| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
12/09/2003 - 12/10/2003 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 40374 | Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV
Licensee: BAYOU INSPECTION SERVICES
Region: 4
City: AMELIA State: LA
County: ST MARY PARRISH
License #: LA-7112-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: SCOTT BLACKWELL
HQ OPS Officer: GERRY WAIG | Notification Date: 12/04/2003
Notification Time: 16:03 [ET]
Event Date: 12/03/2003
Event Time: 17:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/04/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CLAUDE JOHNSON (R4)
THOMAS ESSIG (NMSS)
HO NIEH (IRO)
VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4)
RANDY BIBBY (DHS)
MIKE SMITH (DOE)
| Event Text LOUISIANA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST Ir-192 RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA
An IR-100 industrial radiography camera, serial number 4470, Spec model G40F, with a 33 curie Ir-192 source, serial number KG2801, was reported lost while being transported by the licensee from a work-site to the licensee's office. On December 3, 2003 at approximately 1700 CST the licensee, Bayou Inspection Service, 318 Degravelle Road, Amelia, LA was transporting the radiography camera from a work-site located at 1081 Highway 70, Pierre Port, LA to the Amelia, LA address, a distance of approximately 20 miles. Upon arrival at the office, the camera was noticed missing from the pickup truck being used to transport it from the worksite. The route of travel was from the work-site on Highway 70, through Morgan City, and to the Amelia exit on Highway 90 . The licensee notified the State of Louisiana of the event on 12/04/03 at 0940 CST and has notified local law enforcement along the route of travel. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40376 | Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: STATE OF FLORIDA
Region: 1
City: DAVIE State: FL
County:
License #: 0109-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JERRY EAKINS
HQ OPS Officer: GERRY WAIG | Notification Date: 12/05/2003
Notification Time: 11:54 [ET]
Event Date: 12/04/2003
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/05/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD CONTE (R1)
TOM ESSIG (NMSS)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT- FLORIDA - LOST OR STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The following information was received via facsimile and telephone conversation:
"Loss of Control - Lost, Abandoned, or Stolen Materials
"Incident Location: Suspected Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) job site at US1 just north of North Bridge Road, St. Lucie, Florida in unrestricted area.
"Incident Description: POC [Point of Contact] reported he looked for gauge in the bed of transport truck this AM. Gauge was not in carrying case. He believes he left the gauge at the job site on 4 Dec. He has the locks for the transportation case and the box attached to the truck bed and they were intact. The gauge handle was locked and he has the keys. He had a crew in Ft. Pierce make a futile search for the gauge at the work site. He called the Ft. Pierce PD [Police Department] and they had no reports of a gauge being found. This office requested a press release and reward for the return of the gauge be issued and the gauge be reported lost or stolen to the Ft. Pierce PD. Further investigation of this incident will be by the Radioactive Materials section."
The subject gauge is a Troxler model 3440, serial number 20515, 40 milliCuries Am-241:Be, 8 milliCuries Cs-137 moisture density gauge licensed to the FDOT.
Florida incident number FL03-217. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 40377 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Region: 4
City: COLLEGE STATION State: TX
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: HELEN WATKINS (fax)
HQ OPS Officer: GERRY WAIG | Notification Date: 12/05/2003
Notification Time: 18:52 [ET]
Event Date: 12/03/2003
Event Time: [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/05/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CLAUDE JOHNSON (R4)
THOMAS ESSIG (NMSS)
| Event Text Cs-137 SOURCE CONTAINED WITHIN A LIQUID SCINTILLATION COUNTER WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING
The following is taken from a facsimile received from Texas Department of Health [TDH], Bureau of Radiation Control:
"Event Description: A 30 microcurie cesium-137 source located in a scintillation counter was found with 430,000 cpm counts on a swab leak test conducted by a serviceman. No contamination was found outside the source assembly.
"Texas Incident No. I-8024
The Licensee's report to TDH was also faxed to the NRC and is identified, in part, below:
"On December 3, 2003, the Radiological Safety Officer at Texas A&M University (TAMU) was notified by a service representative of Beckman Coulter that a Cs-137 source contained within a liquid scintillation counter was leaking. After obtaining information from the service representative, the RSO then made a telephone notification to the Texas Department of Health-Bureau of Radiation Control, informing Ms. Helen Watkins of the situation.
