Event Notification Report for February 25, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
02/22/2008 - 02/25/2008

** EVENT NUMBERS **


43993 43994 43995 44002 44004 44005

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General Information or Other Event Number: 43993
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: NATIONAL INSPECTION SERVICES LLC
Region: 4
City: CROWLEY State: TX
County:
License #: L05930
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: LATISCHA HANSON
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 02/19/2008
Notification Time: 12:22 [ET]
Event Date: 02/18/2008
Event Time: 19:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/19/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GEOFFREY MILLER (R4)
MICHELE BURGESS (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHILE TRANSPORTING A RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA

The following report was received via email from the State of Texas:

"At 8:04 p.m., Radiation Control (RC) was contacted through the 24-hour Radiological Emergency Assistance telephone number by San Jacinto Emergency Management, reporting a car accident in San Jacinto County, on Highway 59, north of Houston, where a company was transporting a radioactive camera which was thrown from the truck onto the roadside. The Emergency Management representative reported that there was no leakage from the camera and that the driver sustained minor injuries. They did not have the company's name or any additional information on the radioactive source and was following instructions to make the initial notification to the State. The Emergency Management representative said they would call back with additional information.

"The Emergency Management representative called back and relayed the following information:

"Company/Licensee: National Inspection Services - out of Crowley, TX

"The Emergency Management representative reported that the Cleveland Haz-Mat team was handling the incident, but did not have any contact information for them.

"RC placed a call to the company contact, who informed RC that he was enroute from Sulphur, LA and would be on-site in 2 hours. He gave me the name and the telephone number of the Haz-Mat chief on-site. He also said another company supervisor was enroute from Lafayette, LA and would be there ~1 hour.

"RC then called the Haz-Mat chief on-site, who reported that they surveyed with a Victoreen 6A series survey meter on the x100, x10 and x1 scales and got no readings of any radiation leakage. He said the camera was intact but out of its transport container. He informed RC that they were going to transport it back to the station. RC asked him for the manufacturer's information on the camera. The chief said he had it an ice cooler, with styrofoam overpack in the back of his truck and to call him back ~ 3 minutes for the information.

"Meanwhile RC called the company representative from Lafayette, had the camera information:

"Mfg.: SPEC 150 Ir-192 camera with ~ 30 Ci source.

"He said that a Level II Radiographer was also in the company vehicle and was on the accident scene with the chief and could answer any questions. He also said the Texas Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) was contacted and would get with RC. He said the truck was a complete loss, the darkroom broke apart off of the truck and the camera was thrown out of the darkroom. He said the Level II Radiographer followed their O&E procedures for handling the recovery and securing of the camera. He said the camera would be picked up tonight by the company representative from Sulphur and would be sent off to SPEC in the morning for leak testing. I reminded him of the written notification as a follow-up to the telephone notification. He did not know off-hand their Texas Radioactive Materials License (RAML) number.

"RC called the chief back right away, whose information concurred with the company representative's. RC then asked to speak with the Radiographer, who confirmed that he oversaw the camera recovery, examination and radiation surveying and concurred that the camera was neither damaged nor leaking. RC told him and the chief that in keeping with Increased Controls (IC), to have the Radiographer travel with the camera when it is transported back to the fire station, so that visual control of the camera is maintained by the licensee. RC also asked that the company representative from Sulphur, LA contact RC when they picked up the camera and the employee.

"RC placed a call back to the other company representative from Lafayette and relayed the same information to him. He agreed to call me back as soon as he had secured them both.

"RC followed up with a resolution summation call to San Jacinto Emergency Management.

"I will await the camera secured-confirmation call from Joe. At 11:04 p.m. (CST) RC received the telephone call from the Haz-Mat employee that the camera and company employee were both picked up.

"02/19/08, camera verification information from licensee @ 9:49 a.m.:

"Mfg: SPEC Model: 150 Serial No.: 875 or 820
"Source: Ir-192 25 Ci Mfg.: SPEC Serial No.: OH2913
"Last leak test: 01/31/08"

Texas Incident #: I-8484

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General Information or Other Event Number: 43994
Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: KLEINFELDER, INC.
Region: 4
City: PUEBLO State: CO
County:
License #: 958-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES H. GRICE III
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 02/19/2008
Notification Time: 17:56 [ET]
Event Date: 12/19/2007
Event Time: 16:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 02/19/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GEOFFREY MILLER (R4)
ROBERT LEWIS (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A DAMAGED CPN PORTABLE GAUGE

The following report was received via email:

