U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 09/26/2007 - 09/27/2007 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43654 | Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL Licensee: WINGERTER LABORATORIES, INC Region: 1 City: MIAMI State: FL County: License #: 0673-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: CHARLES ADAMS HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/21/2007 Notification Time: 13:06 [ET] Event Date: 09/21/2007 Event Time: [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/21/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): PAUL KROHN (R1) CINDY FLANNERY (FSME) ILTAB EMAIL () | This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING TROXLER GAUGE The State provided the following information via email: "Licensee called 9/21/07, 1:15 AM and reported that a Troxler gauge [model 3411, s/n 10416] is missing. It was last seen on 9/19/07 during the morning inventory in the locked storage locations along with other gauges. It was not present during the evening inventory 9/19/07. No other gauges are missing. Employees started being interviewed by the RSO on 9/20/07. The storage locks have not been tampered with. It was reported missing to the North Miami PD [report # 07-30026] and this office on 9/21/07. Florida is investigating." Isotopes were Am-241/Be (40 mCi) and Cs-137 (8 mCi). Florida Report # FL07-140. 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. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43655 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM Licensee: REGENT OF UC CAL. ENV. HEALTH & SAFETY, UC DAVIS Region: 4 City: DAVIS State: CA County: License #: 1334-57 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: K.A. HEWADIKARAM HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/21/2007 Notification Time: 14:46 [ET] Event Date: 08/22/2007 Event Time: 12:00 [PDT] Last Update Date: 09/21/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4) CINDY FLANNERY (FSME) ILTAB EMAIL () MEXICO FAX () | This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TRITIUM EXIT SIGN The State provided the following information via facsimile: "Reported vandalism of Tritium Exit sign located in the North Parking Structure on campus. Sign was broken open and tritium tubes removed. Police were notified. Estimated activity 12 Ci. No contamination present on wipes of area. Licensee notified all departments of the theft via a safety advisory. "As of 09/20/07 the tritium tubes have not been recovered. A 30 day reporting requirement [is being issued] because it was considered that an exposure would be highly unlikely from this incident. Since the tubes from the sign appeared to be intact when they were removed from the sign (no contamination on wipes) the radiation exposure to the individual is assumed to be zero. The licensee will be replacing all the tritium exit signs with non-radioactive exit signs by November 30, 2007." CA Report # 082207 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. 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 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43656 | Rep Org: OK DEQ RAD MANAGEMENT Licensee: GLOBAL X-RAY SERVICES Region: 4 City: TULSA State: OK County: License #: OK-15194-02 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: MIKE BRODERICK HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 09/21/2007 Notification Time: 17:07 [ET] Event Date: 09/21/2007 Event Time: 15:45 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/21/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4) E. WILLIAM BRACH (FSME) | Event Text POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE OF RADIOGRAPHER HELPER The State of Oklahoma received a report from Global X-Ray Services of a high monthly exposure reading based on results from Landauer. The August badge for a radiography helper had an exposure of 5680 mR. Initial interviews with the employee determined that he had no instances where his dosimeter ever read off-scale or his rate meter ever indicated excessive exposure rates. His work record shows that he worked for 24 days in the month of August with I-192 radiographic devices. He worked with various radiographers during the month and there is no current information showing any excessive exposures for any of the radiographers. The employee is relatively new and has been averaging 200 - 300 mR per month exposure prior to the August reading. Landauer is performing analysis to determine if the dose indicates a 'Static' exposure. Both Global X-Ray and the State are developing follow-up actions at this time. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 43664 | Facility: BROWNS FERRY Region: 2 State: AL Unit: [1] [2] [3] RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4 NRC Notified By: RAY SWAFFORD HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/26/2007 Notification Time: 11:37 [ET] Event Date: 09/26/2007 Event Time: 06:50 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/26/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | Person (Organization): MALCOLM WIDMANN (R2) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | 3 | N | N | 0 | Cold Shutdown | 0 | Cold Shutdown | Event Text OIL SHEEN IN FOREBAY AREA THAT IS NOT FROM BFN At 0650, 09/26/2007, BFN [Brown Ferry Nuclear] was notified by Site Environmental Organization that there is an oil sheen in the forebay that appears to be coming in from the river. Operations responded per site procedure RW1-007, Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan. Environmental and Fire Operations also responded to the scene. The following organizations have been notified: TVA Operations Duty Specialist, National Response Center (event #849942), Alabama Dept. of Environmental Management (Montgomery and Decatur, AL), and Corporate TVA Environmental (TVA Env. Event #1500). Site NRC Residents have been notified. The spill has been estimated to be between 50 to 100 gallons located outside the BPN Intake Structure with a sheen on the inside of the intake. The sheen has been contained to prevent entry into plant operating spaces. TVA Muscle Shoals Response Team is in route to perform cleanup. It has been verified this spill is not coming from BFN. This event is reportable to the NRC via ENS as a 4 hour report under 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(xi), as 'Any event or situation, related to the health and safety of the public or on-site personnel, or protection of the environment, for which a news release is planned or notifications to other government agencies has been or will be made.'" The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43666 | Rep Org: TRANSNUCLEAR Licensee: TRANSNUCLEAR Region: 1 City: COLUMBIA State: MD County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: TARA NEIDER HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ | Notification Date: 09/26/2007 Notification Time: 15:59 [ET] Event Date: 09/19/2007 Event Time: [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/26/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 21.21 - UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH | Person (Organization): MALCOLM WIDMANN (R2) HO NIEH (NRR) MEL GRAY (R1) VERN HODGE (EMAIL) () JOHN THORP (EMAIL) () | Event Text PART-21 DRY CASK CANISTER DOCUMENTATION LOST "TN identified and documented in Supplier Finding Report 2007-111 that our fabricator, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas (GHNEA), had provided inadequate fabrication records resulting in a nonconforming condition relative to the possibility of undocumented Temporary Weld Attachments (TWAs) to the confinement boundary of a loaded NUHOMS 32PTH Dry Shielded Canister (DSC) at Surry Power Station. "This condition involves a lack of documentation for use of qualified welders, approved welding procedures, approved weld filler material and compatible TWA base material, as well as a lack of the required liquid penetrant surface examination report subsequent to TWA removal. Such documentation is required per Article NB-4435 of the ASME B&PV Code Section III, which is a design feature embedded in the Technical Specifications for the NUHOMS HD license. "Based on the preliminary evaluation, it is concluded the subject DSC is capable of performing its design functions involving the structural integrity of the confinement boundary, heat removal, shielding and criticality control associated with the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel." Four DSCs were shipped (three to Surry and one to North Anna) with insufficient documentation. The documentation for one of the Surry canisters was subsequently found. Of the remaining three DSCs, one at Surry, was loaded with spent fuel. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 43667 | Facility: PILGRIM Region: 1 State: MA Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-3 NRC Notified By: JOHN WHALEY HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL | Notification Date: 09/26/2007 Notification Time: 18:04 [ET] Event Date: 09/26/2007 Event Time: 14:55 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/26/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE | Person (Organization): MEL GRAY (R1) | 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 TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER AND OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER VENTILATION INOPERABLE "At 1455 on September 26, 2007 investigatory surveillance testing identified that the emergency ventilation system designed to be manually initiated upon facility activation to maintain the Technical Support Center (TSC) and Operations Support Center (OSC) at positive pressure was not functioning properly. The emergency fan motor operated discharge dampers were not fully opening preventing the ability to achieve rated system flow and therefore design positive pressure. Maintenance is currently in progress to restore the degraded dampers/damper controls. Pilgrim is also investigating a temporary modification that would allow manual damper alignment to support achieving design positive pressure. Responsible Pilgrim Emergency Response Organization (ERO) personnel have been notified of this condition. The alternate technical and operations support facilities remain fully functional." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. The licensee will notify the State of Massachusetts. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 43668 | Facility: RIVER BEND Region: 4 State: LA Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-6 NRC Notified By: GARY HUSTON HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 09/27/2007 Notification Time: 03:48 [ET] Event Date: 09/26/2007 Event Time: 22:44 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/27/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL | Person (Organization): CLAUDE JOHNSON (R4) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 1 | A/R | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text AUTOMATIC REACTOR SCRAM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF APRM SURVEILLANCE TESTING "At approximately 2244 on September 26, 2007 an unplanned reactor scram occurred. An Average Power Range Monitor (APRM) surveillance was being performed at the time. This surveillance should not have caused a full scram and the cause of the scram is under investigation. The plant responded to the scram as expected, all control rods fully inserted, and there is no need for emergency injection system operation. Critical parameters are being maintained within prescribed bands and the plant has been stabilized. A level 3 signal was received during this scram which would have caused an isolation but all affected valves were already in the closed position. "This event is being reported in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) as an event that results in activation of the reactor protection system with the reactor critical." All emergency systems are available and in standby mode. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |