Event Notification Report for July 13, 2004

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Thermal Electron found a torn window on a DMC Thickness measurement gauge while performing preventative maintenance on the gauge. The DMC thickness measurement gauge is licensed to Allegheny Rodney which is located in New Bedford, MA. The model number for the DMC measurement gauge is SR-U2. The serial number for the gauge is J3013T. The gauge contains a 50 milliCurie strontium-90 source. There is no sign of contamination and there is no expected exposures at this time. The Commonwealth of MA is sending someone out on 07/15/04 to investigate this problem.

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP ON LOW LOW STEAM GENERATOR WATER LEVEL.


"An automatic Reactor Trip occurred on 21 Steam Generator low low level. The cause is currently under investigation. All systems responded as required. All control rods fully inserted. All auxiliary Feedwater pumps started as expected, on the low level signals and the steam driven auxiliary feed (23) pump was secured by procedure. Currently the steam dump system is rejecting heat to the main condenser for reactor coolant system temperature control, currently at normal operating temperature and pressure. No major equipment was unavailable at the time of the trip."

All Emergency Core Cooling Systems and the Emergency Diesel Generators are fully operable if needed and the electrical grid is stable.

The Licensee is investigating the cause of Steam Generator "21" low low water level.

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

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE

At 1440 PDT on 7/13/04, the California Radiologic Health Branch was notified by the Assistant Radiation Safety Officer for Stacey and Witbeck that their one and only gauge was stolen along with some other goods from a Conex box, container car, which was located at a construction site at Bascomb and SW Expressway in San Jose. The stolen gauge was a Troxler 3440, Serial Number 750-8909 containing 9 millicuries Cs-137 and 44 millicuries Am-241. The gauge was in a locked construction site in a locked Conex box. Bolt cutters and a torch were used to open the Conex box.

ENTERGY LOCATES SPENT FUEL SEGMENTS AT VERMONT YANKEE

"On April 21, 2004 Vermont Yankee made a notification regarding a news release of an accountability discrepancy of SNM. This was event # 40694.

"Today as a result of the continuing search for the two pieces of spent fuel, the two pieces were located in a unique 40 inch aluminum cylinder within the spent fuel pool. The licensee has issued a news release regarding the discovery of the two pieces. The news release is attached:

"5:25 pm 7/13/04

"Vernon, VT--- Entergy workers at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant today located the missing spent fuel rod segments in the plant's spent fuel pool. The two pieces were stored in a unique 40-inch aluminum cylinder, which is unlike a typical storage container but is similar to several other aluminum structures and tools in the pool.

"Entergy VY Site Vice President Jay Thayer credited interviews with former employees and contractors, intense research of records and documents dating back more than 25 years, and video tapes of the pool that were recently taken.

"Said Thayer, 'Our search team designed a detailed search plan that explored every possibility from three different angles. They looked visually with the cameras, they searched the documents, and they talked to people who were on the scene 25 years ago. The team deserves a tremendous amount of credit.'

"'We earlier had checked all the containers in the pool, but when we learned that General Electric had designed and sent a pipe-like cylinder for the fuel-rod pieces, we rechecked the videotapes. That's when we noticed that what was previously thought to be part of an existing in-pool structure could very well be the canister that GE sent here.'

"Workers used remotely operated tools to open the canister and insert a small high-resolution video camera that confirmed the presence of the fuel segments, which are nine inches and seventeen inches long and about the diameter of a pencil.

"Thayer also credits the resident NRC inspectors at Vermont Yankee and William Sherman, the Vermont Public Service Department's nuclear engineer, for their contributions to the investigation. "'These folks had full and open access to the process every step of the way and they provided valuable insights and guidance.'"

"Thayer said the policies and procedures for record keeping and documentation of activities in Vermont Yankee's spent fuel pool have been revised to ensure accurate record keeping. 'We want to make sure this doesn't happen again,' he said."

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

AUTOMATIC REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO POSSIBLE ADVERSE WEATHER

"On July 13, 2004 at 1610 CDT, the Clinton Power Station 345 KV unit output breakers GCB 4506 and 4510 opened resulting in a turbine control valve fast closure. This caused a reactor protection system actuation and reactor scram. Clinton was in Mode 1, operating at 95% rated thermal power when the event occurred. A tornado warning was in effect at the time of the event and weather conditions were degrading in the area surrounding the plant. The exact cause of the trip of the unit breakers is not yet known.

"All systems responded as expected following the scram with the exception of Reactor Recirculation pump A which tripped off instead of downshifting to slow speed on a reactor water level 3 signal.

"The unit is currently in Mode 3 with reactor pressure vessel level and pressure in their normal bands."

Recirculation Pump "A" remains secured until the licensee completes their investigation. All control rods fully inserted following the scram. The Main Condenser is in service removing decay heat. All ECCS equipment including the EDGs are available, if needed.

The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspector.