| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
04/28/2006 - 05/01/2006 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 42165 | Facility: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT
RX Type: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY
Comments: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER
6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200
Region: 2
City: PADUCAH State: KY
County: McCRACKEN
License #: GDP-1
Agreement: Y
Docket: 0707001
NRC Notified By: KEVIN BEASLEY
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 11/22/2005
Notification Time: 15:54 [ET]
Event Date: 11/22/2005
Event Time: 12:05 [CST]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
RESPONSE-BULLETIN
| Person (Organization):
KERRY LANDIS (R2)
SCOTT FLANDERS (NMSS)
| Event Text IMPROPER CRITICALITY SPACING FOR WASTE DRUM
"At 1205 CST, on 11-22-05 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that during waste drum remediation activities, a drum was discovered that was in violation of one leg of double contingency. Drum #39666W has been determined to contain up to (deleted) g (grams) U235 exceeding the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums. This drum was previously located in an NCS (Nuclear Criticality Safety) Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001 requirements. The drum was moved to the C-335 storage area under an approved Remediation Guide which established a safety basis for the movement of drums that had been roped off and posted per earlier direction. This drum is currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area maintaining a minimum 2 foot edge-to-edge spacing under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency."
SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS
"While the (deleted) gram U235 limit was exceeded for this drum; DAC-832-2A1280-0001 demonstrates that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical. The storage area is roped off and posted to prevent the addition of fissile material to the area; therefore another upset would be required before a criticality is possible."
POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO(S) OF HOW CRITICALITY COULD OCCUR)
"This drum is currently stored in the Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, meeting double contingency. In order for a criticality to occur, two independent, unlikely, and concurrent events would have to occur."
CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION, GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION, ETC.)
"Double contingency is maintained by implementing two controls on mass."
ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE PROCESS LIMIT AND % WORST CASE CRITICAL MASS)
"The drum has been determined to contain (deleted) grams U235. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical."
NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES
"Although the drum contains greater than the WMO-001 limit of (deleted) grams U235 for NCS Spacing Exempt drums, it has been shown to be less than (deleted) grams U235 based on independent sample results. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array, are subcritical. Therefore, an additional process upset (i.e., spacing upset) would be necessary in order to have a criticality. Therefore, while the drum contained greater than (deleted) grams U235 in the spacing exempt array, the array has been shown to be subcritical for drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 thus maintaining one leg of double contingency."
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEMS AND WHEN EACH WAS IMPLEMENTED
"At the time of discovery, the drum was being stored according to NCS approved spacing controls. The drum will continue to be handled according to approved controls until the U235 mass can be reduced to meet the NCS Spacing Exempt criteria per NCSA WMO-001.
The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event."
See Related Event Report #40700.
* * * UPDATE 1802 EST ON 2/13/06 FROM K. BEASLEY TO S. SANDIN * * *
"At 1100 [CST], on 02-13-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that two additional waste drums were discovered that exceed the allowed [deleted] gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event."
Notified R2DO(Ayres) and NMSS (Camper).
* * * UPDATE ON 3/20/06 AT 1859 EST FROM B. WALLACE TO HUFFMAN * * *
"At 1430, on 03-20-06, the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that an additional waste drum has been discovered that exceeds the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The additional drum was determined to contain (deleted) grams U235. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Ernstes) and NMSS EO (Pierson) notified.
* * * UPDATE ON 4/20/06 AT 1750 EDT FROM B. WALLACE TO HUFFMAN * * *
" At 1130, on 04-20-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that an additional waste drum has been discovered that exceeds the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The additional drum (#41663) was determined to contain (deleted) grams of U235."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Lesser) and NMSS EO (Janosko) notified.
* * * UPDATE ON 4/21/06 AT 2040 EDT FROM WALKER TO HUFFMAN * * *
"At 1333, on 4-21-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that seven additional waste drums had been discovered that exceed the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"Seven additional drums (41160W,41161W,41162W,41158W,41159W,40605W.41681W) were determined to contain in excess of the (deleted) gram limit of U235 but less than the (deleted) gram safety limit."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Lesser) and NMSS EO (Janosko) notified.
