Event Notification Report for April 17, 2002
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
04/16/2002 - 04/17/2002
** EVENT NUMBERS **
38856 38857 38858
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 38856 |
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| REP ORG: MICHIGAN DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUAL |NOTIFICATION DATE:
04/15/2002|
|LICENSEE: FORD MOTOR COMPANY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 16:00[EDT]|
| CITY: DEARBORN REGION: 3 |EVENT DATE: 03/15/2002|
| COUNTY: STATE: MI |EVENT TIME: [EDT]|
|LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/15/2002|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |FRED BROWN NMSS |
| |JOHN MADERA R3 |
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| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOSEPH BONACCHI | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: RICH LAURA | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| LOSS OF POLONIUM-210 STATIC ELIMINATOR |
| |
| "This letter is pertinent to the lost of an anti-static air gun. The model |
| number is P-2021. The serial number A2AW9S4 is on lease number 007136 and |
| was shipped on 3/19/01. The device was used for spraying acrylic and also to |
| prevent dust. The device was used in the Plastic Shop. It was last used |
| during the month of August, 2001. To my knowledge, the device was misplaced |
| or stolen. The efforts that was made was searching of the shop and |
| questioning the shop personnel. This situation has been brought to |
| management attention, The decision was made to not replace the anti-static |
| gun." |
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 38857 |
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| REP ORG: NORTHERN ENGRAVING |NOTIFICATION DATE: 04/16/2002|
|LICENSEE: NORTHERN ENGRAVING |NOTIFICATION TIME: 16:33[EDT]|
| CITY: GALEVILLE REGION: 3 |EVENT DATE: 04/16/2002|
| COUNTY: STATE: WI |EVENT TIME: 15:00[CDT]|
|LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/16/2002|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| |DON COOL NMSS |
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| NRC NOTIFIED BY: RANDY NEDRELO | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| DISCOVERY THAT AN AMERICIUM-241 SOURCE WAS MISSING FROM NORTHERN
ENGINEERING |
| IN GALEVILLE, WISCONSIN |
| |
| At approximately 1500 CDT, the licensee discovered that an americium-241 |
| source with an activity of about 11 millicuries was missing from the |
| Galeville facility. It had previously been used as a static eliminator. |
| Apparently, the licensee discontinued use of these static eliminators some |
| time ago. Two had been returned to the supplier (NRD), one was found in an |
| unusual location, and one was unaccounted. |
| |
| The licensee stated that the corporate office was located in Sparta, |
| Wisconsin. |
| |
| The licensee notified the NRC Region 3 office (Mike Lafranzo). |
| |
| (Call the NRC operations officer for a licensee contact telephone number.) |
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 38858 |
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| FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE:
04/16/2002|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:10[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 04/16/2002|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 13:55[EDT]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 04/16/2002|
| CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |JOHN MADERA R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707002 |M. WAYNE HODGES NMSS |
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| NRC NOTIFIED BY: ERIC SPAETH | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE | |
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|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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| | |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| NRC BULLETIN 91-01 RESPONSE - CRITICALITY CONTROL 24-HOUR REPORT |
| |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the Portsmouth |
| personnel: |
| |
| "On 04/16/02, [a Recirculating Cooling Water (RCW)]/FREON status walkdown |
| was performed to ensure compliance with the Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) |
| controls of NCSA-0333_015A06. During the walkdown, it was found that the |
| R-114 level on cell 33-6-9 Even and the East 'A' Booster could not be seen |
| on the [sight] glass. The RCW supply block valves were found to be open." |
| |
| "NCSA-0333_015.A06 requires that: 'The liquid R-114 level on shutdown cells |
| shall be monitored weekly unless the R-114 is drained. If the R-114 level |
| is not visible on the level indicator for the coolant system, the RCW supply |
| block valve shall be closed.' " |
| |
| "Since the R-114 was not visible on the [sight] glasses and the RCW supply |
| block valves were open, the NCSA control was violated." |
| |
| "SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS: The safety significant of this event is |
| low. The equipment involved contains less than a safe mass of material, and |
| for water to get to material contained in the process side of the equipment, |
| the condenser tubes must leak (filling the coolant system with water up to |
| the level of the cooler tubes), and the cooler tubes must leak allowing the |
| water to enter the process side of the equipment. The pressure of the |
| coolant system for Cell 33-6-9 Even is approximately 8 psig, and the |
| pressure of the East 'A' Booster coolant is greater than 30 psig. |
| Therefore, neither the condenser nor the cooler tubes appear to be |
| leaking." |
| |
| "POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO[S] OF HOW |
| CRITICALITY COULD OCCUR): For a criticality to occur, water must leak |
| across the coolant system (i.e., both the condenser and cooler heat exchange |
| tubes must be breached) and into the process side of the equipment. Once on |
| the process side of the equipment, the water has to cause material to |
| relocate and accumulate such that the resulting mixture contains more than a |
| critical mass." |
| |
| "CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION, GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION,
ETC.): |
| The controlled parameters in the event are Mass and Moderation." |
| |
| "ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE
PROCESS |
| LIMIT AND % WORST CASE OF CRITICAL MASS): The enrichment on cell 33-6-9 |
| Even is 1.431 wt. percent 235U, the enrichment on East 'A' Booster is 1.763 |
| wt. percent 235U, and there is no equipment in the X-333 facility that has a |
| greater than safe mass deposit. The safe mass of uranium at 2 wt. percent |
| is 341.6 pounds." |
| |
| "NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND
DESCRIPTION |
| OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES: The RCW supply block valve was not |
| closed." |
| |
| "CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEM AND WHEN EACH WAS
IMPLEMENTED: |
| Required actions were initiated for an NCS Anomalous Condition. Under the |
| direction of NCS personnel, the RCW supply block valves were closed, thus |
| regaining compliance with the NCSA." |
| |
| Portsmouth personnel notified the NRC resident inspector and plan to notify |
| the Department of Energy site representatives. |
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