Headquarters Daily Report

                         NOVEMBER 04, 1996

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                    REPORT             NEGATIVE            NO INPUT
                    ATTACHED           INPUT RECEIVED      RECEIVED

HEADQUARTERS                           û                   
REGION I                               û                   
REGION II                              û                   
REGION III                             û                   
REGION IV           û                                      
PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED  MORNING REPORT - REGION IV  NOV. 04, 1996

Licensee/Facility:                     Notification:

Southern California Edison & San       MR Number: 4-96-0115
Diego Gas & Electric Co.               Date: 11/01/96
San Onofre 3                           Resident Inspectors                
San Clemente,California              
Dockets: 50-362
PWR/CE                                

Subject: UNIT 3 DROPPED CONTROL ELEMENT ASSEMBLY                         

Discussion:

On October 31, 1996, at 7:17 p.m. (PST), while Unit 3 was operating at   
full power, a shutdown group control element assembly dropped into the   
core.  Operators subsequently reduced power in accordance with Technical 
Specifications and recovered the dropped assembly.                       
                                                                         
Immediately preceding this event the control element drive and mechanism 
control system trouble alarm momentarily annunciated.  The dropped       
assembly resulted in an azimuthal power tilt, which required a power     
reduction to less than 50 percent.  Operators subsequently reduced power 
to approximately 43 percent.  Recovery of the dropped assembly commenced 
at 10:33 p.m. (PST), with the reactor engineer and operations            
superintendent monitoring plant status and advising operators.  Unit 3   
subsequently returned to full power operation.                           
                                                                         
The licensee suspects an overheated cabinet resulted in the control      
element assembly circuit breaker tripping.  Operators observed that a    
blower switch, which controlled fans for the cabinet and was located 2   
inches above the floor, was off.  Heating ventilation and air            
conditioning work had been in progress in the control element drive      
mechanism control system room all day and was ongoing when the assembly  
dropped.  Day shift workers had removed and reinstalled some floor       
squares, and the licensee suspected that the blower switch had been      
inadvertently bumped.                                                    
                                                                         
The licensee will investigate the cause of the event.                    

Regional Action:

The Senior Resident Inspector responded to the site and observed recovery
actions.  The resident inspectors will follow the licensee's             
investigation of the event.                                              

Contact:  D. Kirsch                  (510)975-0290
          J. Sloan                   (714)492-2641
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