Event Notification Report for January 01, 2003

AGREEMENT STATE - TEXAS - REPORT OF MISSING GAUGE CONTAINING 2 CURIE CESIUM-137 SOURCE

The following was received from the Texas Department of State Health via e-mail:

"The gauge was discovered missing after Agency attempts to collect fees. Gauge registrant had provided self evaluation reports indicating they possessed the gauge and, after being contacted, admitted it was missing. The company had 2 gauges. The second was returned to Thermo Scientific.

"The missing gauge is reported to contain 1 curie of Cs-137. However, the manufacturer's information indicates it held 2 curies. A site investigation will be performed 12/09/08. The source information follows: Manufacturer: Thermo MeasureTech (Now Thermo Fisher Scientific), Model: 5203, Serial Number: B996, Isotope: Cs-137, Activity: 2 Ci, Source serial number: GK3804."

The State of Texas is reporting this as their equivalent to NRC regulation 20.2201(a)(1)(i); reports of theft or loss of licensed materials > 1000 X App. C value.

A representative of the State of Texas (Robert Free) was contacted and it was determined that the date that the gauge went missing or the circumstances are unknown at this time. The licensee is a dredging company that used the density gauge for underwater dredging activities associated with installing underwater pipelines.

Texas report I-8587

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.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING NUCLEAR GAUGE

"The gauge was discovered missing after Agency [Texas Department of Health] attempts to collect fees. Gauge registrant had provided self evaluation reports indicating they possessed the gauge and, after being contacted, admitted it was missing. The company had 2 gauges. The second was returned to Thermo Scientific. The missing gauge is reported to contain 1 curie of Cs-137. However, the manufacturer's information indicates it held 2 curies. A site investigation will be performed 12/09/08. A site investigation will be performed 12/09/08.

"The licensee continues to dispute inappropriate disposition of the gauge/source but cannot produce documentation to support the statement. The gauge is most likely fixed on a dredge in Florida but until definitive documentation is produced to support or show the whereabouts of the source, the Agency must formerly declare the source missing. A draft Notice of Violation is being developed to call the company in for enforcement.

"The source information follows:

"Manufacturer: Thermo
"MeasureTech (Now Thermo Fisher Scientific), Model: 5203,
"Serial Number: B996, Isotope: Cs-137, Activity: 2 Ci,
"Source serial number: GK3804"

Texas Incident Report # I-8587


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.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF A TRITIUM SIGN

The following report was received from the state via e-mail:

"Safety Light Model 2040-50-20, Serial Number A10 1821 with 12 Ci of H-3 was shipped in July of 1991 to the facility. In 2002-2003, the facility was remodeled. The facility was sold in 2004. The new owner assumed that they still had the sign and continued to pay the annual fee. This year, one of the owners sold his portion of the business and new staff questioned where the sign was when they received the annual fee notice. The staff believes that the sign was removed at the time of remodeling in 2002-2003."

Nebraska Item Number: NE110009

The licensee determined the sign was lost on 11/4/2011 and reported it to the state on 11/14/2011.

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

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source

LOSS OF ENS PHONES

"At 0557 CST it was discovered that the ENS Phones in both the Control Room and TSC were not functioning. Minimum required backup communications systems were verified operable. Repairs have been initiated."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE ON 1/6/03 BY ARLON COSTA * * *

NUREG-1022, Rev. 2, page 77 states that "Loss of either ENS or HPN does not generate an event report." Event 39484 was generated due to an administrative oversight.

REACTOR TRIP AND AUXILIARY FEEDWATER ACTUATION START SIGNALS RECEIVED DURING DRAINING OF THE LOOP # 2 STEAM GENERATOR.

"At 0626 EDT on 01/01/03, Sequoyah Unit 2 received reactor trip and Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW) start signals while draining the loop 2 Steam Generator (S/G). The low-low level trip inputs to the RPS (reactor protection system) were blocked in accordance with the procedure. However, the EAM/TTD [environmental adverse monitor/trip time delay] low-low level trip inputs were not blocked prior to commencing the drain down [the procedural step had been N/A'd]. The setpoint for the trip is 15% on 2/3 Level Transmitters with an increasing time delay based on core delta T [with reactor power less than 50%].

"Unit 2 was in Mode 5 [cold shutdown] prior the actuation with all rods inserted. The reactor coolant system was at 115 [degrees] F and 5 psig. The AFW pumps were in pull-to-lock and did not start as a result of the signal. No other equipment started or repositioned as a result of the low-low level signal.

"The first out annunciation cleared at 0939 EDT after blocking the EAM/TTD low-low level inputs."


The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified of this event by the licensee.