Event Notification Report for January 18, 2010

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FIXED GAUGE SHUTTER STUCK IN OPEN POSITION

The shutter for a fixed nuclear gauge located 30 feet off the ground was attempted to be closed. The handle sheared off and the shutter remained stuck in the open position. The repair facility has been contacted and repairs are expected to be made in 5-7 days. No exposures resulted from this incident.

The gauge was from Ohmart/VEGA Corporation containing a 375 milliCurie Cesium (Cs) - 137 source.

Texas Incident: I-8702

MISSING RADIOACTIVE SOURCES GREATER THAN 10 TIMES THE LIMIT

"In 2009, a radioactive source inventory was conducted by a Prairie Island Radiation Protection Specialist. During the inventory, it was determined that two sources were missing that are greater than 10 times the quantity specified in 10CFR20 Appendix C. These two sources include a 0.07 [micro]Ci U-234 radiation monitor detector and a 0.2 [micro]Ci mixed gamma standard that contains 0.09 [micro]Ci of Am-241 (a 60 ml vial used for HPGe calibration.) The U-234 source is normally stored in the Hot I&C Shop and the mixed gamma standard with Am-241 is normally stored in the Hot Chemistry Lab. The inventory, that concluded on December 18, 2009, listed these sources as lost. Four other sources, that do not exceed 10 times any quantity specified in 10CFR20 Appendix C, were also unaccounted for during this inventory. Radiation Protection is still in the process of locating the missing sources that were identified during this inventory."

The licensee will provide information on the four other sources to the Operations Center on 1/19/2010.

The licensee has informed the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE FROM STEVE INGALLS TO DONG PARK @ 1547 EST ON 01/19/10 * * *

"The four sources that do not exceed 10 times any quantity specified in 10CFR20 Appendix C:

"Isotope Ci Content
"C-14 TLD check source 0.5 [micro]Ci
"Cs-137 check source 8.8 [nano]Ci
"mixed gamma calibration source 1.9 [micro]Ci
"mixed gamma calibration source 2.0 [micro]Ci

"The 2.0 [micro]Ci mixed gamma source (previously reported as 0.2 [micro]Ci) that contains 0.09 [micro]Ci of Am-241(60 ml vial used for HPGe calibration) has been located in the Hot Chemistry Lab. Investigation into the five remaining sources continues."

The licensee has informed the NRC Resident Inspector.

Notified R3DO (Pelke), NRR EO (Cunningham), FSME EO (Camper), and Canada via fax.

* * * UPDATE FROM JOHN KEMPKES TO VINCE KLCO @ 2039 EST ON 01/20/10 * * *

"Current status update on the sources that exceed 10 times any quantity specified in 10CFR20 Appendix C:

"The 2.0 [micro]Ci mixed gamma source - located and properly stored. The source was within the controlled area. (Previously reported)

"The 0.07 [micro]Ci U-234 radiation monitor detector - installed in Containment (located by maintenance documentation review). (Previously reported)

"While conducting a verification of all sources, a different 0.07 [micro] Ci U-234 radiation monitor detector was discovered to be missing. This detector is the same design as the originally reported U-234 detector but a different serial number. (New item)

"The station has completed a verification of all sources; the results are undergoing management review. Search for the missing sources continues.

"The Resident Inspector has been notified."

Notified R3DO (Pelke), NRR EO (Cunningham), FSME (Camper), and Canada via fax.

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "NOT RECORDED" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

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

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FACILITY INACCESSIBLE DUE TO ROAD FLOODING

"On January 18, 2010, at about 1950 PST, the access road to the SONGS MESA facilities became flooded after a day of rain. The San Onofre Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) is located at the MESA and because of the flooding, is inaccessible to passenger vehicles. While the EOF itself is operable, in the event of an emergency at San Onofre, SCE [Southern California Edison] would direct EOF emergency responders to the alternate EOF located in Irvine, California. SCE is reporting this occurrence to the NRC in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(xiii).

"At the time of this occurrence, Unit 2 was shutdown for a Steam Generator Replacement outage and Unit 3 was operating at about 100% power. SCE will notify the NRC Resident Inspectors about this occurrence and will provide them with a copy of this report."

