Event Notification Report for September 09, 2003

ACCIDENT MITIGATION - CONTROL ROOM VENTILATION SYSTEM

"At 1530 EDT on September 8, 2003, maintenance personnel opened the 'A' train Control Room charcoal filter plenum (XAA-0029A-AH) to replace the charcoal. At 0730 EDT on September 9, 2003, a question was raised about the work being performed on the 'A' train Control Room ventilation Charcoal Filter Plenum. The Operating shift asked Engineering if the Control Room was capable of maintaining the Technical Specification required pressure under the current conditions, should the ventilation system go into the emergency mode of operation.

"Prior to getting the answer, the conservative decision was made to cease work on the charcoal filter plenum and restore the integrity of the 'A' train ventilation system. This was accomplished at 0805 EDT on September 9, 2003. At 0915 EDT on September 9, 2003, Engineering determined that with the isolation dampers for the 'A' train charcoal filter plenum open, due to the associated fan being tagged de-energized, the 'A' and 'B' trains of the control room ventilation system were effectively crossed. Breaching the charcoal filter plenum would have prevented the control room ventilation system from maintaining a greater than 1/8th inch positive pressure during the emergency mode of operation.

"Replacement of the charcoal has been placed on hold until a methodology can be formulated to allow the ventilation system to maintain the design pressure."

The licensee informed the NRC resident inspector.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A RECOVERED SOURCE

"At 4:30 pm on 9/9/03 the radiation alarm pegged at off scale at the Keller Canyon Land fill from a load of trash from the Contra Costa Transfer Station. The facility's Bicron probe indicated (off scale) on the drivers side of the truck. The passenger side probe was fluctuating above normal but not off scale. [DELETED], the Operations Manager informed RHB Berkeley of the radiation alarms and that Contra County Environmental Health had also been notified. Based upon this conversation it was determined that the truck will be secured in a restricted area and access will be restricted and warning tape and signs will be used. Arrangements were made to visit the facility on 9/10/03 to determine the cause of the radiation alarms.

"The facility was visited on 9/10/03 and after surveys it was determined the source of the radiation alarms was cesium 137. The maximum reading on side of the dump truck was 2.5 milliRem/hr and 0.7 mRem at one meter using an Eberline RO 20 Calibrated 4/03. A Bicron Fieldspec was also used and it was determined that radiation was from cesium 137 based upon the 662 kev gamma photon. The truck was moved to an isolated area and the driver using hydraulics pushed the load out as while surveys were conducted to indicate when the source of radiation had left the truck. Based upon the identification of cesium 137 a sealed source was suspected. After the surveys indicated the source of the radiation was on the ground, rakes and wood were used to move the trash to identify the location of the source. Following surveys and raking, a small one inch cylinder or rod was identified as the source of the radiation readings. The source resembled the end of a moisture density gauge source rod. Based upon surveys it was calculated that the source contained about 8-10 milliCuries of cesium 137. Using tools the rod was placed in a lead pig and transported to CPN for further investigation. The investigation will try to determine if the rod was cut or broken off the source rod and if the serial number on the source can be used to locate it's previous owner. Surveys of the load and truck using a Ludlum Survey meter with a pancake G-m model 44-9 probe indicated their was no contamination from the source. CPN will also perform a leak on the source.

"Troxler and Pacific Nuclear were also contacted to see if there were any unusual requests for a new source rod in the last six months. Both companies indicated they were not aware of any such requests. Further information will be provided following this investigation.

"The engraved source capsule serial number is CDCW 556, 9290. This information has been reported to Troxler, Rancho Cordova, who will report it to the RSO, Troxler, North Carolina, where source/gauge/customer files are kept."

PERSONNEL OVEREXPOSURE

The RSO reported that on 9/9/03 an employee radiographer received a radiation exposure of 14.15 Rem whole body and 13.445 Rem shallow dose (by film badge data received 9/11/03) during pipe weld radiography for a piping fabricator's job site in Charleston, WV. A second employee received a dose of 627 millirem whole body and 613 millirem shallow dose (by film badge). No health-related symptoms have been noted by either employee.

Following a radiography shot of a pipe weld, and after the source was thought to have been retracted, the equipment was being setup for a shot of the next weld. When the source was to be exposed for the second shot, it was discovered that the source had actually been exposed (probably fully) during the estimated 7-minute setup time. Both employees were wearing dosimeters which were found off scale and were wearing rad alarm devices set at 500 millirem/hr which they stated did not alarm. Additionally, the employees stated that a radiation survey was performed during the setup with no excessive radiation levels detected. The local RSO checked the survey meter and the radiography equipment and found nothing wrong. The radiography camera is an AEA Sentinal Model 660B (20.6 Curies Ir-192).