Event Notification Report for April 25, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
04/24/2008 - 04/25/2008

** EVENT NUMBERS **


44156 44159 44163

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44156
Rep Org: WA DIVISION OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: PERMA-FIX NORTHWEST RICHLAND, INC.
Region: 4
City: RICHLAND State: WA
County:
License #: WN-I0393-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKEL ELSEN
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 04/22/2008
Notification Time: 19:40 [ET]
Event Date: 04/17/2008
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 04/22/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
KEVIN HSUEH (FSME)

Event Text

WASHINGTON AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - EXTERNAL CONTAMINATION ON A TRANSPORT TRAILER

The following information was received from the State of Washington via e-mail:

"Tritium (H-3) contamination was found on a trailer in the outside storage area of Perma-Fix Northwest (PFNW), a radioactive material licensee in Richland Washington on April 17. A DOH inspector noticed liquid dripping from a trailer that had just been unloaded. The trailer had hauled empty radioactive waste drums from Atomic Energy Limited Canada (Chalk River facility in Ontario). The transport vehicle entered the United States at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan under an Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) import license and entered Washington at Spokane. The shipment had arrived at the PFNW facility in late February. It was manifested as a plastic fiber bag with drums inside. Initial surveys on February 28 noted tritium contamination inside the plastic fiber bag, but no contamination was noted outside the bag or on the trailer. Tritium was a primary radionuclide on the manifest. During off-loading of the drums and plastic liner on April 17, liquid was found in and on the drums (one drum is suspected of being at least partially filled with liquid). After off-loading, standing liquids were noticed by the licensee on the inside trailer bed, but not on the outer trailer floor and skin. After the truck was returned to the storage yard, liquid droplets were found dripping from the front of the trailer by the DOH inspector. Initial contamination levels (up to 1.8 million dpm of tritium) on the trailer front were substantially above the U.S. Dept of Transportation limits; but due to the limited quantity (less than one gallon of liquid), do not pose a health risk. There is no indication of leakage during the actual shipment.

"The manifest indicated the total shipment contained H-3 (6.59 mCi) and Cs-137 (7.79 mCi) as the predominant radionuclides. Only tritium contamination has been noted."

WA Report # WA-08-025

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Other Nuclear Material Event Number: 44159
Rep Org: 1
Licensee: LOUISIANA GLOBAL XRAY AND TESTING
Region: 4
City:  State: LA
County:
License #: LA-0577-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: WILLIAM JOHNSTON
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 04/23/2008
Notification Time: 10:51 [ET]
Event Date: 03/01/2008
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/23/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2202(a)(1) - PERS OVEREXPOSURE/TEDE >= 25 REM
Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
DUNCAN WHITE (FSME)

Event Text

POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE GREATER THAN 1000 RADS

Louisiana Global X-ray and Testing called to report a potential overexposure after consulting with Region IV. Apparently, Landauer notified them that a dosimetry badge worn by one of their employees in the month of March 2008 read greater than 1000 Rads. The licensee is launching an investigation as to where the potential overexposure may have occurred. The affected employee worked both in the State of Louisiana and offshore.

The licensee notified Region IV (Leonard Wert) and the State of Louisiana.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 44163
Facility: HOPE CREEK
Region: 1 State: NJ
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TOM FOWLER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 04/24/2008
Notification Time: 03:15 [ET]
Event Date: 04/23/2008
Event Time: 23:58 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/24/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
JOHN WHITE (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

HYDRAZINE LEAK INTO STORM DRAIN

"At 2340 on 4/23/08 a leak was discovered on a house heating steam boiler that was secured and cooling down. The boiler had been secured at 1930 and there was no leakage noticed at that time. The leak was estimated at 2 gallons per minute. At 2358 it was discovered that this water had reached a storm drain on site. The water contained hydrazine at a concentration of 364 ppb. A 15 minute notification to the state of New Jersey was completed at 0012 in accordance with the plant's Event Classification Guide. Maintenance personnel called to the scene stopped the leak at 0019. Samples are in progress of the sites storm drain outfalls to determine the extent of the discharge. This report is made in accordance with RAL #11.8.2.a."

The licensee will notify local township. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021