Event Notification Report for August 21, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
08/20/2008 - 08/21/2008

** EVENT NUMBERS **


44416 44421

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44416
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
Region: 4
City: BERKELEY State: CA
County:
License #: 1333-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KENT PENDERGAST
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 08/15/2008
Notification Time: 14:38 [ET]
Event Date: 01/01/1999
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/15/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RYAN LANTZ (R4)
PATRICE BUBAR (FSME)
MATTHEW HAHN (ILTA)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE - SMALL QUANTITY OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIAL UNACCOUNTED FOR

"On August 12, 2008 UC Berkeley requested a meeting with RHB to provide information regarding their findings that they had not maintained adequate control of their SNM. Specifically they were unable to locate 17 grams of elemental uranium enriched to 43% in the isotope of U 235. The reason for the problem was considered to be inadequate material accounting practices for the period since 1978, due to inadequate methodology, apparently records were not maintained for the day-to-day consumption of uranium for research and subsequent discard of uranium that occurred routinely. There were no records to indicate use. Therefore this material is considered as 'material unaccounted for' (MUF) and an ongoing investigation is in progress to determine the disposition of the material between 1994 and 1997. Seventeen grams would equal about 15 pellets the size of a small pencil eraser.

"The licensee informed NRC HOO of this issue, as information on 8/13/08. The licensee also informed RHB on 8/13/08.

"The licensee clarified that this was a notification pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2201 at 1700 on 8/14/08 regarding their inability to locate this material. An investigation is ongoing to reconcile the records regarding lost or missing material at UC Berkeley.

California Report Number: 081308

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

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!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Power Reactor Event Number: 44421
Facility: DIABLO CANYON
Region: 4 State: CA
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DAN PHILLIPS
HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE
Notification Date: 08/19/2008
Notification Time: 11:30 [ET]
Event Date: 08/19/2008
Event Time: 06:10 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/20/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
VINCENT GADDY (R4)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
2 N N 0 Cold Shutdown 0 Cold Shutdown

Event Text

FITNESS FOR DUTY

A non-licensed PG&E employee was inattentive to his responsibilities, and was relieved of his duties. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * RETRACTION FROM T. GRAF TO V. KLCO AT 1232 EDT ON 8/20/08 * * *

" After review of the circumstances and Reg. Guide 5.62, the licensee believes the event is loggable."

The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R4DO (Gaddy).

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021