Headquarters Daily Report MAY 06, 1997 *************************************************************************** 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 I MAY 6, 1997 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Maine Yankee Atomic Power Co. MR Number: 1-97-0032 Maine Yankee 1 Date: 05/06/97 Wiscasset,Maine SRI E-MAIL Dockets: 50-309 PWR/CE Subject: MAINE YANKEE MANAGEMENT CHANGES Discussion: On May 1, 1997, Maine Yankee announced the resignation of Mr. Graham Leitch, as the Vice-President - Operations. Mr. Leitch will remain to work on restart special projects for Maine Yankee. Effective May 1, 1997, the current Plant Manager, Mr. Robert Blackmore, will serve as the Interim Vice President - Operations. Regional Action: None. Contact: J. YEROKUN (207)882-7519 R. CONTE (610)337-5183 _ REGION II MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 MAY 6, 1997 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Duke Power Co. MR Number: 2-97-0035 Oconee 3 Date: 05/06/97 Seneca,South Carolina Dockets: 50-287 PWR/B&W-L-LP Subject: ISSUANCE OF CONFIRMATION OF ACTION LETTER Discussion: On May 5, 1997, a Confirmation of Action Letter (CAL) was issued to the Oconee Nuclear Station. The CAL confirms the licensee's plans to resolve a high pressure injection nozzle cracking concern and a degradation of the Unit 3 high pressure injection system. It also recognizes the Unit 1 compensatory measures for the above issues and requires these issues be addressed in a Management Meeting with the NRC prior to obtaining the Regional Administrator's concurrence for restart of Units 2 and 3. Regional Action: See PNO-II-97-23 and 26. Contact: R. CARROLL (404)562-4511 _ REGION II MORNING REPORT PAGE 3 MAY 6, 1997 Licensee/Facility: Notification: General Electric Company MR Number: 2-97-0036 Fuel Fabrication Plant Date: 05/06/97 Wilmington,North Carolina Dockets: 00701113 License No: SNM-1097 Subject: SMALL URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE LEAK IN PROCESS AREA Discussion: At approximately 2:45 p.m. on May 5, an operator in the Chemical Area observed a white cloud around the hydrolysis receiver tank on Process Line 1. He recognized this as a possible UF6 release and called the Control Room. Control Room operators shut off the flow of UF6 by closing the UF6 valve in the vaporizer. Personnel on the operating floor evacuated the area. The licensee estimates that from the time the cloud was observed until the release was stopped was less than five minutes. Line 1 was processing UF6 at 3.6 percent enrichment. The area was isolated. Personnel donned acid respirators and entered the area. It was observed that the source of the release was a small hole (about 1/2 inch) in the side of the receiver tank. The apparent cause was the erosion of the wall by UF6 gas bubbling into the tank through the dip tube. The dip tube was not vertical but tilted, pointing to the wall at the discharge. The area was cleaned up to remove solution from the tank and fallout from the cloud. At about 3:45 p.m., the area was released for normal access. The licensee is evaluating the results from the stationary air samplers, scrubber water samples and the stack sampler filters. The four personnel who were in the immediate area were restricted from entry into controlled areas and placed on special bioassay programs. The eleven personnel involved in the investigation and clean-up were also placed on special bioassays. Regional Action: An inspector on site is following up on the licensee's evaluations. The State of North Carolina has been notified. Contact: W.Gloersen (404)562-4713 _ REGION III MORNING REPORT PAGE 4 MAY 6, 1997 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Consumers Power Co. MR Number: 3-97-0068 Big Rock Point 1 Date: 05/06/97 Charlevoix,Michigan INSPECTOR AT SITE Dockets: 50-155 BWR/GE-1 Subject: UNIT ONLINE Discussion: Following repairs and successful testing of the main generator breaker, the licensee commenced plant startup activities. During the reactor startup on May 1, 1997, control rod drive (CRD) F-3, experienced problems while being withdrawn from position "OO." On May 5, 1997, following replacement and cleaning of a number of CRD filters, the reactor was taken critical at 3:29 a.m. The main generator breaker was closed at 6:32 p.m. May 5, 1997, ending a 64 day forced outage. The plant is currently operating at 25 percent power. Regional Action: The SRI was onsite and monitored plant startup and placing the unit online. Contact: BRUCE BURGESS (630)829-9629 _