Event Notification Report for February 16, 2000
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
02/15/2000 - 02/16/2000
** EVENT NUMBERS **
36692 36694 36695 36696 36697
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 36692 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 02/15/2000|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 00:30[EST]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 02/14/2000|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 17:00[EST]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 02/15/2000|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |BRUCE JORGENSEN R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JIM McCLEERY | |
| 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 BULLETIN 91-01 REPORT INVOLVING LOSS OF GEOMETRY/VOLUME |
| CRITICALITY CONTROL IN THE X-705 DECONTAMINATION FACILITY |
| |
| "On 2/14/00 the Plant Shift Superintendent (PSS) was notified of the loss of |
| one control parameter, geometry/volume in the X-705 decontamination |
| facility. A vinyl covered foam padded chair was found in the high bay area |
| with the vinyl covering worn open. This is a violation of NSCA-0705_076 |
| inadvertent containers. The foam padding thickness was greater than the |
| requirement for absorbent material described in NCSA-0705_076. |
| |
| "The system integrity of nearby uranium-bearing pipes was maintained. |
| Therefore, no solution was actually present to accumulate on/in the padding |
| of the chair. |
| |
| "The chair was moved to an area in the high bay not covered by the above |
| described NCSA. Compliance with NCSA--0705_076 is restored |
| |
| "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OR |
| RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT. |
| |
| "SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS: |
| |
| "A padded chair (seat dimensions approximately 17.5" x 21" x 3.5") was used |
| near a uranium solution transfer line. The vinyl on the seat was damaged to |
| the point that any solution if splashed in to the chair could have |
| accumulated in the padding. The padding is an unsafe height > 1 .5") and has |
| a total volume >20 liters, which is well above the allowed limit of 4.8 |
| liters. The transfer line near this seat can contain high concentrations of |
| HEU solution. |
| |
| "POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO[S] OF HOW |
| CRITICALITY COULD OCCUR): |
| |
| "If the solution line had failed, uranium-bearing solution could have |
| splashed/sprayed onto the seat padding and accumulated. Since the total |
| volume of the padding was greater than the allowed 4.8 liters and the height |
| (excluding and swelling of the material) was greater than the allowed 1.5" |
| an unsafe condition would have resulted and a criticality could have |
| resulted. |
| |
| "CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION. GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION, ETC.): |
| |
| The parameter lost was the geometry/volume of the absorbent material on the |
| chair. The physical integrity of the transfer line was maintained. |
| |
| "ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE PROCESS |
| LIMIT AND % WORST |
| |
| "No material accumulated on/in the chair padding. The transfer line near the |
| chair can contain HEU solutions with high uranium concentrations. |
| |
| "NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND DESCRIPTION |
| OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES |
| |
| "Requirement #4 requires that absorbent material be covered or modified to |
| prevent an unfavorable accumulation in the event of a solution leak in a |
| nearby system. The chair padding was absorbent and the vinyl covering had |
| degraded to the point that solution hitting the chair could accumulate in |
| the padding. |
| |
| "CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEM AND WHEN EACH WAS IMPLEMENTED: |
| |
| "Compliance was regained when the chair was moved to an area not covered by |
| NCSA-0705_076. Crew briefing are being conducted shiftily and the chair in |
| question is caution boundaried." |
| |
| Operations personnel notified both the DOE Site Representative and the NRC |
| Resident Inspector. |
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 36694 |
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| REP ORG: INEEL |NOTIFICATION DATE: 02/15/2000|
|LICENSEE: THREE MILE ISLAND - UNIT 2 |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:36[EST]|
| CITY: IDAHO FALLS REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 02/15/2000|
| COUNTY: STATE: ID |EVENT TIME: 13:25[MST]|
|LICENSE#: SNM-2508 AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 02/15/2000|
| DOCKET: 72-20 |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |JOHN PELLET R4 |
| |ROBERT PIERSON NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+RICHARD WESSMAN NRR |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JAMES E. KAYLOR |JOSEPH GIITTER IRO |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|ISFS 72.75 SPENT FUEL CASK EVENT | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| THREE MILE ISLAND UNIT 2 SPENT FUEL STORAGE CONFINEMENT SYSTEM IN USE HAS A |
| POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN EFFECTIVENESS. THIS IS NOT A |
| SAFETY ISSUE. |
| |
| |
| At 1325 MST, 15 FEB 2000, a determination was made that a spent fuel |
| storage confinement system in use has a potential for a significant |
| reduction in effectiveness. |
| |
| This conclusion is based on an engineering evaluation of plugs in the Three |
| Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) core debris Canisters. These plugs are |
| approximately 2" diameter and there are two plugs in each TMI-2 Canister. |
| There are eight TMI-2 Canisters in the Dry Storage Canister (DSC) currently |
| in storage at the TMI-2 ISFSI. The TMI-2 ISFSI Safety Analysis Report takes |
| credit for the plugs being in place for the design function of the |
| confinement of radioactive material. |
| |
| The DSC containing the eight TMI-2 Canisters continues to provide an intact |
| outer confinement boundary. |
| |
| The condition described above exists at the TMI-2 ISFSI at the Idaho |
| National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. |
| |
| The affected DSC contains eight TMI-2 Canisters containing TMI-2 core |
| debris. The U-235 inventory is conservatively estimated to be significantly |
| less than 1 kilogram for the entire DSC. |
| |
| There are no potential for personnel radiation exposure associated with this |
| condition. There is no potential for release of radioactive material from |
| the DSC associated with this condition. |
| |
| NRC Region IV has been notified of this event. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 36695 |
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| FACILITY: INDIAN POINT REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 02/15/2000|
| UNIT: [2] [] [] STATE: NY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 20:07[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [2] W-4-LP,[3] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 02/15/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 19:29[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: TOWNDSON |LAST UPDATE DATE: 02/15/2000|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: ALE |FRANK COSTELLO R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: |RICHARD WESSMAN NRR |
|AAEC 50.72 (a) (1) (I) EMERGENCY DECLARED |JOSEPH GIITTER IRO |
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+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|2 M/R Y 99 Power Operation |0 Hot Shutdown |
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EVENT TEXT
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| REACTOR MANUALLY TRIPPED DUE TO INDICATION OF A STEAM GENERATOR TUBE RUPTURE |
| ON STEAM GENERATOR # 24. |
| |
| The licensee was at 99% power when they received a nitrogen-16 alarm on the |
| main steam and other indication of a Steam Generator Tube Rupture on Steam |
| Generator # 24. Initial Steam Generator Tube Rupture was initially estimated |
| at greater than 75 gallons per minute. The reactor was manually tripped and |
| all rods fully inserted into the core. The faulted Steam Generator was |
| isolated. Currently reactor coolant system pressure is 2243 psig, |
| temperature is 547 �F and pressurizer level is being maintained at 35%. The |
| licensee declared an Alert classification per EAL 3.1.2 (large amount of |
| water out of the reactor coolant system). The NRC entered Standby at 2049 |
| EST. |
| |
| The NRC response was deescalated to Monitoring at 2335 EST. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this event by the licensee. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 36696 |
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| FACILITY: SALEM REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 02/15/2000|
| UNIT: [] [2] [] STATE: NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 20:35[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 02/15/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 19:40[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: SUE SIMPSON |LAST UPDATE DATE: 02/15/2000|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |FRANK COSTELLO R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: |RICHARD WESSMAN NRR |
|ADEG 50.72(b)(1)(ii) DEGRAD COND DURING OP |JOSEPH GIITTER IRO |
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+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
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|2 N Y 100 Power Operation |100 Power Operation |
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EVENT TEXT
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| UNIDENTIFIED LEAKAGE 1.1 GALLONS PER MINUTE |
| |
| "Elevated reading noted on Unit 2 Plant Vent Radiation Monitor (2R41D) |
| concurrent with slowly lowering Volume Control Tank (VCT) level. Plant was |
| operating at 100% reactor power. Investigation by on-shift personnel |
| estimated unidentified RCS leakage at 1.1 gpm. This value exceeds the Tech |
| Spec limit of 1 gpm unidentified (Reference Tech Spec 3.4.7.2). The Unit 2 |
| Reactor Coolant Filter had been replaced on dayshift. Operators isolated |
| the Reactor Coolant Filter at 2010 and the leakage appears to be stopped. |
| This report is being made for RCS leakage outside containment which may |
| result in exceeding GDC-19 criteria for Control Room habitability." |
| |
| The leak appears to have started at 1638 EST and was stopped at 2010 EST. |
| The volume that was lost is estimated at 160 gallons, the leak was through a |
| hard pipe directly to a radiation waste tank. |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 36697 |
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| FACILITY: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 02/16/2000|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: AR |NOTIFICATION TIME: 00:21[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE |EVENT DATE: 02/15/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 20:58[CST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: PHILLIP REHM |LAST UPDATE DATE: 02/16/2000|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |JOHN PELLET R4 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|ADAS 50.72(b)(2)(i) DEG/UNANALYZED COND | |
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+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N N 0 Cold Shutdown |0 Cold Shutdown |
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EVENT TEXT
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| FLAWED WELD DISCOVERED DURING PLANT OUTAGE |
| |
| "At 2058 CST on 2/15/2000, a flawed weld was identified on an instrument |
| connection to the Reactor Coolant System Loop 'A' Hot Leg Piping. The |
| subject flaw was identified by Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) at the |
| connection of Level Instrumentation to the RCS Hot Leg Piping. |
| |
| "Unit 1 was taken offline at 0010 on 2/5/2000 for scheduled maintenance. |
| Boron buildup was identified on 2/15/00 at the subject connection while the |
| plant was at cold shutdown condition. The accumulated boron indicates the |
| leakage through the weld flaw is classified as very small weepage. The |
| unidentified RCS leakrate prior to thc scheduled outage was 0.093 GPM. No |
| unexplainable changes in RCS leakrate exist for cycle 16 operation. Due to |
| the physical location of the connection, major scaffolding was required to |
| access the area. At 2058 on 2/15/2000, NDE was complete identifying the |
| reportable condition. Further investigation by Plant Staff is in-progress to |
| characterize the flaw morphology and cause. |
| |
| "This report is being performed to comply with the requirements of |
| 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(i)." |
| |
| The NRC resident inspector has been informed of this event by the licensee. |
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021