Event Notification Report for October 13, 1999

REACTOR TRIP GENERATED DURING TESTING, PLANT ALREADY SHUTDOWN

During refueling outage activities a 'Full Scram' signal was initiated while testing the main steam line high radiation instrumentation. No control rod or 'Group I' isolation valve movement occurred as a result of this signal since all affected equipment was in the tripped condition due to plant conditions. The only valve movement was the scram discharge volume vent and drain valves which closed per design.

The 'Full Scram' and 'Group I' isolation signal resulted as a result of testing inadequacies. The signal was reset and the valves were opened per plant procedures.

The NRC Resident Inspector was informed.

* * * RETRACTION AT 1530 ON 10/18/1999 FROM WEILGOPOLSKI TAKEN BY STRANSKY * * *

"This event involved a 4-hour report made for the inadvertent ESF actuation under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(ii). The event occurred while Unit 3 was in a refueling outage and involved a full scram signal being initiated during testing of the main steam line high radiation instrumentation. The event had no control rod movement or Group 1 isolation valve movement since all affected equipment was in the tripped condition during to refueling activities. The only valve movement that occurred was the scram discharge volume (SDV) vent and drain valves which closed.

"Although the SDV vent and drain valves closed and are primary containment isolation valves, this event is being retracted based on the following:
* ESF actuation signal was invalid because it was caused by a procedural error; and
* the SDV vent and drain valve primary containment function was properly removed from service as a result of
[Point Beach Atomic Power Station (PBAPS)] Unit 3 being in a refueling outage (Mode 5) and the primary
containment breached."

The NRC resident inspector has been informed of this retraction. The NRC operations officer notified the R1DO (Cook).

PACKAGE RECEIVED AT PALISADES NUCLEAR PLANT THAT EXCEEDED EXTERNAL SURFACE RADIATION LIMITS

During receipt activities of radioactive material, it was discovered that a package exceeded the radiation level limits of 10 CFR 71.47 (b)(1) (200 mrem/hr on the external surface of the package on an open transport vehicle.) The highest external surface reading on the package was measured at 400 mrem/hr. This report is being made in accordance with 10 CFR 20.1906 (d)(2).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED:

City shipped from: Spartanburg, SC

Shipped to: Palisades Nuclear Plant, 5 miles south of South Haven, Mi.

Ship date: 10/11/99

Shipper: Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Palisades notified shipper on 10/13/99 @ 1210)

Carrier: Hittman Transport 628 Gallaher Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37763 (Palisades notified carrier 10/13/99 1154)

Received: 10/13/99

Type of Containers: Metal Boxes

Number of Containers: Eleven (11) - currently have identified one container - more detailed container surveys will be completed during offload.

Labeling on containers: No DOT labeling/marking required for SCO material; however, "Radioactive SCO" is stenciled on two sides of each container.

DOT container specification markings: None

Material ID#:
Each of the eleven packages has the following identification numbers:
1) SC-8864
2) SC-8680
3) NC-7115
4) 87236
5) SC-8707
6) SC-8623
7) SC-8631
8) SC-8641
9)178002
10) Box #9
11) 178001 - this is the container with the elevated dose rate

Condition of containers: No visible damage on any containers.

Most prevalent isotope and curie content: Container number 11 contained
Fe-55 19.5 mCi
Co-58 4.63 mCi
Co-60 3.20 mCi
Ag-110m 1.93 mCi

Weight: Container number 11 is 1300 pounds

Chemical and physical form: metal oxide/solid

The NRC resident inspector has been informed of this notification by the licensee.

At 0010 on 10/13/99, the PSS office was notified that a primary condensate alarm was received on the C-360 position 4 autoclave Water Inventory Control System (WICS). The WICS system is required to be operable while heating in mode 5 according to TSR 21.4.3. The autoclave was checked according to the alarm response procedure and subsequently removed from service and declared inoperable by the Plant Shift Superintendent.
Troubleshooting was initiated and is continuing in order to determine the reason for the alarm.

The NRC senior resident has been notified of this event.

* * * UPDATE 2220EST ON 11/5/99 FROM E.G. WALKER TO S. SANDIN * * *

"On 11/2/99, the same type of actuation occurred on the C-360 autoclave No. 1 while out of service and open. While investigating this invalid actuation, it was discovered that the gain adjustment on one of the WICS channels had drifted out of tolerance. Discussions with the component manufacturer concluded that the WICS alarm cards are susceptible to drift due to age and fluctuations in temperature. These cards are exposed to ambient temperatures, but the cards are rated for the range of temperatures at the autoclaves. Given this and other indications that the WICS actuation signals were invalid, i.e., not the result of water backing up in the drain, it has been concluded that the subject actuation on 10/13/99 was caused by [an] invalid signal (instrument drift) and thus does not meet the criteria for reporting and should be retracted."

The NRC resident has been notified of this retraction. Notified R3DO(Creed).

At 0415 on 10/13/99, as a result of actuation of the C-360 #4 Autoclave Water Inventory Control System while in TSR mode 5, it was discovered that the Vent Line Block valve XV-434 did not close. The valve is required to close for effective steam shutdown per TSR LCOs 2.1.4.3 and 2.1.3.3 and effective UF6 release containment per TSR LCO 2.1.3.1 while in modes 3, 4, and 5. The autoclave was checked according to alarm response procedure and was removed from service. No UF6 release occurred. The Plant Shift Superintendent subsequently declared the Water Inventory Control System, the Steam Pressure Control System, and the High Pressure isolation System inoperable.

The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event.

POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED INJURED PERSON BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.

AN INDIVIDUAL WORKING IN THE "B" D-RING OF THE REACTOR BUILDING INJURED HIS HEAD AND WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT NECK AND BACK PAINS. THE LICENSEE CANNOT REMOVE ALL OF THE ANTICONTAMINATION CLOTHING FROM THE INDIVIDUAL, AND HE MAY BE POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED. HE WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER ACCOMPANIED BY A HEALTH PHYSICIST.

THE RESIDENT INSPECTOR WILL BE NOTIFIED.

*** UPDATE ON 10/13/99 @ 2206 BY BOYER TO GOULD ***

THE INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT CONTAMINATED. THE ANTICONTAMINATION GARMENTS, WHICH WERE CONTAMINATED, WERE RETURNED TO THE PLANT.

THE RESIDENT INSPECTOR WILL BE NOTIFIED.