U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 03/28/2003 - 03/29/2003 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** | Power Reactor | Event Number: 39709 | Facility: CALVERT CLIFFS Region: 1 State: MD Unit: [1] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE NRC Notified By: JIM GROOM HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 03/28/2003 Notification Time: 02:28 [ET] Event Date: 03/28/2003 Event Time: 00:45 [EST] Last Update Date: 03/28/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | Person (Organization): JOHN WHITE (R1) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | 2 | N | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling | Event Text POTENTIAL MEDIA INTEREST DUE TO STATE POLICE SEARCH OF THE OWNER CONTROLLED AREA
The Calvert Control Center in Prince Frederick County received an anonymous call through the 911 operator which prompted the Maryland State Police to furnish additional officers to the site for a search of the woodline area of the owner controlled property. The licensee will inform their media group due to the potential media interest and has informed both state/local agencies and the NRC resident inspector. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 39711 | Rep Org: FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER Licensee: FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER Region: 1 City: PHILADELPHIA State: PA County: License #: 37-02766-01 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: KAREN SHEEHAN HQ OPS Officer: GERRY WAIG | Notification Date: 03/28/2003 Notification Time: 14:30 [ET] Event Date: 04/16/2000 Event Time: [EST] Last Update Date: 03/28/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | Person (Organization): PAMELA HENDERSON (R1) SUSAN FRANT (NMSS) | Event Text NRC LICENSEE TRANSFERRED RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL TO UNLICENSED ENTITY
On April 16, 2000, the licensee transferred a Varian 6/100 linear accelerator, with a 41 millicurie depleted uranium source, to Centura X-Ray, Cleveland, Ohio, an unlicensed entity. The transfer was part of an equipment upgrade made between the licensee and Siemens Medical Systems Inc.
Siemens sold the Varian 6/100 to Linac Systems, Lakewood, New Jersey who in turn sold the equipment to eRad Therapy, Inc. of Bothell, Washington. eRad Therapy transported the device to the therapy division of Centura X-ray.
The depleted uranium is currently in the possession of a licensed low level waste storage facility awaiting burial at an appropriate waste disposal facility. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 39712 | Facility: HATCH Region: 2 State: GA Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4 NRC Notified By: EDWEN URQUHART HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 03/29/2003 Notification Time: 04:44 [ET] Event Date: 03/29/2003 Event Time: 02:55 [EST] Last Update Date: 03/29/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(v)(A) - POT UNABLE TO SAFE SD | Person (Organization): RUDOLPH BERNHARD (R2) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 2 | N | Y | 1 | Startup | 1 | Startup | Event Text HPCI TURBINE FAILS TO COME TO SPEED DURING SURVEILLANCE TEST
"While starting up Unit Two reactor from a planned refueling/maintenance outage, the HPCI system would not pass the required tech spec surveillance when tested at 160 psig reactor pressure. The HPCI turbine failed to come up to speed due to its turbine steam control valve did not open after the turbine stop valve was opened per system operability surveillance. The system engineer and maintenance are investigating the speed control circuit at this time."
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 39713 | Facility: SALEM Region: 1 State: NJ Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: JOHN GARECHT HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 03/29/2003 Notification Time: 07:15 [ET] Event Date: 03/29/2003 Event Time: 04:42 [EST] Last Update Date: 03/29/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL | Person (Organization): PAMELA HENDERSON (R1) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 2 | M/R | Y | 80 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DUE TO LOSS OF SECONDARY CIRCULATING WATER PUMPS
"Salem Unit 2 was manually tripped in response to loss of circulating water pumps. Loss of circulators was caused by heavy grass intrusion from the Delaware River. At time of trip, a load reduction was in progress and power level was approximately 80%. All safety systems operated as designed during and after the reactor trip. Unit 2 is currently stable in Mode 3 at normal operating temperature and pressure. All reactor cooling pumps are in service and core cooling is being supported by auxiliary feedwater pumps and main steam dumps to the condenser. No safety systems or equipment was out of service at the time of the trip. Salem Unit 1 was also affected by the heavy river grass conditions and is currently in Mode 1 and stable at 55% reactor power."
