Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2005

Event Notification Report for July 26, 2005

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
07/25/2005 - 07/26/2005

** EVENT NUMBERS **

General Information or Other	Event Number: 41859
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM Licensee: PORT OF OAKLAND Region: 4 City: OAKLAND State: CA County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: MARK GOTTLIEB HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE	Notification Date: 07/20/2005 Notification Time: 16:00 [ET] Event Date: 07/07/2005 Event Time: [PDT] Last Update Date: 07/21/2005
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): LINDA SMITH (R4) TOM ESSIG (NMSS)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SCRAP METAL CONTAMINATION

State of California provided the following information via email:
"[The] US Customs Service, Port of Oakland contacted RHB-Berkeley on the morning of 07-07-2005, reporting that a load of scrap metal bound for China had set off a radiation alarm. Mr. Kent Prendergast and Mr. Mark Gottlieb of RHB-Berkeley responded. Measurements were made of the trailer and the following readings were obtained using a Bicron FieldSPEC-N, sn 02f3/777, portable MCA:

"Dose Rates: Surface = 260 µR/hr; 1 foot from surface = 38 µR/hr; 1 foot to the left = 35 µR/hr; 1 foot to the right = 45 µR/hr; 1 foot above = 19 µR/hr. The radionuclide was identified as Am-241.

"On 07-08-2005, the Pleasant Hill Recycling Center was visited. The Port of Oakland determined that the load of scrap metal had originated there. [The Recycling Center] President and the Manager were interviewed. They stated that the load was lead scrap which had been accumulating for several years. They said that it would be very difficult to identify the source of the Am-241 if possible at all. They were uncertain if the scrap would be returned to them or handled by the Port of Oakland. [The Recycling Center President had] made contact with a health physics consultant as directed by the Port of Oakland to dispose of the Am-241. The area where the lead was stored was surveyed with both a Ludlum Model 3-98 survey meter with an external thin window, thin crystal Nal probe Mode 44-3, and a Ludlum Model 19 µR meter. The results of the survey were negative.

"Based on measurements and calculations performed on 7-19-05 and 7-20-05, the activity of the Am-241/ Be source at the Port of Oakland is from 50 mCi to 150 mCi."

Power Reactor	Event Number: 41868
Facility: VERMONT YANKEE Region: 1 State: VT Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-4 NRC Notified By: ANDREW WISNIEWSKI HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER	Notification Date: 07/25/2005 Notification Time: 17:35 [ET] Event Date: 07/25/2005 Event Time: [EDT] Last Update Date: 07/25/2005
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - ECCS INJECTION 50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION	Person (Organization): GLENN MEYER (R1) CLIFF ANDERSON (R1) CORNELIUS HOLDEN (NRR) PETER WILSON (IRD)

Unit	SCRAM Code	RX CRIT	Initial PWR	Initial RX Mode	Current PWR	Current RX Mode
1	N	Y	100	Power Operation	0	Hot Shutdown

Event Text

REACTOR TRIP CAUSED BY FAILURE IN SWITCHYARD

"At 1525 the plant experienced a load reject generator trip due to a catastrophic failure in the 345 kV switchyard. A reactor scram occurred as a result. The degraded AC power system prevented a fast transfer from occurring. Degraded bus voltage caused the emergency diesel generators (EDGs) to start. A residual bus transfer restored power to the 4 kV busses. The [main steam isolation valves] (MSIVs) closed on a low-low reactor water level of 82.5 inches. [Reactor Core Isolation Cooling] and [High Pressure Coolant Injection] (HPCI) also started on the low-low reactor vessel water level.

"The [Safety Relief Valves] were cycled twice for pressure control. OT 3100 Reactor Scram procedure was executed. EOP-3 was entered due to elevated torus water temperature and both loops of [Residual Heat Removal] (RHR) are in torus cooling. Water level has restored and is being maintained by feedwater. The MSIVs have been reopened and the scram reset. EDGs were secured."

The plant is currently shutdown and stable with all control rods fully inserted. Decay heat removal is being accomplished with HPCI in pressure control mode. The licensee is transitioning to feeding with normal feedwater and steam exhausting through drains. Both trains of RHR are providing torus cooling. Electric power is being provided by offsite power. The licensee is currently investigating the event in the switchyard.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector and will issue a press release.

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