Event Notification Report for May 25, 2006

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
05/24/2006 - 05/25/2006

** EVENT NUMBERS **


42593 42601 42603 42605

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General Information or Other Event Number: 42593
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: ISORX
Region: 4
City: SAN FRANCISCO State: CA
County:
License #: CA-6264
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KENT PRENDERGAST
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 05/21/2006
Notification Time: 18:38 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2006
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 05/22/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
PATRICIA HOLAHAN (NMSS)
ILTAB - EMAIL (TAS)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN I-131 CAPSULE

The licensee (IsoRx) reported to the State of California that their vehicle was broken into at Modesto, CA and a 2 milliCurie capsule of I-131 was taken. IsoRx is a Nuclear Pharmaceutical company operating in San Francisco, CA. The owner and RSO is on his way to Modesto to investigate this matter. The State of CA told licensee to contact the Modesto police and fill out a report.

* * * UPDATE PROVIDED FROM KENT PRENDERGAST TO JEFF ROTTON AT 1616 EDT ON 05/22/06 * * *

The initial report from the State of California claimed that the vehicle was broken into in Modesto, CA. That was reported incorrectly and is being revised by the update provided below.

The State provided the following information via email:

"On 5/21/06, the RSO at IsoRx called Kent Prendergast [State of California] to report a theft of about 2 mCi of I-131 capsule from a trunk of a IsoRX vehicle that was parked at Myrtle Street between Park and Larkin in San Francisco. Immediately after the incident, the RSO and [Deleted] (CHP) surveyed a four block area around the theft site with a Ludlum Model 3, (S/N 197096, PR 207476) micro R meter. A thorough survey of the vehicle was also performed. None of the surveys indicated any elevated readings above background. The RSO also conducted a ground search of the area with the pharmacy personnel and spoke with local 'street people' to uncover any information. A reward was also offered for the capsule. RSO filed reports with OES and SFPD. The RSO will be sending a formal report to the RHB regarding the incident."

Notified R4DO(Shaffer) and NMSS EO (Burgess) and ILTAB(via email).


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 injured someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source

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Power Reactor Event Number: 42601
Facility: HADDAM NECK
Region: 1 State: CT
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: RALPH COX
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT
Notification Date: 05/24/2006
Notification Time: 09:35 [ET]
Event Date: 05/24/2006
Event Time: 08:05 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/24/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
MEL GRAY (R1)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N N 0 Decommissioned 0 Decommissioned

Event Text

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION

" [An] inadvertent release of radioactive contaminated material, specifically three items/tools had fixed contamination, [was reported to the Connecticut State Police and Department of Environmental Protection]. The tools were located on a truck which had left the site previous to the discovery of contamination. The maximum [fixed] contamination level is 1400 corrected counts per minute (ccpm) (approximately 14,000 disintegrations per minute per 100 square cm)."

The incident occurred on May 18, 2006. It was discovered when personnel were observed passing tools across a boundary line. Further investigations determined that the truck had left the site with the tools. All tools were accounted for, labeled as radioactive material and stored in a radioactive material area. Surveys of the truck indicate that there was no spread of contamination and there was no personnel contamination. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector and NRC Region 1.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 42603
Facility: WOLF CREEK
Region: 4 State: KS
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: STEVE GIFFORD
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 05/24/2006
Notification Time: 16:46 [ET]
Event Date: 05/24/2006
Event Time: 10:38 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/24/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)

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

Event Text

UNANALYZED CONDITION DISCOVERED DURING POST-FIRE SAFE SHUTDOWN AREA REVIEW

"While performing a post-fire safe shutdown area review for fire area C-35, it was discovered that a design basis fire in this area could prevent operation of both Class 1E Electrical Equipment air-conditioning units (SGK05A and SGK05B). The Class 1E Electrical Equipment air conditioning units provide temperature control for equipment required for safe shutdown in the Class 1E switchgear rooms (ESF switchgear rooms, DC switchgear rooms, and NK battery rooms). A fire in fire area C-35 could impact fire protection panel KC230 and cables associated with the automatic shutdown feature for the air conditioning units. The automatic shutdown feature normally operates whenever a fire occurs in any of the Class 1E switchgear rooms prior to Halon fire suppression operation. A fire in fire area C-35 could result in the inability to operate the air conditioning units and provide the necessary temperature control for equipment required for safe shutdown.

"Compensatory measures: a continuous fire watch was established for fire area C-35, a temporary procedure change will be completed to allow use of a jumper to restore Class 1E air conditioning unit (SGK05A) to service, if required, at which time the continuous fire watch will be changed to an hourly watch."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 42605
Facility: VERMONT YANKEE
Region: 1 State: VT
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4
NRC Notified By: KELLY ROBINSON
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 05/24/2006
Notification Time: 21:52 [ET]
Event Date: 05/24/2006
Event Time: 21:02 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/24/2006
Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
Person (Organization):
MEL GRAY (R1)
CATHERINE HANEY (NRR)
THOMAS BLOUNT (IRD)
MR LEE (DHS)
ERWIN CASTO (FEMA)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 56 Power Operation

Event Text

UNUSUAL EVENT FOR A FIRE LASTING GREATER THAN TEN MINUTES

Licensee declared an Unusual Event due to a fire that was not extinguished within 10 minutes - EAL U4A. There were no flames, only smoke. Control Room received a Bus 2 ground alarm, reduced power, secured the B Main Feedwater Pump, inserted control rods below the Maximum Extended Load Limit Analysis (MELLA) line, and then secured the C Condensate Pump. The ground alarm cleared after securing the C Condensate Pump.

CO2 discharged automatically into the switchgear room due to the smoke in the switchgear room. The switchgear room has been ventilated, site personnel have entered and no other damage to the switchgear has been identified other than the C Condensate pump breaker.

Offsite Fire (Vernon Fire Department) responded to the site and is assisting with ventilation. One ambulance is responding to transport a Fire Brigade member that is not feeling well due to heat.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, and State and Local emergency response organizations.

Notified R1 PAO (Screnci).

* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY KELLY ROBINSON TO JEFF ROTTON AT 2239 ON 05/24/06 * * *

Licensee called to terminate the Unusual Event. The plant is in a stable condition with no other outstanding problems. Ventilation of the switchgear room is continuing and air samples are being analyzed.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, and State and Local emergency response organizations.

Notified R1 (Holian, Powell, Bores), IRD (Blount), NRR EO (Haney), R1DO (Gray), DHS (Lee) and FEMA (Casto)

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021