Event Notification Report for November 19, 2002
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
11/18/2002 - 11/19/2002
** EVENT NUMBERS **
39121 39236 39371 39372 39382
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 39121 |
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+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: NORTH ANNA REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 08/09/2002|
| UNIT: [1] [2] [] STATE: VA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:31[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP |EVENT DATE: 08/09/2002|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 12:10[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: WILLIAMS |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/18/2002|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: UNUSUAL EVENT |CAUDLE JULIAN R2 |
|10 CFR SECTION: |BOB DENNIG EO |
|AAEC 50.72(a) (1) (i) EMERGENCY DECLARED |RICHARD WESSMAN IRO |
| |BUTCH STINEDURF FEMA |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|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 |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| NOUE DECLARED DUE TO LOW WATER LEVEL IN LAKE ANNA |
| |
| The plant declared an NOUE due to lake level falling below 246' which was |
| caused by lack of rainfall. This level may continue to decrease if the |
| drought continues. If the level reaches 244', they will enter TS 3.7.5.1 |
| requiring the plant to be in hot standby within 6 hours and cold shutdown |
| within 30 hours at which time they can exit the NOUE. However, if the |
| level increases to 246.4' they will also exit the NOUE. |
| |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified along with State and Local |
| agencies. |
| |
| *** UPDATE ON 11/18/02 at 08:55 FROM RON BUTLER TO RICH LAURA *** |
| |
| Notification on 11/18/02 at 08:55 by the Licensee (Ron Butler) that Lake |
| Anna levels increased above the minimum level of 246'4'' to 246'9'' on |
| 11/18/02 and the UE was terminated at 08:51. Notified R2DO (David Ayres), |
| NRR EO (Stuart Richards), FEMA (Rene Zapata) and DIRO Manager (Joe |
| Holonich). |
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|General Information or Other |Event Number: 39236 |
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+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY |NOTIFICATION DATE: 10/01/2002|
|LICENSEE: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 20:24[EDT]|
| CITY: San Jose REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 10/01/2002|
| COUNTY: STATE: CA |EVENT TIME: [PDT]|
|LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/18/2002|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |PETE ESELGROTH R1 |
| |JAY HENSON R2 |
+------------------------------------------------+SONIA BURGESS R3 |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JASON S. POST |KRISS KENNEDY R4 |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: MIKE NORRIS |WILLIAM DEAN NRR |
+------------------------------------------------+VERN HODGE NRR |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|CCCC 21.21 UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| PART 21.21 REPORT INVOLVING STABILITY OPTION III |
| |
| "Subject: Stability Option III: Possible Successive Confirmation Count |
| Resets |
| |
| "This letter provides notification of a 60 Day Interim Report per � 21.21 |
| (a)(2) for plants that have selected stability long-term solution Option |
| III. The basis for this notification is that GE Nuclear Energy (GE) has not |
| completed the evaluation of a potential problem with the algorithm that |
| provides the licensing basis Minimum Critical Power Ratio (MCPR) Safety |
| Limit protection for stability Option III. The algorithm determines |
| Successive Confirmation Count (SCC) of an oscillating power signal. A |
| reactor trip is generated when SCC and oscillation amplitude reach their |
| trip setpoints in accordance with the Option III and reactor protection |
| system configuration. The concern is that the oscillation period could |
| change for an oscillation that initiates while reactor state conditions are |
| changing rapidly (e.g., during a two-recirculation pump trip event) and |
| cause the SCC to reset, thus delaying the reactor scram. |
| |
| "GE believes that there is low potential for the MCPR Safety Limit to be |
| violated as a result of this concern. However, a 60 Day Interim Report is |
| required since the evaluation has not been completed. Further information is |
| provided in the attached notification. |
| |
| "(ii) Identification of the facility, the activity, or the basic component |
