Staff report on the generic assessment of feedwater transients in pressurized water reactors designed by the Babcock and Wilcox Company. Technical report

The staff has conducted an evaluation of the feedwater transient at the Three Mile Island - Unit 2 (TMI-2) Nuclear Power Plant on March 28, 1979 which, through an unusual sequence of failures resulted in significant core damage. The failures occurred in the general areas of design, equipment malfunction and operator error. The report presents the staff Task Group's early assessment of the generic aspects of the feedwater transients and the related events at TMI-2 for the purpose of determining the bases for continued safe operation of other plants similar to TMI-2 that were designed by the Babcock and Wilcox Company. The report presents the results of this assessment as a set of findings and recommendations in each of the principal review areas. The review is continuing and further information is being obtained and evaluated. Modification to the results of the initial review will be made and published as appropriate in the future