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Event Notification Report for May 08, 2003

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

EVENT REPORTS FOR
05/07/2003 - 05/08/2003

EVENT NUMBERS
398323983339834

Power Reactor
Event Number: 39832
Facility: GRAND GULF
Region: 4     State: MS
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: BRIAN BLANCHE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON
Notification Date: 05/08/2003
Notification Time: 10:40 [ET]
Event Date: 05/08/2003
Event Time: 08:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/08/2003
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
Power Reactor Unit Info
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
Event Text
EMERGENCY SIREN ACCIDENTLY INITIATED.

The Claiborne County Civil Defense department inadvertently initiated an emergency siren. The siren has been secured, and a "No Emergency" message has been issued to the local media.

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


Fuel Cycle Facility
Event Number: 39833
Facility: GLOBAL NUCLEAR FUEL - AMERICAS
Region: 2     State: NC
Unit: [] [] []
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: LEU CONVERSION (UF6 TO UO2)
LEU FABRICATION
LWR COMMERICAL FUEL
NRC Notified By: RICK FOLECK
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 05/08/2003
Notification Time: 16:16 [ET]
Event Date: 05/08/2003
Event Time: 04:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/08/2003
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
70.50(b)(2) - SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE
Person (Organization):
PAUL FREDRICKSON (R2)
ERIC LEEDS (NMSS)
JOHN JOLICOEUR (IRO)
Event Text
SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE DUE TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONDITIONS

The following information was received from the licensee via facsimile:

"At approximately 4:00 a.m. [EDT] on May 8, 2003, the Criticality Warning System (CWS) coverage was temporarily lost due to severe thunderstorm conditions. The two Data Acquisition Modules (DAMS) providing redundant criticality detector coverage of the Dry Conversion Process (DCP) plant area were simultaneously lost. Additional isolated DAM failures occurred at other locations, but CWS coverage was maintained for the remainder of the facility.

"In DCP, operations were suspended, and all movement of fissile material was halted. Personnel were restricted from affected plant areas. Maintenance instrumentation personnel diagnosed and successfully restored CWS coverage for the DCP plant area at approximately 7:00 a.m. Normal plant operations were resumed at approximately 9:30 a.m. Restoration of remaining redundant CWS coverage for all areas was completed at 11:45 a.m.

"This condition is reported pursuant to 10CFR70.50(B)(2) as an event in which equipment is disabled or fails to function as designed when required by license or regulation to be available to mitigate the consequences of an accident. Incident investigation and evaluation of additional corrective actions pending."

Licensee will be notifying New Hanover County Emergency Management, North Carolina Department of Radiation Protection, NRC Region 2 and NRC Headquarters Global Nuclear Fuels Project Manager.


Power Reactor
Event Number: 39834
Facility: WOLF CREEK
Region: 4     State: KS
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: RICK HUBBARD
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 05/08/2003
Notification Time: 21:53 [ET]
Event Date: 05/08/2003
Event Time: 19:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/08/2003
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
LINDA SMITH (R4)
Power Reactor Unit Info
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
Event Text
LOSS OF FIVE EMERGENCY SIRENS DUE TO POWER OUTAGE

The following information was obtained from the licensee via facsimile:

"On 05/08/2003 at 1840 CDT, the National Weather Service in Topeka, KS declared a Tornado Warning for the area around Wolf Creek Generating Station. The Tornado Warning was in effect until 1930 CDT. The storm cell moved through Burlington, KS, approximately 6 miles southwest of the facility, causing power to be lost to the city of Burlington. Plant Security notified the Control Room that the loss of power to Burlington had caused power to be lost to five (5) E-Plan Sirens and an intrusion alarm on one additional E-Plan Siren. This information was relayed to Security via the installed telemetric monitoring system. At this time, Burlington is without power and the sirens remain without power."

There is no ETA for power restoration.

The licensee has informed the NRC Resident Inspector and the local authorities.