Event Notification Report for March 2, 2001
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
03/01/2001 - 03/02/2001
** EVENT NUMBERS **
37673 37791 37792 37793 37794 37795 37796 37797
!!!!!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!!!
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37673 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: COOPER REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/21/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: NE |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:29[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-4 |EVENT DATE: 01/21/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 15:28[CST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: WILLIAM GREEN |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |KRISS KENNEDY R4 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AIND 50.72(b)(2)(iii)(D) ACCIDENT MITIGATION | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| CONTROL ROOM EMERGENCY FILTRATION SYSTEM INOPERABLE |
| |
| At 1528 the Control Room Emergency Filtration System (CREFS) was declared |
| inoperable when fire door H305 was noted to hang open instead of fully |
| closing when personnel passed through the door. BLDG-DOOR-H305 is a |
| Control Room Envelope Door. CREFS is a single train system. When CREFS |
| was determined to be inoperable Technical Specification LCO 3.7.4 condition |
| A was entered. This LCO requires the restoration of CREFS to OPERABLE |
| status within 7 days or be in MODE 3 within 12 hours and MODE 4 within 36 |
| hours. |
| |
| Following the transfer of CREFS to DIV 1 power at 13:30, it was subsequently |
| noted that the control room blast doors seemed harder to open than normal. |
| The ventilation lineup for the Control Building was verified to be correct. |
| During this verification it was determined that BLDG-DOOR-H305 would not |
| operate properly and the door and CREFS were declared inoperable. |
| |
| Ventilation flow through other Control Room Boundary Doors appears [to]be |
| abnormal for the present ventilation lineup. A Fire Watch has been |
| stationed at BLDG-DOOR-H305. A Problem Identification Report has been |
| initiated to identify that BLDG-DOOR-H305 will not close by itself from the |
| fully open position. The ventilation lineup has not been changed since the |
| discovery of this condition for evidence preservation. The Ventilation |
| System Engineer is responding to the Site to assist with troubleshooting of |
| the ventilation system. |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. |
| |
| * * * UPDATE 1514EST ON 3/1/01 FROM DAVID VANDERKAMP TO S. SANDIN * * * |
| |
| The licensee is retracting this report based on the following: |
| |
| "Basis for Retraction: |
| |
| "Event Number 37673 reported a condition at Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS) |
| where the Control Room Emergency Filtration System (CREFS) was declared |
| inoperable. This was a result of the control room envelope boundary being |
| declared inoperable due to a fire door not closing automatically when it was |
| opened raising questions about integrity of the envelope. |
| |
| "On a specific occasion, a fire door that allows access from the control |
| room access hall to the computer room, was unable to close without |
| assistance. This was discovered when an operator passed through the door and |
| it failed to close behind him. He had to manually assist the door closed. |
| The door was declared inoperable as a fire boundary door and a fire watch |
| was posted. Since the door forms part of the control room envelope boundary, |
| that boundary was also declared inoperable due to concerns about the |
| envelope integrity. Therefore, CREFS was declared inoperable. |
| |
| "Technical Specifications require that the control room envelope be |
| maintained at a positive pressure in the emergency line-up on the control |
| room ventilation system but not in the normal line-up. This should be |
| considered a normal operation of the door for entry and exit per Technical |
| Specification Bases 3.7.4. This states that: |
| |
| '...in addition, the control room boundary must be maintained, including the |
| integrity of the walls, floors, ceilings, ductwork and access doors, such |
| that the pressurization limit of SR 3.7.4.4 can be met. However, it is |
| acceptable for access doors to be open for normal control room entry and |
| exit, and not consider it to be a failure to meet the LCO.' |
| |
| "There was no condition present that would challenge the integrity of the |
| Control Room envelope, other than the door not closing automatically. The |
| door was manually closed while being used for access. Signs are posted at |
| doors that should be closed to ensure that doors are closed after they are |
| opened. The operator passing through this door closed the door when it would |
| not close by itself. Not withstanding the fact that the door was |
| closed as required; a Fire Watch was posted to better ensure that the door |
| was properly closed until the reason for it's not automatically closing was |
| determined. No major components failed. |
| |
| "The cause of the door not automatically closing was determined to be a |
| mis-positioned, manually operated damper. The mis-positioned damper caused a |
| decreased positive pressure inside the Control Room envelope boundary |
| impacting the automatic door closure. If an accident had occurred while this |
| damper was mis-positioned, the Control Room Emergency Filtration System |
| would have performed its safety function as designed and continued to be |
| operable. |
| |
| "Based on this updated information, the District has determined that this |
| event is not reportable under the requirements of 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(iii)(D), |
| and as such, event 37673 is retracted." |
| |