"This is the initial notification for an incident that was reported to this Department on 12/19/2007 at approximately 4:00PM. At that time the Department was notified by telephone of an accident involving a CPN model MC1 DR portable gauge. The gauge is owned and operated by Kleinfelder, Inc., Colorado Radioactive Materials License Number 958-01. The incident occurred at a temporary jobsite just outside of Pueblo, Colorado. The individual notifying the Department was . . . the company RSO. The licensee reported that while at the jobsite the operator backed his vehicle over the gauge. At the time of the accident, the Cs-137 source was in its shielded position. The result of the accident was that the handle/source rod was snapped off above the gauge case approximately 6 inches from the top of the handle. The source remained in the shielded position and the body of the gauge remained intact with no apparent damage. The gauge was inspected by Department personnel on 02/04/2008 and was found to be in the condition previously described by the RSO. The department had directed the Licensee to leak test the gauge at the time the report was initially made and the results are pending. Once the leak test results are received by the Department the licensee will be directed to provide details on repair or disposal of the gauge. No other details are available at this time."

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General Information or Other Event Number: 43995
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: QSA GLOBAL
Region: 1
City: BURLINGTON State: MA
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MARIO IANNACCONE
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 02/20/2008
Notification Time: 10:11 [ET]
Event Date: 02/19/2008
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/21/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (R1)
MICHELE BURGESS (FSME)
ILTAB (e-mail) ()

This material event contains a "Category 2" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL SHIPMENT MISSING

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts confirmed receipt of the following email notification (no additional comments) made by the shipper (QSA Global) to both them and the NRC Operations Center at 0955 EST:

"Please be advised that QSA Global, Inc. has been notified that a shipment of radioactive material bound for Hong Kong has been declared missing. Details follow:

"Customer: ETS Testconsult Ltd. In Hong Kong, PRC
"Carrier: Fed Ex
"One 650L transport container containing (2) Ir-192 sources: (1) 2.9 TBq (77.5 Ci) and (1) 2.1 TBq (57.2 Ci)

"It is believed that the material is not in the US as it had cleared the Anchorage, AK facility. A trace has been initiated, but due to the wide variation in time zones, not all intermediate locations in Asia have been checked as of this notification."

The airway bill confirms the shipment arrived in Hong Kong on 2/18/08 at 4:54 pm local time.

* * * UPDATE AT 1152 ON 2/20/2008 FROM MARIO IANNACCONE TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

The shipment has been found at the Fed Ex facility in Newark, NJ.

Notified FSME (Burgess), R1DO (Powell), and IP (Ramsey).

* * * UPDATE FROM CHARLES ELLARS (QSA GLOBAL) TO HOWIE CROUCH ON 02/21/08 @ 1015 EST * * *

In a correction to the previous update, FedEx informed the QSA Global broker that the shipment was NOT physically located in Newark, NJ. What was located in Newark was the FedEx container the freight was manifested on. It is now believed that the shipment was sent unmanifested to Hong Kong. QSA Global representatives in Hong Kong will be contacting the FedEx facility in Hong Kong to determine the status of the shipment. Additionally, QSA Global has contacted the FedEx RSO on the matter.


* * * UPDATE FROM CHARLES ELLARS (QSA GLOBAL) TO JOE O'HARA ON 02/21/08 AT 1546 * * *

The licensee provided the following information via email:

"Please be advised that QSA Global, Inc. is in receipt of the serial number for the transport container that was declared missing yesterday from our broker. He [QSA] received the number from FedEx staff in Newark. This number is not on the paperwork they [FedEx] have and gives us confidence that they [FedEx] have visually inspected the package. The shipment is expected to be put on a plane tonight to start for its final destination in Hong Kong."

Notified R1DO (Powell), FSME (Morell), and IP (Ramsey).

* * * UPDATE FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS TO HOWIE CROUCH ON 02/22/08 @ 0910 EST VIA FAX * * *

"Package has been found.

"QSA Global, Inc. submitted at approximately 1:10 p on February 21 that the package is no longer missing and has been physically located at FedEx's facility in Newark, NJ. QSA Global indicated at 3:47 p.m. on February 21 that FedEx staff in Newark, NJ have confirmed the identity of the package and will continue shipment of the package to its final destination in Hong Kong.

"QSA Global, Inc. submitted that they will provide verification of receipt of the package when it is received by the customer in Hong Kong and will also provide a 30 day written report about this event."

Notified R1DO (Powell) and FSME (Flannery).


THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44002
Facility: PEACH BOTTOM
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [2] [3] [ ]
RX Type: [2] GE-4,[3] GE-4
NRC Notified By: JOHN POPIELARSKI
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Notification Date: 02/22/2008
Notification Time: 09:10 [ET]
Event Date: 02/22/2008
Event Time: 05:30 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/23/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (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
3 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

LOSS OF COMMERCIAL AND EMERGENCY PHONE SYSTEMS

The licensee experienced a loss of the onsite phone systems including ENS phones at 0530 EST. Offsite communications capability was maintained with the "Omni" phone circuit. The ENS and onsite phone system were restored at 0821 EST. It appears that the onsite phone system computer locked up. When the computer was rebooted, phone systems returned to normal.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE FROM JOHN POPIELARSKI TO JOHN KNOKE AT 1602 EST ON 02/22/08 * * *

At 1430 EST the licensee determined the ENS line is inoperable but the commercial line is operable. At 1602, the ENS line is operable. The licensee, however, is still troubleshooting system.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R1DO (Powell).


* * * UPDATE FROM BARRY HEDRICK TO JOHN KNOKE AT 2045 EST ON 02/22/08 * * *

Licensee stated the computer system was found to have a corrupted hard drive, and that has been replaced. The main computer is now back in operation. The backup computer was found to have outdated hardware and that will be addressed at a later date.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R1DO (Powell).

* * * UPDATE FROM JIM VASH TO JOE O'HARA AT 2130 EST ON 02/23/08 * * *

All repairs to both computers are complete and the phone line has been tested SAT.

The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.

Notified R1DO (Powell).

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44004
Facility: CALVERT CLIFFS
Region: 1 State: MD
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: JAMES GROOMS
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 02/23/2008
Notification Time: 04:02 [ET]
Event Date: 02/23/2008
Event Time: 03:14 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/23/2008
Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (R1)
BILL BATEMAN (NRR)
JEFFREY CRUZ (IRD)
JIM DYER (NRR)
SAM COLLINS (R1)
MARY ANN DOYLE (DHS)
DWIGHT FULLER (FEMA)

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

Event Text

UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO HIGH DOSE EQUIVALENT IODINE GREATER THAN TECH SPEC REQUIREMENT

Unit 1 was performing a plant shutdown in preparation for a refueling outage. RCS sampling indicated a dose equivalent Iodine-131 reading of 1.41 microCurie/gram with a Technical Specification limit of 1.0 microCurie/gram. As a result, the licensee declared an Notification of Unusual Event (NOUE) under EAL AU121.

To reduce the dose equivalent iodine, the licensee placed maximum purification into service. Actions required to exit the NOUE include reducing dose equivalent iodine to below Technical Specification limits.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

Notified R1 (Collins), R1DO (Powell), IRD (Cruz), NRREO (Batemen), NRR (Dyer), DHS (Doyle), and FEMA (Fuller).

* * * UPDATE FROM AMY CORDENER TO HOWIE CROUCH @ 0612 EST ON 02/23/08 * * *

The licensee is still in the NOUE. As of 0600, the last RCS sample indicated 1.15 microCurie/gm. NOUE exit criteria will be met when two successive samples indicate less than 1.0 microCurie/gm.

Notified R1DO (Powell)

* * * UPDATE FROM MICHAEL SAUL TO HOWIE CROUCH @ 0927 EST ON 02/23/08 * * *

At 0908 EST, three consecutive Reactor Coolant System I-131 activity samples indicated approximately 0.9 microCuries/gm which is less than the Technical Specification limit. The licensee is still in the NOUE and will exit when at least one more sample indicates less than the Technical Specification limit.

The licensee will be notifying the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R1DO (Powell).

* * * UPDATE FROM MICHAEL SAUL TO PETE SNYDER @ 1043 EST ON 02/23/08 * * *

At 1035 EST, the licensee exited the NOUE based on four consecutive samples at less than 1.0 microCuries/gm of I-131.

Notified R1DO (Powell), NRREO (Bateman), IRD (Cruz), DHS (Inzer) and FEMA (Sweetser).

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44005
Facility: HATCH
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TONY SPRING
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 02/23/2008
Notification Time: 17:46 [ET]
Event Date: 02/23/2008
Event Time: 16:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/23/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) - DEGRADED CONDITION
Person (Organization):
ROBERT HAAG (R2)

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

Event Text

UNACCEPTABLE FLAW IN RPV CAP-TO-PIPE WELD

"At 1600 EST, it was determined by a phased array ultrasonic examination that an unacceptable flaw existed in reactor pressure vessel penetration N9. This penetration leads to a capped line and the flaw is in the cap-to-pipe weld. The flaw is 2.3 inches in length and reaches a maximum depth of 43.6 percent through-wall on a 5.75 inch OD pipe. The flaw was discovered during the routine ISI [In-service Inspection] examination of this penetration. The flaw has been found unacceptable per paragraph IWB-3514.4 of the 2003 Addenda of ASME Section XI and is therefore reportable. Upon discovery of the flaw, all penetrations of this type were examined with no further findings.

"A weld overlay repair is planned and should be completed by 3/6/08."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

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