Event Notification Report for August 12, 2005

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION MADE DUE TO EMERGENCY SIREN ACTUATION

"On 8/12/05 at 1550, Fort Calhoun Station was notified by an off-duty employee that an emergency siren was sounding in Washington County, Nebraska. No actual emergency exists and no testing is currently in progress. The siren's location is approximately 1/2 mile East of the P32/P35 county road intersections on county road P32.

"The local sheriff, radio station (KFAB), and NRC senior resident have been notified.

"The cause of the inadvertent siren activation is unknown at this time.

"This event is considered to be reportable per 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(xi)."

This siren is within 10 miles from the plant. The local sheriff will provide compensatory notifications if required.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * RETRACTING EVENT BY LICENSEE (MARASCO) TO ABRAMOVITZ AT 2135 ON 8/12/2005 * * *

The licensee determined that their corporate communications department had been performing a test of the emergency sirens but had not notified the site.

Notified the R4DO (Bywater) and e-mailed R4 (Graves and Dricks).

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

PLANT ENTERED LCO ACTION STATEMENT 3.8.1 TO BE IN MODE 5 DUE TO UNIT 1 "B" DIESEL GEN. BEING DECLARED INOPERABLE

"On August 12, 2005, at approximately 00:19 hours Mountain Standard Time (MST), Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) Unit 1 commenced a reactor shutdown required by Technical Specification 3.8.1.

"Limiting Condition for Operability (LCO) 3.8.1 requires two diesel generators (DGs) each capable of supplying one train of the onsite Class 1E AC Electrical Power Distribution System be available. On August 9, 2005, at approximately 04:20 MST, Unit 1 Diesel Generator 'B' failed to maintain the proper steady state output voltage (4080-4300 VAC) during monthly operability surveillance testing per '40ST-9DG02'. Diesel Generator 'B' was declared inoperable and the Unit entered LCO 3.8.1 action 'B'. An engineering action plan was initiated in an attempt to identify the cause of the generator output voltage fluctuation and correct the problem. To date, troubleshooting efforts have unable to isolate the problem. On August 12 at 0420 MST the 72 hour Completion Time associated with LCO 3.8.1 Action 'B' will expire and at 00:19 MST Unit 1 commenced a reactor shutdown in compliance with LCO 3.8.1 Action 'H'.

"The event did not result in the release of radioactivity to the environment and did not adversely affect the safe operation of the plant or health and safety of the public. The required offsite power sources are operable and the electrical grid is stable."

The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified.

PATIENT OVEREXPOSURE - I-131 CONTAMINATION FOUND UNDER THUMBNAIL

On 8/11/05 a patient was being treated with an I-131 (liquid) source for a hyperthyroid problem (148 milliCuries). Per procedure, the patient returned 24-hours later for a whole body count. A small (estimated 5 microCurie) I-131 fixed contamination site was found under the patient's right thumbnail. Initial estimates for the localized dose are 800 Rad. There was no other contamination nor did surveys show any contamination on individuals or equipment. The patient and doctor were notified. Decontamination is continuing.

The hospital is continuing to investigate the cause of the contamination.


* * * UPDATE ON 08/15/05 @ 1114 BY LARRY MARTINO TO CHAUNCEY GOULD * * *

The initial report was incorrect and the correct version is as follows:

THE NUCLEAR MEDICAL TECHNICIAN HAD AN OVEREXPOSURE - I-131 CONTAMINATION FOUND UNDER THUMBNAIL

On 8/11/05 a patient was being treated with an I-131 (liquid) source for a hyperthyroid problem . Per procedure, the patient returned 24-hours later for a whole body count. After completing this treatment, a small (estimated 5 microCurie) I-131 fixed contamination site was found under the nuclear medicine technician's right thumbnail. Initial estimates for the localized dose are 800 Rad. There was no other contamination nor did surveys show any contamination on individuals or equipment. The technician and treating physician were notified. Decontamination is continuing. This report was made under 10CFR20.2202(a)(1)(iii) a shallow-dose equivalent to the skin or extremities of 250 rads or more.

The hospital is continuing to investigate the cause of the contamination.

Notified Reg 1 RDO (Ray Lorson), RI (George Pangburn) and NMSS EO(Michele Burgess)

*****Update on 08/16/05 at 1455EDT by John Keklak to MacKinnon ****


"License number 37-00148-06

"On 08/12/05, a Nuclear Medicine Technologist underwent a thyroid count (as per procedure) the day after administering a therapy dosage of I-131 sodium iodide (liquid) to a patient. The thyroid count results prompted a skin contamination survey that located I-131 skin contamination under the edge of the Technologist's right thumbnail. Following decontamination, some I-131 remained fixed. Initial conservative dose estimates indicated localized skin dose in the range of 800 Rad, current (8/16/05) best estimates indicate dose of about 130 Rad. No other contamination was found on this technologist, other personnel, equipment, or room surfaces. Most likely cause was a loss of integrity of the protective glove the technologist was wearing while handling the sodium iodide.

"The hospital is continuing to investigate the event"

R1DO (R. Lorson), R1 (Penny Lanzisera) and NMSS EO (M. Burgess) notified.