Event Notification Report for April 5, 1999
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
04/02/1999 - 04/05/1999
** EVENT NUMBERS **
35540 35541 35542 35543
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other |Event Number: 35540 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: H & G INSPECTION |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/02/1999|
|LICENSEE: H & G INSPECTION |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:08[EST]|
| CITY: HOUSTON REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 04/02/1999|
| COUNTY: STATE: TX |EVENT TIME: 04:40[CST]|
|LICENSE#: 42-26838-01 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/02/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |LINDA HOWELL R4 |
| |DON COOL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: CRAIG KONIECZNY | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|IBBE 30.50(b)(2)(i) ACCID MIT EQUIP FAILS | |
|IBBF 30.50(b)(2)(ii) EQUIP DISABLED/FAILS | |
|IBBG 30.50(b)(2)(iii) REDUNDANT EQUIP INOP | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| SUSPECTED FAILURE OF AUTO LOCKING MECHANISM PREVENTING RETRACTION OF IR-192 |
| SOURCE IN A RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA. |
| |
| DURING A CAMERA SHOT AT A POWER PLANT LOCATED A COUPLE MILES FROM THE |
| EVANSTON, WYOMING, OFFICE, THE IRIDIUM-192 SOURCE WOULD NOT RETRACT INTO THE |
| SHIELDED VOLUME. THE LICENSEE (H & G INSPECTION COMPANY) AREA MANAGER |
| RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND TRANSFERRED THE SOURCE TO AN EMPTY CAMERA. BOTH |
| THE RADIOGRAPHER AND THE AREA MANAGER ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE RECEIVED LESS |
| THAN 200 MREM/EACH. (THE DOSIMETRY REMAINED ON-SCALE.) |
| |
| SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS AS FOLLOWS: |
| |
| 1. THE CAMERA WAS MANUFACTURED BY INDUSTRIAL NUCLEAR LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, |
| MODEL |
| IR100. |
| 2. THE SOURCE WAS MANUFACTURED BY SOURCE PRODUCTION COMPANY LOCATED IN |
| LOUISIANA, S/N 4258. |
| |
| THE LICENSEE REQUIRED APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS TO RECOVER THE FRESHLY INSTALLED |
| SOURCE (ABOUT 100 CURIES) DURING WHICH TIME THE POWER PLANT WAS SHUTDOWN. |
| THE LICENSEE IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION AND PLANS ON RETURNING THE |
| CAMERA TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EVALUATION. AT THIS TIME, THE LICENSEE |
| SUSPECTS A FAILURE IN THE AUTO LOCKING MECHANISM. |
| |
| AN NRC REGION 4 INSPECTOR (CRUZ) WAS PRESENT IN THE HOUSTON OFFICE AND WAS |
| AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE LICENSEE PLANS TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT. |
| |
| CALL THE HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONS OFFICER FOR CONTACT INFORMATION. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor |Event Number: 35541 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: OYSTER CREEK REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/02/1999|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:11[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-2 |EVENT DATE: 04/02/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 12:00[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: STEVE FULLER |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/02/1999|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: FANGIE JONES +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |KATHLEEN MODES R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AOUT 50.72(b)(1)(ii)(B) OUTSIDE DESIGN BASIS | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THREE CABLE TRAYS FOUND IN REACTOR BUILDING DO NOT MEET SEPARATION |
| CRITERIA. |
| |
| The licensee discovered three cable trays in the reactor building that do |
| not meet the design criteria for separation of trains. The discovery was |
| during a walkdown of cable trays in the plant following review of similar |
| events in the industry. |
| |
| Corrective action will be to install fire barrier material between the |
| division 1 and 2 cable trays. The design for the barriers has been started, |
| and the actual work is expected to be complete within 2 weeks. It has been |
| determined that interim measures, such as a fire watch, are not necessary |
| because the cable trays carry only low amperage instrument and control |
| cables and because they are fused. |
| |
| The licensee intends to notify the NRC Resident Inspector. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other |Event Number: 35542 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: COGEMA MINING, INC. |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/03/1999|
|LICENSEE: COGEMA MINING, INC. |NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:21[EST]|
| CITY: REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 04/03/1999|
| COUNTY: CONVERSE STATE: WY |EVENT TIME: 09:00[MST]|
|LICENSE#: SIA1341 AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/03/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |LINDA HOWELL R4 |
| |LARRY CAMPER NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+JOE STOMBERG DOE |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOHN VASELIN |JIM RABB HHS |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: FANGIE JONES |E. CLAIRE EPA |
+------------------------------------------------+GARY BELCHER FEMA |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NONR OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 13,000 GALLONS OF RESTORATION WATER SPILLED CONTAINING 1.4 PPM U3O8. |
| |
| This report is made in compliance with a license requirement to report any |
| spill greater than 10,000 gallons. This is in mine unit #9 which is located |
| about 90 miles northeast of Casper, WY. The spill is from an underground |
| water trunk line and is estimated at approximately 13,000 gallons. The |
| water contains 1.2 ppm uranium or 1.4 ppm U3O8; the drinking water limit is |
| 5 ppm uranium. This spill has no threat or adverse impact to the public or |
| the environment. The nearest habitation is about 4 miles away, and the |
| nearest town is about 15 miles away. The water is part of the restoration |
| of ground water program. Flow through the trunk line has been secured. |
| |
| Recovery of the water is not likely as there is between 2 and 3 feet of snow |
| on the ground. |
| |
| The licensee plans to make a written report to NRC Region 4 and NRC |
| Headquarters. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 35543 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/04/1999|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:58[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 04/03/1999|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 13:40[CST]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/04/1999|
| CITY: PADUCAH REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: McCRACKEN STATE: KY |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-1 AGREEMENT: Y |MARK RING R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707001 |LARRY CAMPER NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: THOMAS WHITE | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|OCBA 76.120(c)(2)(i) ACCID MT EQUIP FAILS | |
|OCBB 76.120(c)(2)(ii) EQUIP DISABLED/FAILS | |
|OCBC 76.120(c)(2)(iii) REDUNDANT EQUIP INOP | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2-MINUTE LOSS OF AUDIBLE ALARMS FOR NUMEROUS BUILDINGS' CRITICALITY ACCIDENT |
| ALARM SYSTEMS DURING MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from Paducah: |
| |
| "At 1340 CST on 4-3-99, during troubleshooting activities on a Criticality |
| Accident Alarm System (CAAS) Cluster Trouble alarm on C-710 Cluster AQ, |
| 48-VDC breakers RA-5 and RA-7 tripped. The troubleshooting activities were |
| being performed under an approved Maintenance Work Package at the time the |
| breakers tripped. As a result of the breakers tripping, control power was |
| lost to the C-333, C-333A, C-337, C-360, C-710, C-720, and C-746Q CAAS |
| building horns and lights, thus losing audibility of the CAAS systems. |
| C-710 CAAS system was inoperable at the time of the trip, but the other |
| facilities CAAS systems were required to be available and operable. The |
| loss of the 48 VDC was annunciated on a CAAS alarm panel in C-300 and was |
| immediately investigated. On discovery of the two breakers being tripped, |
| the breakers were reclosed. The 48-VDC power was off for approximately 2 |
| minutes. |
| |
| "The inaudibility of the CAAS systems is reportable as a 24-hour event |
| report per 10CFR76.120(c)(2). |
| |
| "The NRC resident inspector has been notified of this event." |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021