve the history and impact of the fire at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) on regulations and to educate future generations of safety professionals.

This is the second report in the NUREG/KM-Series.

Fire protection in commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) has been a longstanding challenge since operations began. In the 1960s and 1970s, when most of todays nuclear power reactors were under construction, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRCs) predecessorthe Atomic Energy Commissionbegan adopting rules and regulations to ensure fire safety. The first adopted fire protection regulation was General Design Criterion (GDC) 3, Fire Protection, as Appendix A, General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Domestic Licensing of Production and Utilization Facilities, in February 1971. The GDC 3, in part, states that:

Structures, systems, and components important to safety shall be designed and located to minimize, consistent with other safety requirements, the probability and effect of fires and explosions. Noncombustible and heat-resistant materials shall be used wherever practical throughout the unit, particularly in such locations as the containment and control room.

(TVA file photo)

Aerial view of Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant NUREG/KM-0002 1

During this time, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) also developed several standards for fire protection safety in the nuclear industry.

These first standards were:

• IEEE 279-1971, Criteria for Protection Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations

• IEEE 383-1974, IEEE Standard for Type Test of Class 1E Electric Cables, Field Splices, and Connections for Nuclear Power Generating Stations

• IEEE 384-1974, IEEE Standard Criteria for Independence of Class 1E Equipment and Circuits The NRC issued Regulatory Guide 1.75, Physical Independence of Electric Systems, in February 1974, and provided the basis for complying with the IEEE 384-1974 standard.

Facts about the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 established the NRC as a regulatory agency.

The BFN fire occurred 3 months after the NRC began operations in January 1975.

(TVA file photo)

Picture of Browns Ferry Fire Cable Spreading Room. Note the melted aluminum electrical cable conduit.

2 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• The fire started at BFN on March 22, 1975, by a worker using a lit candle to check for air leaks. This risky action ignited a temporary polyurethane cable penetration seal.

• The fire quickly spread into the polyurethane seal and cables, causing significant damage to the cable spreading room and Unit 1 reactor building.

• The fire at BFN forever changed how the NRC and industry view the threat of fire to safe NPP operations.

Impact of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire The BFN fire prompted a new series of fire protection regulations. The NRC published NUREG-0050, Recommendations Related to Browns Ferry Fire, in February1976. In response to the recommendations, the NRC developed the Branch Technical Position (BTP) Auxiliary Power Conversion Systems Branch (APCSB) 9.5-1 in May 1976, and its Appendix A, Guidelines for Fire Protection for Nuclear Power Plants Docketed Prior to July 1, 1976, in February 1977.

Appendix A uses the IEEE 383-1974 standard as a basis for flame spread, and to this date it is the electrical cable flame spread standard used in regulations.

In November 1980, the NRC published 10 CFR 50.48, Fire Protection, and Appendix R, Fire Protection Program for Nuclear Power (TVA file photo)

Facilities Operating Prior to January 1, 1979, to 10 CFR Part 50 (effective February 1981).

The BFN fire was the first major challenge that the newly formed NRC had to face. Today, with a renewed interest in building new nuclear power plants and development of new materials and technology, fire protection continues to face challenges.

Picture of TVA Browns Ferry seal penetration tests NUREG/KM-0002 3

4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission DVD Topics To help navigate through the DVD, the outline below provides topics and headings that can be accessed directly. The user may also click the boxes on the Timeline for the documents related to the Browns Ferry Fire.

1. Introduction

2. Historical Documents

a. 10 CFR Part 50.48 and Appendix R History of Changes

i. Current Versions of 10 CFR 50.48 and Appendix R ii. History of Changes iii. Federal Register Notices

b. Secretary of the Commission (SECY) Papers, Legal Challenges, and Congressional Documents

i. SECY Papers ii. Court and Congressional Documents

c. NRC NUREG (Technical Reports by NRC Staff)

i. U.S. NRC NUREG on BFN

d. Reports and Other Related Documents

i. Non-NRC Reports on BFN ii. Journal Articles by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)

e. Presentations and Multimedia

i. Video and Photographs of BFN and Seal Penetration Fire Tests ii. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) Seminar Presentation on BFN Fire; invited speakers David Notley and Robert Ferguson (retired NRC engineers who worked on drafting and issuing Appendix R), June 30, 2008 iii. RES Seminar Presentation of the 35th Anniversary of the BFN Fire; invited speaker Jack Lewis (former BFN operator on shift the day of the fire and later NRC employee), March 26, 2010 iv. Technical Training Center (TTC) Interview with Jack Lewis (retired NRCs TTC Instructor, 2005)

v. Presentations about BFN Fire

f. NRC Bulletins, Amendments, and Commission Meeting Transcripts

i. NRC Bulletins ii. Amendments to BFN iii. Commission Meeting Transcripts NUREG/KM-0002 5

Questions and Answers This NUREG/KM DVD provides a compilation of information that provides perspective on the BFN fire. Each document type serves a different purpose and answers a different question. Combined, these sources create a well-rounded picture of the event for different types and levels of users. Individually, they paint a detailed picture of certain aspects of the event. The following table asks some questions related to the BFN fire and provides examples of where the user should go in the DVD to find the answers.

QUESTION: Where to go in the DVD: Subcategories to go to:

Reports and Other All Related Documents What happened in the BFN fire and what did NRC NUREGs NUREGs we learn? NRC Bulletins, Amendments, and Commission Meeting Commission Meeting Transcripts Transcripts Reports and Other How is this information Journal Articles Related Documents reported to the public?

NRC NUREGs NUREGs NRC NUREGs All How did the NRC communicate what NRC Bulletins, actions needed to be Amendments, and All taken after this event? Commission Meeting Transcripts 10 CFR 50.48 and Appendix R All What were the rules and History of Changes regulations before the BFN fire and how has NRC Bulletins, this fire changed them? Amendments, and Amendments Commission Meeting Transcripts How does NRC staff SECY Papers, inform the Commission Legal Challenges, and SECY Documents of policy and rulemaking Congressional matters? Documents (continued) 6 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

QUESTION: Where to go in the DVD: Subcategories to go to:

How does the court SECY Papers, uphold or challenge Legal Challenges, and Legal Challenges rules set forth by Congressional the NRC? Documents How does Congress SECY Papers, obtain information, Legal Challenges, and Congressional conduct investigations, Congressional Documents or oversee the NRC? Documents What do the experts Presentations and think, and what does a All Multimedia fire like this look like?

NUREG/KM-0002 supersedes NUREG/

BR-0361. It also What is the difference contains new material between NUREG/

such as the 35th BR-0361 and NUREG/

Anniversary of the KM-0002?

Browns Ferry Fire Seminar and additional historic test photos.

NUREG/KM-0002 7

The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Fire of 1975 Knowledge Management Digest Prepared by:

Felix E. Gonzalez, David Stroup, Jessica Kratchman, Mark Henry Salley U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Fire Research Branch 8 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

This DVD was developed using Visual Basic Professional 2008. Make sure you have Windows XP and Visual Basic Framework 3.5 or above for the DVD to work correctly.

NUREG/KM-0002 May 2013