Event Notification Report for November 04, 2026

EXTERNAL CONTAMINATION ON PACKAGE GREATER THAN ALLOWABLE LIMITS

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone and email:

"Per 10 CFR 20.1906(d), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Health Physics Program reported receipt of a package of radioactive material with removable surface contamination on the outside of the package greater than NRC reporting limits.

"The package was received Tuesday October 27, 2026, at about 1415 EDT at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Hines, Illinois.

"This facility operates under VHA permit number 12-01087-07 issued in accordance with master materials license number 03-23853-01VA.

"The package was checked-in and surveyed upon receipt around 1420 EDT. A wipe performed on the external surface of the package indicated a removable contamination level that exceeded the regulatory limit of 240 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitters. The measured contamination was 255310 dpm/300cm2 which equates to 850 dpm/cm2 or about 3 times the reporting limit. The contamination was isolated primarily to the package in the area of the placard.

"The package contained two dosages of Tc-99m with a total activity of about 37 mCi (nominal). Analysis of the wipe test confirmed a gamma peak consistent with Tc-99m. Wipe tests of the interior of the delivery package resulted in levels comparable to background levels. The dosages themselves appeared to be unimpacted and able to be used. The container was isolated and stored in a designated, shielded area for decay. Surface readings taken with a Geiger Mueller meter indicated 5.5 mR/hr. Surveys indicated no spread of contamination and there were no potentially affected staff.

"The package was shipped from RLS Radiopharmaceuticals in Wood Dale, Illinois. They are also the delivery carrier. The facility radiation safety officer notified the delivery carrier by phone about the contaminated package at around 1435 EDT.

"VHA National Health Physics Program, who manages the master materials license, was alerted to the incident around 1445 EDT."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - EQUIPMENT FAILURE

The following is a summary of information provided by the Radiologic Health Branch (RHB) of the California Department of Public Health via email:

At 1040 PDT, on October 27, 2026, RHB was notified by the Team Industrial [corporate radiation safety officer] C-RSO that a radiography team experienced an equipment failure of their radiography equipment (QSA Global 880D-5377) at 0940 PDT due to a crimped guide tube.

The camera contained a QSA A424-9 model Ir-192 sealed source (number 30993P) with activity of 38.6 curies which remained at the collimator end of the guide tube. An attachment clamp holding the guide tube 10 feet up failed and the guide tube fell to the ground.

Emergency procedures were initiated by extending the 2 mR exclusion area. Two bags of lead pellet shielding were placed on top of the collimator and the source recovery trained RSO was sent to the jobsite.

The lead radiographer trainer received approximately 40 mrem, and his assistant radiographer received 42 mrem. This was their last exposure for the day.

By 1230 PDT, the Ir-192 source was successfully returned to the 880D device. Repairs were made to the guide tube using remote handling tools, snips, and pliers. The RSO's exposure was 58 mrem on his personal monitoring dosimeter and his Instadose dosimeter read 53 mrem.

A written report will be completed by the RSO and submitted to RHB.

CA incident number: 5010-102726

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK SHUTTERS

The following is a summary of information provided by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) via email:

On October 27, 2026, Equistar Chemicals, LP, contacted LDEQ concerning stuck shutters on four different fixed gauges. The shutters were determined to be stuck in the open position on October 27, 2026. The licensee will contact a third party, to determine the appropriate solution to correct this situation.

Gauge information:
1) One Ohmart Model Number SH-100, serial number 60828, 100 mCi Cs-137 source. Installed in 1985.
2) Two Ohmart Model Number SHD-45, each with 300 mCi sources.
3) One Ohmart Model Number SH-F, serial number M7122, 250 mCi Cs-137 source.

Louisiana incident number: LA20260013

LOST SOURCES

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone:

On August 12, 2026, at 1335 CDT, an Army helicopter crashed in a field near Salado, TX. The crash caused extensive damage to the helicopter and a large grass fire. A crash investigation team has been recovering the helicopter remains over the last two months.

On October 27, 2026, at approximately 1015 CDT, the radiation safety officer was notified that two foil sources on the helicopter were not recovered and believed to have been incinerated.

The investigation is ongoing. A third party has been contracted to remediate the site.

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

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone and email:

"On November 3, 2026, at 0838 CST, Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 experienced an automatic reactor trip from 100 percent power due to exceeding the departure from nucleate boiling ratio on reactor protection system (RPS) channels 1 and 2 due to the loss of all reactor coolant pump (RCPs). Emergency feedwater (EFW) actuated automatically due to low water level in the 'A' and 'B' steam generators. EFW responded as designed to feed both steam generators automatically.

"The loss of all RCPs was caused by non-vital 6900-volt buses '2H1' and '2H2' de-energizing. This resulted in a loss of reactor coolant system forced circulation and a loss of main condenser vacuum.

"Both emergency diesel generators (EDGs) automatically started due to the slow transfer of on-site electrical power to offsite power via the startup '3' transformer, but the EDGs did not automatically tie to their respective vital 4160-volt buses. '2A-1' and '2A-2' non-vital buses are supplied from offsite power as designed. The '2A-3' and '2A-4' vital 4160-volt buses remained energized from offsite power via '2A-1' and '2A-2' respectively.

"During the transient, service water pump '2P-4A' automatically tripped. Service water pump '2P-4B' was manually started to restore loop 1 service water to service.

"All control element assemblies fully inserted upon the trip. Unit 2 is currently stable in mode 3 (Hot Standby) maintaining pressure and temperature via emergency feedwater and secondary system steaming to atmosphere via the atmospheric dump valves.

"There are no indications of a radiological release or impact to the health and safety of the public or plant personnel as a result of this event. This event occurred immediately following a lightning strike near the station.

"This report satisfies the reporting criteria of both 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) for the RPS actuation and 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) for the valid RPS, EFW system, and EDG actuations.

"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified. Unit 1 was not affected."