| supplied for such facility or such activity within the United States which |
| fails to comply or contains a defect: |
| |
| "The affected basic component is the Period Based Detection Algorithm (PBDA) |
| of stability long-term solution Option III. The PEDA provides the licensing |
| basis MCPR Safety Limit protection for anticipated coupled thermal |
| hydraulic-neutronic reactor instabilities. The concern is that the |
| Successive Confirmation Count (SCC) could reset if an oscillation develops |
| while reactor state conditions are changing rapidly (e.g., during a two |
| recirculation pump trip event) and delay a reactor scram beyond that assumed |
| in the licensing basis analysis. The algorithm is more susceptible to SCC |
| resets with a period tolerance that is near to the minimum allowed by |
| licensing documents (e.g., 50 msec). SCC resets are less likely with higher |
| period tolerance values (e.g., 100 to 300 msec). |
| |
| "(iii) Identification of the firm constructing the facility or supplying the |
| basic component which fails to comply or contains a defect: |
| |
| "GE Nuclear Energy, San Jose, California |
| |
| "(iv) Nature of the defect or failure to comply and safety hazard which is |
| created or could be created by such defect or failure to comply: |
| |
| "A reactor scram is only initiated by the PBDA when the SCC exceeds the |
| count setpoint and the oscillation amplitude exceeds the amplitude setpoint |
| The licensing basis is that the SCC will exceed the count setpoint before |
| the amplitude reaches the amplitude setpoint. If the SCC resets, then the |
| amplitude could exceed the amplitude setpoint before SCC reaches the count |
| setpoint. This could lead to violation of the MCPR Safety Limit. |
| |
| "If scram is delayed, boiling transition could be experienced on a portion |
| of some fuel bundles. This would be a violation of a Technical Specification |
| Safety Limit and is reportable under 10 CFR 21. However, it would not |
| produce a significant safety hazard or threat to public health and safety. |
| |
| "(v) The date on which the information of such defect or failure to comply |
| was obtained: |
| |
| "(vi) In the case of a basic component which contains a defect or failure to |
| comply, the number and locations of all such components in use at, supplied |
| for, or being supplied for one or more facilities or activities subject to |
| the regulations in this part: |
| |
| "A defect has not been confirmed to exist. The potentially affected plants |
| are listed in Attachment 2. |
| |
| "(vii) The corrective action which has been, is being, or will be taken; the |
| name of the individual or organization responsible for the action; and the |
| length of time that has been or will be taken to complete the action (note, |
| these are actions specifically associated with the identified Reportable |
| Condition): |
| |
| "GE has communicated this concern to the BWR Owners' Group Potential Issues |
| Resolution Team (PIRT) and to the Stability Detect & Suppress Committee. |
| |
| "GE is continuing to evaluate the potential for the SCC to be reset for |
| current licensed reactor operating conditions. This effort will be completed |
| by November 18, 2002. |
| |
| "(viii) Any advice related to the defect or failure to comply about the |
| facility, activity, or basic component that has been, is being, or will be |
| given to purchasers or licensees: |
| |
| "It is recommended that potentially affected licensees keep informed through |
| the BWR Owners' Group. No specific plant actions are recommended at this |
| time." |
| |
| Plants listed on Attachment 2 |
| Clinton, Brunswick 1& 2, Nine Mile Point 2, Fermi 2, Columbia, Dresden 2 & |
| 3, LaSalle 1 & 2, Limerick 1 & 2, Peach Bottom 2 & 3, Quad Cities 1 & 2, |
| Perry 1, Susquehanna 1 & 2, Hope Creek, Hatch 1 & 2, and Browns Ferry 1, 2 & |
| 3. |
| |
| * * * UPDATE ON 11/18/02 AT 1856 FROM JASON POST (VIA FAX) TO GERRY WAIG * |
| * * |
| |
| "Subject: Final Report, Stability Option III: Possible Successive |
| Confirmation Count Resets - Not Reportable |
| |
| "Reference: MFN02-063, Stability Option III: Possible Successive |
| Confirmation Count Resets, 10CFR Part 21 60 Day Interim Report, October 1, |
| 2002 |
| |
| "This letter provides closure of the reference �21.21(a)(2) 60 Day Interim |
| Report notification for plants that have selected stability long-term |
| solution Option III. The closure is that GE Nuclear Energy (GE) has |
| determined that this is not a reportable condition, however, GE recommends |
