| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
08/31/2010 - 09/01/2010 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 46210 | Rep Org: PA BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: MULTIPLE
Region: 1
City: NEW CASTLE State: PA
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID J. ALLARD
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 08/27/2010
Notification Time: 17:33 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2010
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/27/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
PAMELA HENDERSON (R1DO)
PAUL MICHALAK (FSME)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING ORPHANED / MISSING GENERAL LICENSE SOURCES
The following information was received from the State of Pennsylvania via fax:
"Event Report ID No: PA100020
"License No: PA-G0241, PA-G0029, PA-G0141
"Licensee(s): New Castle Rolling Mills, Sharon Strip Steel and/or Cedar Mills
"Event date and time: Unknown
"Event location: 902 North Cedar Street, New Castle, PA 16102
"Event type: Five (5) missing [licensed material] GL sources and shutter function failure
"Notifications: July 2010 PA DEP Southwest Regional Office Inspection
"Event Description: Since becoming an Agreement State in March 2008, DEP has transitioned hundreds of NRC specific and general licenses (GL) to PA state control. Recently, working from an NRC spreadsheet, DEP has been issuing GL certificates of registration for certain category GLs, and tracking unresponsive GL owners. The original information we had from the NRC indicated 11 sources had been distributed to the above location over time. The current facility owner is not a steel manufacturer, and was unaware these GL sources were on their property.
"An inspection in July 2010 noted 6 of potentially 11 'C-frame' thickness gauge GL sources could be accounted for, with 4 onsite and 2 recently transferred back to a gauge manufacturer. Each of the 11 GL gauges contained a one (1) curie americium-241 sealed source. Since there is no NRC data on possible return or transfer of GL sources, and two manufacturers are no longer in business, the tracking of 5 GL sources appears to be impossible. The event location noted above has had three different owners / GL licensees over the years, two of which are known out of business. A third firm may still be in business, and will be pursued regarding the 5 unaccounted for sources. Lastly, 1 of the 4 GL sources was found to have an open shutter. All 4 'orphan' sources have been registered with the DOE/LANL OSRP [Off-Site Source Recovery Project] program for transfer.
"Due to the unaccountability of the five 1 Ci Am-241 GL sources, DEP believes this to be reportable under 20.2201 (a)(1)(i). And, since one of the six sources that were accounted for had an open shutter, DEP finds this to be reportable under 30.50(b)(2)(i).
"CAUSE OF THE EVENT: Improper transfer of GL sources and ineffective regulatory control.
"ACTIONS: Two of the devices have been returned to a manufacturer. Four of the sources remain at the facility in New Castle, PA in a secured location. More investigation is being done to track the five unaccountable GL devices.
"Media attention: None at this time"
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
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 |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46218 | Facility: CLINTON
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: MARK DODDS
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 08/31/2010
Notification Time: 17:45 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2010
Event Time: 11:12 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
| Person (Organization):
TAMARA BLOOMER (R3DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 97 | Power Operation | 97 | Power Operation | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT - DISCOVERY OF A POTENTIAL PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE IN THE PROTECTED AREA
The licensee discovered a potential prohibited substance in the protected area. The substance has been removed from the facility. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the DeWitt County Sheriff Office. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details. | |