Event Notification Report for May 11, 2006
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
05/10/2006 - 05/11/2006
General Information or Other
Event Number: 42568
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: TRACER TECH SERVICES
Region: 4
City: ODESSA State: TX
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Licensee: TRACER TECH SERVICES
Region: 4
City: ODESSA State: TX
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 05/11/2006
Notification Time: 10:42 [ET]
Event Date: 05/11/2006
Event Time: 05:11 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/11/2006
Notification Time: 10:42 [ET]
Event Date: 05/11/2006
Event Time: 05:11 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/11/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
DALE POWERS (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
DALE POWERS (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SOURCES FOUND AT ROADSIDE
A work crew found an ammo-box on the side of a county road 1788 in the Midland - Odessa area. It contained what are believed to be two (2) sources used for process flow measurement. One source is a Ir-192 source and another as yet unidentified believed at this time to be a Scandium source. The state is following up and will provide additional information on the types and quantities of the sources and licensee data when they receive it.
* * * UPDATE FROM STATE (A. TUCKER) TO M. RIPLEY 1824 EDT 05/11/06 * * *
The ammo box was found on the side of the road between 6:00 and 6:30 am CDT by a driver for Baker Atlas. The box contained ten empty pigs and two sealed pigs with one labeled Ir-192 (88 mCi) and the other labeled Sc-46 (12 mCi). Initially reported radiation survey results were 5 mrem at 3 feet. The box has Yellow II labeling (radioisotopes) and the sources were thought to be used for tracer studies. The State contacted Protechnics (Core Laboratories) to inquire if they had lost the ammo box, but were subsequently notified that it was not theirs. Later, the licensee, Tracer Tech Services of Midland, TX, was identified as the owner and at 1:10 pm CDT the licensee was on the way to the Baker Atlas facility to pick up the box. The licensee stated that their driver was on his way to New Mexico, got there and then discovered his tailgate was down and the was sources were gone. Baker Atlas and the licensee were instructed by the State not to remove the ammo box until cleared by their inspector. The inspector reached the Baker Atlas facility around 3 pm CDT. Subsequent survey results by the State were 3 mrem/hr at 1 meter and 80 mrem/hr on top. There was no apparent spread of radioactive material. The State will continue to investigate the incident.
Texas Incident # I-8335
Notified R4 DO (D. Powers) and NMSS EO (T. Essig)
A work crew found an ammo-box on the side of a county road 1788 in the Midland - Odessa area. It contained what are believed to be two (2) sources used for process flow measurement. One source is a Ir-192 source and another as yet unidentified believed at this time to be a Scandium source. The state is following up and will provide additional information on the types and quantities of the sources and licensee data when they receive it.
* * * UPDATE FROM STATE (A. TUCKER) TO M. RIPLEY 1824 EDT 05/11/06 * * *
The ammo box was found on the side of the road between 6:00 and 6:30 am CDT by a driver for Baker Atlas. The box contained ten empty pigs and two sealed pigs with one labeled Ir-192 (88 mCi) and the other labeled Sc-46 (12 mCi). Initially reported radiation survey results were 5 mrem at 3 feet. The box has Yellow II labeling (radioisotopes) and the sources were thought to be used for tracer studies. The State contacted Protechnics (Core Laboratories) to inquire if they had lost the ammo box, but were subsequently notified that it was not theirs. Later, the licensee, Tracer Tech Services of Midland, TX, was identified as the owner and at 1:10 pm CDT the licensee was on the way to the Baker Atlas facility to pick up the box. The licensee stated that their driver was on his way to New Mexico, got there and then discovered his tailgate was down and the was sources were gone. Baker Atlas and the licensee were instructed by the State not to remove the ammo box until cleared by their inspector. The inspector reached the Baker Atlas facility around 3 pm CDT. Subsequent survey results by the State were 3 mrem/hr at 1 meter and 80 mrem/hr on top. There was no apparent spread of radioactive material. The State will continue to investigate the incident.
Texas Incident # I-8335
Notified R4 DO (D. Powers) and NMSS EO (T. Essig)
Power Reactor
Event Number: 42569
Facility: PALISADES
Region: 3 State: MI
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] CE
NRC Notified By: PATRICK PITCHER
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Region: 3 State: MI
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] CE
NRC Notified By: PATRICK PITCHER
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
Notification Date: 05/11/2006
Notification Time: 17:35 [ET]
Event Date: 05/11/2006
Event Time: 15:14 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/11/2006
Notification Time: 17:35 [ET]
Event Date: 05/11/2006
Event Time: 15:14 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/11/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3)
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M/R | Y | 8 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby |
MANUAL ACTUATION OF REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEM DUE TO FAILURE OF CONTROL ROD TO WITHDRAW
"Following a startup from a refueling outage with the plant at approximately 24% power, it was determined that one control rod appeared to be fully inserted in the core as determined by both incore and excore flux tilts. The Off Normal Procedure for a dropped control rod was entered. The decision was made to take the plant offline to troubleshoot and correct the apparent condition. The Off Normal Procedure does not allow operation in Mode 2 with a dropped control rod. At 1514 hours EDT the reactor was manually tripped from 8% power. The reactor trip was uncomplicated.
"This is reportable under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) as a manual Reactor Protection System actuation while critical."
Decay heat is being discharged to the condenser via the turbine bypass valves and cooling is being supplied from AFW. All systems besides the control rod in question functioned as required.
It appears that the control rod in question may have been inserted since startup. The rod position indicators were showing a normal rod position. The licensee believes that the rod may not be coupled. This rod has had a previous history of being difficult to couple. The licensee stated that normal rod testing was conducted prior to startup along with low power physics testing which did not indicate anything significantly out of spec.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
"Following a startup from a refueling outage with the plant at approximately 24% power, it was determined that one control rod appeared to be fully inserted in the core as determined by both incore and excore flux tilts. The Off Normal Procedure for a dropped control rod was entered. The decision was made to take the plant offline to troubleshoot and correct the apparent condition. The Off Normal Procedure does not allow operation in Mode 2 with a dropped control rod. At 1514 hours EDT the reactor was manually tripped from 8% power. The reactor trip was uncomplicated.
"This is reportable under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) as a manual Reactor Protection System actuation while critical."
Decay heat is being discharged to the condenser via the turbine bypass valves and cooling is being supplied from AFW. All systems besides the control rod in question functioned as required.
It appears that the control rod in question may have been inserted since startup. The rod position indicators were showing a normal rod position. The licensee believes that the rod may not be coupled. This rod has had a previous history of being difficult to couple. The licensee stated that normal rod testing was conducted prior to startup along with low power physics testing which did not indicate anything significantly out of spec.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.