| that the BWR Owners' Group Detect & Suppress Committee evaluate the need to |
| change the minimum allowable value for period tolerance used in the |
| Oscillation Power Range Monitor (OPRM). |
| |
| "As described in the reference notification, the potential problem was |
| associated with the algorithm that provides the licensing basis Minimum |
| Critical Power Ratio (MCPR) Safety Limit protection for stability Option |
| III. The algorithm determines Successive Confirmation Count (SCC) of an |
| oscillating power signal. A reactor trip is generated when SCC and |
| oscillation amplitude reach their trip setpoints in accordance with the |
| Option III and reactor protection system configuration. The concern was that |
| the oscillation period could change for an oscillation that initiates while |
| reactor state conditions are changing towards equilibrium state (e.g., |
| following a two-recirculation pump (2RPT) trip event) and cause the SCC to |
| prematurely reset, thus delaying the reactor scram. |
| |
| "A reactor trip signal is generated when the OPRM SCC setpoint and the |
| amplitude setpoint are reached or exceeded for at least one OPRM cell in |
| each trip system channel required to generate the trip signal (e.g., |
| one-out-of two taken twice). The Period Based Detection Algorithm (PBDA) |
| determines the SCC for each OPRM cell. When an oscillation in an OPRM cell |
| signal is detected by the PBDA it sets the base period for that cell. The |
| period tolerance is used to determine if the period of each subsequent |
| oscillation is within an acceptable difference from the base period. The |
| acceptable range for period tolerance specified in stability Option Ill |
| licensing topical reports is 100 to 300 msec. A period tolerance of 50 msec |
| has been approved for OPRM systems that have a 25 msec sampling frequency. |
| |
| "GE evaluated this concern with TRACG simulations of a 2RPT event for |
| typical Option III plants for reasonably limiting Extended Power Uprate |
| (EPU) and Maximum Extended Load Line Limit Analysis (MELLLA) conditions. |
| TRACG calculates channel power, which can be evaluated as representative of |
| an OPRM cell signal through the hot channel oscillation reload licensing |
| methodology, and evaluated by the PBDA for successive confirmation counts. |
| |
| "PBDA resets occur when the difference between the current period and the |
| base period exceeds the period tolerance. The worst case would be if a |
| spurious SCC reset occurred immediately before the amplitude trip setpoint |
| was reached. For this case, that cell would not generate a trip signal until |
| SCC had again counted up to the trip setpoint, which could be a delay of 10 |
| to 12 seconds. |
| |
| "GE evaluated the potential for SCC spurious resets far period tolerance |
| values of 50, 100 and 150 msec. In general, more frequent spurious resets |
| occur with shorter period tolerance. However, the spurious SCC reset does |
| not occur at the same time for all the OPRM cells in an OPRM channel. Some |
| OPRM cell resets delay the trip generated by that cell, while others reset |
| at sufficiently early times that they have again counted up to exceed the |
| count setpoint when the amplitude setpoint is reached, and others do not |
| reset at all. Only one OPRM cell trip in an OPRM channel is sufficient to |
| cause an OPRM channel trip, and each OPRM channel typically has 18 to 33 |
| OPRM cells. In addition, typical core loading schemes ensure that multiple |
| OPRM cells respond very near the peak oscillation magnitude. The analysis |
| concluded that even though spurious resets occur, these resets are not |
| expected to significantly delay reactor scram. Therefore, the currently |
| licensed PBDA provides adequate protection against a MCPR Safety Limit |
| violation for instabilities initiated during a fast transient such as a 2RPT |
| event. Therefore, this does not represent a Reportable Condition under |
| 10CFR21.21. |
| |
| "Even tough this is not a reportable condition, the potential for some OPRM |
| cells to prematurely reset SCC for an instability initiated during a 2RPT is |
| not consistent with thc original design basis of the PBDA. The original |
| design basis was that continuous confirmation counts would occur for fully |
| coupled neutronic/thermal-hydraulic reactor instability. Since this may not |
| occur for a 2RPT with period tolerance values of 50 and 100 msec, it is |
| recommended that Option III plants evaluate the need to change the minimum |
| allowable value for period tolerance." |
| |
| Notified (via email) R1DO (Mohamed Shanbaky), R2DO (David Ayres), R3DO ( |