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 39714 | Facility: PALO VERDE Region: 4 State: AZ Unit: [ ] [ ] [3] RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE NRC Notified By: DAN MARKS HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 03/29/2003 Notification Time: 13:41 [ET] Event Date: 03/29/2003 Event Time: 04:00 [MST] Last Update Date: 03/29/2003 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(A) - DEGRADED CONDITION | Person (Organization): BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 3 | N | N | 0 | Hot Shutdown | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text DEGRADED CONDITION DUE TO LEAKAGE AT SMALL BORE INCONEL 600 PENETRATIONS
The following information was received from the licensee via facsimile:
"The following event description is based on information currently available. If through subsequent reviews of this event, additional information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the information being provided at this time, a follow-up notification will be made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73.
"On March 29, 2003, at approximately 04:00 Mountain Standard Time (MST) engineering personnel performing preplanned visual examinations of reactor coolant System (RCS) piping in accordance with procedure requirements discovered boric acid residue on three RCS small bore Inconel 600 penetrations. One location was the RCS hot leg in-service thermowell 3JRCBTW0112HB. The visual observation was characterized as a small white trail of boron residue running down the hot leg approximately 2 inches. There were no signs of dripping, spraying, puddles of liquid, or liquid running down the nozzle or hot leg. The residue appeared dry. The other two were on pressurizer heater sleeves (nozzles) A-4 and A-18. The visual observation at these two locations was characterized as a small white buildup of boron residue around the heater sleeve as the sleeve enters the pressurizer bottom head. There does not appear to be residue running down the outside of the sleeves. There were no signs of dripping, spraying, puddles of liquid, or liquid running down the nozzle or [pressurizer]. The residue appeared dry.
"Technical Specifications (TS) Limiting Condition for Operation (LCO) 3.4.14 permits no reactor coolant system (RCS) pressure boundary leakage and therefore, the discovery of leakage (presumed boric acid residue) from the hot leg thermowell and the pressurizer heater sleeves was a degradation of a principal safety barrier. Therefore, the ENS notification of this event is in accordance with 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(ii). The control room personnel entered LCO 3.4.14 Condition B and are continuing to place the plant in Mode 5. The RCS was being cooled down in preparation for Unit 3's tenth refueling outage. At the time of discovery, the RCS was at approximately 520 degrees F and 2218 psia.
"An investigation of this event will be conducted in accordance with the PVNGS [Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station] corrective action program. The cracking of Alloy 600 components both at Palo Verde and industry-wide has been attributed to axially oriented, primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC). PWSCC is not considered a significant threat to the structural integrity of the RCS boundary, thermowell, or heater sleeves as this type of cracking typically results only in small leaks.
"The bases for this conclusion is that if PWSCC occurred at Palo Verde, the cracks would be predominately axial in orientation. As in this case, the cracks would result in visibly detectable leakage that would be apparent during visual examinations, performed as part of walkdown inspections, before significant damage to the reactor coolant boundary occurred.
"Palo Verde has a program for replacing the Alloy 600 hot leg thermowells. This thermowell was scheduled for replacement during this refueling outage. The plans to replace the thermowell remain unchanged.
"A mechanical nozzle sleeve assembly (MNSA) will be installed on each of the pressurizer heater sleeves.
"No ESF actuations occurred and none were required. There were no structures, systems, or components that were inoperable at the time of discovery that contributed to this condition. There were no failures that rendered a train of a safety system inoperable and no failures of components with multiple functions were involved. The event did not result in the release of radioactivity to the environment and did not adversely affect the safe operation of the plant or health and safety of the public."
The licensee has informed the NRC Resident Inspector. | |