Event Notification Report for June 20, 2023

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING SOURCE

The following information was provided by the the Colorado Department of Health via email:

"On June 12, 2023, as the semi-annual leak tests/inventory were being performed at Sky Ridge Medical Center (RAML 1053-01), a leaking Co-57 Benchmark mini flood source (SN BM552021321103) was found. The exact timing of when the source started leaking is unknown. The source was last inventoried in December 2022, and was at background. [A staff member] from the Colorado Associates in Medical Physics (CAMP) found the source had 185 Bq (0.005 micro-Ci) or more removable contamination in excess of the regulatory limits. The initial removable contamination resulted in a wipe count of 3835 cpm (0.00525 micro-Ci) of removable contamination. The source was cleaned with paper towels and dish soap and when re-wiped had a lower count (1900 cpm), but remained above background even after additional wipes. All paper towels used for cleaning surveyed at background (0.03 mR/hr) and were disposed of in the hot trash in the hot lab.

"The source was wrapped in a thick trash bag, secured with tape and was placed in the shielded decay cabinet. The activity of the source on 6/12/2023 was 5.02 milli-Ci. The storage container, the cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography camera, and the hot lab counters were all wiped and surveyed, and all readings were at background (0.03 mR/hr).

"The source did not appear damaged or broken. CAMP will dispose of the source, and they have initiated a disposal inquiry. In the meantime, the source will remain in the shielded decay cabinet."

Colorado event report ID number: CO230016

FITNESS-FOR-DUTY REPORT

The following is a summary of information provided by the licensee via email:

A non-licensed, non-supervisory employee was identified bringing a prohibited item into the protected area. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated.

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS POWER LIMIT VIOLATION

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone and email:

"[Oregon State University Radiation Center is] providing this information as a follow-up with the phone call to the Headquarters Operations Center made today at 1325 EDT (EN-56579). On the morning of 5/31/2023, a senior reactor operator and a trainee operator were performing a square-wave operation to raise power from 100 W to 1 MW. After firing the transient rod, the reactor immediately scrammed on both safety and percent power channels. Review of the chart recorder shows that reactor power likely reached 1.45 MW. This is potentially a violation of Technical Specification 3.1.1 which limits power to 1.1 MW during steady-state operations.

"Reviewing the power chart recorder, it appears that two immediately adjacent steps required for the square-wave operation were performed inadvertently out of order. The chart's sample rate is 1 Hz, so the resolution on the data is limited. Within 10 seconds, the final procedure steps for square-wave operation were performed (with the mode switch in square-wave mode). Once the transient rod air actuation button was pushed, starting the square-wave, the safety channel shortly thereafter (approximately 1 second) went from 0.02 percent to 145.91 percent of 1 MW. The reactor immediately scrammed and shut down the reactor as the safety and percent power channels exceeded their scram setpoints of 106 percent of 1 MW, which were checked on the daily startup checklist. The cause of the event was that two steps in the procedure were performed out of order, causing the regulating rod to withdraw to match demand power as the transient rod withdrew. As a result, this caused an additional 18 cents of reactivity to be inserted above the planned reactivity insertion of 80 cents.

"[Oregon State University Radiation Center plans] on following this up with a more thorough report within 14 days."

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP DUE TO LO-LO STEAM GENERATOR LEVEL

The following information was provided by the licensee via email:

"[On June 16, 2023,] at 1832 CDT, Unit 1 reactor automatically tripped on lo-lo level in the '1-04' steam generator (SG). Prior to the trip, the 1B [main feedwater pump] (MFP) tripped due to speed oscillations and a runback to 700MW was in progress. Both motor driven auxiliary feedwater pumps started due to the lo-lo level in SG '1-04'.

"Unit 1 is being maintained in hot standby (Mode 3) in accordance with Integrated Plant Operating Procedure IPO-007A. The Emergency Response Guideline network has been exited. Decay heat is being rejected to the main condenser via the steam dump valves."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance:

Unit 1 is in a normal post-trip electrical line-up. There was no effect on Unit 2 due to the Unit 1 trip.