| Brent Clayton), R4DO (Dale Powers), NRREO (Stu Richards), NRR (Jack Foster). |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other |Event Number: 39371 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/14/2002|
|LICENSEE: GEOVERSE INC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 08:12[EST]|
| CITY: SUNRISE REGION: 2 |EVENT DATE: 11/13/2002|
| COUNTY: STATE: FL |EVENT TIME: 15:00[EST]|
|LICENSE#: 2540-1 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/14/2002|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |LEONARD WERT R2 |
| |DON COOL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: E-MAIL | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NAGR AGREEMENT STATE | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
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| STOLEN SOIL MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE |
| |
| The state licensee notified the State of Florida of a soil moisture density |
| gauge that was stolen from the back of a pickup truck located at a temporary |
| worksite. The gauge was last seen between 1500 and 1700 [EST]. The gauge |
| which was a Troxler model 3430 serial # 24277 with activity of 8mCi |
| [millicuries] of Cs-137 and 40 mCi [millicuries] of Am-241/Be had been |
| chained to the truck. A police report was made a reward is being offered |
| and the state is investigating. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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|General Information or Other |Event Number: 39372 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| REP ORG: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/14/2002|
|LICENSEE: BYRD REGIONAL HOSPITAL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:00[EST]|
| CITY: LEESVILLE REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 11/08/2002|
| COUNTY: STATE: LA |EVENT TIME: [CST]|
|LICENSE#: LA-1431-L01 AGREEMENT: Y |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/14/2002|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |CHUCK CAIN R4 |
| |TOM ESSIG NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: SCOTT BLACKWELL (VIA FAX) | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NAGR AGREEMENT STATE | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
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| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING MEDICAL MISADMINISTRATION |
| |
| On November 8, 2002, a patient at the Byrd Regional Hospital located in |
| Leesville, LA, "received a 26 millicurie dose of Tc-99 Sestamibi instead of |
| a 25 millicurie dose of Tc-99 MDP. This occurred [when] the technologist |
| picked up the wrong syringe from the 'hot lab.' The technologist immediately |
| notified the Radiation Safety Officer once he discovered what happened. |
| There appears to be no adverse effects to the patient. The patient did |
| receive the correct dose on November 12, 2002. The technologist will review |
| the facilities procedures to prevent this type of incident from occurring |
| again. The facility notified the doctor, patient, and the Louisiana |
| Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)." |
| |
| Louisiana event report ID No.: LA020015 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 39382 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: BROWNS FERRY REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/18/2002|
| UNIT: [1] [] [] STATE: AL |NOTIFICATION TIME: 12:05[EST]|
| RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4 |EVENT DATE: 11/18/2002|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 09:20[CST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: TERRY KNUETTEL |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/18/2002|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: GERRY WAIG +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: NON EMERGENCY |DAVID AYRES R2 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|HFIT 26.73 FITNESS FOR DUTY | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|1 N N 0 Refueling |0 Refueling |
| | |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
EVENT TEXT
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| FITNESS FOR DUTY - CONTRACT FOREMAN FAILED RANDOM DRUG TEST |
| |
| A non-licensed, contract employee tested positive for drugs during a random |
| drug test. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact |
| the HOO for additional details. |
| |
| The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector of this event. |
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021