Event Notification Report for August 20, 2008

UNANTICIPATED OR EMERGENCY DISCHARGE OF WASTE WATER OR CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES

"Plant Technical Specifications, Appendix B, Section 4.1, Unusual or Important Environmental Events, states that the NRC Operations Center will be notified within 72 hours as described in 10 CFR 50.72 for an unanticipated or emergency discharge of waste water or chemical substances. This notification is due to an unanticipated emergency discharge of storm drain waste water beginning 8/20/08 at approximately 0600 due to Tropical Storm Fay. A 30 day letter detailing the event to the NRC is also required.

"On 8/20/08, St Lucie Plant water levels in all of the plant storm water basins and Unit 1 Condenser Pit experienced a significant level increase received due to approximately 15 inches of precipitation from Tropical Storm Fay. Over the next 24 hours the site pumped approximately 23 million gallons of water from the storm water basins into the intake canal from an approved outfall (008). The water level in the basin has decreased 8.7 feet to 6.7 feet. Pumping activities will continue until we reach a level of 5 feet in the pond. The total estimated amount of water expected to be discharged from outfall-008 is 40 million gallons.

"Chemistry obtained samples from the storm basin and Condenser Pit both and the samples were determined not to contain radioactivity. The non-radiological analysis will be forthcoming from an offsite laboratory (the FPL 45th street lab), however no oil sheen was observed prior to any discharge. The lab results will be included in the 30 day NRC letter detailing the event.

"The DEP [ Department of Environemntal Protection] was contacted and a verbal request was made and consent received to pump water from the U- I condenser pit to the intake canal. A final report will be sent to the DEP when pumping is concluded identifying total volumes and water profiles. The Plant NPDES permit does not regulate the volume of water discharged from 008.

"As a result of the Unit 1 Condenser Pit flooding, secondary Condensate and Feedwater chemistry levels sodium and chloride levels increased to Plant Action Level 3 conditions which require the Unit to be shutdown to at least Mode 2 conditions. Due to End of Cycle conditions and Xenon build-in, the Unit was shutdown and is currently in Mode 3. The Turbine was manually tripped and the Control Rods were driven to All Rods In, i.e., there was no reactor trip or RPS / AFAS actuation. Residual reactor heat is being removed by Atmospheric Dump Valves and Auxiliary Feedwater is providing makeup to the S/Gs. Repairs are being implemented to prevent Condenser Pit flooding and secondary inleakage. Unit 2 operations was not affected by this event. Off-Site power remained available during this event."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

MASSACHUSETTS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIATION GREATER THAN TEN TIMES LIMIT

"[A] technician working with a 113 Ci Ir-192 source set off high radiation alarms at [the QSA Global facility] which caused the immediate evacuation of the building. Radiation surveys outside the building indicated a dose rate of approximately 3 Mr/hr at a distance of 25 feet from the exterior of the building. Radiation safety staff performed a source retrieval to recover the source and place it in a shielded container; the building was reoccupied approximately 30 minutes later.

"Preliminary investigation of the technician indicated his electronic dosimeter (worn on the side of the body closest to the source) showed an exposure of 720 mRem. The technician was not wearing his extremity ring badge at the time, however the radiation safety officer calculated a maximum exposure to the tips of the maximally exposed fingers to be approximately 2 Rem. Dosimetry for both the technician involved and another that was nearby when the incident occurred have been sent to the vendor for immediate processing.

"Radiation Safety staff from QSA are performing additional investigations and will report back to the [MA Radiation Control Program Office] when more information becomes available."

State of Massachusetts was notified by the licensee of this incident at 0621 on August 21, 2008.

* * * UPDATE ON 9/15/2008 AT 0843 FROM ROBERT GALLAGHAR TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

"The Massachusetts Radiation Control Program (RCP) has received the 30 day report from the licensee, QSA Global. This report confirms that the event which occurred on August 20, 2008 was not an overexposure event. The licensee reported levels of radiation in an unrestricted area in excess of ten times the limits specified in 105 CMR 120.221. This report was provided to the Agency (RCP) pursuant to 105 CMR 120.283."

Notified R1DO (Dimitriadis) and FSME (White).

SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE

On August 20, 2008, radiographers from Huntington Testing Services were performing radiography on a tank at the Clifty Creek Power Plant, located in Madison, Indiana, when a magnetic base fell and crimped the camera guide tube. At the time the damage to the guide tube occurred, the source was in the collimator. The crimped tube would not allow the radiographer to retract the source back into the shielded position. The radiographer immediately established a boundary and covered the source with lead shot bags, then contacted the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO).

When the RSO arrived at the location, he was able to repair the guide tube enough to enable the source to be retracted into the shielded position. The camera was then transported back to the Louisville, Ky office of Huntington Testing Services. The guide tube has been replaced and the camera is available for service.

The licensee is investigating the incident to determine corrective actions. There were no overexposures as a result of this incident.

The camera was temporarily transferred from Huntington Testing Services' Kentucky license to their NRC license (issued in West Virginia) since Kentucky and Indiana do not have reciprocity.

The camera is a QSA Global 880 Sigma, serial number S1453 with a 85.3 Curie Ir-192 current source strength. Source strength at manufacture date was 103.9 Curies. The source serial number is 48578B.

POSSIBLE OVEREXPOSURE DURING THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2008

Landauer, a dosimeter processing vendor, notified Halliburton Energy Services of a possible overexposure in their quarterly dosimetry report on 8/20/2008. Around that same time Halliburton had just terminated the previous RSO and was in the process of hiring a new RSO. The current RSO became aware of this possible overexposure when she received an annual exposure report from Landauer.

One well logging engineer, who had been performing work for Halliburton at the Prudhoe Bay, Alaska site, reportedly received an exposure of 9141 millirem from 4/1/2008 to 6/30/2008. The report from Landauer contains a note to the effect that the dosimeter had been read twice with the second reading in agreement with the first; however, there was an irregularity. The RSO is investigating the occurrence.

* * * UPDATE AT 1807 ON 7/14/2009 FROM ELIZABETH FOLTZ TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

The following information was received via e-mail:

"Halliburton conducted an investigation to determine the validity and potential cause of the 9141 millirem exposure. To assist with the investigation, Halliburton engaged the services of a recognized expert in the field of radiation dosimetry. The investigation was comprehensive and included employee interviews and a review of their work involving sources of radiation, review and analysis of exposure monitoring data for all personnel working in Alaska, review of job records involving radioactive sources, and actual recreations of multiple exposure scenarios. Landauer technical experts were also engaged during the investigation process. Upon conclusion of the investigation, it was determined that the employee involved did not receive a 9141 millirem dose or any dose in excess of that allowed by the regulations. Halliburton has requested a modification of the employee's dose record by Landauer. On May 7, 2009, Halliburton submitted a written notification of this event to the NRC Region IV Deputy Director, including a detailed report of the investigation and findings."

Notified the R4DO (Gaddy) and FSME (Reis).