Information Notice 1989-04, Potential Problems from the Use of Space Heaters

Potential Problems from the Use of Space Heaters

ML031180484
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant, Crane
Issue date:	01/17/1989
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-89-004, NUDOCS 8901100172
Download: ML031180484 (6)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

20555

January 17, 1989

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 89-04:

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS FROM THE USE OF

SPACE HEATERS

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors and test and research reactors.

Purpose

This information notice is being provided to alert addressees to potential

problems from the use of space heaters.

It is expected that recipients will

review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider

actions, as appropriate, to avoid similar problems. However, suggestions

contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;

therefore, no specific action or written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On December 7, 1988, with the Fort Calhoun Station in cold shutdown and de- fueled, an onsite release of toxic chlorine gas occurred. The chlorine gas

leaked from a chlorine gas cylinder when the fusible plug melted because of

the proximity of a space heater.

The licensee stores the chlorine gas cylinders, used in the purification

process of Missouri River water for plant cooling systems, in a ventilated, enclosed room approximately 4 by 6 feet.

To keep the cylinders warm in prepa- ration for use, a 13-kW heater was placed in the room. It appears, based on

the licensee's initial investigation, that the fusible plug became overheated

because of the close proximity of the heater to the cylinder and melted. The

melting point of the plug is approximately 160 0F. The melted fusible plug

initiated the release of the chlorine gas.

The licensee detected the chlorine leak by the odor of chlorine gas in the area

adjacent to the gas bottle storage room.

The area was immediately evacuated.

A total of 22 individuals affected by inhalation of the gas were transported to

a hospital by the rescue squad. The most severe effect on any individual was

minor lung and nasal passage irritation. All individuals have been released

from the hospital.

00172 O R /

IN 89-04 January 17, 1989 Licensee personnel removed the leaking cylinder from the storage room to a

parking lot that was downwind of the plant. The cylinder was kept in the

parking lot until it completely depressurized.

No other problems were re- ported after the cylinder was placed in the parking lot.

Discussion:

The use of space heaters at plants during the winter months is a common prac- tice.

However, the use of space heaters may not have been fully evaluated.

It is important that licensees consider the following items before placing

a space heater into service:

1. Fire hazards or combustibles in the area of the space heater.

2. Damage to or effect on the operability of equipment by the space heater.

3. Effect of accelerated aging on the environmental qualification of electri- cal equipment caused by the space heater.

Recipients may wish to review their use of space heaters to preclude problems

that could result from inadequate controls.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

-If you have any questions about this matter, pTease contact one 6f the technical

contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

a

E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: P. C. Wagner, RIV

(817) 860-8127

John Jankovich, NRR

(301) 492-1167 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment

IN 89-04

January 17, 1989 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information

Date of

Notice No.

Subject

Issuance

Issued to

89-03 Potential

Equipment

Electrical

Problems

1/11/89

All fuel cycle and

major nuclear materials

licensees.

89-02

88-23, Supp. 1

89-01

88-46, Supp. 2

88-101

88- 100

88-99

88-98

Criminal Prosecution of

Licensee's Former President

for

Intent

ional Safety

Violations

Potential for Gas Binding

of High-Pressure Safety

Injection Pumps During a

Loss-of-Coolant Accident

Valve Body Erosion

Licensee Report of Defective

Refurbished Circuit Breakers

Shipment of Contaminated

Equipment between Nuclear

Power Stations

Memorandum of Understanding

between NRC and OSHA

Relating to NRC-licensed

Facilities (53 FR 43950,

October 31, 1988)

Detection and Monitoring

of Sudden and/or Rapidly

Increasing Primary-to-

Secondary Leakage

Electrical Relay Degradation

Caused by Oxidation of

Contact Surfaces

1/9/89

1/5/89

1/4/89

12/30/88

12/28/88

12/23/88

12/20/88

12/19/88

All holders of a

U.S. NRC specific

license.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for PWRs.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

All major nuclear

materials licensees

and utilities holding

CPs and OLs.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for PWRs.

All holders of OLs

or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

IN 89-04 January 17, 1989 Licensee personnel removed the leaking cylinder from the storage room to a

parking lot that was downwind of the plant. The cylinder was kept in the

parking lot until it completely depressurized.

No other problems were re- ported after the cylinder was placed in the parking lot.

Discussion:

The use of space heaters at plants during the winter months is a common prac- tice.

However, the use of space heaters may not have been fully evaluated.

It is important that licensees consider the following items before placing

a space heater into service:

1. Fire hazards or combustibles in the area of the space heater.

2. Damage to or effect on the operability of equipment by the space heater.

3.

Effect of accelerated aging on the environmental qualification of electri- cal equipment caused by the space heater.

Recipients may wish to review their use of space heaters to preclude problems

that could result from inadequate controls.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact one of the technical

contacts listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: P. C. Wagner, RIV

(817) 860-8127

John Jankovich, NRR

(301) 492-1167 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• OGCB:DOEA:NRR

• RIV

• PPMB:ARM

• C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR

JJankovich

TechEd

CHBerlinger

01//s/89

01/03/89

01/03/89

01/04/89

01/09/89

01//4889

IN 89-XX

January xx, 1989 Licensee personnel removed the leaking cylinder from the storage room to a

parking lot that was downwind of the plant. The cylinder was kept in the

parking lot until it completely depressurized.

No other problems were re- ported after the cylinder was placed in the parking lot.

Discussion:

_r & s

The use of space eaters at plants during the winter months is a common prac- tice.

The NRC i concerned that the use of space heaters may not have been

fully evaluated.:/icensees-ateid-consider the following items before placing

a space heater into service:

1. Fire hazards or combustibles in the area of the space heater.

2. Damage to or effect on the operability of equipment by the space heater.

3. Effect of accelerated aging on the environmental qualification of electri- cal equipment caused by the space heater.

It is recommended that recipients review their use of space heaters to preclude

problems that could result from inadequate controls.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

John Jankovich, NRR

(301) 492-1167 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

• OGCB:DOEA:NRR

• RIV

• PPMB:ARM

C/OtCB:DOEA:NRR

D/DOEA:NRR

JJankovich

TechEd

CHBer linger

CERossi

01/03/89

01/03/89 01/04/89

01

/89

01/ /89

IN 89-XX

January xx, 1989 Licensee personnel removed the leaking cylinder from the storage room to a

parking lot which was downwind of the plant. The cylinder was maintained in

the parking lot until completely depressurized.

No other problems were re- ported after the cylinder was placed in the parking lot.

Discussion:

The use of space heaters at plants during the winter months is a common prac- tice.

The NRC is concerned that the use of space heaters may not have received

the level of evaluation that is warranted. Licensees should consider the

following items prior to placing a space heater into service:

1. Fire hazards or combustibles in the area of the space heater.

2. Damage or effect on the operability of equipment in the vicinity of the

space heater.

3.

Effect on the environmental qualification of electrical

could occur due to the space heater causing accelerated

equipment that

aging.

It is recommended that recipients review their use of space heaters to preclude

problems which could result from inadequate controls.

No specific action or written response is required by this information notice.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact the technical

contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of the appropriate regional

office.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

John Jankovich, NRR

(301) 492-1167 Attachment:

List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

OGCB: DOEA:NRR

JJankovich

M

01/ 3/89 U

VlP

/89

A ARM

TechEd

01/ e//89 C/OGCB:DOEA:NRR

CHBerlinger

01/ /89 D/DOEA:NRR

CERossi

01/ /89