| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
05/22/2009 - 05/26/2009 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | !!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!! | | Power Reactor | Event Number: 44970 | Facility: PALO VERDE
Region: 4 State: AZ
Unit: [ ] [ ] [3]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: BRIAN FERGUSON
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 04/04/2009
Notification Time: 08:54 [ET]
Event Date: 04/03/2009
Event Time: 23:54 [MST]
Last Update Date: 05/22/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
| Person (Organization):
RICK DEESE (R4)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 3 | M/R | Y | 29 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO HIGH VIBRATIONS IN THE TURBINE
"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 April 3, 2009, at approximately 2345 Mountain Standard Time (MST), Palo Verde Unit 3 operators manually tripped the reactor from approximately 29% rated thermal power in response to increasing vibration on the main turbine. The unit was being shutdown from 100% power for a refueling outage at the time of the trip.
"Following the manual reactor trip, all CEAs fully inserted into the reactor core. This was an uncomplicated reactor trip. No emergency classification was required per the Emergency Plan. No automatic ESF actuations occurred and none were required. Safety related buses remained energized during and following the reactor trip. The Emergency Diesel Generators did not start and were not required. The offsite power grid is stable. No LCOs have been entered as a result of this event. No major equipment was inoperable prior to the event that contributed to the event."
No relief or safety valves lifted during the event. Decay heat is being removed via the steam dump to condenser valves. The licensee will continue to cool the plant down to support their planned refueling outage. There was no effect on Unit 1 or Unit 2.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * UPDATE FROM DANIEL HAUTALA TO JOHN KNOKE AT 1429 EDT ON 05/22/09 * * *
"This notification is being made to retract Event Notification (EN 44970) made by Arizona Public Service Company (APS) on April 4, 2009, that reported a reactor protection system actuation in Unit 3 during a planned shutdown for a refueling outage. Further review of the reporting guidance in NUREG 1022 (revision 2) has concluded that since the manual trip was not initiated to mitigate an event and the decision to trip the reactor was at the discretion of the licensed operators the reporting threshold was not met. The procedure for a normal reactor shutdown directs that a manual reactor trip be initiated at approximately 20% rated thermal power. Due to prior issues with vibration of the main turbine monoblock rotor during power reductions related to plant shutdown, just-in-time training was provided to the plant operators which included action to trip the reactor if main turbine bearing vibration increased. Without the pre-determined discretion provided through the just-in-time training, the main turbine alone could have been tripped, followed by lowering reactor power to 20%, and then tripping the reactor. The plant design does not include an automatic reactor trip when the main turbine is tripped.
"Event Summary: On April 3, 2009, at approximately 23:45 Mountain Standard Time (MST) Palo Verde Unit 3 operators manually tripped the reactor from approximately 29% rated thermal power in response to increasing vibration on the main turbine. The unit was being shutdown from 100% power for a refueling outage at the time of the trip.
"Following the manual reactor trip all CEAs fully inserted into the reactor core. This was an uncomplicated reactor trip. No emergency classification was required per the Emergency Plan. No automatic ESF actuations occurred and none were required. Safety related buses remained energized during and following the reactor trip. The Emergency Diesel Generators did not start and were not required. The offsite power grid is stable. No LCOs have been entered as a result of this event. No major equipment was inoperable prior to the event that contributed to the event."
NRC Resident Inspector has been notified. Notified R4DO (William Jones) |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45079 | Rep Org: NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: DAKOTA GASIFICATION PLANT
Region: 4
City: BEULAH State: ND
County:
License #: 42-32219-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: LOUISE ROEHRICH
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 05/19/2009
Notification Time: 12:34 [ET]
Event Date: 05/18/2009
Event Time: 08:45 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 05/21/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
| Event Text RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE STUCK IN THE UNSHIELDED POSITION
The state reported that two radiographers from Team Industrial Incorporated, were performing radiography on some bend joints at the Dakota Gasification Plant (DGP). Following a number of radiography shots, the radiographers attempted to fully retract the source and were unsuccessful. The radiographers expected to retract the source in approximately 4 cranks. However, they were only able to retract approximately 3.5 cranks. The corporate RSO at the site was notified. Barriers were erected and lead shielding has been deployed around the source. Each worker received approximately 30mR. The licensee contacted QSA Global, who has arrived on site and is going to retrieve the source. The device is identified as a SPEC150, S/N 0129 with a 90 curie Ir-192 source.
* * * UPDATE FROM LOUIS ROEHRICH TO HOWIE CROUCH @ 0020 ON 5/20/09 * * *
The State of North Dakota reported that the licensee and technicians from QSA were not able to retrieve the source. Currently, the source is shielded and boundaries have been established. Personnel have been assigned to monitor the boundaries throughout the night. The QSA representatives are expecting delivery of a drum tool and source change tool in the morning to retract/retrieve the source.
Notified R4DO (Jones) and FSME EO (Chang).
* * * UPDATE FROM LOUISE ROEHRICH TO DAN LIVERMORE @ 0903 ON 05/20/09 * * *
The State of North Dakota reported that the drum tool and source change tool will arrive via FedEx on 05/21/09. The area remains controlled with barriers erected.
Notified R4DO (Jones) and FSME EO (McIntosh).
* * * UPDATE FROM LOUISE ROEHRICH TO DONALD NORWOOD @ 1953 ON 05/21/09 * * *
The State of North Dakota reported by telephone that the source had been fully retracted back into the camera. The camera will be taken to Minnesota tomorrow by Team Industrial personnel. After arrival in Minnesota the camera will be shipped to QSA for evaluation and repair.
This incident did not result in any injuries or any excess exposures.
Notified R4DO (Jones) and FSME EO (Chang) |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45082 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION
Region: 1
City: FALL RIVER State: MA
County:
License #: G0122
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: J. THOMAS COULOMBE
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 05/20/2009
Notification Time: 15:14 [ET]
Event Date: 05/19/2009
Event Time: 08:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/20/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DON JACKSON (R1DO)
LYDIA CHANG (FSME)
JIM WHITNEY (ILTA)
|
| This material event contains a "Category 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - UNACCOUNTED FOR SEALED SOURCES
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts provided the following information via facsimile:
The Commonwealth dispatched an inspector to a general licensee facility to conduct an inspection of their thickness gauges. Upon arrival, the inspector discovered that the licensee had undergone bankruptcy in 2007 and the facility was being demolished by a national liquidation company. The building that the gauges were supposed to be stored in had already been demolished.
The 12 thickness gauges were NDC Systems Model #103 and each contained 150 mCi of Am-241.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has notified local scrap yards and material recyclers and will be continuing their investigation.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours. It could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example, level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging.
Although IAEA categorization of this event is typically based on device type, the staff has been made aware of the actual activity of the source, and after calculation determines that it is a Category 3 event.
Note: the value assigned by device type "Less than Cat 3" is different than the calculated value "Category 3" |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45083 | Rep Org: MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: AMERICAN ENGINEERING AND TESTING
Region: 3
City: ST PAUL State: MN
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CRAIG VERKE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 05/20/2009
Notification Time: 17:26 [ET]
Event Date: 05/20/2009
Event Time: 15:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/20/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
LYDIA CHANG (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE
The State sent this event via fax:
"Radiography was being performed by American Engineering and Testing at Midwest Tank in Big Lake, Minnesota when after performing an exposure, the 41.4 curie, Ir-192 source would not retract back into the camera. The radiographer attempted numerous times to retract the source and was unsuccessful. The radiographer and radiography's assistant performed surveys and reset the boundaries. The RSO for the Minnesota license was called at 1300. The RSO had performed the source retrieval and it was secured back in the camera at 1420. MDH received a call at 1530 providing notification of the incident. Preliminary cause was a kink in the guide tube. Minnesota RSO who performed the retrieval will be notified tomorrow for additional information. A written report will be required within 30 days of notification." |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45084 | Rep Org: ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: MAGNOLIA State: AR
County:
License #: ARK-0717-0312
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: STEVE E. MACK
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 05/20/2009
Notification Time: 16:23 [ET]
Event Date: 05/18/2009
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/20/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4DO)
LYDIA CHANG (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK SHUTTER
The State provided the following information regarding a previously unreported event received via e-mail:
"On May 19, 2009, the Department was notified by the licensee of a stuck shutter. The gauge is a Kay-Ray Model 7063S, Serial S97D2115, containing 100 millicuries of Cesium-137. The gauge was originally installed in 1997. The stuck shutter was discovered during routine shutter checks on May 18, 2009. The licensee tried to release the shutter, but was unable to do so and is currently working to schedule a service provider for repair. The licensee is maintaining control of the area where the gauge is installed." |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45092 | Facility: QUAD CITIES
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-3,[2] GE-3
NRC Notified By: DAVE GEEVER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 05/25/2009
Notification Time: 21:32 [ET]
Event Date: 05/25/2009
Event Time: 16:50 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/25/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Cold Shutdown | 0 | Cold Shutdown | Event Text INOPERABLE RCIC PRIMARY CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVES
"The Reactor Core Isolation Cooling (RCIC) system tripped on high turbine exhaust discharge pressure during surveillance testing on May 24, 2009. Following the surveillance it was identified that the containment (torus) inboard stop check valve in the RCIC turbine exhaust line could not be closed, necessitating the shutdown of Unit 1 to perform repairs on this inboard isolation valve. At 1650 hours on May 25, 2009, with the unit shutdown, inspections revealed that the inboard isolation valve could not close due to [the presence of] valve material originating from the containment (torus) outboard swing check isolation valve in the turbine exhaust line. Given the inspection findings it has been concluded that neither the inboard stop check valve or the outboard swing check valve in the RCIC turbine exhaust line would have performed their primary containment isolation function while the unit was at power, [thus] impacting containment integrity. As a result, this event is being reported in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72 (b)(3)(ii) for a degraded or unanalyzed condition. The inboard and outboard containment isolation valves in the RCIC turbine exhaust line will be repaired prior to unit startup. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of this condition." | |