Event Notification Report for December 09, 2010

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION - AGENCIES NOTIFIED OF ONSITE TRITIUM LEAK

"On December 9, 2010, elevated levels of tritium were identified in water samples taken from in-leakage into the below ground elevation of the diesel generator building (i.e., through underground conduit penetrations). The tritium levels were determined to be in excess of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) voluntary reporting criteria (i.e., 30,000 pCi/L for onsite groundwater, as specified in the Offsite Dose Calculation Manual). Further investigation determined that the likely source of the tritiated water is buried piping located west of the diesel generator building. The area of the leak is inside the plant protected area, well inside the site's property boundary. There is no indication that tritium has migrated into drinking water sources or has migrated off plant property. The leakage has not impacted plant reliability or the operability of any safety-related equipment.

"Corrective actions taken were to capture the in-leakage of water into the diesel generator building and route it through our normal permitted discharge paths. Additional water samples will continue to be obtained from site monitoring wells until the source of the leak is isolated. Efforts to identify and isolate the source of the leakage, and plans for excavation of the suspected area, are in-progress.

"The Brunswick plant has had an extensive groundwater protection monitoring program in place since 2007. This environmental sampling program consists of more than 100 monitoring wells which are routinely sampled.

"The following agencies will be updated on the status of the onsite tritium samples: City of Southport, Brunswick County, State Officials, NEI, INPO, and ANI.

"The Licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector."

* * * UPDATE ON 6/12/10 AT 1610 EST FROM GRZECK TO HUFFMAN * * *

"On December 10, 2010, at 2124 hours (EST), the buried piping leak was stopped after isolating the Unit 1 Condensate Make-up line to the Main Condenser (i.e., from the Condensate Storage Tank (CST)). The elevated levels of tritium are confined to the area in close proximity to the identified buried pipe location, west of the diesel generator building, well within the site's property boundary. The perimeter monitoring wells to the plant's protected area and site boundary continue to be analyzed with no increase in tritium levels identified. Preparations for the excavation and repair of the Condensate Make-up line are in-progress.

"The following agencies will be provided an update of this event: City of Southport, Brunswick County, State Officials, NEI, INPO, and ANI.

"The initial safety significance of this event is minimal. The Brunswick Steam Electric Plant has not identified any health or safety risk to the public or onsite personnel. There is no impact to plant reliability or safety.

"The Licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector." R2DO (Moorman) notified.

TWO DIFFERENT PATIENTS RECEIVED INCORRECT DIAGNOSIC DOSES DUE TO VIAL MIX-UP

A representative of the licensee (the hospital rad tech) reported that two patients were administered doses of diagnostic Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) for the wrong organs due to a mixed-up of the dose vials. Specifically:

Patient #1 received a 25 millicurie Tc-99m dose for a bone scan instead of the prescribed 10 millicurie Tc-99m dose for a Hida scan (to the gall bladder).

Shortly thereafter, Patient #2 received the 10 millicurie Tc-99m dose for a Hida scan instead of the prescribed 25 millicurie Tc-99m dose for a bone scan.

Both errors were discovered when the actual diagnostic scans were performed.

The patients, their physicians, and the RSO have been notified of this event. The licensee representative stated that there should be no harm to the patient from the incorrect administration. The cause of this event was reported to be insufficient verification that the proper vial had been selected for injection. Both vials were reported to be identical in appearance.

A Medical Event may indicate potential problems in a medical facility's use of radioactive materials. It does not necessarily result in harm to the patient.

* * * RETRACTION FROM JOEL HASSIEN TO HUFFMAN AT 1549 EST ON 12/10/10 * * *

After further review of the event described above, the licensee determined that the event was not reportable to the NRC Operations Center. The retraction is based on a determination that the dose to the organs involved did not exceed the reportability limits. The licensee will log the details of this event. R3DO (Daley) and FSME (Diaz-Torro) notified.

MANUAL REACTOR TRIP AFTER INDICATIONS OF A CONDENSER TUBE LEAK

"At 2200 [EST] 12/09/2010, Unit 4 had indication of a condenser tube leak. A power reduction was commenced in accordance with plant procedures to allow isolation of the leaking waterbox. Sodium levels in the Steam Generators increased and a unit shutdown was required. Power was reduced to 20% and a manual reactor trip was initiated at 2258 [EST] 12/09/10, in accordance with plant procedures. All systems operated as required and the unit is stable in mode 3."

The reactor trip was not complicated. All control rods inserted fully and decay heat is being removed by the atmospheric steam dumps. There is no indications of primary to secondary leakage. Normal offsite power is available and Unit 3 is unaffected. 3 of 3 steam generators are affected by the increase in sodium levels. The licensee is in progress of conducting steam generator blowdowns.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.