Event Notification Report for April 19, 1999
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 04/16/1999 - 04/19/1999 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** 35597 35598 35599 35600 35601 35602 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |General Information or Other |Event Number: 35597 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | REP ORG: UNITED AIRLINES, NEWARK, NJ |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/16/1999| |LICENSEE: AMERSHAM |NOTIFICATION TIME: 04:58[EDT]| | CITY: NEWARK REGION: 1 |EVENT DATE: 04/16/1999| | COUNTY: STATE: NJ |EVENT TIME: 02:45[EDT]| |LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/16/1999| | DOCKET: |+----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION | | |DAN HOLODY R1 | | |GEORGE PANGBURN R1 | +------------------------------------------------+JOHN JACOBSON R3 | | NRC NOTIFIED BY: LTJG EBNER, DOT NRC |JOHN SURMEIER NMSS | | HQ OPS OFFICER: DICK JOLLIFFE |FRED COMBS NMSS | +------------------------------------------------+FRANK CONGEL IRO | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |NINF INFORMATION ONLY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | - LEAKING Tc-99m GENERATOR CONTAMINATED AIRCRAFT AT NEWARK INTERNATIONAL | | AIRPORT - | | | | At 0437 on 04/16/99, Bob Hayes of United Airlines notified the Department of | | Transportation (DOT) National Response Center that a leaking container of | | radioactive solid sodium molybdate (DOT Yellow III) had spilled inside an | | aircraft that had landed at Newark International Airport (National Response | | Center Incident Report #480533). Approximately 0.01 microcuries of material | | had spilled. The spill was cleaned up using an industrial cleaner, with no | | residual contamination detected. LTJG Ebner of the National Response Center | | notified the NRC Headquarters Operations Officer (HOO) and the NJ Department | | of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP). | | | | At 0654 on 04/16/99, John Feney of the NJ DEP informed the NRC HOO that the | | container was a Tc-99m generator with a 15-curie radiation source and that | | he was preparing to respond to the airport. He was conferenced with Region | | I (Dan Holody) and NMSS (John Surmeier and Fred Combs). The generator was | | enroute from Amersham Holdings, Inc., located in Arlington Heights, IL, to | | Amersham Pharmacy located in Livingston, NJ. | | | | At 0721 on 04/16/99, John Marzocca of the Amersham Pharmacy located in | | Livingston, NJ, contacted the NRC HOO to provide additional information | | regarding the event. He was conferenced with Region I (Dan Holody, George | | Pangburn, and Duncan White); Region III (John Jacobson); and NMSS (Fred | | Combs and John Surmeier). | | | | At 0950 on 04/16/99, Joe Moon of Del-Med Trucking, Inc. (the package | | shipper), located in South Plainfield, NJ, notified the DOT National | | Response Center that the surface of the Type 'A' package measured 11,000 dpm | | per 300 sq cm (0.0051 microcuries) upon arrival at the Amersham Pharmacy | | located in Livingston, NJ (National Response Center Incident Report | | #480547). The exposed driver and the truck were recalled and | | decontaminated, and the aircraft has been impounded and is being | | decontaminated. Mr. Winters of the National Response Center notified the | | NRC HOO and the NJ DEP. | | | | (Contact the NRC HOO for addresses and telephone numbers.) | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 35598 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | REP ORG: STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/16/1999| |LICENSEE: STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 05:38[EDT]| | CITY: ROCKAWAY REGION: 1 |EVENT DATE: 04/16/1999| | COUNTY: STATE: NJ |EVENT TIME: 02:15[EDT]| |LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/16/1999| | DOCKET: |+----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION | | |DAN HOLODY R1 | | |JOHN SURMEIER NMSS | +------------------------------------------------+FRANK CONGEL IRO | | NRC NOTIFIED BY: STEVEN ZIMMERMAN | | | HQ OPS OFFICER: DICK JOLLIFFE | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |MAAA 36.83(a)(1) UNSHIELD STUCK SOURCE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | -RADIATION SOURCE STUCK IN UNSHIELDED POSITION AT A COMMERCIAL IRRADIATOR | | FOR 3 HOURS | | | | AT 0215 ON 04/16/99, WHILE IRRADIATING MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS AT A COMMERCIAL | | IRRADIATOR, THE RADIATION SOURCE RACK BECAME STUCK IN THE UP (UNSHIELDED) | | POSITION. THE SOURCE RACK CONTAINS A 2.6-MILLION-CURIE Co-60 SOURCE. AT | | 0515, THE LICENSEE SUCCESSFULLY LOWERED THE SOURCE RACK TO ITS SHIELDED | | POSITION AND STOPPED ALL OPERATIONS. NO PERSONNEL EXPOSURES OCCURRED AS A | | RESULT OF THIS EVENT. | | | | THE LICENSEE PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED A STUCK SOURCE IN AUGUST 1995. | | MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE SOURCE RACK ON APRIL 6 AND | | 7, 1999. THE LICENSEE IS INVESTIGATING THIS STUCK SOURCE EVENT AND PLANS TO | | SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT OF THIS EVENT TO NRC REGION 3 WITHIN 30 DAYS. | | | | ******************** UPDATE AT 2006 ON 04/16/99 FROM ZIMMERMAN TO TROCINE | | ******************** | | | | The licensee has been in contact with NRC Region 1 (John McGrath) regarding | | corrective actions. | | | | From 1815 until 2100, the licensee tested the source rack for up and down | | motion almost 20 times. The licensee also performed safety interlock | | testing, and the results were satisfactory. In addition, all of the | | bushings were replaced, and all of the guide cables for the source racks | | were tightened. | | | | The licensee plans to restart tonight. | | | | As requested by the licensee, the NRC operations officer notified NRC Region | | 1 (George Pangburn and John McGrath). The NRC operations officer also | | notified the R1DO (Holody). | | | | (Call the NRC operations officer for a licensee contact telephone number.) | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 35599 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | REP ORG: U.S. ARMY (ACALA) |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/16/1999| |LICENSEE: U.S. ARMY (ACALA) |NOTIFICATION TIME: 10:44[EDT]| | CITY: GERMANY REGION: |EVENT DATE: 01/15/1999| | COUNTY: STATE: |EVENT TIME: 12:00[EST]| |LICENSE#: 12-00722-06 AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/16/1999| | DOCKET: |+----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION | | |JOHN JACOBSON R3 | | |DON COOL NMSS | +------------------------------------------------+ | | NRC NOTIFIED BY: JEFF HAVENNER | | | HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | THREE M43A1 CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTORS MISPLACED IN GERMANY | | | | The U.S. Army reported that three M43A1 chemical agent detectors, each | | containing 250 �Ci of Am-241, had been misplaced between mid-December 1998 | | and mid-January 1999. The detectors were issued to the 324th Signal | | Company, and they were being deployed to an unspecified location. The | | paperwork regarding these detectors was not completed properly, and the Army | | believes that they are still in possession of the detectors. The U.S. Army | | plans to contact the German government regarding this event. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Power Reactor |Event Number: 35600 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FACILITY: DRESDEN REGION: 3 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/17/1999| | UNIT: [] [] [3] STATE: IL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:58[EDT]| | RXTYPE: [1] GE-1,[2] GE-3,[3] GE-3 |EVENT DATE: 04/17/1999| +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 09:59[CDT]| | NRC NOTIFIED BY: DAVE SLAGER |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/17/1999| | HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |JOHN JACOBSON R3 | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |ADEG 50.72(b)(1)(ii) DEGRAD COND DURING OP | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ |UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ | | | | | | |3 N Y 99 Power Operation |99 Power Operation | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FAILURE OF A PRIMARY CONTAINMENT AIR SAMPLE RETURN ISOLATION VALVE TO MEET | | MAXIMUM INSERVICE TEST STROKE-TIME REQUIREMENTS | | | | While performing quarterly valve stroke-time testing on Unit 3, a primary | | containment air sample return isolation valve exceeded its specified maximum | | stroke-time limit. The sample return line was isolated in accordance with | | Technical Specification 3.7.D for primary containment isolation valves, and | | this action satisfied the 4-hour limiting condition for operation action | | statement requirements. The second in-line primary containment isolation | | system valve remains operable. | | | | The licensee stated that no other valves failed to meet the maximum | | stroke-time limits. The licensee also stated that, during a test that was | | performed last month, the valve in question was identified as being in the | | 'Alert' time range for inservice test timing requirements and that it was | | being tested per the required increased testing frequency. Corrective | | actions are being initiated, and troubleshooting activities are in | | progress. | | | | The licensee plans to notify the NRC resident inspector. