| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
11/13/2015 - 11/16/2015 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Agreement State | Event Number: 51517 | Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING
Region: 4
City: LONGMONT State: CO
County:
License #: CO General Li
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: LINDA BARTISH
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 11/05/2015
Notification Time: 12:53 [ET]
Event Date: 09/02/2015
Event Time: [MST]
Last Update Date: 11/05/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING EXIT SIGNS
The following was received from the State of Colorado via email:
"After no response from the annual mailing to register active general licensee's in our radioactive materials unit, a public record search was conducted to discover the owner of the property. Research disclosed from county records the homeowner's name and contact address. He was mailed a letter on 9/2/15. The exit signs were from the manufacturer Isolite Corporation. Isolite provided Glasco Electric, 700 W Mississippi Avenue Denver, CO 80223, the exit signs that were designated to be used at 5744 N 71st Street, Longmont, CO 80223. The two (2) exit signs were model # 2040-50G-20WH, activity 11.5 Ci, serial numbers were not recorded on the manufacturers quarterly report dated 10/1/2001 to 12/31/2001.
"A response was received from the home owner. He provided the following information: The Association for Community Living occupied 5744 N 71st Street, in Longmont, CO 80503 at the time the exit signs were shipped. According to the historical information, the building was used as a school for the developmentally disabled. The school closed and the property was sold in 2013. The new owner began renovation of the property and removed the exit signs. The owner reported local city codes requires all deconstruction materials to be recycled. He took the exit signs to The Center for Resource Conservation located in Boulder, CO during the calendar year of 2014. The home owner was unaware of any regulations pertaining to the use or disposal of Tritium exit signs.
"The Center for Resource Conservation was contacted 11/4/15 to inquire about the exit signs possibly being at the location 6400 Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO 80303. Management explained upon materials being dropped off the donor is given a receipt for the donation showing items donated. When large boxes are inspected smaller items may not get noticed and slip through the donation lane. Items are separated and maybe placed in a recycling roll off to be picked up by Evraz located in Denver, CO. It is unknown when they would have accepted the exit signs in 2014. It is unknown if the exit signs were resold or scrapped. No further information is available."
Event Report ID No.: CO15-I15-29
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 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51519 | Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV
Licensee: BASF CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: GEISMAR State: LA
County:
License #: LA-2304-L01,
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOE NOBLE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 11/06/2015
Notification Time: 17:14 [ET]
Event Date: 11/04/2015
Event Time: 14:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/06/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - HAIRLINE CRACK FOUND IN HOUSING OF A BERTHOLD LEVEL DENSITY GAUGE
The following report was received from the State of Louisiana via email:
"On 11/04/2015, the ARSO [Assistant Radiation Safety Officer] for [the licensee] called the LA DEQ [Louisiana Department of Environment Quality] about a hairline crack on the housing of a Berthold level density gauge. The crack was noticed when the annual operational inspections were being performed. The level gauges are required to be inspected by Condition Number 6 of the licensee's radioactive material license.
"The [gauge is located] in Geismar, LA within the secure boundary the licensee's chemical plant.
"The fixed gauge is installed on a hopper/drum, but the gauge has not been used as a qc/qa [quality control/quality assurance] device since March 21, 2003, when the device was locked-out. The crack or hairline crack was not detected or documented before the November 2015 annual inspections. The notification to LA DEQ is required by Condition Number 6 of the license. The gauge remained installed on the hopper since 2003, but was not functioning as a gauge during that time.
"LA DEQ was notified on November 4, 2015, at approximately 1430 CST, that during [the licensee's] annual operational inspections, they detected a hairline crack in the housing of an installed locked-out density measuring device (gauge). The device was a Berthold gauge Model LB 7440D loaded with approximately 60 mCi of Cs-137.
"On 11/04/2015, the licensee's ARSO called LA DEQ to make a preliminary report about a hairline crack found in a gauge housing/source holder. The crack was at the union of the gauge shielding and the mounting plate of the device.
"[A contract company] has been contacted to provide services at [the licensee' facility], for packaging the source to be shipped and for the source disposal. This will be the 'corrective action' and it was speculated the crack possibly happened due to the vibration of the hopper. The source or device is not leaking. The source is not exposed or removed from the shielded position. This appears to be reportable under 10 CFR 31.5(c)(5). The source was not being used/operational when the crack was detected.
"There is no possible exposure to the plant workers because the gauge is still installed on an elevated process. Surveys were taken of the source/gauge housing and they were in the same range as before noticing the crack. The exposure level is approximately 150 mR/hr. The gauge has been locked-out since March 20, 2003. The shutter remains closed and the gauge does not cause a safety hazard to the plant personnel. The gauge operated in the open direction without a problem. [The ARSO] called and reported the incident to comply with Condition Number 6 of [licensee's] Radioactive Material License. The gauge is a Berthold, model #LB-7440D [originally] loaded with approximately 100 mCi of Cs-137 and received and installed in 1992. The SN for the source is 3029-9-90. The corrective action will be disposal by [the contractor]. The Department [LA DEQ] considers this item OPEN until the disposal. The records will be reviewed during a site visit and the next inspection."
Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA 15-0020, T167164 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51520 | Rep Org: UTAH DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: INTERMOUNTAIN MEDICAL CENTER
Region: 4
City: MURRAY State: UT
County:
License #: UT 1800494
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKE GIVENS
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 11/06/2015
Notification Time: 20:24 [ET]
Event Date: 11/05/2015
Event Time: [MST]
Last Update Date: 11/06/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - UNDERDOSE TO PATIENT
The following report was received from the State of Utah via email:
"On 11/5/15, a 66 year-old male patient was scheduled to receive a TheraSphere infusion. The patient required a TheraSphere vial dose of 1.94 GBq Y-90 (order was for 5.5 GBq dose calibrated on 11/1/15 to deliver 1.94 GBq on 11/5/15) to treat the left hepatic lobe of the liver to a dose of 125 Gy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
"It was not until the Nuclear Medicine technologist returned to the In-Patient 'hot lab' to finish her calculations and make her final measurements after the procedure that she determined that the patient received a TheraSphere vial dose of 1.502 GBq instead of the prescribed vial dose of 1.94 GBq. (22.5 percent of the dose remained in the administration system.)
"The Nuclear Medicine Coordinator notified the Radiation Safety Officer and the authorized user. The Authorized User notified the patient. Also, the manufacturer's representative was notified. This incident is currently under investigation."
Utah Event Report No.: UT150005
A Medical Event may indicate potential problems in a medical facility's use of radioactive materials. It does not necessarily result in harm to the patient. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 51536 | Facility: SOUTH TEXAS
Region: 4 State: TX
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: JEFFREY HESTAND
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 11/13/2015
Notification Time: 08:21 [ET]
Event Date: 11/13/2015
Event Time: 06:39 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/13/2015 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
VINCENT GADDY (R4DO)
MARC DAPAS (RA)
MICHELE EVANS (NRR)
BERNARD STAPLETON (IRD)
SCOTT MORRIS (NRR)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Hot Standby | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL EVENT DUE TO UNIDENTIFIED RCS LEAKAGE GREATER THAN 10 GPM
While in Mode 3, South Texas Project Unit 1 declared an Unusual Event at 0639 CST on 11/13/15, due to SU7 of EAL1- Unidentified RCS or Pressure Boundary leakage greater than 10 gpm.
The excessive leakage to the WHT (waste holding tank) occurred when a letdown system demineralizer was placed in service. Operators bypassed the demineralizer and the RCS leakage was stopped. The excess leakage lasted for approximately 8 minutes and the maximum leakage was estimated to be 12-15 gpm.
There was no impact on South Texas Unit 2 which continues to operate at 100% power.
South Texas Project Unit 1 exited the Unusual Event at 0802 CST on 11/13/15, after verifying Unidentified RCS leakage less than 1 gpm. The demineralizer drain valve was partially open and was the cause of the excess leakage. The drain valve has been closed.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspectors.
Notified DHS SWO, FEMA Ops Center, FEMA NWC, NICC Watch Officer, and NuclearSSA via email
* * * UPDATE AT 1414 EST ON 11/13/2015 FROM JASON BERRIO TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
"Due to entering the STP [South Texas Project] Emergency Plan (Unusual Event), STP has officially determined to make a planned press release. Per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi), STP is making a notification to the NRC via the emergency notification system (ENS).
"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of the press release.
"The planned press release shares the following information:
"On November 13, 2015, STP Nuclear Operating Station, Unit 1, declared an Unusual Event at 0639 CST. Plant operators identified increasing reactor coolant system leakage in Unit 1. Plant Operators took immediate actions to verify the source and safely isolate and stop the leakage. Upon identifying the source of the leakage, the Unusual Event was exited at 0802 CST on November 13, 2015.
"The leakage was captured and maintained within an on-site storage tank and there was no radioactive release to the environment. STP Unit 1 is preparing for restart following a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage."
Notified the R4DO (Gaddy). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 51538 | Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: CARL YOUNG
HQ OPS Officer: STEVEN VITTO | Notification Date: 11/14/2015
Notification Time: 00:22 [ET]
Event Date: 11/13/2015
Event Time: 17:45 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/14/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) - DEGRADED CONDITION
| Person (Organization):
FRANK ARNER (R1DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Hot Shutdown | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text DEGRADED CONDITION OF LEAKAGE FROM PUMP LOWER SEAL WELD
"On 11/13/15 at 1745 EST, Unit 1 drywell entry was performed during an unplanned Unit 1 outage. The licensee identified leakage from a weld on the 3/4 inch lower seal vent piping connected to the 1B reactor recirculation pump lower seal area. The location is within the reactor recirculation loop isolation valves, therefore isolable from the reactor vessel. The piping is ASME Class 2 and is a reactor coolant pressure boundary. The reactor was in mode 3 at the time of discovery. Control Room determined at 2110 EST on 11/13/15, that requirements for 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) were not met.
"This event is being reported as a degraded condition pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A)."
The Licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |