Event Notification Report for December 30, 2002

LOSS OF OFFSITE EMERGENCY SIRENS DUE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES

All emergency sirens (66 of 66) serving Hood and Somervell Counties, TX are out of service due to lightning strikes on communications repeater equipment. The licensee has notified the Hood and Somervell County Sheriff Departments and will be notifying the NRC resident inspector. Repair crews are responding and expect to make repairs within about 4 hours.

***UPDATE on 12/31/02 at 0113ET by Don Cerny taken by MacKinnon****

All sirens were returned to service December 31, 2002 at midnight. NRC R4DO (Bill Johnson) notified.

The NRC Resident Inspector will be contacted by the licensee of this update.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

A Humbolt moisture density gauge , Model # HSI5001P, Serial # 838, was stolen from the back of a truck sometime between 12/28/02 and 12/30/02 in Redlands, CA. The gauge contained 10 millicuries of Cs-137 and 40 millicuries Am-241:Be. On Saturday, December 28, 2002, an employee took the gauge back to his residence after performing a job. The gauge was chained and locked in the back of his truck. On Monday morning at approximately 0645 PST the employee noticed that the gauge, chains and lock were missing from the back of his truck. He reported the theft to the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). The RSO reported the theft to the State of California. The theft was also reported to the local police and the licensee is posting a notice with a reward in local newspapers.

MONTICELLO INITIATED TS REQUIRED PLANT SHUTDOWN DUE TO INOPERABILITY OF BOTH EDGs

"With #12 EDG inoperable due to a maintenance issue [on 12/29/02 at 2330 CST] , it is required to test #11 EDG within 24 hours. Testing causes #11 EDG to be inoperable, therefore both EDGs are inoperable requiring [the initiation of] a plant shutdown per T.S. 3.9.B.3.a.2 and a non-emergency notification per 10 CFR 50.72/8 hour. #11 EDG subequently tested operable and the plant exited T.S. shutdown requirement at 2300 on 12/30/02."

The licensee stated that the period of time both EDGs were inoperable was from 2010 to 2300 on 12/30/02. The inoperablity of the #12 EDG was due to an equipment problem with the DC fuel oil pump. After fixing the DC fuel oil pump on the #12 EDG, the EDG was restarted and the "failure-to-start" alarm lit and the "cranking" alarm lit and stayed in for 5 minutes. The licensee is currently evaluating these problems. The #12 EDG remains in a 7 day limiting LCO action statement. The #11 EDG started and tested satisfactorily with no problems. The inoperability of the #11 EDG was due to some of the set up conditions for testing when the EDG is considered to be inoperable per procedure.

The NRC Resident Inspector was notified.

* * * RETRACTED ON 1/27/03 AT 1714 EST BY DAVID BARNETT TO GERRY WAIG * * *

"On 12/29/02 at 2330 CST, the Monticello nuclear power plant notified the NRC operations center of the #12 EDG being declared inoperable when personnel noted an equipment problem during surveillance testing. In addition, the #11 EDG was declared inoperable due to station Technical Specification required surveillance testing to prove operability of the #11 EDG while the #12 EDG was inoperable. The report was made pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(v) under Event Notification number 39480.

"Upon further review, Monticello is retracting the event reported based on the information in NUREG-1022, Rev. 2, page 56, which states, 'The following types of events or conditions generally are not reportable under these conditions. Sub-item 3 states: removal of a system or part of a system from service as part of a planned evolution for maintenance or surveillance testing when done in accordance with an approved procedure and the plant's TS (unless a condition is discovered that could have prevented the system from performing its function).'

"The station condition reported in Event Report #39480 was determined not to be reportable based on the following:
1) #11 EDG was inoperable due to the performance of a surveillance test in accordance with the station's Technical Specifications and an approved procedure; and
2) #11 EDG successfully passed the surveillance test to prove operability. Additionally, the required TS LCO action statement requiring plant shutdown was entered. The appropriate procedure was entered. However the station was not required to reduce power or initiate shutdown by inserting negative reactivity and additionally the shutdown was not imminent, since the #11 EDG was confirmed to be operable."

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector, State of Minnesota, and Local Government of this retraction.

Notified R3DO (Mark Ring)