Event Notification Report for December 13, 2018

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
12/12/2018 - 12/13/2018

** EVENT NUMBERS **


53678 53773 53774 53788 53789

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!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED.THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Power Reactor Event Number: 53678
Facility: BROWNS FERRY
Region: 2     State: AL
Unit: [] [] [3]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TODD CHRISTENSEN
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA
Notification Date: 10/21/2018
Notification Time: 06:19 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2018
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 12/13/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS
Person (Organization):
GERALD MCCOY (R2DO)
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
3 N Y 67 Power Operation 67 Power Operation

Event Text

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION SHUT DOWN DUE TO CHEMISTRY LIMIT EXCEEDED

"At 0200 Central Daylight Time on 10/21/2018, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 3 commenced a reactor shutdown as required by the Technical Requirements Manual Limiting Condition for Operation 3.4.1 Coolant Chemistry Condition D due to conductivity greater than 10 micro mho/cm at 25 degrees Celsius. The required action for this condition is to immediately initiate an orderly shutdown and be in Mode 4 as rapidly as cooldown rate permits. This event is being reported as a four-hour, non-emergency notification per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(i).

"There was no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel. The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified."

* * * RETRACTION AT 1719 EST ON 12/13/2018 FROM NEEL SHUKLA TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

"ENS Event Number 53678, made on 10/21/18, is being retracted.

"NRC notification 53678 was made to ensure that the four-hour non-emergency reporting requirements of 10 CFR 50.72 were met when the licensee discovered a condition requiring shut down of a reactor.

"10 CFR 50.72 requires a report in accordance with 50.72(b)(2)(i) for any Technical Specifications (TS) required reactor shutdown. NUREG-1022 only specifies TS applicability and makes no mention of a Technical Requirements Manual (TRM) required shutdown. Because the shutdown comes from the TRM and not the TS as discussed in 10 CFR 50.72 and NUREG-1022, an EN was not required.

"TVA's evaluation of this event notification is documented in the corrective action program.

"The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector."

Notified the R2DO (Ehrhardt).

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Agreement State Event Number: 53773
Rep Org: MARYLAND DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Licensee: KIM ENGINEERING
Region: 1
City: BELTSVILLE   State: MD
County:
License #: MD-31-275-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ALAN GOLDEY
HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE
Notification Date: 12/04/2018
Notification Time: 15:53 [ET]
Event Date: 11/29/2018
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/06/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
CHRISTOPHER LALLY (R1DO)
ADAM TUCKER (ILTAB)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - THEFT AND RECOVERY OF MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following was received from the Maryland Department of the Environment via phone:

"On November 29, 2018, at approximately 2230 EST, an unidentified citizen contacted the Prince William, VA police department stating they observed a suspicious person throw a yellow box out of their vehicle and then exit the commuter parking lot at 12745 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, VA 22192. The response was coordinated by the Virginia Emergency Response Center and Hazardous Materials Office. The responding officer located the yellow case having a radiation warning label affixed and his PRD [Personal Radiation Detector] [indicated that] a radiation source [was] present. The Virginia Department of Fire and Rescue, Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia State Police, and the FBI responded.

"Spectral analysis identified Cs-137 with readings of approximately 1.5 mR/hr on contact with the case; typical for a Troxler gauge. The outside lock on the case was cut; a Troxler 3430 gauge with shipping papers were present. The trigger lock was in place. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) did not have the facilities or capability to take possession of the gauge. The gauge was secured in the Hazardous Materials officer's (HMO) vehicle until other arrangements could be made.

"On November 30, 2018, at approximately 0930 EST, VDH contacted the lead Prince William County HMO and was told that there was information contained in the shipping container with the gauge that identified the owner. VDH received that information at approximately 1000 EST and determined the owner of the gauge to be a Maryland licensee [Kim Engineering]. At approximately 1020 EST, the Director of the Virginia Radioactive Materials Program contacted the Maryland Radiological Health Program (RHP) concerning a recovery of a Troxler gauge at a Virginia Department of Transportation park-and-ride. The device was identified as a model 3430, S/N 67880 having an 8 mCi Cs-137 source (5/14/2013), S/N 77-12674, and a [40mCi] Am-241/Be source, S/N 78-8664. The device was last leak tested on 6/22/2018. An official of the Maryland RHP volunteered to drive to Prince William County, VA to retrieve the gauge. Arrangements were [made with] the Maryland official to meet with the Prince William County HMO. At approximately 1315 EST, the State of Maryland official contacted the VDH to confirm transfer of possession of the Troxler gauge to transport it back to Maryland. The Maryland official informed VDH that the licensee notified RHP that someone had stolen a Troxler gauge from the licensee. Maryland agreed to notify the US NRC Operations Center of this incident.

"Maryland has scheduled a reactive inspection of the licensee to determine the root cause of the loss or theft."