| The licensee will inform the NRC resident inspector. Notified R4DO(Howell). |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37791 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: SUMMER REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: SC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 03:19[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-3-LP |EVENT DATE: 03/01/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 00:17[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: SIMPSON |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |STEPHEN CAHILL R2 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|*RPS 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) RPS ACTUATION - CRITICA| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 M/R Y 1 Startup |0 Hot Standby |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REACTOR WAS MANUALLY TRIPPED AT LESS THAN 1% POWER |
| |
| |
| A manual reactor trip was initiated at 0017 on 3/01/01 due to 2 shutdown |
| control rods remaining on the bottom while initiating control rod |
| withdrawal. This occurred during low power physics testing and a trouble |
| shooting plan for a misaligned Shutdown bank B Control rod (G-9). The rod |
| had already been realigned to the other rods in shutdown bank B @ 43 steps. |
| The Shutdown bank was inserted into the core to zero steps per the trouble |
| shooting plan. After the step counters and rod control were reset and |
| Shutdown bank B rods were being withdrawn, it was discovered that 2 rods had |
| not moved and were still on the bottom with 14 steps demanded. The Shutdown |
| bank was re-inserted to zero steps (fully inserted). After further |
| discussion, the shift supervisor called for a manual reactor trip. The |
| reactor operator tripped the Reactor and the Crew entered the Emergency |
| Operation Procedures (EOP-1.0, Reactor trip/safety injection, and EOP-1.1, |
| Reactor trip recovery). All systems functioned as designed. The problem |
| with the rod control system is not understood and trouble shooting is |
| continuing. |
| |
| |
| Note: The 2 rods that did not move were rods G-9 and L-5, both in Shutdown |
| bank B. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37792 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: INDIAN POINT REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
| UNIT: [2] [] [] STATE: NY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 05:42[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [2] W-4-LP,[3] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 03/01/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 05:00[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: KICH |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |RICHARD CONTE R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|*PRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi) OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE LICENSEE NOTIFIED STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS OF A TRANSIT STRIKE IN |
| WESTCHESTER COUNTY. |
| |
| The licensee was notified that transit employees of the Liberty Bus Company |
| in Westchester County will be going on strike. The licensee made the |
| offsite notifications to assure that the contingency plans are in effect to |
| deal with the strike. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37793 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: INDIAN POINT REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
| UNIT: [] [3] [] STATE: NY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 06:33[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [2] W-4-LP,[3] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 03/01/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 05:00[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: YOUNG |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |RICHARD CONTE R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|*PRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi) OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
| | |
|3 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE LICENSEE NOTIFIED STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS OF A TRANSIT STRIKE IN |
| WESTCHESTER COUNTY. |
| |
| The licensee was notified that transit employees of the Liberty Bus Company |
| in Westchester County will be going on strike. The licensee made the |
| offsite notifications to assure that the contingency plans are in effect to |
| deal with the strike. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37794 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: SOUTH TEXAS REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
| UNIT: [] [2] [] STATE: TX |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:55[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 03/01/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 08:22[CST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: ROBERT BRINKLEY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |LINDA HOWELL R4 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|*RPS 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) RPS ACTUATION - CRITICA| |
|*ESF 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUAT| |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
| | |
|2 M/R Y 95 Power Operation |0 Hot Standby |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO LOSS OF OPERATING CIRCULATING WATER PUMPS |
| |
| "South Texas Project Unit 2 makes the following report in accordance with |
| 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) and 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A): |
| |
| "At 08:22 CST on 3/01/01, a manual Reactor Trip was initiated due to failure |
| of a switchyard breaker and subsequent loss of all operating Circulating |
| Water Pumps. All Control Rods fully inserted into the Reactor Core. The |
| Auxiliary Feedwater system actuated on low-low Steam Generator Water Level |
| and a Feedwater isolation signal occurred as expected on a trip from 95% |
| power. Pressurizer heater group 'A' did not energize on low RCS pressure as |
| required. Cause of the heater group to fail to energize is not known at this |
| time. All four (4) Reactor Coolant pumps remain in operation and decay heat |
