Event Notification Report for October 02, 2009

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP ON TURBINE TRIP POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A FAULTED MAIN GENERATOR BREAKER

"At 0649 [EDT] The VC Summer Nuclear Station automatically tripped due to a turbine trip. The cause of turbine trip is under investigation. Preliminary review indicates a possible failure of one phase of the main generator breaker. The three emergency feedwater pumps automatically started on Lo-Lo steam generator level. Preliminary review indicates all primary and secondary systems responded as required.

"The plant is in mode 3 with normal RCS pressure and temperature. Decay heat is being removed by dumping steam to the condenser. The station will remain in mode 3 until repairs are complete. Estimated restart date has not been determined."

All control rods fully inserted. The plant is in a normal post-trip electrical lineup with the exception of the balance of plant buses which are on the alternate electrical source.

The licensee will inform State and local agencies and has informed the NRC Resident Inspector.

SHUTTER ON NUCLEAR GAUGE FAILED TO CLOSE

"It was discovered on October 1, 2009, that a twenty-four hour event notification was not reported. The notification was required per 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2) due to [the] inability to close a fixed gauge shutter at TVA's (Tennessee Valley Authority) Widows Creek Fossil Plant. The gauge is a Texas Nuclear unit and contains 100 mCi of Cesium-137. The gauge is used to monitor the slurry surge tank in the U7 and U8 Limestone Ball Mill Building."

This gauge is used under an NRC license to TVA at the Widows Creek Fossil Plant in Stevenson, Alabama.

"The shutter failure discovery was made during a routine shutter check on August 4, 2009. Corrective actions were taken to repair the shutter and the shutter check was successfully completed on August 17, 2009. No personnel radiation exposure was received. These corrective actions were reported in the Corrective Action Program."

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY SIRENS

"At approximately 1149 CDT, on October 2, 2009, a Goodhue County Dispatch Supervisor inadvertently activated the Red Wing [Minnesota] sirens from the backup unit during conduct of a silent siren test. The backup unit was being tested to ensure proper siren function prior to work on the primary unit.

"Twenty-six of the 117 sirens in the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) were activated for less than 10 seconds. No press release is planned by Goodhue county or Xcel Energy.

"The NRC Resident Inspector was notified."

24 HOUR REPORT ON PROCESS EXHAUST HEPA FILTER DAMAGE

"At approximately 1330 hours on 10/1/09 during a follow-up investigation of an event which occurred at mid-day on 9/27/09, conditions were discovered that may have met the criteria for reporting in accordance with 10 CFR 70.50.b.2.

"The incinerator was shutdown on 9/25/09 in preparation for performing dioctyl sebacate (DOS) efficiency testing on 9/27/09 of the final HEPA filters in K50 Solid Waste Uranium Recovery (SWUR) exhaust gas treatment system. At approximately noon that Sunday, an event occurred that, in hindsight, was a probable fire in the packed column scrubber in the exhaust gas treatment system. This event was terminated in a timely fashion by reinitiating water flow to the packed column. Indications of high heat and possible fire in the packed column included high temperatures and observed 'smoke' from mechanical flanges on the downstream ducting of the packed column. Subsequent to the observed high heat event in the packed column, high temperatures of the downstream north HEPA housing (in-service) were observed. The high temperatures in the HEPA housing were believed to be from the high heat event in the packed column. The continuous airborne effluent sample for the K50 stack (downstream of HEPA filters) was counted to evaluated whether a release had occurred. The results of the sample were at the low end of the normal range for this stack, indicating no active release had occurred.

"Continuous monitoring of the system assured the termination of the packed column and HEPA housing high heat events. The systems were continuously monitored and cooled down to near ambient conditions on Monday, 9/28/09. On Monday morning a valve was removed between the quench column and the packed column of the scrubber system. The valve on the packed column side showed high heat damage. A visual inspection on the bottom of the packed column indicated significant degradation of the internals, including the lower fiberglass distribution plate and high surface area polypropylene balls. This evidence points to a high heat event/fire within the packed column. The ignition source is still under investigation as the furnace was completely cold. There is an electric re-heater mounted immediately above the packed column which may have been the ignition source. Disassembly of the packed column is awaiting access platform construction.

"Continuing the investigation on 10/1/09 at approximately 1330 hours the HEPA filter housing was opened for inspection. This inspection found significant deterioration of one of the two HEPA units in each of the primary and final banks. The loss of both the primary and final HEPA units constituted a loss of equipment in accordance with 10 CFR 70.50.2.

"A Condition Report in the Corrective Action Program has been initiated and a causal analysis is being performed. The system continues to be in a shutdown condition."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received from the State of California via e-mail:

"On October 2, 2009, the California Radiologic Health Branch was contacted by Romig Engineers, Inc. Radiation Safety Officer via California Department of Public Health duty officer at 09:30 am. The call was to report that one moisture density gauge which belongs to Romig Engineers, Inc, License # 7223-41, office and storage location at San Carlos, CA, was stolen.

"The Radiation Safety Officer stated that on October 1, 2009, the gauge user checked out CPN, model MC1-DR, S/N 30807119, containing a licensed material Cs-137, 10 mCi and Am/Be 15 mCi, moisture density gauge from the storage location, and transported using his personal vehicle to his residence at San Jose , CA, to be used in San Jose area the following day.

"On October 2, 2009, as the gauge user was going to his parking garage he found out that his personal vehicle containing the CPN moisture density gauge was stolen. The gauge user contacted the Radiation Safety Officer and the San Jose Police Department. Police report case number is 09-275-026. Reward to retrieve the gauge is going to be posted in local newspaper and Craigslist. RHB will perform a follow-up on this matter."

CA Report 100209

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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf