Event Notification Report for January 16, 2014

AGREEMENT STATE - STUCK OPEN SHUTTER ON LEVEL GAUGE

The following was received from the State of Georgia via email:

"Licensee's Radiation Safety Officer for PQ Corporation with Georgia Radioactive Materials License GA 976-1 reported to the Georgia Radioactive Materials Program [GRMP] on 1-16-14 that an Industrial Source Holder shutter failed to close (used for level measurements) leaving the source in the exposed position. This was discovered when the licensee was performing a semiannual shutter check and inventory for their gauges and source holders. Once this was discovered by the licensee, the entrances to the unoccupied building where the source holder is located was taped off to prevent any unauthorized entrance to the building. The licensee then contacted Thermo Fisher who will be sending a technician to repair the malfunctioning source holder on 1-28-14. The licensee indicated to the GRMP that the building will remain inaccessible until Thermo Fisher arrives to perform repairs on the source holder. The Licensee will inform the GRMP once the repairs have been completed.

"Source Holder: TN Technologies, Inc.
"Model: 5205
"Source: Cs-137
"Source Activity: 200 mCi
"Source S/N: B597"

Complaint ID: 72888

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following was received from the State of Texas via email:

"On January 16, 2014, the licensee notified the Agency [State of Texas] that it had lost a Troxler Model 3440 moisture/density gauge containing one 40 millicurie americium-241/beryllium source and one 8 millicurie cesium-137 source. One of the licensee's technicians left a construction job site approximately 25 miles west of Austin just off of Hwy. 71 and was driving back to the licensee's office. Near the intersection of Burnet Road and Waterford Center Boulevard in Austin, the technician saw a bucket had fallen out of the back of the truck so he stopped to retrieve it. At that time he saw the tailgate was down and the gauge was missing. He immediately called the job site superintendent. The construction site area and part of Hwy. 71 were searched but the gauge was not found. The licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) reported that the technician stated he had secured the gauge and closed the tailgate before leaving the site. The licensee will notify local law enforcement and will continue to look for the gauge. The Agency [State of Texas] has notified several area fire departments and the Texas Association of Pawnbrokers. More information will be provided as it is obtained per SA-300."

Texas Incident Number: I-9146

* * * UPDATE FROM ROBERT FREE TO CHARLES TEAL ON 1/17/14 AT 1705 EST * * *

The gauge was found at the entrance of the construction site by a construction supervisor. The gauge was not damaged. The licensee has possession of the gauge.

Notified R4DO (Kellar), FSME Event Resource via email, and Mexico via fax.

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

PART 21 - NONCONFORMANCE OF AN ELECTRICAL TUBULAR WATER HEATER

The following information was received via facsimile:

"Subject: Non-Conformance on [CCI Thermal Technologies] Purchase Order 244232-1-MRA-MEEW-00001 Element

"We notify you that we have initiated a notification process today to:

"Bechtel Project Quality Manager
EQB1A/Watts Bar Nuclear Plant
Hwy 68
Spring City, TN 37381

"Regarding finding on January 16, 2014 related to non-conforming items shipped under purchase order 244232-1-MRA-MEEW-00001 Element.

"Manufactured by:

"CCI Thermal Technologies Inc.
2721 Plymouth Dr.
Oakville, [Ontario]
[Canada], L6H5R5

"Non-conforming items are under investigations with further pending review of action with the issuance party on the purchase order indicated."

The nonconformance is related to a borated water storage tank electrical heater that was shipped in 2011 for use on Watts Bar Unit 2.

PART 21 - UNSEATING OF VALVE SPRING ON SCRAM SOLENOID PILOT VALVE

"This concerns an evaluation being performed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) regarding a malfunction of a Scram Solenoid Pilot Valve (SSPV), which has been observed to impair control rod scram performance. As stated herein, GEH has not concluded that this is a reportable condition in accordance with the requirements of 10CFR 21.21(d). The SSPV manufacturer (ASCO Valve, Inc.) has not yet concluded its own investigation under 10CFR 21, and the results of that investigation are needed as input for the GEH evaluation. The manufacturer has issued an Interim Report, which provides confidence that this condition is limited to a very small portion of the suspect population.

"A malfunction of a Scram Solenoid Pilot Valve was attributed to the disengagement of the valve spring from the valve plunger. The effect of the malfunction is to degrade scram performance of an affected control rod. The safety significance of this condition cannot be determined at this time, but several mitigating and compensatory functions have been identified."

This evaluation affects Fermi 2, Columbia, Dresden 2-3, Oyster Creek, Peach Bottom 2-3, Quad Cities 1-2, and Browns Ferry 1-3.

* * * UPDATE AT 1502 EDT ON 07/23/14 FROM LISA SCHICHLEIN TO S. SANDIN VIA FAX * * *

"Subject: Completed Evaluation of Part 21 Potentially Reportable Condition Notification: Unseating of Valve Spring on SSPV

"This letter provides information concerning an evaluation now completed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) regarding the malfunction of Scram Solenoid Pilot Valves (SSPVs), which have been observed to impair control rod scram performance. As stated herein, GEH has concluded this condition is Not Reportable for two of the affected plants (Enrico Fermi 2 and Columbia Generating Station plants), but GEH does not have sufficient information to fully evaluate the safety significance of the condition for the remainder of the potentially affected plants. Given that, GEH closes this 10 CFR Part 21 evaluation with a Transfer of Information to potentially affected licensees, in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 21.21(b) and will communicate the determination of Not Reportable to the identified plants where sufficient information was available to make that determination.

"Although the Enrico Fermi 2 and Columbia Generating Station plants are included in the attached list of U.S. plants potentially affected, inspections of all suspect SSPVs remaining at those plants indicate that no other SSPVs at those plants exhibit the condition (as informally reported to GEH), and therefore those plants were determined to not have a reportable condition.

"This letter closes the supplemental 60-Day Interim Report Notification (MFN 14-010 R0), provided on March 13, 2014, per 10 CFR 21.21(a)(2).

"If you have any questions, please call me at (910) 819-4491.

"Sincerely,

"Dale E. Porter
"Safety Evaluation Program Manager
"GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC"

Notified R1DO (Gray), R2DO (Musser), R3DO (Orth), R4DO (Miller) and NRR Part 21 Group via email.