* * * UPDATE AT 1337 ON 12/06/2018 FROM ALAN GOLDEY TO JEFF HERRERA * * *

The following is a summary of the additional information was provided by the Maryland Department of the Environment via email:

The activity for the Am/Be source, Serial Number: 78-8664, was tested on 6/22/2018 and was less than 185 Bq (0.005 microCuries).

Notified R1DO (Lally), ILTAB (Allston - via email), NMSS_events (via email).

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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

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Agreement State Event Number: 53774
Rep Org: GEORGIA RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PGM
Licensee: NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL
Region: 1
City: ATLANTA   State: GA
County:
License #: GA 39-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: LESLINES LEVEQUE
HQ OPS Officer: ANDREW WAUGH
Notification Date: 12/04/2018
Notification Time: 16:06 [ET]
Event Date: 12/04/2018
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/04/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
CHRISTOPHER LALLY (R1DO)
EDWARD HARVEY (NMSS DAY)
PATRICIA MILLIGAN (INES)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE EXCEEDING REGULATORY LIMITS

The following information was received from the State of Georgia via email:

"In accordance with Georgia Rule Chapter 391-3-17-.03-15(b)(3)(ii) [the licensee is notifying the Georgia Radioactive Material Program] of a potential extremity exposure exceeding regulatory limits to an occupational worker at Northside Hospital Atlanta. The timeline and circumstances are as follows:

"Northside Hospital received notification from Landauer ([the licensee's] personnel dosimetry vendor) on November 2, 2018, concerning an excessive reading of 58,748 millirem to an extremity dosimeter issued to [an employee] in Nuclear Medicine.

"[The licensee's] RSO immediately initiated an investigation which included a personal interview with the employee which resulted in the employee remembering the potential contamination of their ring dosimeter with a radiopharmaceutical as they were handling and injecting a patient dose during the period of use for that dosimeter; however, he was unsure as to the actual presence of contamination on the ring itself.

"The RSO assured the employee of the lack of any untoward effects but asked him for a follow-up for any skin effects that may have presented. Also it was noted that the whole body dosimeter during the same period showed only 25-30 millirem exposure.

"Based on this incident, there will be a renewed emphasis for all Nuclear Medicine Technologists that in the event of potential contamination to themselves and particularly to any personnel dosimeter, an immediate investigation by [the licensee's] RSO will be initiated and a report filed with [the licensee's] Radiation Safety Committee."

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Power Reactor Event Number: 53788
Facility: GRAND GULF
Region: 4     State: MS
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: GERRY ELLIS
HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE
Notification Date: 12/12/2018
Notification Time: 17:29 [ET]
Event Date: 12/12/2018
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/14/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - ECCS INJECTION
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
Person (Organization):
NICK TAYLOR (R4DO)
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 M/R Y 100 Power Operation 0 Hot Shutdown

Event Text

MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO FAILED OPEN TURBINE BYPASS VALVE

"At 1351 CST, the reactor was manually shutdown due to 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening. The Main Steam Line Isolation Valves were manually closed to facilitate reactor pressure control. Reactor level is being maintained through the use of Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System, Control Rod Drive System, and High Pressure Core Spray System. High Pressure Core Spray System was manually started to initially support reactor water level control. Reactor Pressure is being controlled through the use of the Safety Relief Valves and the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System. The plant is stable in MODE 3.

"The cause of the 'A' Turbine Bypass Valve opening is under investigation at this time.

"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

* * * UPDATE ON 12/14/18 AT 1140 EST FROM GERRY ELLIS TO TOM KENDZIA * * *

"This is an update to EN # 53788 to correct an error on the event classification block of the form. The original notification did not have the block for 8 hour notification for Specified System Actuation checked. The actuation of Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System was discussed in original notification."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

Notified R4DO (Taylor).

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Power Reactor Event Number: 53789
Facility: VOGTLE
Region: 2     State: GA
Unit: [3] [4] []
RX Type: [3] W-AP1000,[4] W-AP1000
NRC Notified By: KARA STACY
HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE
Notification Date: 12/13/2018
Notification Time: 14:37 [ET]
Event Date: 12/12/2018
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/13/2018
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
FRANK EHRHARDT (R2DO)
FFD GROUP (EMAIL)
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
3 N N 0 Under Construction 0 Under Construction
4 N N 0 Under Construction 0 Under Construction

Event Text

CONTRACTOR SUPERVISOR SUBVERTS A FOLLOW-UP FITNESS FOR DUTY TEST

"At 1700 EST on December 12, 2018, a contractor supervisor violated the licensee's Fitness-for-Duty (FFD) program by subverting a follow-up Fitness for Duty Test. The contractor's site access has been terminated. The NRC Resident Inspector was notified."

No work was performed on safety related equipment.

The licensee has made a PADs entry.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021