| is currently being removed via the atmospheric steam dumps. No radiation |
| above state, federal, and plant operational limits was measured by South |
| Texas Project's radiation monitoring system." |
| |
| The licensee is presently making efforts to restore an operating Circulating |
| Water Pump so as to establish Main Condenser vacuum. Three Circulating |
| Water Pumps were operating at the time with the fourth out-of-service. The |
| licensee has a measured 20gpd Steam Generator tube leakage. The offsite rad |
| release is within allowable limits. No other safety equipment is out of |
| service. The licensee informed the NRC resident inspector. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other |Event Number: 37795 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
|LICENSEE: QC LABORATORIES, INC. |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:00[EST]|
| CITY: HOUSTON REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 02/19/2001|
| COUNTY: HARRIS STATE: TX |EVENT TIME: 09:45[CST]|
|LICENSE#: L04750 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |LINDA HOWELL R4 |
| |JOSEPH HOLONICH NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: HELEN WATKINS (VIA FAX) | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NAGR AGREEMENT STATE | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A MISSING NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE |
| |
| On 2/15/01 an employee of QC Laboratories, Inc. went to a jobsite and never |
| returned. The police were notified and are looking for the individual and |
| the company's 1997 Nissan truck. The employee was in the possession of a |
| nuclear density gauge manufactured by Humbolt Scientific, Inc., model |
| #HS-5001EZ, serial #3145. The gauge contains two sources; 10 millicuries |
| Cs-137 (as of 7/14/97 or 10/30/98) and 40 millicuries Am-241:Be. |
| |
| On 3/1/01 additional information was available updating this incident. The |
| gauge has been recovered. The Nissan truck with the gauge locked securely |
| was parked at a drug rehab facility where the operator had checked himself |
| in. |
| |
| Texas Incident #7718. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other |Event Number: 37796 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
|LICENSEE: TERRACON |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:00[EST]|
| CITY: HOUSTON REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 02/23/2001|
| COUNTY: HARRIS STATE: TX |EVENT TIME: 16:45[CST]|
|LICENSE#: L05268-001 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |LINDA HOWELL R4 |
| |JOSEPH HOLONICH NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: HELEN WATKINS (VIA FAX) | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NAGR AGREEMENT STATE | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE |
| |
| 2/23/01 |
| |
| "At approximately 4:45pm on Friday 2/23/01 a technician realized a truck |
| with a gauge chained in the back had been stolen. The stolen gauge is a |
| Troxler Model 3430, serial # 30170. The gauge contained two sources: 8 |
| millicuries of Cs-137, serial # 7501851, and 40 millicuries of Am-241:Be, |
| serial # 47-27094. [The technician] had checked the gauge our for use at a |
| jobsite near 1960 Highway 59 in Humble, Texas. [The technician] is a trusted |
| employee and has worked for the company for a long time. The Houston Police |
| Department was notified. |
| |
| 3/1/01 |
| |
| "The truck and gauge were recovered and returned to the Licensee on 2/28/01. |
| The gauge was still locked in the back of the truck; it was undamaged. A New |
| Orleans, Louisiana resident noticed the truck parked in front of their |
| residence and called the New Orleans Police Department. The Houston Police |
| Department was notified and arranged the recovery. |
| |
| "The Licensee will submit a written report providing additional details on |
| 3/2/01." |
| |
| Texas Incident #7726. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 37797 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: KEWAUNEE REGION: 3 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/01/2001|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: WI |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:37[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-2-LP |EVENT DATE: 03/01/2001|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 09:55[CST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: KEVIN HUJET |LAST UPDATE DATE: 03/01/2001|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |ANTON VEGEL R3 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|*COM 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N Y 96 Power Operation |96 Power Operation |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM DISCOVERED INOPERABLE |
| |
| "At 0955, KNPP was notified by the Kewaunee County Sheriffs Office of a |
| disconnected cable which supplies the siren encoder for the Alert |
| Notification System. Subsequent investigation identified that the |
| transmitter was removed during remodeling, disabling the system from being |
| activated by the Kewaunee County Dispatch Office, potentially as early as |
| Monday, 2/26/01. Normal siren activation would be accomplished from the |
| Algoma Emergency Operations Center, but the Kewaunee Dispatch location would |
| be used in the event of a fast breaking incident. It is believed that |
| processes in place would have lead the Kewaunee Dispatch to pursue alternate |
| methods of activating the sirens, however, it is not clear that this would |
| have been performed in a timely manner. Compensatory measures have been |
| established for the Kewaunee Dispatch/Sheriff to notify the Kewaunee |
| Emergency Director of the need to activate the sirens. The Emergency |
| Director has the capability to activate the sirens remotely and will |
| maintain this activation function manned until the equipment issues at the |
| Kewaunee Dispatch have been resolved." |
| |
| The licensee informed local authorities and the NRC resident inspector. |
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