* * * UPDATE ON 4/28/06 AT 1802 EDT FROM WALKER TO A. COSTA * * *
"At 1430, on 04-28-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that an additional waste drum has been discovered that exceeds the allowed [DELETED] gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drum is currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"[This] one additional drum, # 43170W was determined to contain in excess of the [DELETED] gram limit of U235 but less than the [DELETED] gram safety limit."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R2DO (Landis) and NMSS EO (Giitter). |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 42525 | Rep Org: GEORGIA RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PGM
Licensee: MILLER BREWING COMPANY
Region: 1
City: ALBANY State: GA
County:
License #: GA546-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CYNTHIA SANDERS
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 04/25/2006
Notification Time: 12:45 [ET]
Event Date: 04/20/2006
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/25/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD BARKLEY (R1)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
ILTAB (EMAIL) (NSIR)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST PROCESS INSTRUMENT SOURCE
On 4/20/06 the licensee Radiation Safety Officer called the State of Georgia to report the loss of a process instrument source. The instrument contained a 100 millicurie Americium-241 source as part of an Industrial Dynamics Model CI-2 case inspector serial number 00224. The source serial number is 3139 and model number is 06765.
The instrument was installed in a conveyor system that was removed and salvaged between March 20 and 25 of this year. The licensee contacted the Albany recycling facility to notify them of possible disposal at their facility but the recycling center said that their radiation detectors did not alarm. The recycling company also sends their scrap to IPSCO and ELG recycling operations in Mobile, AL. The licensee continues its search for the lost source. The licensee is currently reviewing their procedures for handling radioactive devices and the entire plant population will be retrained.
The Georgia State ERC report number is 38364.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42533 | Facility: KEWAUNEE
Region: 3 State: WI
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-2-LP
NRC Notified By: JOEL STODOLA
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 04/28/2006
Notification Time: 03:20 [ET]
Event Date: 04/27/2006
Event Time: 22:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
| Person (Organization):
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Intermediate Shutdown | 0 | Intermediate Shutdown | Event Text BOTH SAFETY INJECTION TRAINS DECLARED INOPERABLE
At 22:30 on 04/27/2006 the Kewaunee Power Station declared both trains of Safety Injection (SI) inoperable. SI Pumps A & B were declared out of service per Surveillance Procedure SP 87-125 (Shift Instrument Channel Checks-Operating) due to SI Accumulator B level change of greater than or equal to 3%. SI Accumulator B level indicator (LI-935) indicated 30%. Previous indication recorded for SI Accumulator B was 33%. Per SP-87-125 'If the SI pumps are not vented prior to a level decrease of greater than or equal to 3%, the SI pumps become INOPERABLE.' TS 3.0.c (Standard Shutdown Sequence) was entered. At 0130 on 4/28/2006, venting of both SI Pumps was completed. SI Pump A was returned to service and SI Pump B remains out of service due to SW Train B inoperability.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42534 | Facility: KEWAUNEE
Region: 3 State: WI
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-2-LP
NRC Notified By: JOEL STODOLA
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 04/28/2006
Notification Time: 03:25 [ET]
Event Date: 04/27/2006
Event Time: 19:29 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) - DEGRADED CONDITION
| Person (Organization):
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Intermediate Shutdown | 0 | Intermediate Shutdown | Event Text TWO TRAINS OF SHIELD BUILDING VENTILATION INOPERABLE
At 19:29 on 04/27/2006 the Kewaunee Power Station declared two trains of Shield Building Ventilation (SBV) inoperable. Train B SBV was declared inoperable on 4/25/2006 at 17:25 when SW Train B was declared out of service for a leak that developed on the branch header to Diesel Generator B and TS 3.3.e.2 was entered. On 4/27/2006 at 19:29 QA typing discrepancies in RR-119 were discovered. QA-2 components were used in a QA-1 system, which could potentially cause a failure of some safety related equipment powered from this relay rack. As a result, all safety related equipment powered from RR-119 were declared inoperable and the appropriate technical specifications entered. SBV Train A Damper Control is powered from RR-119 and was declared inoperable at 19:29 on 4/27/2006 resulting in two trains of SBV being inoperable and TS 3.6.c.1 entered. The QA-2 components that may have an adverse affect on QA-1 safety related components in RR-119 have been removed and both trains of SBV were declared operable at 00:29 on 4/28/2006.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| !!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!! | | Power Reactor | Event Number: 42536 | Facility: COOK
