Event Notification Report for January 26, 1999
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
01/25/1999 - 01/26/1999
** EVENT NUMBERS **
35275 35312 35313 35314 35315 35316
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 35275 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/15/1999|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:08[EST]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 01/15/1999|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 14:10[EST]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |JIM GAVULA R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |JOHN SURMEIER NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+FRANK CONGEL IRO |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: RICHARD LARSON | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| 4-HOUR NRC 91-01 BULLETIN NOTIFICATION INVOLVING ABANDONED EQUIPMENT IN THE |
| X-326 PROCESS BUILDING |
| |
| THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM PORTSMOUTH: |
| |
| "ON JANUARY 15, 1999, AT 1410 HOURS, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE X-326 |
| PROCESS BUILDING NUCLEAR CRITICALITY APPROVALS (NCSAs) DO NOT DESCRIBE THE |
| OPERATION/CONTROLS FOR THE FOLLOWING ABANDONED IN PLACE EQUIPMENT: PRODUCT |
| PURIFICATION DISTILLATION TOWER, OLD EVACUATION JETS, OLD SO2 REACTOR, OLD |
| PW BOOSTER CONNECTED TO CELL 25-7-15, AND [AN] OLD FREON DEGRADER." |
| |
| "THIS IS REPORTABLE DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY NCSA IN PLACE FOR THIS ABANDONED |
| EQUIPMENT." |
| |
| "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OR |
| RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT." |
| |
| A PRIOR NRC NOTIFICATION (EVENT #33627) WAS MADE WHICH IDENTIFIED LEGACY |
| EQUIPMENT IN THE X-326 PROCESS BUILDING; HOWEVER, THE ABOVE EQUIPMENT WAS |
| INADVERTENTLY OMITTED. THE EQUIPMENT IS IN GEOMETRICALLY FAVORABLE |
| CONDITIONS AND CONTAINS URANIUM BELOW THE SAFE MASS LIMIT. THIS CONDITION |
| WAS DISCOVERED IN A REVIEW OF COMPLETED NCSAs. |
| |
| PORTSMOUTH PLANS TO INFORM THE [DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE)] SITE |
| REPRESENTATIVE AND HAS INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. |
| |
| * * * UPDATE AT 1955 ON 01/18/99 FROM LARSON TAKEN BY WEAVER * * * |
| |
| THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM PORTSMOUTH: |
| |
| "THIS IS REPORTABLE DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY NCSA IN PLACE FOR THIS ABANDONED |
| EQUIPMENT." |
| |
| UPDATE: DUE TO THE PROBLEMS CONCERNING ABANDONED EQUIPMENT IN THE X-326 |
| BUILDING NOT COVERED BY NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY APPROVALS (NCSAs), A |
| SEARCH PERFORMED IN THE X-705 [AND] X-700 [BUILDINGS] REVEALED ABANDONED |
| EQUIPMENT THAT MAY NEED NCSAs. THE PLANT IS FOLLOWING IT'S PROCEDURE FOR |
| ANOMALOUS NCSA CONDITIONS, AND FURTHER EVALUATIONS ARE IN PROGRESS TO |
| DETERMINE IF THIS ABANDONED EQUIPMENT MEETS THE FISSILE MATERIAL LIMITS. |
| THE FISSILE MATERIAL LIMIT OF 15 GRAMS U235 BY PLANT PROCEDURES REQUIRES |
| NCSAs." |
| |
| "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OR |
| RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT." |
| |
| PORTSMOUTH INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. THE NRC OPERATIONS OFFICER |
| NOTIFIED THE R3DO (GAVULA), NMSS EO (SURMEIER), AND IRO (CONGEL). |
| |
| * * * UPDATE AT 1643 ON 01/20/99 FROM HALCOMB TAKEN BY WEAVER * * * |
| |
| THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM PORTSMOUTH: |
| |
| "DUE TO PROBLEMS CONCERNING ABANDONED EQUIPMENT IDENTIFIED IN THE X-326 |
| BUILDING NOT COVERED BY AN NCSA, A PLANT WIDE SEARCH WAS INITIATED TO |
| IDENTIFY ALL EQUIPMENT WHICH MAY MEET THE FISSILE MATERIAL LIMITS AND WOULD |
| REQUIRE AN ACTIVE NCSA. THIS SEARCH HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THE X-344, X-333, |
| AND THE X-330 BUILDINGS CONTAIN ABANDONED EQUIPMENT THAT WILL REQUIRE AN |
| NCSA. ALL IDENTIFIED EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN BOUNDARIED OFF AND AN ANOMALOUS NCS |
| CONDITION REPORT COMPLETED." |
| |
| "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OR |
| RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT." |
| |
| PORTSMOUTH INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. THE NRC OPERATIONS OFFICER |
| NOTIFIED THE R3DO (LANKSBURY), NMSS EO (BELL), AND IRO (CONGEL). |
| |
| *** UPDATE ON 01/21/99 AT 1847 EST FROM SISSLER TAKEN BY MacKINNON *** |
| |
| During ongoing plant search for abandoned equipment, additional equipment |
| was discovered in the X-326 building which may meet the fissile material |
| limits and would require an active NCSA. The identified equipment has been |
| boundaried off and an anomalous NCS condition report completed. |
| |
| The NRC resident inspector was notified of this event by the certificate |
| holder. The NRC operations officer notified the R3DO (Lanksbury) and NMSS |
