| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
09/02/2008 - 09/03/2008 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 44451 | Rep Org: ALABAMA RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: BIRMINGHAM ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS
Region: 1
City: BIRMINGHAM State: AL
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES McNEES
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 08/29/2008
Notification Time: 12:43 [ET]
Event Date: 08/28/2008
Event Time: 16:10 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/02/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (R1)
CHRIS EINBERG (FSME)
ILTAB (E-MAIL) ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
"On the afternoon of August 28, 2008 at approximately 4:10 pm, the [Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH)] received a call [from the] RSO for Birmingham Engineering and Construction Company (BECC). [The RSO] advised [ADPH] that one of his technicians had lost a Troxler model 3440 (serial number 17775) containing Cs-137 and Am-241/Be radioactive sources somewhere in the Birmingham area.
"As described by [the RSO], the technician placed the gauge on the back of his pickup without properly securing it in the transport container. After completing his paperwork, he then proceeded to drive back to the office forgetting that the device had not been properly secured. Upon return to the office, the technician realized the mistake. Information made available to the writer indicates that the gauge was discovered missing at approximately 2:00 pm. At that time, [the RSO] was notified and personnel from BECC immediately conducted a search of the job site and route taken by the technician. The route started from the job site at the Grants Mill Road exit on I-459 traveling southbound to I-65 northbound to Lakeshore Drive where the licensee's office is located. The tailgate to the truck was not closed, the device was not in the transport container but the gauge shutter was closed and locked. [The RSO] further indicated that he had called the State Troopers and they indicated that no gauge had been reported found. [The RSO] indicated that he had not yet called city police.
"The writer then contacted [ADPH] and advised them of the incident. Through conversations, it was determined that BECC needed to contact the police and put out a press release, Also, it was determined that the local EMA Director needed to be advised of the incident. [ADPH] committed to calling the RSO back and relaying this information, [an ADPH representative] also indicated that he would notify the Jefferson County Director.
"The writer had no additional conversation with licensee personnel."
* * * UPDATE FROM STATE OF ALABAMA (VIA E-MAIL) TO KLCO ON 9/02/08 AT 1027 EDT * * *
"On Friday 29 August 2008 Alabama reported that a Troxler Model 3440 device had been lost from a pickup truck the afternoon before in Birmingham, Alabama.
"On Sunday afternoon 31 August 2008 an individual reported to the Irondale, Alabama (part of greater Birmingham) Police Dept that they had found the device and wished to claim the reward. The device is now in the possession of the licensee, BECC, Inc. It was apparently undamaged save for a few scratches. The licensee did a leak test on the device and is awaiting results from lab.
"The State of Alabama is awaiting the licensee's 30 day report and corrective actions. A decision on enforcement actions will be made after review of the licensee's response."
Notified R1DO (Dwyer), FSME EO (Burgess) and ILTAB (via e-mail)
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: 44452 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: PORT LAVACA State: TX
County:
License #: L00051
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 08/29/2008
Notification Time: 15:18 [ET]
Event Date: 08/29/2008
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/29/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4)
CHRIS EINBERG (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEVEL GAUGE SHUTTER MALFUNCTION
"On 8/29/08, Incident Investigation Program received a letter from the licensee stating that on June 23, 2008 while conducting their routine surveillance, a Ohmart/VEGA level gauge used on their vent stack for level detection failed the inspection when the shutter mechanism failed to close fully. An inspection of the gauge found that a bolt on the operating handle had sheared and the shutter would not close. The gauge contains one 200 millicurie Cesium (Cs) - 137 source serial # M-7089. The licensee has contacted the manufacturer and is working with them to schedule the repair of the gauge. Surveys conducted by the licensee has determined that dose rates in the area of the gauge are normal and do not pose a risk of exposures to their workers. The source has been labeled 'Do Not Operate - Contact Site RSO'."
This event is also identified as Texas event number I-8546. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 44457 | Facility: RIVER BEND
Region: 4 State: LA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: TIM SCHENK
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/01/2008
Notification Time: 23:33 [ET]
Event Date: 09/01/2008
Event Time: 18:02 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/01/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT
| Person (Organization):
VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | M/R | Y | 27 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text PLANNED MANUAL PLANT SHUTDOWN DUE TO GRID CONDITIONS
"Voluntary Report of Planned Manual Plant Shutdown. At 1802 on September 1, 2008, River Bend Station [RBS] completed a planned manual shutdown of the unit. This shutdown was determined to be necessary based on the conditions of the grid due to Hurricane Gustav. Evaluation of grid conditions determined that removing the unit from power operation would improve the reliability of the grid and thus the decision was made to shutdown. Offsite power was declared inoperable at 1520 on September 1 based on notification of grid status by the grid operator. It is expected that offsite power will be restored to an operable status within the 24 hour LCO Required Action Completion Time. In addition, damage to turbine building siding was reported. Assessment of this condition is being conducted. RBS had previously activated the Outage Control Center prior to the arrival of Hurricane Gustav. Additional resources are available on site to respond to plant conditions. A comprehensive assessment of the condition of the plant and other site facilities will be completed prior to restart. At this time, a schedule for restart has not been established."
The licensee contacted the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 44458 | Facility: CATAWBA
Region: 2 State: SC
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: FRED CORLEY
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 09/02/2008
Notification Time: 17:55 [ET]
Event Date: 09/02/2008
Event Time: 16:48 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/02/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
REBECCA NEASE (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 | Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO POTENTIAL WATER FLEA REPRODUCTION RATE DECREASE
"The quarterly National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System whole effluent toxicity testing for outfall #002 failed for August 2008. This required notification to the South Carolina Environmental Agency. The system is the Conventional Waste (WC) system. The licensee will be contacting the NRC Resident Inspector.
"A toxicity report is being performed by an outside lab."
The licensee took a water flea controlled sample and determined that the water flea reproduction rate in the sample is not the same as the rate in the discharge stream.
The licensee will also inform York County, Gaston County, Mecklenberg County, and the State of North Carolina. | |