NRC: News Release - Region III - 1998-40a - NRC INSPECTION TEAM MONITORING DAVIS-BESSE PLANT RESPONSE TO TORNADO DAMAGE AND LOSS OF OFFSITE POWER


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NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT: RIII-98-40a

June 25, 1998

NRC INSPECTION TEAM MONITORING DAVIS-BESSE PLANT RESPONSE TO TORNADO DAMAGE AND LOSS OF OFFSITE POWER

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection team is at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station monitoring plant activities in response to a tornado which damaged the electrical switchyard at the plant and cut off the plant's offsite power supply.

The plant, operated by Centerior Service Co., is at Oak Harbor, Ohio.

The inspection team includes reactor, electrical, and operational specialists. The two NRC resident inspectors for the Davis-Besse plant monitored plant activities through the night. The team has been supplemented by NRC resident inspectors from other nuclear plants in Ohio and Michigan.

Electrical power for the plant's safety systems is being supplied by its two emergency diesel generators. The reactor shut down automatically Wednesday night with the loss of offsite electrical power. The reactor is in a stable condition, and plant operators are gradually reducing the reactor cooling system temperatures.

The plant remains in an "alert" under its emergency classification system. An alert is the second level on the NRC's four-step emergency classification system. The utility intends to maintain that classification until offsite power is restored to the plant.

The utility is assessing the extent of damage to the switchyard and to the three electrical lines which provide power to the plant. It will then focus initial repairs on restoring one offsite power source and then work on the other two lines.