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Event Notification Report for May 21, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

EVENT REPORTS FOR
05/20/2008 - 05/21/2008

EVENT NUMBERS
442294423044231442324423344786

Power Reactor
Event Number: 44229
Facility: PRAIRIE ISLAND
Region: 3     State: MN
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-2-LP,[2] W-2-LP
NRC Notified By: BRIAN JOHNSON
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 05/21/2008
Notification Time: 12:03 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 08:05 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/21/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
KENNETH RIEMER (R3)
Power Reactor Unit Info
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 99 Power Operation 99 Power Operation
2 N Y 10 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
Event Text
INADVERTENT ACTUATION OF EMERGENCY SIRENS

"At approximately 0805 CDT, on May 21, 2008, a Dakota County Communications Center Shift Supervisor inadvertently activated the Dakota County sirens from the primary unit during conduct of a silent siren test. The licensee was notified of the siren activation by the activation signal received on the informer unit in the Technical Support Center (TSC) at 0805. Seven of the 117 sirens in the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) were activated for less than one minute. No press release is planned by Xcel Energy."

The system has been restored to normal. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.


Power Reactor
Event Number: 44230
Facility: DIABLO CANYON
Region: 4     State: CA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DAVE BAHNER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 05/21/2008
Notification Time: 20:24 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 15:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 05/21/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (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
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
Event Text
MOBILE CRANE CAUSED DAMAGE TO MET TOWER

"During the performance of work activities in the vicinity of the Met Tower at 10 AM, a mobile crane made contact with a support wire causing damage to the tower. All instrumentation on the tower continues to function, but conservatively has been called inoperable. All instrumentation on the back up Met Tower continues to function. The backup Met Tower provides full assessment capability.

"Due to the structural damage to the tower, as a precaution the area around the tower including the simulator training building and the maintenance training building have been evacuated.

"Experts from Transmission and Distribution are assessing damage to the tower to determine what additional actions may be necessary.

"The local media requested information about this event at 1500. Information has been released to the media.

"The senior resident inspector has been notified."


Power Reactor
Event Number: 44231
Facility: SUMMER
Region: 2     State: SC
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: WILLIE MARTIN
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 05/21/2008
Notification Time: 21:30 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 17:04 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/21/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
Person (Organization):
STEVEN VIAS (R2)
Power Reactor Unit Info
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N N 0 Cold Shutdown 0 Cold Shutdown
Event Text
EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATOR SHIFTED TO EMERGENCY START DURING POST MAINTENANCE TEST

"At 1704, while performing post maintenance testing on the 'A' diesel, the automatic voltage regulator appeared to fail and was swapped from auto to manual. The 1DA bus voltage momentarily decreased causing the undervoltage relays to actuate. This actuation shifted the 'A' diesel to the emergency mode and restored bus voltage. The plant was in mode 5 at the time of the event. The 1DA bus remained energized throughout the event. Subsequently, the 1DA bus was paralleled to offsite power and the 'A' diesel generator was secured. The cause of the voltage regulator failure is being investigated."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. The licensee will be notifying the State and local emergency response organizations.


Power Reactor
Event Number: 44232
Facility: BROWNS FERRY
Region: 2     State: AL
Unit: [1] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4
NRC Notified By: RICKY GIVENS
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 05/21/2008
Notification Time: 21:41 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 15:15 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/21/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
STEVEN VIAS (R2)
Power Reactor Unit Info
Unit SCRAM Code RX Crit Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 79 Power Operation 79 Power Operation
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
3 N Y 86 Power Operation 86 Power Operation
Event Text
LOSS OF CONTROL ROOM PHONE COMMUNICATIONS

"At 1515 hrs, the control room staff discovered that normal control room phone communications were not working. Additionally, the NRC emergency notification system (red phone) was not functional.

"The following communication systems were maintained: Satellite phone system, Chattanooga CECC ring down line, 2 lines in the Technical Support Center, Nextel mobile phone network, and site radio frequencies.

"Even though some communications capabilities were maintained, this condition was determined to be reportable as a major loss of communication capability via 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) given that normal control room phone lines and the NRC red phone were not available.

"All normal means of communication were returned to service at 1724 hrs by placing a spare battery charger in service to the communications system.

"The Browns Ferry NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this occurrence and restoration."


General Information or Other
Event Number: 44233
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: UNIV MASS LOWELL
Region: 1
City: LOWELL   State: MA
County:
License #: 60-0049
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOHN SUMARES
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 05/22/2008
Notification Time: 13:22 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/22/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
MEL GRAY (R1)
RON ZELAC (FSME)
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING CHECK SOURCE

The State provided the following information via email:

"Licensee identified a leaking sealed radioactive source. Once identified, the source was taken out of service and placed in the licensee's waste stream and a contamination survey of the area was made. No measurable contamination was identified from this survey. Contamination wipes consisted of area wipes (filter paper) measured in a liquid scintillation counter.

"The Cs-137 source was used to test the response and functionality of hand-held radiation detectors. The leaking source, S/N 189-26-5, is a Cs-137 check source with an activity of 100 uCi on 3-1-87 and was manufactured by Isotope Products. The licensee stated the source may not meet the regulatory criteria for a sealed source since the front of the source is electroplated to allow for the detection of Cs-137 betas. As a precaution, the licensee reported it as a leaking source."


General Information or Other
Event Number: 44786
Rep Org: OR DEPT OF HEALTH RAD PROTECTION
Licensee: WAL-MART
Region: 4
City:   State: OR
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KEVIN SIEBERT
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 01/20/2009
Notification Time: 13:11 [ET]
Event Date: 05/21/2008
Event Time: 00:00 [PST]
Last Update Date: 01/21/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
THOMAS FARNHOLTZ (R4)
ANDREA KOCK (FSME)
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The State of Oregon provided the following information on damaged tritium exit signs (TES) contained in 7 separate reports from Wal-Mart.

1. Serial # 256279, Activity: 11.5 Curies, Date of Damage: unknown: Store Location: 3025 Lancaster Drive, NE Salem, Oregon

2. Serial # 275536, Activity 20 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 3002 Stacy Allison Way, Woodburn, OR

3. Serial # 283177, Activity 20 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 3002 Stacy Allison Way, Woodburn, OR

4. Serial # 271065, Activity 20 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 2051 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay, OR

5. Serial # 286545, Activity 11.5 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 3600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR

6. Serial # 292245, Activity 20 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 135 N.E. Terry Lane, Grants Pass, OR

7. Serial # 292236, Activity 20 Curies, Damage Date: unknown: Store Location: 135 N.E. Terry Lane, Grants Pass, OR

"Wal-Mart retained Shaw, an environmental services contractor with extensive experience with management of radioactive material, for its company wide program to inventory TES." Shaw has remediated the areas, if necessary, and has either returned the signs to the manufacturer for repair or proper disposal.

"Wal-Mart has implemented and communicated protocols to its stores for the proper handling of TES to ensure public health and safety and protection of its employees."