| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
02/08/2005 - 02/09/2005 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 39739 | Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: AM ENGINEERING AND TESTING, INC.
Region: 2
City: FT. PIERCE State: FL
County: FT. PIERCE
License #: 3013-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHARLES ADAMS (E-MAIL)
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 04/07/2003
Notification Time: 14:49 [ET]
Event Date: 04/07/2003
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
ANNE BOLAND (R2)
DOUG BROADDUS (NMSS)
JOHN DAVIDSON (TAT)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT INVOLVING TWO TROXLER DENSITY GAUGES
The following information was obtained from State of Florida Bureau of Radiation Control via e-mail:
On 4/05/03, a truck transporting a load of hazardous chemicals and two Troxler moisture density gauges was involved in an early morning accident. As a result of the accident, the truck caught fire and burned up. It was not known until 4/07/03, when a copy of the bill of lading was obtained, that the truck was carrying radioactive material. The Troxler gauges were being returned to the licensees from Troxler, Inc. after being calibrated. The gauges have not yet been located. Florida is investigating.
* * * UPDATE ON 02/08/05 @ 1226 FROM CHARLES ADAMS(fax) TO CHAUNCEY GOULD * * *
On 4-5-03 a truck fire destroyed two Troxler gauges (FL03-058, PNO-II-03-005). Only one was found. Today the other has been located. The trucking company which carried the gauges apparently took the remains of the truck to their location in Lakeland Florida after the accident in 03. They just tried to send that metal to a scrap dealer and it set off the radiation alarm. Investigation by a hired consultant found the burned out remnants of the gauge. Swipes show no leakage. The licensee will take possession and arrange with Troxler for disposal.
Notified Reg 2 RDO (Widman), NMSS EO (Essig) and Reg 1 RDO (Cobey) |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 41367 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: TRC LOWNEY ASSOCIATES
Region: 4
City: YORBA LINDA State: CA
County:
License #: 6773-30
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GREGOR
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 02/03/2005
Notification Time: 15:28 [ET]
Event Date: 02/02/2005
Event Time: 12:05 [PST]
Last Update Date: 02/03/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GARY SANBORN (R4)
M. WAYNE HODGES (NMSS)
| Event Text CALIFORNIA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GUAGE
At 1205 on February 2, 2005, the licensee called the Brea office to report that one of their moisture density gauges had been run over by construction equipment at 1145 that morning. The gauge was damaged to the extent that they were unable to retract the source rod back into the shielded position (CPN, model 3, # M22054410 - 10 mCi Cs-137 and 50 mCi Am:Be). The incident happened at a construction site located at 3208 Quarter Horse Drive in Yorba Linda at the water reservoir.
The outer gauge casing was in pieces, the rod handle was broken and the source rod was extended into the ground. The maximum dose rate with the source rod extended into the ground was 2 mrem/hr at contact measured with a Bicron microrem instrument. The dose rate when the source rod was extracted from the ground was approximately 30 mrem/hr at one foot from the rod tip. The Cs-137 end of the gauge source rod was placed in a lead pig, which was taped into place to keep the Cs-137 source shielded. The unit remains were placed in a plastic bag which was then placed into the transportation case. The device was transported to the local CPN service representative - Maurer Technical Services. Maurer Technical Services stated the sources appeared to be intact, and they took a wipe for a leak test. The wipe was sent out for counting. Alpha and beta surveys at the accident scene did not detect any contamination. Two wipes of the source housings were collected, which were counted in the Brea office on a Ludlum 3030 alpha-beta counter the next day. No contamination was detected on these two wipes.
The incident apparently occurred when the construction equipment, a front end loader, changed direction to avoid a truck, and there wasn't time for the gauge operator, who was in a safe location about 15 feet from the gauge, to signal the front end loader to stop. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 41376 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: ENGEO, INC.
