INES-event
INES 2

SPURIOUS ACTUATION OF 2 MAIN SAFETY VALVES OUT OF TWELVE

While at nominal power effort was in progress to repair the faulty pressure gauge of the main safety valve (MSV) control system of the primary circuit. In the course of this activity 2 MSVs out of 12 opened, and the steam was received by the accident isolation system as designed. Partial steam release to envorinment occurred through the clean air venting facility of the isolation system decay chamber. Permissible limits for activity release to environment were not exceedd. Once personnel activated the lines of forced closure, the above two valves closed. Repair of the faulty pressure gauge was performed without the established work program combined with the failure to take technical measures aimed at preventing unauthorized opening of MSVs.
BASIS FOR RATING: Initiator - coolant leak from the safety valve system. Criterion - degradation of defence-in-depth. Intital event - real, potential. Safety function availability: full, which corresponds to level 1/2 (A-2R). The event cause reveals deficiencies in the safety culture. Therefore the higher level out of the above two has been chosen.
DIFFICULTIES IN RATING:

Location: IGNALINA-1
Event date: Tue, 18-09-1990
Nuclear event report
Legenda & explanation