Headquarters Daily Report

                         APRIL 19, 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 III  APRIL 19, 1996

Licensee/Facility:                     Notification:

Northern States Power Co.              MR Number: 3-96-0046
Prairie Island 2                       Date: 04/19/96
Welch,Minnesota                        RI PC 4/19/96                      
Dockets: 50-306
PWR/W-2-LP                            

Subject: UNIT 2 REACTOR TRIP                                             
Reportable Event Number: 30316                         

Discussion:

Unit 2 automatically tripped on low low level in the #22 steam generator 
at 7:16 p.m. on April 18. An air operated purge valve on an instrument   
air dryer stuck open causing a continuous blowdown of instrument air.    
Within about two minutes the air operated feedwater regulating valves on 
Unit 2 drifted closed and within another minute the reactor tripped on   
low low level in the #22 steam generator. Operators responded to the     
instrument air dryer but were not in time to prevent the trip. All       
equipment responded normally to the trip. All control rods fully         
inserted.                                                                
                                                                         
An identical event occurred on February 13, 1996, but in that case       
operators were able to isolate the instrument air dryer in time to       
prevent a reactor trip. The licensee has a task force working on         
improving the reliability of the instrument air system.                  
                                                                         
The licensee intends to conduct rod drop testing in accordance with      
Bulletin 96-01, complete PMs on the D6 emergency diesel generator,       
complete an overhaul of one of the instrument air compressors, and       
investigate the root cause of the failure of the air dryer purge valve   
before startup. The licensee estimates that reactor startup will be      
sometime in the evening of April 19.                                     

Regional Action:

The SRI responded to the site and will monitor the corrective actions.   

Contact:  M. JORDAN                  (708)829-9637
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