| EO (Bell) . |
| |
| * * * UPDATE ON 01/25/99 AT 1255 EST FROM RICHARD LARSON TO FANGIE JONES * * |
| * |
| |
| During ongoing plant sweeps for abandoned equipment, additional equipment |
| was discovered in the X-326 and X-333 buildings which may meet the fissile |
| material limits and would require an active NCSA. The equipment consists of |
| GCEP (Gaseous Centrifugal Enrichment Process) sample carts that are no |
| longer used. The carts in the X-326 building have been determined not to |
| have two major components which could contain fissile materials; however, |
| the carts in the X-333 building are still being investigated. The equipment |
| has been boundaried off and an NCS condition report completed. |
| |
| The NRC resident inspector was notified and the onsite DOE representative |
| will be notified by the certificate holder. The NRC operations officer |
| notified the R3DO (Tony Vegel), NMSS EO (Don Cool), and IRO (Frank Congel). |
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 35312 |
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| REP ORG: U.S. ARMY (ACALA) |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/25/1999|
|LICENSEE: U.S. ARMY (ACALA) |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:17[EST]|
| CITY: ROCK ISLAND REGION: 3 |EVENT DATE: 01/07/1999|
| COUNTY: STATE: IL |EVENT TIME: [CST]|
|LICENSE#: 12-00722-06 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |TONY VEGEL R3 |
| |DON COOL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JEFF HAVENNER | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: FANGIE JONES | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| MISSING M43A1 CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTOR |
| |
| A unit stationed in South Korea lost a model-M43A1 Chemical Agent Detector |
| between 11/02/98 and 11/05/98 while training in South Korea. The detector |
| contains a 250-microcurie Am-241 source. The Army is attempting to locate |
| the detector, has searched the training area, and is investigating the loss. |
| The loss was discovered on 01/07/99 during an inventory for a change of |
| command. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 35313 |
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| FACILITY: SALEM REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/25/1999|
| UNIT: [1] [2] [] STATE: NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:26[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 01/25/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 10:00[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: FRANK SOENS |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |FRANK COSTELLO R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|HFIT 26.73 FITNESS FOR DUTY | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| FITNESS-FOR-DUTY REPORT |
| |
| A LICENSED EMPLOYEE WHO WAS NOT PERFORMING LICENSED ACTIVITIES AT THE TIME |
| WAS DETERMINED TO BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL DURING A "FOR-CAUSE" |
| TEST. THE EMPLOYEE'S ACCESS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. CONTACT THE HEADQUARTERS |
| OPERATIONS OFFICER FOR DETAILS. |
| |
| THE LICENSEE INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. |
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|General Information or Other |Event Number: 35314 |
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| REP ORG: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/25/1999|
|LICENSEE: H&G INSPECTION COMPANY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:28[EST]|
| CITY: HOUSTON REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 01/25/1999|
| COUNTY: HARRIS STATE: TX |EVENT TIME: [CST]|
|LICENSE#: 2181 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |CHARLES MARSCHALL R4 |
| |MIKE BELL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+FRANK CONGEL IRO |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: HELEN WATKINS (FAX) | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NAGR AGREEMENT STATE | |
|BAE1 20.2202(b)(1) PERS OVEREXPOSURE | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT RECEIVED VIA FACSIMILE |
| |
| THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL (TDH-BRC) |
| REPORTED THAT THE H&G INSPECTION COMPANY, LOCATED IN HOUSTON, TX, NOTIFIED |
| THEM OF A 5.4-REM EXPOSURE TO A RADIOGRAPHER. THE WHOLE BODY EXPOSURE WAS |
| ANNUAL JANUARY THROUGH NOVEMBER 1998; THE DECEMBER 1998 BADGE IS BEING |
| EVALUATED BY THE PROCESSOR. THE NOVEMBER 1998 EXPOSURE EXCEEDING THE |
| REGULATORY LIMIT WAS RECEIVED BY THE LICENSEE IN 1999. TDH-BRC IS |
| INVESTIGATING AND HAS IDENTIFIED THIS REPORT AS INCIDENT #7412. |
