Event Notification Report for December 18, 2008

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - NON-NUCLEAR WORKERS RECEIVE RADIATION OVEREXPOSURE

The following report was received via e-mail:

"On December 18, 2008, the licensee confirmed that four of their workers, who are not considered to be radiation workers, exceeded the annual exposure limit for members of the general public of 100 millirem due to the detachment of the source from the operating rod. The dose to these individuals are: employee 1 - 280 mrem, employee 2 - 2962 mrem, employee 3 - 960 mrem, employee 4 - 78 mrem, employee 5 - 166 mrem.

"The licensee will send supporting information to the Agency [Texas Department of Health] within the next few days."

Texas Incident # I-8576

Texas Event Report 44609

DEFECTIVE OPTICAL ISOLATORS

"Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC (Duke) herein makes the following notification under 10CFR21.21(d)(3)(i) of defective digital optical isolators. The isolators are Commercial Grade Items dedicated by Duke. Failure analysis conducted by the manufacturer determined that a manufacturing defect with the isolator capacitor will cause the output voltage to drop when the isolator is not energized and there is a very light load on the output. The subject digital optical isolators are Model 175C180, manufactured by E-max Instruments (also known as Electro-Max) 13 Inverness Way, South Englewood, CO 80112. These digital optical isolators could be utilized in a variety of applications at Duke's McGuire and Catawba nuclear stations. There are no known applications for these digital optical isolators at Oconee.

"Initial Safety Significance: None. Defective digital optical isolators were never installed. Duke protocols require the conduct of a pre-installation bench test and a post installation test to assure these isolators perform satisfactorily in service. E-max Instruments has issued a Model 175C180 recall for all uninstalled isolators. Duke has returned all uninstalled digital optical isolators to the supplier. Duke is the only known nuclear utility purchasing E-max Instruments Model 175C180 digital optical isolators.

"The McGuire and Catawba Senior NRC Resident Inspectors were notified of this Part 21 notification on Dec 18, 2008."

* * * UPDATE FROM JIM EFFINGER TO PETE SNYDER AT 0810 0N 12/22/08 * * *

McGuire Nuclear Station clarified that one of the defective digital optical isolators mentioned in the second paragraph above was scrapped, one was sent to Westinghouse Electric of Pittsburgh for a compatibility test program and the rest of the defective digital optical isolators were returned to the supplier. Even if Westinghouse returns the digital optical isolator given to them, it will not be installed.

The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R2DO (Henson), NRR EO (Mike Cheok), and Part 21 Group.

MISSING NRD STATIC ELIMINATOR

"The Agency [Iowa Department of Public Health] was notified by the General License Registrant of a missing NRD Static Eliminator, model P-2021-8201, serial number A2FY911. The discovery was made during the annual renewal of the registration. The RSO for the company stated that the device was used to eliminate static on a part they were molding. The operators had the device hanging over a barrel and apparently the device became unscrewed from the gun and was disposed of in the trash. The registrant has developed a sleeve to assist in holding the device on the guns. In addition, the RSO instructed the shift foremen to check the devices to ensure they are properly secured to the guns. The Agency [Iowa Department of Public Health] called NRD. Inc. to verify that the device was not returned to the manufacturer. NRD Inc. stated they did not receive the device.

"Corrective Action: (1) Sleeve used to help hold the device on the gun, and (2) Additional oversight to ensure devices are properly secured to guns."

The Po-210 source activity is 10 milliCuries. The state considers the material to be lost not recoverable, and the event is closed.

Iowa Report: IA080003.

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source

TONE ALERT RADIO INPUT OUT OF SERVICE

"Loss of Ames Hill NOAA transmitter. Loss of the Ames Hill input from Albany, NY. Unable to establish backup input to Ames Hill transmitter from WTSA radio station, Brattleboro, VT. This results in a loss of output signal to area tone alert radios. Coordinating trouble shooting and repair with vendor. This action was successful in restoring service at 11:00, 12/18/08."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIALLY LEAKING SOURCE

The following information was provided by the state via e-mail:

"On December 18, 2008, the Arkansas Department of Health, Radioactive Materials Program received a written report of a potentially leaking source at Georgia Pacific Corporation in Crossett, Arkansas, General License Number GL-0074.

"The Source is a Generally Licensed Device, Honeywell, Model 4201 Series Thickness Gauge, Serial Number OV522.

"On November 8, 2008 a Field Services Specialist noted abnormal readings from the device and a hole in the kapton window.

"Although it appears that upon arrival at the Honeywell facility in Duluth, Georgia the source is potentially leaking it is unknown exactly when the source began to leak. According to Honeywell, no contamination was found at the licensee's facility in Crossett, Arkansas.

"There is possible personnel contamination (Field Services Specialist) and the Department is continuing to investigate this event and will provide a follow up when more information is confirmed."

A subsequent conversation with the State of Arkansas revealed that the source is Promethium (Pm-147) with an activity level of approximately 18.5 GBq (500 milliCuries) and the State of Georgia was notified by Honeywell of the potentially leaking source.

* * * UPDATE FROM STEVE MACK TO DONALD NORWOOD VIA E-MAIL ON APRIL 27, 2009 AT 1552 HOURS * * *

"The kapton window was found to be torn. The Field Services Specialist appears to have damaged the source capsule window when attempting to remove a piece of kapton window, using an unapproved procedure.

"The root cause of this event appears to be a failure to follow procedures. The Field Services Specialist exceeded his procedures and appears to have damaged the source capsule. Corrective actions included re-training the Field Services Specialist and a Safety Alert was sent to all personnel.

"The analysis of the potentially leaking sealed source appeared to be less than 0.005 microcuries (185 Bq). It is believed that there was no personnel contamination. The initial reports of contamination were believed to have been caused by misinterpretation of survey results.

"The department considers this event closed."

Notified R1DO (Miller), R4DO (Walker), and FSME EO (White).