| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
03/08/2010 - 03/09/2010 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 45686 | Rep Org: ABB INC. (MEDIUM VOLTAGE SERVICE)
Licensee: ABB INC. (MEDIUM VOLTAGE SERVICE)
Region: 1
City: FLORENCE State: SC
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: WILLIAM CONLON
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 02/08/2010
Notification Time: 16:38 [ET]
Event Date: 02/08/2010
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
21.21 - UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH
| Person (Organization):
DAVID AYRES (R2DO)
S. PANNIER (E-MAIL) (NRR)
J. THORP (E-MAIL) (NRR)
O. TABATABI (E-MAIL) (NRO)
| Event Text POTENTIAL FAILURE OF A BREAKER COMPONENT TO COMPLY WITH DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
The following information was received via facsimile:
A breaker failed during operation at Plant Vogtle during operation. A failure analysis indicated that the resistors on the electronic board fail to an open circuit status. On January 14, 2010, a failure analysis indicated that the resistors fail to a short circuit status prior to failing open. In this failure mode, the internal temperature increases to a point where the plastic core melts and thereby can potentially block the operation of the internal plunger. In such a case, the breaker remains closed, but if the breaker is opened then a new closing command is not possible.
ABB is taking, or has taken, the following corrective actions:
A. As noted above, the only affected customer with a failed breaker is Southern Company's Nuclear Plant Vogtle, and ABB has discussed this issue with Southern Company. An interim report was issued on 1-18-2010.
B. As an interim solution, ABB will provide a standard close coil. This solution will be limited to applications that do not require the low impendence in the close coil for lamp applications.
C. An alternate solution is to add 'b' contact (normally closed) in series with the existing close coil.
While not having a history of failure, it is noted that similar breakers are used at Plant Hatch.
Given the large number of applications for the affected circuit breakers, ABB (Medium Voltage Service) cannot determine if the potential for a substantial safety hazard exists at any licensee's facility if a similar failure of the close coil occurs. As noted above, the failure has been limited to applications that require continuous close coil duty. No failures have been reported or produced in testing in applications with intermittent use of close coil duty. Licensees are requested to evaluate the application of affected breakers to determine priority of close coil replacement.
* * * UPDATE FROM JAY LAVRINC TO CHARLES TEAL @ 1323 EST ON 3/8/10 * * *
The identification of the subject component is as follows: ABB PIN ISDA055274Rl Close Coil x Lamp. These close coils are used in Sace EMAX breakers exclusively provided to Southern Nuclear Company plant Vogtle for safety related applications. The close coils are used to release stored energy that in turn closes the breaker. The failure is limited to applications with constant voltage applied to the close coil. Intermittent use of the close coil has not resulted in any failures. ABB Sace EMAX circuit breakers procured from ABB between 2006 to present for Vogtle may have suspect close coils installed where the particular application requires constant control voltage to be applied to the close coil.
ABB is taking, or has taken, the following corrective actions:
a. As noted above, the only affected customer is Southern Company's Nuclear Plant Vogtle, and ABB has discussed this issue with Southern Company. An initial notification letter was issued on 2-18-2010.
b. ABB will provide a standard close coil 1SDA0383013R1. This part number has been updated from the 2-8-2010 notification and is based on ABB Sace input. This solution will be limited to applications that do not require the low impedance in the close coil for lamp applications. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45741 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: M/A-COM TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC.
Region: 1
City: LOWELL State: MA
County:
License #: G0230
Agreement: Y
Docket: 03-8913
NRC Notified By: J. THOMAS COULOMBE
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 03/03/2010
Notification Time: 12:24 [ET]
Event Date: 03/03/2010
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/03/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JOHN WHITE (R1DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
ILTAB via email ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING STATIC ELIMINATION DEVICE
The following information was received from the State via facsimile:
"The current general licensee, M/A-COM Technology Solutions, Inc., at the same location of the former, original general licensee, Tyco Electronics M/A-COM, at 100 Chelmsford Street, in Lowell, Massachusetts has no knowledge of the location of one static elimination device. The device had been used in a process that was terminated in 2007. The facility has been searched and employees and past employees have been questioned. The general licensee has declared the device as missing. The Agreement State has contacted the distributor and determined that the device was not returned to them.
"Source: 10mCi, Po-210
"Manufacture: NRD, Inc.
"Model Number: P-2021
"Serial Number: 114186"
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 |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45742 | Rep Org: UTAH DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: AMEC EARTH & ENVIRONMENT, INC.
Region: 4
City: MIDVALE State: UT
County:
License #: UT1800164
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: GWYN GALLOWAY
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 03/03/2010
Notification Time: 16:25 [ET]
Event Date: 02/23/2010
Event Time: 16:35 [MST]
Last Update Date: 03/03/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4DO)
MARK DELLIGATTI (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED TROXLER
The following information was received from the State via facsimile:
"A Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc. Model 3430, portable gauging device [serial number 17906, containing approximately 8.0 millicuries of cesium-137 (source serial number 750-7391), and approximately 40 millicuries of americium-241/beryllium (source serial number 47-13347)] was hit by an excavator at a temporary jobsite. The Cs-137 source was in the safe shielded position when it was hit and the source remained shielded after it was struck by the excavator. A leak test was performed and no leakage was detected from either source."