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Power Reactor |Event Number: 35601 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FACILITY: SUSQUEHANNA REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/18/1999| | UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: PA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 01:41[EDT]| | RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4 |EVENT DATE: 04/17/1999| +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 22:14[EDT]| | NRC NOTIFIED BY: DON ROLAND |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/18/1999| | HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |DAN HOLODY R1 | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |AIND 50.72(b)(2)(iii)(D) ACCIDENT MITIGATION | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ |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 +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | UNIT 1 HAD LESS THAN THREE OPERABLE DIESEL GENERATORS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF | | TIME. | | | | During restoration from LOCA/LOOP Division 2 testing on Unit 2, which is | | shutdown, operators inadvertently placed the 'D' Diesel Generator | | Synchronization Auto Control Select Switch to Bypass with the 'B' Diesel | | Generator already in Bypass per plant procedures. This action requires the | | diesel be declared inoperable. The action was immediately identified, and | | the switch on the 'D' Diesel was returned to Normal. The total time that | | two diesel generators were inoperable was less than 1 minute. This left | | Unit 1 with only the 'A' and 'C' Diesel Generators operable. | | | | The licensee plans to notify the NRC resident inspector. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Power Reactor |Event Number: 35602 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FACILITY: RIVER BEND REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/18/1999| | UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: LA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 21:08[EDT]| | RXTYPE: [1] GE-6 |EVENT DATE: 04/18/1999| +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 16:47[CDT]| | NRC NOTIFIED BY: RUSS GODWIN |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/18/1999| | HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION | |EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |LINDA SMITH R4 | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |AESF 50.72(b)(2)(ii) ESF ACTUATION | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ |UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ |1 N N 0 Refueling |0 Refueling | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | CLOSURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE CORE SPRAY DIESEL GENERATOR OUTPUT BREAKER IN | | RESPONSE TO AN UNDERVOLTAGE CONDITION WHEN THE NORMAL SUPPLY BREAKER TRIPPED | | OPEN | | | | The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the licensee: | | | | "At 1647 [CDT], on April 18, 1999, with the plant in Mode 5 (Refueling), the | | High Pressure Core Spray [(HPCS)] Diesel Generator [(DG)] output breaker | | closed in response to an undervoltage condition on its safety-related | | 4.16-kV bus." | | | | "At the time of the event, the HPCS DG was already running, unloaded, as | | part of a planned test sequence. The undervoltage condition occurred when | | the normal supply breaker tripped open. The HPCS DG output breaker operated | | as designed, and the HPCS DG supplied its safety-related bus." | | | | "The HPCS system was inoperable when this event occurred and is not required | | to be operable in the current plant mode." | | | | "The cause of the trip of the normal supply breaker is not known. [The] | | plant staff is investigating this event, and the cause will be corrected | | prior to returning the HPCS system to service." | | | | The licensee stated that all systems functioned as required in response to | | the undervoltage condition. The licensee also stated that core alterations | | (fuel shuffle) are in progress. | | | | The licensee notified the NRC resident inspector. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021