Region: 3 State: MI
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: BUD HINCKLEY
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON | Notification Date: 04/29/2006
Notification Time: 14:19 [ET]
Event Date: 04/29/2006
Event Time: 10:56 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/30/2006 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT
| Person (Organization):
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3)
MARY JANE ROSS-LEE (NRR)
PETER WILSON (IRD)
BOZZO (DHS)
DUNKER (FEMA)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | N | 0 | Hot Shutdown | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text DISCOVERY OF AFTER-THE- FACT EMERGENCY CONDITION - UNUSUAL EVENT DUE TO RCS LINEUP
"D.C. Cook Unit 2 was in Mode 4 and heating up after Unit 2 Cycle 16 refueling outage when 2-IMO-340 (East RHR pump to Charging Pump Suction Header) was throttled open. RHR suction was aligned to Loop 2 Hot Leg with wide range RCS pressure at 337 psig and RCS average temperature 280 degrees Fahrenheit. Charging header safety valve 2-SV-56 lifted with a setting of 220 psig and relieved to the Pressurizer Relief Tank (PRT) between 10:56:00 and 10:58:30. 2-IMO-340 was then closed. Approximately, 120 gallons of reactor coolant were directed to the PRT during the approximate 2.5 minutes, resulting in a flow rate of approximately 48 gpm, greater than the 25 gallon per minute identified leak rate limit for an Unusual Event [10 CFR 50.72(a)(1)(i)]. Time of discovery for leakage quantity and reportability was 13:21 on 4/29/06.
"Therefore, for approximately 2.5 minutes, D.C. Cook Unit 2 met the conditions for an Unusual Event. However, this fact was discovered after leakage was stopped. Unit 2 is stable in Mode 4 at 340 degrees Fahrenheit and 405 psig RCS pressure.
"An Unusual Event was NOT declared, but the conditions for an Unusual Event were met under Emergency Condition Criteria S-8 between 10:56:00 and 10:58:30 on 4/29/06. This ENS notification is being made within one hour of the discovery of the undeclared event."
The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * RETRACTION ON 4/30/06 AT 1419 EDT FROM D. TURINETTI TO J. MACKINNON * * *
"EN# 42536 reported that D.C. Cook Unit 2 satisfied the conditions for entry into an Unusual Event under Emergency Condition Criteria S-B, identified RCS leakage exceeding 25 GPM. This was identified after system alignment had been restored, ending the event, and was reported as an after the fact declaration that the conditions for an Unusual Event had been satisfied, but not declared. Subsequent review of this event has determined that the conditions for Emergency Condition Criteria S-B were not satisfied in that no identified RCS leakage occurred during this event. The diversion of 120 gallons of CVCS [Chemical Volume and Control System] inventory was the result of plant alignment by Operations personnel which was immediately recognized and terminated. Plant systems and components functioned as designed to terminate this event."
The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R3DO (H. Peterson). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42537 | Facility: HATCH
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: STEVE BURTON
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 05/01/2006
Notification Time: 05:17 [ET]
Event Date: 05/01/2006
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/01/2006 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
KERRY LANDIS (R2)
MARY JANE ROSS-LEE (NRR)
PETER WILSON (IRD)
HOLZ (DHS)
BAGWELL (FEMA)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 90 | Power Operation | Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO A FIRE IN AN ISOPHASE BUS DUCT LASTING 11 MINUTES
"The Unusual Event was declared due to a fire lasting greater than 10 minutes (after discovery) within the protected area. The fire was located on the Isophase Bus Duct near the Main Transformer. A load reduction to 80% rated thermal power is in progress on Unit 1. The fire was extinguished at 0450 with dry chemicals extinguishers."
The licensee believes the fire was on cabling in the Isophase bus duct due to overheating. The licensee has been monitoring hot spots on the duct cabling for several days. The fire did not apparently impact any other systems and observers are at the location monitoring for any change in conditions. No Tech Spec Limiting Conditions of Operations resulted from the fire and there is no impact on Unit 2 operations (which is currently at 100%). Termination criteria will be based on management judgment and safety assessment. | |