Utah Event Number: UT-10-0001 |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45749 | Facility: WOLF CREEK
Region: 4 State: KS
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: JAMES KURAS
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 03/08/2010
Notification Time: 05:46 [ET]
Event Date: 03/08/2010
Event Time: 03:33 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | M/R | Y | 42 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO LOSS OF ALL MAIN FEEDWATER
"Wolf Creek experienced an 'A' Main Feedwater Pump (MFP) trip at 0332 CST during a plant startup. Reactor power was 42% at the time of the manual reactor trip. The loss of the 'A' MFP resulted in no feedwater flow to the Steam Generators and a manual reactor trip was ordered due to the impending reactor trip on low-low Steam Generator level.
"Post-trip decay heat was being removed by the Condenser and Auxiliary Feedwater System. Reactor Coolant System (RCS) temperature dropped below 550 degrees Fahrenheit, which required emergency boration to ensure shutdown margin was maintained. Emergency boration was secured at 0404 CST when RCS temperature was raised to greater than 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest RCS temperature reached following the reactor trip was 544 degrees Fahrenheit.
"The cause of the 'A' Main Feedwater Pump trip is not known at this time.
"Primary to secondary leakage is less than 0.224 gallons per day. All systems functioned as designed.
"The plant is being maintained at normal Mode 3 pressure and temperature.
"The licensee has notified the Senior NRC Resident Inspector."
All control rods fully inserted. The plant is in a normal post-trip electrical line-up. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45751 | Facility: SAN ONOFRE
Region: 4 State: CA
Unit: [ ] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: GEOFF COOK
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 03/08/2010
Notification Time: 16:31 [ET]
Event Date: 03/08/2010
Event Time: 10:25 [PST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | N | 0 | Cold Shutdown | 0 | Cold Shutdown | | 3 | N | Y | 72 | Power Operation | 72 | Power Operation | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT
A non-licensed employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a follow-up fitness-for-duty test. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details. |
| Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 45752 | Facility: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT
RX Type: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY
Comments: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER
6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200
Region: 2
City: PIKETON State: OH
County: PIKE
License #: GDP-2
Agreement: Y
Docket: 0707002
NRC Notified By: BRYAN MILLER
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL | Notification Date: 03/08/2010
Notification Time: 20:03 [ET]
Event Date: 03/08/2010
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT
| Person (Organization):
BINOY DESAI (R2DO)
JAMES RUBENSTONE (NMSS)
MARK DELLIGATTI (FSME)
| Event Text POTENTIAL RELEASE OF CONTAMINATED MATERALS OFF-SITE
"At 1705 hours on 03/08/2010, the USEC-GS Plant Shift Superintendents' (PSS) Office at Portsmouth was notified of an inadvertent release of radioactively contaminated materials to an off-site location in Pike County, OH. The contamination was the result of a contractor neutralizing a fluorine service pipe connecting the X-326 building with the X-760 building. The X-760 building has been "de-leased" by USEC back to the Department of Energy (DOE) and is being prepared for decommission and demolition. The contaminated items consisted of five (5) 5-gallon buckets containing some rusty solution. The highest contamination levels were on one (1) bucket with 14K Beta removable and 50K Beta fixed. All other tools and personal protective equipment were monitored and found to be uncontaminated. There is a filtering unit located in Atlanta, GA that remains to be surveyed. A team of USEC health physics personnel is preparing to travel to the contractor's facility in Atlanta to complete the surveys.
"This event has been classified as reportable in accordance with procedure UE2-RA-RE1030, Portsmouth GDP SAR 6.9, and 10CFR76. No 10CFR20 exposure limits were reached or exceeded."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45753 | Facility: GRAND GULF
Region: 4 State: MS
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: TERRY HOLCOMBE
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 03/08/2010
Notification Time: 19:47 [ET]
Event Date: 03/08/2010
Event Time: 16:35 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | A/R | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text AUTOMATIC REACTOR SCRAM ON LOW REACTOR WATER LEVEL
"An 'A' reactor feed pump trip occurred and initiated a recirculation pump flow control valve runback. During the flow control valve runback, the 'A' recirculation hydraulic power unit tripped causing an incomplete runback.
"Reactor water level 3 (11.4 inches) was reached which is an RPS scram setpoint and also a setpoint for Group 2 (RHR to Radwaste) and Group 3 (Shutdown Cooling Isolation). No valves isolated in these systems due to [the valves] being in their normally closed position. The lowest reactor water level reached was -28 inches wide range.
"Appropriate off normal event procedures were entered to mitigate the transient with all systems responding as designed. No loss of offsite or ESF power occurred. No ECCS initiation signals were reached, and no ECCS or Diesel Generator initiation occurred. All safety systems performed as expected.
"MSIVs remained open and no SRVs lifted. Main condenser and pressure control systems remained in service. Currently, reactor water level is being maintained by the condensate and feedwater system in the normal level band and reactor pressure is being controlled to limit cooldown."
During the scram, all rods inserted into the core. The plant is in its normal shutdown electrical lineup. Decay heat removal is via the steam bypass valves to the condenser.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |