Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No.: 6870
Accessions No.:
8006190035
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
July 29, 1980
Supplement IE Information
Notice No. 80-06
NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AT OPERATING POWER REACTOR FACILITIES
Description of Circumstances:
Information Notice No. 80-06 (IN 80-06) issued on February 27, 1980,
forwarded a Federal Register Notice which indicated that the NRC regulations
were amended by adding a new SS 50.72, "Notification of significant events",
to 10 CFR Part 50. The effective date of the new rule was, February 29,
1980. This Information Notice supplements IN 80-06 and provides
clarification on types of events that are required to be reported in
accordance with the rule.
Public comments on the rule indicate the need for more detailed
clarification on what occurrences are reportable in regard to certain event
types listed in the rule. Commenters particularly stressed the need to
establish more definitive thresholds for notifications of certain types of
events. Experience so far with notifications being made in accordance with
SS 50.72 also suggest the need for clarification and more definitive
guidance. The general categorization of some of the event types listed in
the rule has resulted in notifications of events of less significance than
was originally intended. As stated in the Federal Register Notice
implementing SS 50.72, the rule was intended to require immediate
notification of "serious events that could result in an impact on the public
health and safety."
The notification requirements in SS 50.72 are currently being evaluated to
determine actions needed in light of public comments on and experience with
the rule. Notwithstanding future actions which may include some
modifications to the rule and supplementary regulatory guidance, a short
term need exists for clarifying the thresholds for notifications of certain
categories of events. The following paragraphs provide clarification on what
is reportable pursuant to the event categories listed in items (1), (7) and
(9) of the rule.
Item (1) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any event requiring
initiation of the licensee's emergency plan or any section of that plan."
Notifications under this item refer to those initiating events or conditions
Not that place the facility in a "Notification of Unusual Event" status. An
unusual event indicates a potential degradation of the level of safety of
the plant. Examples of initiating events or conditions that would be
categorized as an unusual event are listed on the enclosed pages 4 and 5 of
NUREG-0610, "Draft Emergency Action Level Guidelines for Nuclear Power
Plants" (Appendix 1 to NUREG-0654, "Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation
of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of
Nuclear Power Plants"). It is recognized that some overlap and duplication
exists between the reporting requirements of item (1) and other items of SS
50.72(a).
.
Supplement to IE Information July 29, 1980
Notice No. 80-06 Page 2 of 2
Item (7) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any event resulting in
manual or automatic actuation of Engineered Safety Features, including
Reactor Protection System." Actuation of Engineered Safety Features
including the Reactor Protection System which result from and are part of
the planned sequence during surveillance testing does not constitute an
event reportable under this item.
Item (9) of SS 50.72(a) requires notification of: "Any fatality or serious
injury occurring on the site and requiring transport to an offsite medical
facility for treatment." Serious injury is considered to be any injury that
in the judgment of the licensee representative will require admission of the
injured individual to a hospital for treatment or observation for an
extended period of time (greater than 48 hours). Injuries that only require
treatment and/or medical observation at a hospital or offsite medical
facility, but do not meet the conditions specified above, are not required
to be reported.
Enclosure:
Pages 4 and 5 of Appendix 1
to NUREG-0654
.
EXAMPLE INITIATING CONDITIONS: NOTIFICATION UNUSUAL EVENT
1. ECCS initiated
2. Radiological effluent technical specification limits exceeded
3. Fuel damage indication. Examples:
a. High offgas at BWR air ejector monitor (greater than 500,000
ci/sec; corresponding to 16 isotopes decayed to 30 minutes; or an
increase of 100,000 ci/sec within a 30 minute time period)
b. High coolant activity sample (e.g., exceeding coolant technical
specifications for iodine spike)
c. Failed fuel monitor (PWR) indicates increase greater than 0.1%
equivalent fuel failures within 30 minutes.
4. Abnormal coolant temperature and/or pressure or abnormal fuel
temperatures
5. Exceeding either primary/secondary leak rate technical specification or
primary system leak rate technical specification
6. Failure of a safety or relief valve to close
7. Loss of offsite power or loss of onsite AC power capability
8. Loss of containment integrity requiring shutdown by technical
specifications
9. Loss of engineered safety feature or fire protection system function
requiring shutdown by technical specifications (e.g., because of
malfunction, personnel error or procedural inadequacy)
10. Fire lasting more than 10 minutes
11. Indications or alarms on process or effluent parameters not functional
in control room to an extent requiring plant shutdown or other
significant loss of assessment or communication capability (e.g., plant
computer, all meteorological instrumentation)
12. Security threat or attempted entry or attempted sabotage
13. Natural phenomenon being experienced or projected beyond usual levels
a. Any earthquake
b. 50 year flood or low water, tsunami, hurricane surge, seiche
c. Any tornado near site
d. Any hurricane
1-4
.
14. Other hazards being experienced or projected
a. Aircraft crash on-site or unusual aircraft activity over facility
b. Train derailment on-site
c. Near or onsite explosion
d. Near or onsite toxic or flammable gas release
e. Turbine failure
15. Other plant conditions exist that warrant increased awareness on the
part of State and/or local offsite authorities or require plant
shutdown under technical specification requirements or involve other
than normal controlled shutdown (e.g., cooldown rate exceeding
technical specification limits, pipe cracking found during operation)
16. Transportation of contaminated injured individual from site to offsite
hospital
17. Rapid depressurization of PWR secondary side.
1-5
