Event Notification Report for September 6, 2002
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
09/05/2002 - 09/06/2002
** EVENT NUMBERS **
39170
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 39170 |
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| FACILITY: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION |NOTIFICATION DATE: 09/05/2002|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:18[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: LEU CONVERSION (UF6 to UO2) |EVENT DATE: 09/05/2002|
| COMMERCIAL LWR FUEL |EVENT TIME: [EDT]|
| |LAST UPDATE DATE: 09/05/2002|
| CITY: COLUMBIA REGION: 2 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: RICHLAND STATE: SC |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: SNM-1107 AGREEMENT: Y |THOMAS DECKER R2 |
| DOCKET: 07001151 |FRED BROWN NMSS |
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| NRC NOTIFIED BY: CARL SNYDER | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: RICH LAURA | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| MATERIAL/WATER IN SCRUBBER VENTILATION DUCT AT FUEL FACILITY |
| |
| "Facility: Westinghouse Electric Company, Commercial Fuel Fabrication |
| Facility, Columbia SC, low enriched PWR fuel fabricator for commercial light |
| water reactors. |
| License: SNM-l 107. " |
| |
| "Time and Date of Event: Approximately 17:00 hours, Wednesday, September 4, |
| 2002.' |
| |
| "Reason for Notification: Material and liquid detected in wet scrubber |
| ventilation system in Uranium Recycle and Recovery area." |
| |
| "Summary of Process: This ventilation system draws from the safe geometry |
| dissolver system in the Uranium Recycle and Recovery area." |
| |
| "As Found Condition: A summary of the as found conditions is as follows: |
| Material and liquid was found in ventilation ductwork during a planned |
| shutdown and inspection. The ventilation system and associated processes |
| remained shutdown and the Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) function was |
| notified." |
| |
| "Double Contingency Protection: Double contingency protection for the wet |
| side of scrubber ventilation ducts greater than 10 inches in diameter |
| consists of preventing accumulation through prudent system design and |
| operation, configuration control, and detection/mitigation through periodic |
| visual inspection and/or gamma surveys of selected lines. A criticality |
| would be possible in a ventilation duct given an excessive accumulation of |
| uranium occurs in a scrubber vent line greater than 10 inches in diameter, |
| and it becomes moderated, and it is not detected before a critical |
| configuration is formed." |
| |
| "After assessing the ductwork, it was determined that this was a nuclear |
| criticality safety event, in an analyzed system, for which less than |
| previously documented double contingency protection remains. The event |
| requires 24-hour notification in accordance with Westinghouse Operating |
| License (SNM-1107), paragraph 3.7.3 (c.5)." |
| |
| "Summary of Activity: Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) participated with |
| engineering and operations to determine the source of the material and |
| liquid. This investigation is continuing. The ventilation ductwork was |
| inspected. Samples from the ductwork are being obtained for analysis. The |
| ventilation and associated processes are shutdown and in a safe condition." |
| |
| "Conclusions: There was a loss of double contingency protection. At no time |
| was there any risk to the health or safety of any employee or member of the |
| public. No exposure to hazardous material was involved. The Incident Review |
| Committee (IRC) determined that this is a safety significant incident in |
| accordance with governing procedures. A formal causal analysis will be |
| performed." |
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