* * * UPDATE FROM GEOFF COOK TO DONG PARK @ 1208 EST ON 01/19/10 * * *

"On January 18, 2010 at about 2101 PST, the MESA road flooding had dissipated sufficiently for car traffic to be passable. In the event of an emergency at San Onofre, there is no longer a need to redirect emergency responders to the alternate EOF located in Irvine, California. This report is to advise the NRC of this change in EOF access status. Also note that it is expected that rain will continue in the SONGS area during the week of January 17, 2010 and this status is subject to change.

"At the time of this occurrence, Unit 2 was shutdown for a Steam Generator Replacement Outage and Unit 3 was operating at about 100% power. SCE will notify the NRC Resident Inspectors about this occurrence and will provide them with a copy of this report."

Notified R4DO (Werner) and NSIR (Kahler).

* * * UPDATE FROM GEOFF COOK TO PETE SNYDER @ 1232 EST ON 01/21/10 * * *

"On January 20, 2009, at about 2107 PST, the access road to the SONGS MESA facilities again became flooded after a day of rain (reference NRC Operations Log Number 45634). The San Onofre Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) is located at the MESA and because of the flooding, is inaccessible to passenger vehicles. While the EOF itself is operable, in the event of an Emergency at San Onofre, SCE would direct EOF emergency responders to the alternate EOF located in Irvine California. SCE is reporting this occurrence to the NRC in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(xiii).

"At the time of this occurrence, Unit 2 was in a Steam Generator Replacement Outage and Unit 3 was operating at about 100% power. SCE will notify the NRC resident inspectors about this occurrence and will provide them with a copy of this report."

Notified R4DO (Werner) and NSIR/EP.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL GAUGE SHIELDING FAILURE

The following information was received via e-mail:

"On January 20, 2010, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health] was notified by the licensee that while conducting routine surveillance on a Texas Nuclear Model 5192 level gauge, dose rates were measured to be greater than 200 millirem per hour (mr/hr). This is the highest reading obtainable with the instrument they [licensee] used. The initial survey for this device was done in November 1981 and indicated a reading of 40 mr/hr at the same location on the gauge. The licensee measured the highest dose rates in any area that could be occupied by company personnel at 0.3 mr/hr. On the ground below the gauge was measured at 0.02 mr/hr. The gauge is located 15 feet above the ground and is attached to the side of the vessel. The dose rates were taken on the outside of the gauge on the top of the gauge casing. The licensee stated that the gauge does not pose any additional exposure risk to their workers. The gauge contained an initial activity of 100 millicuries of cesium (Cs) - 137. The current decay corrected activity is 52.2 millicuries. The licensee has contacted the manufacturer and requested assistance in repairing or replacing the gauge. This is not a shutter failure, but appears to be a shielding failure. The licensee stated that the gauge is not used in an area where temperatures are elevated.

"The Agency will perform an onsite investigation on January 21, 2010. The Agency will provide a dose rate instrument capable of measuring the dose rate at the gauge."

Texas Incident Number: I-8703.

* * * UPDATE ON 1/22/2010 AT 1630 FROM ART TUCKER TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

The following information was received via e-mail:

"On 1/21/10 an Agency [Texas Department of State Health] inspector met with the RSO at the licensee's security office to perform an on-site investigation. He found that the gauge is located below a large tank, which normally contains hydrofluoric acid. There is very limited space between the top of the gauge and the bottom of the vessel. The gauge did not have any buildup of material on it nor were there any streaks on it that would indicate that liquids had leaked on to it. The RSO stated that the gauge is not subjected to high temperatures and that on the day of the event, the temperature at the gauge was about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The area where the gauge is located requires special training in addition to special protective clothing and monitoring devices to enter. A licensee employee took an Eberline RO-2 instrument provided by the Agency into the area to perform a radiation survey. The dose rate on the top of the gauge was measured at 120 mr/hr. The instrument could not be placed on the very top of the gauge due to the space limitation. The dose rate taken on the side of the gauge was 10 mr/hr. A dose rate taken at the side of the road next to the boundary chain was <0.2 mr/hr. It appears that there may be some type of degradation of the shielding in the gauge. The RSO stated that he was trying to contact the manufacturer for assistance on determining the cause for the increase in dose rates on the gauge.

"The licensee has been instructed to notify this Agency when the arrangements are completed for the inspection of the gauge."

Notified R4DO (Werner) and FSME (Camper).