Event Notification Report for March 31, 2003






                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

                              Operations Center



                              Event Reports For

                           03/28/2003 - 03/31/2003



                              ** EVENT NUMBERS **



39709  39711  39712  39713  39714  





+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   39709       |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| FACILITY: CALVERT CLIFFS           REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/28/2003|

|    UNIT:  [1] [2] []                STATE:  MD |NOTIFICATION TIME: 02:28[EST]|

|   RXTYPE: [1] CE,[2] CE                        |EVENT DATE:        03/28/2003|

+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        00:45[EST]|

| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  JIM GROOM                    |LAST UPDATE DATE:  03/28/2003|

|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  STEVE SANDIN                 +-----------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |

|EMERGENCY CLASS:          NON EMERGENCY         |JOHN WHITE           R1      |

|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |

|APRE 50.72(b)(2)(xi)     OFFSITE NOTIFICATION   |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|1     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |

|2     N          N       0        Refueling        |0        Refueling        |

|                                                   |                          |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| POTENTIAL MEDIA INTEREST DUE TO STATE POLICE SEARCH OF THE OWNER CONTROLLED  |

| AREA                                                                         |

|                                                                              |

| The Calvert Control Center in Prince Frederick County received an anonymous  |

| call through the 911 operator which prompted the Maryland State Police to    |

| furnish additional officers to the site for a search of the woodline area of |

| the owner controlled property.  The licensee will inform their media group   |

| due to the potential media interest and has informed both state/local        |

| agencies and the NRC resident inspector.                                     |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   39711       |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| REP ORG:  FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER              |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/28/2003|

|LICENSEE:  FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER              |NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:30[EST]|

|    CITY:  PHILADELPHIA             REGION:  1  |EVENT DATE:        04/16/2000|

|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  PA |EVENT TIME:             [EST]|

|LICENSE#:  37-02766-01           AGREEMENT:  N  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  03/28/2003|

|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+

|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |

|                                                |PAMELA HENDERSON     R1      |

|                                                |SUSAN FRANT          NMSS    |

+------------------------------------------------+                             |

| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  KAREN SHEEHAN                |                             |

|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  GERRY WAIG                   |                             |

+------------------------------------------------+                             |

|EMERGENCY CLASS:          NON EMERGENCY         |                             |

|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |

|BLO1 20.2201(a)(1)(i)    LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X  |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



                                   EVENT TEXT                                   

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| NRC LICENSEE TRANSFERRED RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL TO UNLICENSED ENTITY           |

|                                                                              |

| On April 16, 2000, the licensee transferred a Varian 6/100 linear            |

| accelerator, with a 41 millicurie depleted uranium source, to Centura X-Ray, |

| Cleveland, Ohio, an unlicensed entity. The transfer was part of an equipment |

| upgrade made between the licensee and Siemens Medical Systems Inc.           |

|                                                                              |

| Siemens sold the Varian 6/100 to Linac Systems, Lakewood, New Jersey who in  |

| turn sold the equipment to eRad Therapy, Inc. of Bothell, Washington.  eRad  |

| Therapy transported the device to the therapy division of Centura X-ray.     |

|                                                                              |

| The depleted uranium is currently in the possession of a licensed low level  |

| waste storage facility awaiting burial at an appropriate waste disposal      |

| facility.                                                                    |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   39712       |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| FACILITY: HATCH                    REGION:  2  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/29/2003|

|    UNIT:  [] [2] []                 STATE:  GA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 04:44[EST]|

|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4                    |EVENT DATE:        03/29/2003|

+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        02:55[EST]|

| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  EDWEN URQUHART               |LAST UPDATE DATE:  03/29/2003|

|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  MIKE RIPLEY                  +-----------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |

|EMERGENCY CLASS:          NON EMERGENCY         |RUDOLPH BERNHARD     R2      |

|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |

|AINA 50.72(b)(3)(v)(A)   POT UNABLE TO SAFE SD  |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|                                                   |                          |

|2     N          Y       1        Startup          |1        Startup          |

|                                                   |                          |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| HPCI TURBINE FAILS TO COME TO SPEED DURING SURVEILLANCE TEST                 |

|                                                                              |

| "While starting up Unit Two reactor from a planned refueling/maintenance     |

| outage, the HPCI system would not pass the required tech spec surveillance   |

| when tested at 160 psig reactor pressure.  The HPCI turbine failed to come   |

| up to speed due to its turbine steam control valve did not open after the    |

| turbine stop valve was opened per system operability surveillance.  The      |

| system engineer and maintenance are investigating the speed control circuit  |

| at this time."                                                               |

|                                                                              |

| The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.                        |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   39713       |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| FACILITY: SALEM                    REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/29/2003|

|    UNIT:  [] [2] []                 STATE:  NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 07:15[EST]|

|   RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP                |EVENT DATE:        03/29/2003|