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 35315 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/25/1999|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 19:45[EST]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 01/25/1999|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 08:30[EST]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |TONY VEGEL R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |MIKE BELL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOHN JORDAN | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| 24-HOUR NRC 91-01 BULLETIN NOTIFICATION INVOLVING STORED MATERIAL NOT |
| MEETING THE FOUR (4) FEET SPACING REQUIREMENT PER THE NCSA |
| |
| THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM PORTSMOUTH: |
| |
| "ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1999, AT 0830 HOURS, A FRONT LINE MANAGER (FLM) |
| DISCOVERED THAT A NUCLEAR CRITICALITY APPROVAL (NCSA) REQUIREMENT WAS NOT |
| BEING MAINTAINED IN THE X-705 DECONTAMINATION FACILITY. NCSA-0705_064, |
| TITLED 'SEAL CAN HANDLING AND STORAGE IN X-705,' REQUIREMENT #10 STATES: A |
| GROUP OF SEAL CAN CANS SHALL BE KEPT AT LEAST FOUR (4) FEET FROM OTHER |
| URANIUM-BEARING MATERIALS (INCLUDING OTHER GROUPS OF SEAL CANS). THE FLM |
| DISCOVERED THAT OTHER POTENTIALLY URANIUM-BEARING MATERIAL (G-17 PROCESS |
| VALVES) WERE BEING STORED WITHIN TWO (2) FEET OF THE SEAL CANS IN AN |
| APPROVED STORAGE AREA. |
| |
| "THE BASES FOR NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY ARE MASS, ENRICHMENT, MODERATION, |
| AND INTERACTION CONTROL. MASS OF U-235 IS LIMITED BY THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF |
| THE VOID SPACE INSIDE THE SEALS AND BY ENSURING THAT NO VISIBLE |
| CONTAMINATION EXISTS ON ANY SEAL THAT IS PUT INTO A SEAL CAN. ENRICHMENT OF |
| THE URANIUM IN ALL SEAL CANS HANDLED UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS NCSA IS |
| LIMITED TO LESS THAN 20% U-235. MODERATION IS CONTROLLED BY PROHIBITING |
| THE INTRODUCTION OF MODERATING MATERIALS INTO THE SEAL CANS. INTERACTION IS |
| CONTROLLED BY LIMITING THE NUMBER OF SEAL CANS THAT MAY BE GROUPED TOGETHER |
| AND BY LIMITING THE MINIMUM SPACING AMONG SEAL CAN GROUPS AND OTHER |
| URANIUM-BEARING MATERIALS. |
| |
| "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OR |
| RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT. |
| |
| "PROPER SPACING WAS RESTORED BY FACILITY OPERATORS UNDER THE DIRECT |
| OBSERVATION OF NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY ENGINEERING. THIS ACTION WAS |
| COMPLETED AT 1030 HOURS." |
| |
| THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR AND DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SITE REPRESENTATIVE WERE |
| INFORMED BY PORTSMOUTH PERSONNEL. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 35316 |
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| FACILITY: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/25/1999|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 20:59[EST]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 01/25/1999|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 07:55[CST]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 01/25/1999|
| CITY: PADUCAH REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: McCRACKEN STATE: KY |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-1 AGREEMENT: Y |TONY VEGEL R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707001 |MIKE BELL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: KEVIN BEASLEY | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| 24-HOUR NRC 91-01 BULLETIN NOTIFICATION INVOLVING FAILURE TO OBSERVE DOUBLE |
| CONTINGENCY REQUIREMENTS |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from Paducah: |
| |
| "At 0755 on 1-25-99, it was determined that work had been performed in C-337 |
| on Unit 4 Cell 2 Stage 1 A-line instrument boss on 1-23-99 without two |
| pre-penetration independent Non-Destructive Analyses (NDA) being performed |
| as required by Nuclear Criticality Safety Assessment (NCSA) GEN-10-02. A |
| single pre-penetration NDA was performed which indicated the categorization |
| to be Uncomplicated Handling (UH). The pre-penetration NDA measurements are |
| used to independently verify that the mass of uranium contained within the |
| adjacent system is an always safe mass and can be categorized as UH. The |
| pre-penetration NDAs are required to be performed prior to penetrating the |
| system of an off-stream cell component greater than 5-inches in diameter. |
| Since the independent NDA was not performed prior to making the penetration, |
| double contingency was not maintained. |
| |
| "A second NDA was performed on 1-25-99 which indicated through independent |
| verification that no unsafe mass was present at the location of the |
| penetration. |
| |
| "This event is submitted in accordance with Safety Analysis Report Table |
| 6.9-1, Criteria A.4.a, as an NRC Bulletin 91-01, Supplement 1." |
| |
| The NRC resident inspector was informed, and the Department of Energy site |
| representative will be informed by Paducah personnel. |
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