Event Notification Report for July 14, 2006

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
07/13/2006 - 07/14/2006

** EVENT NUMBERS **


42696 42697 42703 42704

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General Information or Other Event Number: 42696
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: BERKSHIRE MEDICAL CENTER
Region: 1
City: PITTSFIELD State: MA
County:
License #: 60-0005
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: M. WHALEN
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT
Notification Date: 07/10/2006
Notification Time: 09:30 [ET]
Event Date: 04/20/2004
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/10/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GLENN MEYER (R1)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
Email to ILTAB ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST BRACHYTHERAPY SEED

The licensee provided the following information via email:

"As a result of a recent routine inspection, the licensee made report on June 12, 2006, of a lost/missing Pd-103 brachytherapy seed originally containing 3.39 millicuries of Pd-103 on April 20, 2004 and discovered lost/missing on the same date (April 20, 2004)

"The seed was never found and was believed to have been disposed of as non-radioactive trash within a cartridge on April 20, 2004. The Pd-103 contained in the seed has a short half-life of 17 days.

"A nurse handling the cartridge with one remaining seed in the operating room likely disposed of the cartridge and seed into non-radioactive trash. The licensee concluded that such disposal of the single seed contained in the cartridge would not generate any noticeable radiation exposure to the general public.

"The licensee provided additional training to nurses who handle cartridges in the operating room."

Report number 06-6414

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.

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General Information or Other Event Number: 42697
Rep Org: MISSISSIPPI DIV OF RAD HEALTH
Licensee: BURNS COOLEY DENNIS, INC.
Region: 4
City: RIDGELAND State: MS
County:
License #: MS-619-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: B.J. SMITH
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 07/10/2006
Notification Time: 14:11 [ET]
Event Date: 07/09/2006
Event Time: 21:45 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 07/13/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED TROXLER GAUGE

The State provided the following information via email:

"Received notification on 7-9-06 from Mississippi Emergency Management (MEMA) that a Troxler 3440 moisture/density gauge, Serial # 31576, had been involved in a fire at a residential location. The gauge was chained and locked in its approved DOT transportation container to the bed of the pick-up truck. A neighbor had seen the fire and called 911. Ridgeland Fire Department extinguished the truck fire and secured the area. DRH responded to the incident and removed the melted gauge from the truck bed. Survey readings were taken at the truck after the gauge was removed and determined to be background (9 microR/hr).

"DRH responded to the scene and removed the gauge from the bed of the pickup. Gauge was secured in a plastic garbage bag and placed in DRH vehicle. Cesium-137 source rod was shielded with a lead pig. Gauge was brought to DRH office where leak tests were performed and gauge was stored until pick-up by disposal contractor.

"Isotopes: Cesium-137 (9 mCi) and Americium-241/Be (40 mCi)

"Survey readings were 95 mR/hr near the end of the Cesium-137 source rod. Survey readings of the Americium-241/Be source were 5 mR/hr. Survey readings of the sources in the bed of the DRH vehicle after shielding them were 15 mR/hr. Sources were leak tested by DRH and appear not to be leaking."

* * * UPDATE FROM S. SMITH TO W. GOTT AT 1006 ON 7/13/06 * * *

Updated to correct units of the background radiation levels and the survey readings.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 42703
Facility: HADDAM NECK
Region: 1 State: CT
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: RALPH COX
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Notification Date: 07/12/2006
Notification Time: 17:33 [ET]
Event Date: 07/12/2006
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/13/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
GLENN MEYER (R1)
WILLIAM RULAND (NMSS)
MARIE MILLER (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

LOSS OF OFFSITE POWER AT A DECOMMISSIONED FACILITY

The licensee reported a loss of ENS and commercial telephone lines due to a loss of power to the phone switch located offsite from the facility. The call was provided as a courtesy notification and the licensee indicated that cell phone and satellite phone communication were still available. These methods of communication were tested and verified to be working satisfactorily. During the initial notification, it was not made clear to the NRC Operations Center that the facility had lost all offsite power and was operating on backup propane generators. The licensee stated that there were no operability problems onsite and that power was expected to be returned to the phone system within approximately 1 hour.

Update calls were placed to the licensee by the Headquarters Operations Officer at 1930 EDT and again at 2200 EDT to determine phone status. At the 2200 EDT call, it became clear that the site had also experienced a loss of offsite power. The loss of power was due to a tree that had fallen on a power line away from the site and that the licensee did not have any information on when it would be restored. The licensee stated that all onsite power requirements were being met by a backup propane generator and all facility systems (other than the phones) were operable. The licensee stated that the loss of offsite power was not reportable and the loss of the ENS and commercial lines was reportable as information only. The licensee still did not have information on when the power would be restored.

R1DO (Meyer), NMSS EO (Ruland), R1 (Miller) were provided the updated information on the offsite power loss at the site when this information was clarified by the licensee.

* * * RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM CHRIS POULOS TO JOE O'HARA ON 7/13/06 AT 0155 * * *

The licensee reports that power has been restored to the site and both ENS and commercial phones lines are operating properly.

R1DO (Meyer), NMSS EO (Ruland), R1 (Miller) notified.

* * * UPDATE FROM RALPH COX TO PETE SNYDER ON 7/13/06 AT 1652 * * *

The licensee reexamined the circumstances about this event when it was originally reported and decided to reclassify the original event as a 10 CFR 50.72 (b)(3)(xiii) Loss of Communications / Assessment / Response Capability. The heading information of this report was updated to reflect the licensee's reclassification.

R1DO (Meyer), NMSS EO (Ruland) notified.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 42704
Facility: CALVERT CLIFFS
Region: 1 State: MD
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: JOE GIOFFRE
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Notification Date: 07/13/2006
Notification Time: 20:08 [ET]
Event Date: 07/13/2006
Event Time: 18:26 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 07/13/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
GLENN MEYER (R1)

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

Event Text

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION RELATED TO JELLYFISH INFLUX

The licensee was required to secure circulating water pump 26 due to a significant influx of jellyfish. Per the licensee's NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit, the licensee is required to notify the Maryland Department of Environment of any significant aquatic impact on plant operation. The licensee remained at 100% power throughout. The licensee has not yet restarted the 26 circ water pump pending evaluation of a long term strategy related to the recent jellyfish events.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

See similar Event Notifications 42699, 42700. and 42702.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021