Event Notification Report for February 03, 2020

PART 21 REPORT - CONTAINER FAILURE IN KCR-07 BATTERIES

The following is a synopsis of a Part 21 report received by email:

"On December 6, 2019, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant notified C&D of an issue with a KCR-07 battery where a crack had developed in the container wall, and electrolyte levels had dropped below the low-level line. C&D issued a Return Material Authorization to the customer, and the batteries were returned and analyzed. On February 3, 2020, this battery was analyzed, and the cause of the crack was determined to be caused by expansion of the post seals directly stressing the container walls. Although this unit passed capacity testing after return to C&D, undetected loss of electrolyte in field units could impact the operability of KCR-07 systems in the field. Accordingly, C&D is submitting this report to the NRC and notifying C&D's customers that use KCR-07 batteries[, manufactured prior to January 2012,] of this report.

"The battery manufacturing date is on the label.

"C&D implemented corrective actions to eliminate expansion of the positive post seal and to reinforce cover designs in 2011. Information from laboratory testing and field experience has shown that these corrective actions were effective at eliminating excessive stress in the post seal, cover, and container.

"If you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter or this report, please contact:
Robert Malley, VP Customer Experience, bmalley@cdtechno.com, (215) 619-7830 [or]
Kristen Jamison, Nuclear Applications Engineer, kjamison@cdtechno.com, (215) 775-1306."

The following Utilities/Plants are affected: Exelon Fitzpatrick, Exelon Limerick, First Energy Perry, TVA Browns Ferry, TVA Sequoyah, TVA Watts Bar.

LOSS OF EMERGENCY ASSESSMENT CAPABILITY DUE TO PLANNED TSC AND OSC UPGRADES

"At 0915 EST on February 3, 2020, planned upgrades to the Technical Support Center (TSC) and Operations Support Center (OSC) will begin. The work includes upgrades to furniture, carpet, telecommunications, celling tiles, and HVAC vent covers and the installation of new Audio-Visual equipment to include monitors, speakers, and microphones. The work duration is approximately eight weeks.

"If an emergency is declared requiring TSC and OSC activation during this period, the TSC and OSC will be staffed and activated at the alternate location in accordance with applicable site procedures. The Emergency Response Organization team has been notified of the TSC and OSC planned upgrades and the need to assemble and staff the alternate location during an emergency.

"This is an eight-hour, non-emergency notification for a planned loss of Emergency Assessment Capability. This event is reportable in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) because the work activity affects the functionality of an emergency response facility.

"There is no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF CONTROL OF A Cs-137 SOURCE

The following information was received from the state of Florida via email:

"St. Joseph's called the BRC [Bureau of Radiation Control] to notify that a source was unintentionally removed from their facility. They had contracted with North American Philips to trade in an old PET/CT Scanner and replace it with a new one. The licensee had cleared and reserved the room for the contractor to work in for a week. The old scanner had a sealed Cs-137 calibration source inside [16.57 milliCuries], and when the contractor removed it, they did not remove the source and leave it with the licensee as was agreed. The contractor notified the licensee when they realized they had possession of the source. The source is now at the North American Philips site in Nashville, TN. The new PET/CT will not have the referenced source; North American Philips has offered to dispose of it through Bionomics. The licensee has expressed willingness to proceed with that option rather than have the source returned. Since the contractor, rather than the licensee, misappropriated the source, an on-site visit from an inspector is not requested at this time."

Florida Incident Number: FL20-034

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