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Event Notification Report for May 25, 2000

                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                              Operations Center

                              Event Reports For
                           05/24/2000 - 05/25/2000

                              ** EVENT NUMBERS **

37024  37025  37026  37027  37028  37029  37030  

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   37024       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  CALIFORNIA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES   |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|LICENSEE:  STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL            |NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:10[EDT]|
|    CITY:  HAYWARD                  REGION:  4  |EVENT DATE:        05/23/2000|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  CA |EVENT TIME:        12:29[PDT]|
|LICENSE#:  6268-01               AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |CLAUDE JOHNSON       R4      |
|                                                |DON COOL             NMSS    |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  PENDERGAST                   |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|NINF                     INFORMATION ONLY       |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH BRANCH OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH        |
| SERVICES WAS NOTIFIED BY STERIGENICS INTERNATIONAL THAT THEY HAD A CABLE JAM |
| ON THEIR SOURCE HOIST ARRAY.                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| THIS OCCURRED ON THEIR 600,000 CURIE POOL IRRADIATOR WHILE THEY WERE         |
| LOWERING THE SOURCE ARRAY INTO THE SHIELDED POSITION AND THE SOURCE HOIST    |
| CABLE JAMMED DUE TO A FRAY ON THE CABLE.  THEY LOOSENED THE SHIELDING AROUND |
| THE SOURCE HOIST CABLE AND THAT ALLOWED THE SOURCES TO BE RETURNED TO THE    |
| SAFE POSITION.  THERE WERE NO OVEREXPOSURES AND NO ABNORMAL RADIATION        |
| LEVELS.  THE PLANT WAS SHUTDOWN UNTIL MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED THIS MORNING |
| @ 6:00.                                                                      |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   37025       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: WATERFORD                REGION:  4  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|    UNIT:  [3] [] []                 STATE:  LA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:45[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [3] CE                               |EVENT DATE:        05/24/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        12:50[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  SCOTT                        |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |CLAUDE JOHNSON       R4      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|DDDD 73.71               UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH  |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|3     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DISCOVERY OF COMPROMISE OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS/SAFEGUARDS INFORMATION.      |
|                                                                              |
| IMMEDIATE COMPENSATORY MEASURES TAKEN UPON DISCOVERY.                        |
|                                                                              |
| REFER HOO LOG FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.                                        |
|                                                                              |
| THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR WAS NOTIFIED.                                     |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   37026       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: POINT BEACH              REGION:  3  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|    UNIT:  [1] [2] []                STATE:  WI |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:48[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] W-2-LP,[2] W-2-LP                |EVENT DATE:        05/24/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        14:08[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  ROBBINS                      |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |GEOFFREY WRIGHT      R3      |
|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  |
|2     N          Y       100      Power Operation  |100      Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| LOSS OF VENTILATION TO PAB BATTERY AND INVERTER ROOMS DURING AN APPENDIX R   |
| FIRE                                                                         |
|                                                                              |
| DURING THE FINAL REVIEW OF THE NEW APPENDIX R REBASELINE PROJECT IT WAS      |
| DISCOVERED THAT VENTILATION TO THE PAB BATTERY AND INVERTER ROOMS WOULD BE   |
| LOST FOR GREATER THAN 2 HOURS FOR AN APPENDIX R FIRE.  FIRE ROUNDS IN THE    |
| AFFECTED AREAS HAVE BEEN STARTED AND PROCEDURE REVISIONS ARE IN PROGRESS TO  |
| ESTABLISH PORTABLE VENTILATION AS NEEDED.                                    |
|                                                                              |
| THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR WILL BE NOTIFIED.                                 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   37027       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: BROWNS FERRY             REGION:  2  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|    UNIT:  [] [] [3]                 STATE:  AL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:50[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4           |EVENT DATE:        05/24/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        13:54[CDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  GOLDEN                       |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |MARK LESSER          R2      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |JOHN HANNON          NRR     |
|ACCS 50.72(b)(1)(iv)     ECCS INJECTION         |JOSEPH GIITTER       IRO     |
|ARPS 50.72(b)(2)(ii)     RPS ACTUATION          |                             |
|AESF 50.72(b)(2)(ii)     ESF ACTUATION          |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
|3     A/R        Y       100      Power Operation  |0        Hot Standby      |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE PLANT HAD A REACTOR SCRAM FROM 100% POWER DUE TO LOW REACTOR WATER       |
| LEVEL                                                                        |
|                                                                              |
| At 13:54 CDT, unit 3 reactor scrammed due to low reactor water level. All    |
| rods fully inserted into the core. The expected groups 2, 3, 6 and 8         |
| isolations were received.  Both recirc pumps tripped, all Standby Gas        |
| Treatment trains started and the 'A' CREV started. The expected Refuel zone  |
| and unit 3 reactor zone isolations were received.  Both the HPCI system and  |
| the RCIC system automatically initiated and injected due to low level        |
| following the scram.  The actual signal perturbation that caused the reactor |
| trip on low water level is still being investigated.  Currently the plant is |
| in a stable condition in mode 3 with investigations in progress.  No relief  |
| valves lifted and HPCI was secured within the first 5 minutes and RCIC       |
| secured a few minutes later.                                                 |
|                                                                              |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified.                                     |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   37028       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH      |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|LICENSEE:  ANVIL CORPORATION                    |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:05[EDT]|
|    CITY:  BELLINGHAM               REGION:  4  |EVENT DATE:        05/11/2000|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  WA |EVENT TIME:        00:00[PDT]|
|LICENSE#:  WN-IR031-1            AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |CLAUDE JOHNSON       R4      |
|                                                |WAYNE HODGES         NMSS    |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  FRAZEE                       |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|NAGR                     AGREEMENT STATE        |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Licensee had a source disconnect occur due to a mechanical failure of the    |
| drive cable connector.                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| A source disconnect attributable to mechanical failure of the drive cable    |
| connector occurred during use of a cobalt 60 radiographic exposure device on |
| May 11. Radiography is routinely conducted by this licensee in a shielded    |
| vault (a permanent radiographic installation). An AEA Technologies Model 676 |
| cobalt 60 camera, serial number B105, is generally left set-up between       |
| shots. The routine daily equipment check includes a visual check to confirm  |
| that the drive cable and camera are still connected. The last quarterly      |
| maintenance inspection was at the end of March 2000 and no problems with the |
| drive cable connector were noted. However, during the first shot of the day, |
| the radiographer noticed that the source did not go out smoothly and then    |
| failed to retract. The RSO was contacted and after several more attempts to  |
| retract the source the licensee decided to secure the area and call in the   |
| manufacturer's retrieval experts.  Additional shielding, locks and posting   |
| were added and a survey of the area including the roof showed no readings    |
| above 1 mrem per hour. The state Division of Radiation Protection was        |
| notified and staff observed the retrieval on May 12.  Once the source was    |
| secured, the failed equipment was inspected.  No problems were noted with    |
| the source assembly or the camera.  However, the ball fitting at the drive   |
| cable connector's end had become separated from the cable.  AEA Technologies |
| took the separated ball and 4 inches of the end of the drive cable back to   |
| AEA for analysis.                                                            |
|                                                                              |
| What is the notification or reporting criteria involved? WAC 246-221-250     |
| Notification of incidents (equipment failure)                                |
|                                                                              |
| Activity and isotope(s) involved: 71 curies of Cobalt 60.                    |
|                                                                              |
| Overexposures? There were no overexposures (however, retrieval personnel     |
| received 130 and 65 mrem whole body exposures)                               |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   37029       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH      |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|LICENSEE:  SPEARS ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL SERVIC|NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:26[EDT]|
|    CITY:  SOUTH SEATTLE            REGION:  4  |EVENT DATE:        05/22/2000|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  WA |EVENT TIME:        18:00[PDT]|
|LICENSE#:  WN-I0357-1            AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |CLAUDE JOHNSON       R4      |
|                                                |WAYNE HODGES         NMSS    |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  FRAZEE                       |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|NAGR                     AGREEMENT STATE        |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| LICENSEE REPORTED A STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.                                   |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee reported on May 23 that at approximately 6:00 PM the previous   |
| evening a Seaman Nuclear C-200 gauge, serial number A-872, with 4.5          |
| milligrams of Ra-226 was stolen. The licensee's technician had stopped by a  |
| friend's house in South Seattle on his way home. While there, his pickup     |
| truck was stolen from in front of the house. The gauge was locked, in a      |
| locked transport box, and the box was chained and locked in the bed of the   |
| truck. The licensee believes the thief wanted only the truck and will        |
| probably abandon the gauge. The police were notified and the licensee was    |
| advised to notify the local papers and post a reward.                        |
|                                                                              |
| Overexposures? Unknown                                                       |
|                                                                              |
| Disposition/recovery: Unknown at this time                                   |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   37030       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: HOPE CREEK               REGION:  1  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/24/2000|
|    UNIT:  [1] [] []                 STATE:  NJ |NOTIFICATION TIME: 20:27[EDT]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4                             |EVENT DATE:        05/24/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        18:04[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  SERATA                       |LAST UPDATE DATE:  05/24/2000|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  CHAUNCEY GOULD               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |DAN HOLODY           R1      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |JOSEPH GIITTER       IRO     |
|NINF                     INFORMATION ONLY       |JACK CRLENJAK        R1      |
|                                                |JOHN HANNON          NRR     |
|                                                |JOHN ZWOLINSKI       NRR     |
|                                                |ROY ZIMMERMAN        NRR     |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR|   INIT RX MODE  |CURR PWR|  CURR RX MODE   |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1     N          Y       19       Power Operation  |19       Power Operation  |
|                                                   |                          |
|                                                   |                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| MAIN TRANSFORMER EXPLOSION AND FIRE WITHIN FIVE FEET OF THE TURBINE          |
| BUILDING.                                                                    |
|                                                                              |
| PRIOR TO THE EVENT, THEY HAD JUST CLOSED THE MAIN TURBINE AND GENERATOR      |
| OUTPUT BREAKERS SO THAT THE TURBINE WOULD SYNCHRONIZE TO THE GRID.  AT 1804  |
| A MAIN TURBINE TRIP AND MAIN TRANSFORMER TROUBLE ALARM WAS  RECEIVED IN THE  |
| CONTROL ROOM.  SUBSEQUENT TO THE TURBINE TRIP, MAIN GENERATOR TRANSFORMER    |
| FIRE ALARMS WERE RECEIVED AND VISUAL VERIFICATIONS CONFIRMED A FIRE ON THE   |
| "C" PHASE OF THE MAIN GENERATOR TRANSFORMER.  THE FIRE DELUGE SYSTEM         |
| ACTIVATED, AND ALTHOUGH EXTERNAL INDICATION THE FIRE HAD CEASED, IT IS       |
| EXPECTED THAT THE FIRE CONTINUES TO BURN INTERNALLY TO THE TRANSFORMER.  ALL |
| OFFSITE POWER SOURCES ARE STILL AVAILABLE.  NO OFFSITE FIRE ASSISTANCE HAS   |
| BEEN REQUESTED.  THE FIRE HAS BEEN ONGOING INTERNALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO  |
| HOURS.  THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ELECTRICALLY ISOLATING THE TRANSFORMER    |
| FROM BOTH THE GENERATOR AND THE GRID AND TAGGING IT OUT.  DELUGE ACTUATION   |
| HAS BEEN SECURED AND THEY ARE SPRAYING THE TRANSFORMER WITH FIRE WATER. THEY |
| ARE ALSO MAKING PREPARATIONS TO USE A FOAM FIRE SUPPRESSION AGENT.           |
|                                                                              |
| FURTHER EVALUATION CONTINUES IN REGARD TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF  |
| THE EVENT.  SPECIFICALLY, THE ABILITY OF THE PLANT OIL WASTE SYSTEM TO       |
| PROPERLY PROCESS THE MIXTURE OF WATER AND OIL THAT WERE PRODUCTS OF THE      |
| COMPONENT FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE FIGHTING EFFORTS.                      |
|                                                                              |
| THE LICENSEE WILL KEEP THE NRC INFORMED OF ANY ADVERSE CHANGES.              |
|                                                                              |
| THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR WILL BE INFORMED.                                 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+


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