Headquarters Daily Report
MARCH 21, 2002
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REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT
ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED
HEADQUARTERS X
REGION I X
REGION II X
REGION III X
REGION IV X
PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION I MARCH 21, 2002
Licensee/Facility: Notification:
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. MR Number: 1-02-0001
Vermont Yankee 1 Date: 03/20/02
Vernon,Vermont
Dockets: 50-271
BWR/GE-4
Subject: VERMONT YANKEE FUEL LEAKS
Discussion:
On March 18, and again on March 20, 2002, Vermont Yankee identified fuel
cladding failures, the fourth and fifth such occurences since early
December 2001. These fuel clad failures were identified by an increase
in the detected activity in the offgas flow pretreatment system. The
previous failures occurred following control rod pattern adjustments. The
fourth failure occurred following weekly control rod exercising and a
subsequent power increase from 90 to 100 percent using reactor
recirculation flow. The fifth leak occurred from a steady-state
condition of 100 percent power.
On the prior three events, the licensee confirmed fuel leaks through
power suppression testing. The first two fuel leaks were identified on
December 2 and 12 and were determined to be pinhole leaks of suspected
twice-burned fuel assemblies located near the core center. On March 5, a
third fuel leak occurred, which was believed to be slightly larger than
the earlier pinhole leaks. Again the licensee suspected a twice-burned
fuel assembly, which was located in the middle-third of the core. The
three earlier suspected fuel leaks were suppressed by inserting adjacent
control rods (at core locations 23-18, 22-19, and 22-35, respectively).
The licensee is considering additional power suppression testing to
identify the location of the fourth and fifth fuel leaks and they are
evaluating a mid-cylce outage. Isotopic results indicate that the recent
fuel leaks are also from twice-burned assemblies. The reactor coolant
dose equivalent Iodine-131 and offgas flow pretreatment activity levels
remain well below the technical specification limits. The Vermont Yankee
core contains only GE-13 type fuel. The licensee is working with the
fuel vendor (GE) to identify the cause of these fuel leaks.
Regional Action:
Resident follow-up.
Contact: Clifford Anderson (610)337-5227
Robert Summers (610)337-5282
Brian McDermott (802)257-4319
PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - HEADQUARTERS MARCH 20,
2002
Licensee/Facility: Notification:
Abb, Inc MR Number: H-02-0023
Abb, Inc. Date: 03/19/02
Coral Spring,Florida
Subject: Initial Notification of Potential Defect in Class 1E Type CV-2
and CV-22 Relays (Update)
Reportable Event Number: 38781
Discussion:
On March 19, 2002, ABB Inc. reported a potentially missing balance weight
assembly on the moving disc in the subject relays. Discussion with the
vendor indicated that these relays are undervoltage electromechanical
relays. The effect of the missing balance weight assembly is to increase
the operating time beyond that specified. The defect may be detected
either by calibration test or by visual inspection. In visual inspection,
the black balance weight assembly, if present, is located on top of the
shiny moving disc. One affected customer has reported this defect to the
vendor.
Contacts: C. Vernon Hodge Joelle Starefos
(301) 415-1861 (301) 415-1175
E-mail: cvh@nrc.gov E-mail: jls1@nrc.gov
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