Event Notification Report for January 16, 2009

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The State of Illinois was notified by a Wal-Mart corporate representative located in Bentonville, AR, indicating that Wal-Mart was unable to account for 469 tritium exit signs (which are general licensed materials) that were used at one time in Wal-Mart stores throughout the state of Illinois. The Wal-Mart representative informed the state office that Wal-Mart had exhausted searching for the tritium exit signs and considered them to be lost and/or missing. The state of Illinois was provided a listing from corporate Wal-Mart of the store locations along with information on the tritium exit sign manufacturers, model and serial numbers, and curie content where known.

Illinois report number: IL0900003


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.

EXTREME COLD WEATHER IMPACT ON SIRENS

"Based on discussions with another utility, the station reviewed the impact of the recent extreme cold temperatures for the 117 sirens in the Prairie Island 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). On several occasions during the early morning hours for January 15 and 16, 2009, the outside temperature readings in the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) as recorded by the station's meteorological tower temperature instruments fell below a negative twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit. A review of the siren manufacturer and the FEMA approved siren design report information determined that the sirens are considered functional between the temperature readings of -22 degrees Fahrenheit and +140 degrees Fahrenheit.

"A discussion with the manufacturer's technical representative confirmed that the sirens are operational and no special testing is required when the temperature goes below and then returns within the operating temperature limits. The station coordinated with the local county authorities and successfully performed confirmatory testing to validate the manufacturer's information.

"The current temperature at the station is within the operational limits and the local temperatures are forecasted to remain within the stated temperature range during the next week. Therefore, the 117 sirens are considered functional at this time.

"Goodhue, Pierce, and Dakota Counties, the Prairie Island Indian Community, Wisconsin Emergency Management and Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management were notified that if the temperature falls below negative twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit again, the established process of back-up route alerts is available for implementation to notify the public in the event of a nuclear emergency where the
sirens are activated, but fail to respond. No press release is planned by Xcel Energy.

"The NRC Resident Inspector was notified [by the licensee].

"This notification is being made in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii)."

EXTREME COLD WEATHER IMPACT ON SIRENS

"Based on discussions with another utility, the station reviewed the impact of the recent extreme cold temperatures for the 106 sirens in the Monticello 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). On several occasions during the early morning hours for January 15 and 16, 2009 the outside temperature readings in the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) as recorded by the station's meteorological tower temperature instruments fell below a negative twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit. A review of the siren manufacturer and the FEMA approved siren design report information determined that the sirens are considered functional between the temperature readings of -22 degrees Fahrenheit and +140 degrees Fahrenheit.

"A discussion with the manufacturer's technical representative confirmed that the sirens are operational and no special testing is required when the temperature goes below and then returns within the operating temperature limits. The station is coordinating with the local county authorities to perform confirmatory testing with in 24 hours to validate the manufacturer's information. The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating plant has the same sirens as Monticello, and a test performed today confirmed the functionality of the sirens.

"The current temperature at the station is within the operational limits and the local temperatures are forecasted to remain within the stated temperature range during the next week. Therefore the 106 sirens are considered functional at this time.

"Sherburne and Wright Counties, and Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management were notified that if the temperature falls below negative twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit again, the established process of back-up route alerts is available for implementation to notify the public in the event of a nuclear emergency where the sirens are activated, but fail to respond. No press release is planned by Xcel Energy.

"The NRC resident inspector was notified [by the licensee].

"This notification is being made in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii)."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

The following information was received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via facsimile:

"A package containing 250 ÁCi P-32 was lost at Dana Farber. The package was delivered and the RP (Radiopharmaceutical) department performed a receipt survey. The package was then carried to laboratory 714. The deliverer claimed he gave it to someone in the lab. Laboratory personnel claimed not to have received it. The RP department has conducted an unsuccessful search to locate the package."

Massachusetts No. MA-09

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.