"This letter is a written notification of the leaking sealed source, in accordance with TAC 289.202 (ddd). The following information identifies the liquid scintillation counter and specifies of the source:
Location: Chemistry Bldg., Room 2516
Manufacturer: Beckman
Model: LS 6000 SE
S/N: 7060437
Source: Cs-137
Activity: 30 uCi [microcuries]
"The device user, a professor at TAMU, noticed that the device was not operating properly and contacted Beckman for service. The service representatives performed diagnostics on the device including a smear (cotton swab) of the plastic sphere source. The swab was counted with a result of approximately 430,000 cpm [counts per minute]. No parts have been removed from the device, but the intention is to replace the source, source housing, and source elevator. These components will then be returned to Beckman. Repair parts have been ordered. The device has been removed from service with signage indicating 'No Usage' and 'Contact Radiological Safety.' In addition, Environmental Health and Safety Department (EHSD) personnel performed contamination surveys on the device, the service representatives, and within the room. No contamination was detected." |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 40379 | Facility: NORTH ANNA
Region: 2 State: VA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: ROB WILMOUTH
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT | Notification Date: 12/09/2003
Notification Time: 17:12 [ET]
Event Date: 12/09/2003
Event Time: 15:59 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/09/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
INFORMATION ONLY
| Person (Organization):
JAY HENSON (R2)
TAD MARSH (NRR)
HO NIEH (IRO)
ANIELLO DELLA GRECA (R1)
MCDONALD (DHS)
|
| 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 INFORMATION ONLY - SEISMIC ACTIVITY FELT AT NORTH ANNA POWER STATION
At 1559 EST on 12/09/03, Seismic activity was felt at North Anna Power Station (NAPS). Both units continue to operate at 100 percent power with no problems. Seismic monitoring systems did not pick up the event. The earthquake was centered 15 miles Southeast of Colombia, VA (29 miles from NAPS) and registered 4.5 on the Richter Scale. Initial plant walk downs have identified no issues. Operations and engineering are continuing to walk down the units to identify problems that are undetectable from the control room.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 40380 | Facility: SOUTH TEXAS
Region: 4 State: TX
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: RON GIBBS
HQ OPS Officer: GERRY WAIG | Notification Date: 12/09/2003
Notification Time: 17:32 [ET]
Event Date: 12/09/2003
Event Time: 15:38 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/09/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
| Person (Organization):
DAVID GRAVES (R4)
|
| 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 UNABLE TO ACHIEVE COLD SHUTDOWN USING NATURAL CIRCULATION AT A COOLDOWN RATE OF 50 DEGREES PER HOUR
"At 1538 on 12/09/03, it was determined that the plant could not achieve cold shutdown using Natural Circulation with the available volume of the Auxiliary Feed Water Storage Tank [AFWST] and at an allowed plant cooldown rate of 50 degrees F/hour. The plant has a functional objective to achieve Plant Shutdown from Operating Condition to Cold Shutdown Condition with the Natural Circulation Cooldown process with the volume of water available in the AFWST. Natural Circulation cooldown is required during Loss of Offsite Power (LOOP), long term cooling, Safety Grade Cold Shutdown and Appendix R type fire with LOOP. This condition also applies to Unit 2.
"STP [South Texas Project] changed from a Reactor Vessel Head (RVH) T-Hot Plant to a RVH T-Cold Plant after replacement of the plant's steam generators. As a result, the plant cooldown rate under natural circulation conditions was changed from 25 degrees F/hour to 50 degrees F/hour based on a Westinghouse evaluation.
"While performing confirmatory calculations to address a fire safe shutdown issue, it was determined that the plant can be cooled down with two steam generators using natural circulation. However, at a cooldown rate of 50 degrees F/hour, the two steam generators not being used for cooldown would stagnate with hot water in the primary side tubes. During the depressurization process, the hot water flashes to steam such that depressurization below approximately 1000 psig is significantly challenged. This results in filling the pressurizer and a loss of RCS pressure control. The fluid in the RCS [Reactor Coolant System] loops not receiving AFW will remain at saturated conditions until cooling is achieved by other means.
"Cooldown and depressurization of the RCS in this configuration will take substantially longer than assumed in the current analyses. Although there is adequate core cooling, the plant will be in a condition that is outside the existing design basis and not specifically addressed by the Emergency Operating Procedures. Therefore, this condition resulted in the plant being in an unanalyzed condition that significantly degraded plant safety.
"Thermal Hydraulic Analyses at a cooldown rate of 25 degrees F/hr demonstrated that natural circulation will occur in the two steam generators that are not being used for cooldown such that the stagnated hot water conditions would not occur in these steam generators. This would allow for depressurization of the reactor coolant system and successfully meet the functional objective. A compensatory action is in place to limit natural circulation cooldown rate to no greater than 25 degrees F/hr."
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |