Event Notification Report for December 08, 2000

UNIT 1 EXPERIENCED A REACTOR TRIP/TURBINE TRIP DUE TO LOW-LOW STEAM GENERATOR WATER LEVEL

"Unit 1 reactor and turbine trip, first out annunciator was '13' steam generator low-low level. Preliminary indications are that a feedwater isolation signal was generated, although actual conditions were not present. This resulted in the feed reg and its bypass valves closing, resulting in the low-low level. All aux feedwater pumps started on the level signal and maintained steam generator water inventory. The plant is currently in mode 3 (hot standby) at normal operating temperature and pressure."

All control rods fully inserted. The main condenser is in service removing decay heat via the bypass valves. There were no maintenance activities ongoing which could have resulted in the trip. All systems functioned as required. The licensee will inform local agencies and has informed the NRC resident inspector.

DISCOVERY OF SURFACE RADIATION READINGS IN EXCESS OF TRANSPORTATION LIMITS ON 3 OF 30 CYLINDERS SHIPPED FROM WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

At 1115 hours on 12/08/00, USEC Portsmouth health physics personnel determined that an inbound shipment of empty, 2.5-ton, healed cylinders had external radiation levels in excess of the limits in 10CFR71.47. The shipment involved 30, empty, 2.5-ton, healed cylinders from Westinghouse Electric Company in Columbia, South Carolina; and surveys showed that three rear cylinders had radiation readings of 225 to 250 millirem per hour on contact. This exceeds the 10CFR71.47 limit of 200 millirem per hour and meets the 1-hour reporting criteria of 10CFR20.1906(d)(1).

The truck will be properly dispositioned on the plant site. Portsmouth personnel are in the process of making notifications to Westinghouse Electric Company (the shipper) and Hitman Transport Company (the carrier). There was nothing unusual or misunderstood, and all systems functioned as required.

Portsmouth personnel notified the NRC resident inspector and plan to notify the Department of Energy.

RECEIPT OF A TRU-TEC SERVICES, INC., CONTAINER OF BROMINE-82 THAT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OPENED AND RE-PACKAGED INCORRECTLY DURING TRANSPORT BETWEEN TEXAS A&M AND ST. CROIX IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

On 12/04/00, Tru-Tec Services, Inc., shipped an empty container from their facility in La Porte, Texas, to Texas A&M via Acme Trucking. The container was similar in shape to a propane tank (but taller). It was lead filled and weighed between 700 and 750 pounds. It also had a 3-inch by 3-inch cavity inside and a lid with a T-bar to hold the lid in place. Texas A&M loaded the empty container with bromine-82, and the activity of the bromine-82 at noon on 12/04/00 was 900 millicuries. The bromine-82 was double encapsulated (inside three glass ampoules which were also inside a metal swagelock container with a screw on cap). After Texas A&M loaded the container, Acme Trucking transported the container to Federal Express at Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on 12/04/00. Apparently, the container arrived at a Federal Express hub in Memphis, Tennessee, on 12/05/00, and it remained there until 12/07/00. On 12/07/00, the shipment left Memphis, Tennessee, via Federal Express and arrived in Puerto Rico on the morning of 12/08/00. It was then transported by 4 Star Air Cargo to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Tru-Tec Services, Inc., received the container between approximately 1600 and 1630 EST on 12/08/00.

Upon arrival in St. Croix, Tru-Tec personnel discovered a problem with the container. It appeared that the container had been opened and put back together incorrectly. The container's T-bar was missing, and the lid was upside-down with the bromine-82 on the outside of the container rather than shielded on the inside of the container. The bromine-82 appeared to be intact. Smear tests were performed using a GM detector, and there was no evidence of contamination or of a breech in the double encapsulated material. Survey readings with the bromine-82 unshielded on the outside of the package resulted a dose rate of 6 millirem per hour at a distance of 6 feet. The bromine-82 is currently under control and in the possession of the Tru-Tec Services, Inc.

The bromine-82 was intended for use in tracer studies at chemical plants, and it was manufactured at Texas A&M. It was reported that the half life of bromine-82 is 35 hours, and the estimated activity of the material at noon on 12/08/00 would have been 140 millicuries. bromine-82 is a strong gamma emitter. The Tru-Tec Services, Inc. main office is located in Delaware.

The licensee plans to contact the carriers and plans to attempt to trace its path and discover who came into contact with the container.

(Call the NRC operations officer for licensee contact information.)

* * * UPDATE ON 12/11/00 @ 1140 BY BRIAN SMITH(NMSS) TO GOULD * * *

Correction of the dose rate from 6 millirem per hour to 60 millirem per hour at a distance of 6 ft.