+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        04:42[EST]|

| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  JOHN GARECHT                 |LAST UPDATE DATE:  03/29/2003|

|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  MIKE RIPLEY                  +-----------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |

|EMERGENCY CLASS:          NON EMERGENCY         |PAMELA HENDERSON     R1      |

|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |

|ARPS 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B)  RPS ACTUATION - CRITICA|                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|                                                   |                          |

|2     M/R        Y       80       Power Operation  |0        Hot Standby      |

|                                                   |                          |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO LOSS OF SECONDARY CIRCULATING WATER PUMPS         |

|                                                                              |

| "Salem Unit 2 was manually tripped in response to loss of circulating water  |

| pumps.  Loss of circulators was caused by heavy grass intrusion from the     |

| Delaware River.  At time of trip, a load reduction was in progress and power |

| level was approximately 80%.  All safety systems operated as designed during |

| and after the reactor trip.  Unit 2 is currently stable in Mode 3 at normal  |

| operating temperature and pressure.  All reactor cooling pumps are in        |

| service and core cooling is being supported by auxiliary feedwater pumps and |

| main steam dumps to the condenser.  No safety systems or equipment was out   |

| of service at the time of the trip.  Salem Unit 1 was also affected by the   |

| heavy river grass conditions and is currently in Mode 1 and stable at 55%    |

| reactor power."                                                              |

|                                                                              |

| The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.                        |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+



+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   39714       |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| FACILITY: PALO VERDE               REGION:  4  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 03/29/2003|

|    UNIT:  [] [] [3]                 STATE:  AZ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:41[EST]|

|   RXTYPE: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE                 |EVENT DATE:        03/29/2003|

+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        04:00[MST]|

| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  DAN MARKS                    |LAST UPDATE DATE:  03/29/2003|

|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  HOWIE CROUCH                 +-----------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |

|EMERGENCY CLASS:          NON EMERGENCY         |BLAIR SPITZBERG      R4      |

|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |

|ADEG 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A)  DEGRADED CONDITION     |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

|                                                |                             |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |

+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+

|                                                   |                          |

|                                                   |                          |

|3     N          N       0        Hot Shutdown     |0        Hot Shutdown     |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| DEGRADED CONDITION DUE TO LEAKAGE AT SMALL BORE INCONEL 600 PENETRATIONS     |

|                                                                              |

| The following information was received from the licensee via facsimile:      |

|                                                                              |

| "The following event description is based on information currently           |

| available. If through subsequent reviews of this event, additional           |

| information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the      |

| information being provided at this time, a follow-up notification will be    |

| made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73.          |

|                                                                              |

| "On March 29, 2003, at approximately 04:00 Mountain Standard Time (MST)      |

| engineering personnel performing preplanned visual examinations of reactor   |

| coolant System (RCS) piping in accordance with procedure requirements        |

| discovered boric acid residue on three RCS small bore Inconel 600            |

| penetrations. One location was the RCS hot leg in-service thermowell         |

| 3JRCBTW0112HB.  The visual observation was characterized as a small white    |

| trail of boron residue running down the hot leg approximately 2 inches.      |

| There were no signs of dripping, spraying, puddles of liquid, or liquid      |

| running down the nozzle or hot leg. The residue appeared dry. The other two  |

| were on pressurizer heater sleeves (nozzles) A-4 and A-18. The visual        |

| observation at these two locations was characterized as a small white        |

| buildup of boron residue around the heater sleeve as the sleeve enters the   |

| pressurizer bottom head. There does not appear to be residue running down    |

| the outside of the sleeves. There were no signs of dripping, spraying,       |

| puddles of liquid, or liquid running down the nozzle or [pressurizer]. The   |

| residue appeared dry.                                                        |

|                                                                              |

| "Technical Specifications (TS) Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.4.14 |

| permits no reactor coolant system (RCS) pressure boundary leakage and        |

| therefore, the discovery of leakage (presumed boric acid residue) from the   |

| hot leg thermowell and the pressurizer heater sleeves was a degradation of a |

| principal safety barrier. Therefore, the ENS notification of this event is   |

| in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(ii). The control room personnel entered  |

| LCO 3.4.14 Condition B and are continuing to place the plant in Mode 5. The  |

| RCS was being cooled down in preparation for Unit 3's tenth refueling        |

| outage. At the time of discovery, the RCS was at approximately 520 degrees F |

| and 2218 psia.                                                               |

|                                                                              |

| "An investigation of this event will be conducted in accordance with the     |

| PVNGS [Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station] corrective action program. The |

| cracking of Alloy 600 components both at Palo Verde and industry-wide has    |

| been attributed to axially oriented, primary water stress corrosion cracking |

| (PWSCC). PWSCC is not considered a significant threat to the structural      |

| integrity of the RCS boundary, thermowell, or heater sleeves as this type of |

| cracking typically results only in small leaks.                              |

|                                                                              |

| "The bases for this conclusion is that if PWSCC occurred at Palo Verde, the  |

| cracks would be predominately axial in orientation. As in this case, the     |

| cracks would result in visibly detectable leakage that would be apparent     |

| during visual examinations, performed as part of walkdown inspections,       |

| before significant damage to the reactor coolant boundary occurred.          |

|                                                                              |

| "Palo Verde has a program for replacing the Alloy 600 hot leg thermowells.   |

| This thermowell was scheduled for replacement during this refueling outage.  |

| The plans to replace the thermowell remain unchanged.                        |

|                                                                              |

| "A mechanical nozzle sleeve assembly (MNSA) will be installed on each of the |

| pressurizer heater sleeves.                                                  |

|                                                                              |

| "No ESF actuations occurred and none were required. There were no            |

| structures, systems, or components that were inoperable at the time of       |

| discovery that contributed to this condition. There were no failures that    |

| rendered a train of a safety system inoperable and no failures of components |

| with multiple functions were involved.  The event did not result in the      |

| release of radioactivity to the environment and did not adversely affect the |

| safe operation of the plant or health and safety of the public."             |

|                                                                              |

| The licensee has informed the NRC Resident Inspector.                        |

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+                 

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021