Region: 4
City: VALLEJO State: CA
County:
License #: 3016-07
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KENT PRENDERGAST
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 02/04/2005
Notification Time: 18:53 [ET]
Event Date: 02/03/2005
Event Time: 16:30 [PST]
Last Update Date: 02/04/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GARY SANBORN (R4)
M. WAYNE HODGES (NMSS)
| Event Text CALIFORNIA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The following information was received from California Radiation Health Bureau via facsimile:
"A Troxler Moisture Density gauge (Serial # 27061) was run over at construction site at Mare Island, Vallejo, CA at 4:30 PM on 2/3/05. According to the RSO, the gauge operator was standing 15 feet from the gauge when a loader operated by Gilotti Construction changed course and ran over the gauge. The gauge was damaged severely and the source rod was bent and removed by the operator from it's protective lead shield. The rod and gauge were stored in a shed and CPN (gauge manufacturer) has been contacted this afternoon and will retrieve the gauge and prepare it for transport to Troxler, Inc. The RSO will be investigating this incident"
The gauge contains 8 milliCuries of Cs-137 and 40 milliCuries of Am-241. At this time, there does not appear to be any personnel overexposures or spread of contamination due to this event. The State of California has requested that the worker's film badges be immediately processed as a part of the licensee investigation. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41381 | Facility: HATCH
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: FRANK GORLEY
HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD | Notification Date: 02/07/2005
Notification Time: 21:42 [ET]
Event Date: 02/07/2005
Event Time: 20:55 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
CHARLIE PAYNE (R2)
WILLIAM BECKNER (NRR)
PETER WILSON (IRD)
CHRIS LIGGETT (FEMA)
ROBERT BOZZO (DHS)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling | Event Text PLANT HAD A FREON LEAK IN THE DRYWELL CHILLER ROOM
The plant reported that there was a freon leak in the Drywell Chiller Room located in the Unit 2 Reactor Building. Maintenance was being performed on the refrigeration equipment relief valve when the gas began to escape into the room. There were six men working in the room and two were affected by the freon gas. They were treated on site and released. Oxygen content in the room was 20.5% and LEL for hydrocarbons was alarming at 19%. The drywell chiller room is secured and being cleared of the 1,200 pounds of freon gas. At this time an investigation is being made to determine the cause which may have been due to the relief valve opening or the workers removing the valve. The plant entered the NOUE due to a "toxic gas release". The NOUE will be terminated when the room is habitable.
The NRC Resident Inspector was notified along with State and Local agencies.
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY FRANK GORLEY TO JEFF ROTTON AT 0303 EST ON 02/08/05 * * *
Licensee reported that the NOUE was terminated at 0245 EST after the freon had been successfully cleared from the Drywell Chiller Room. Licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified FEMA (Liggett), DHS (Knox), IRD (Wilson), R2DO (Payne), and NRR EO (Beckner). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41383 | Facility: SURRY
Region: 2 State: VA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: DAVID HERRING
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 02/08/2005
Notification Time: 00:14 [ET]
Event Date: 02/07/2005
Event Time: 20:23 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
| Person (Organization):
CHARLIE PAYNE (R2)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | M/R | N | 0 | Startup | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR TRIP DURING STARTUP DUE TO INDICATION OF MISALIGNED ROD
The following information was provided by the licensee via facsimile:
"While withdrawing Control Bank 'A' during the Reactor Startup, Rod B-10 indicated a rapid drop from approximately 42 steps to 17 steps on the CERPI (Computer Enhanced Rod Position Indication) panel. The reactor operator stopped withdrawal of 'A' control bank and the CERPI indication for rod B-10 remained at 17 steps. The remaining CERPIs in 'A' control bank varied from 40 to 45 steps.
"The startup was terminated and the reactor was manually tripped in accordance with AP-1 and 1-E-0 [was] initiated. All systems functioned as required on the trip. Initial investigation by I & C and Engineering found no problems with the CERPI indication. Rod Drop time data from the CERPI program shows all rods in Control Bank 'A' had a drop time of 0.32 to 0.38 seconds with the exception of B-10, which had a drop time of 0.18 seconds.
" An investigation is ongoing as to the cause of rod B-10 misalignment.
"This notification is being made pursuant to 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A). The NRC resident was notified of this event."
The reactor was subcritical in the Source Range at the initiation of the event. All rods inserted fully during the manual reactor trip. S/G level is being maintained by main feedwater and decay heat removal is via the S/G PORV. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41385 | Facility: INDIAN POINT
Region: 1 State: NY
Unit: [2] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [2] W-4-LP,[3] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DONALD DEWEY
HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD | Notification Date: 02/08/2005
Notification Time: 16:22 [ET]
Event Date: 02/08/2005
Event Time: 14:30 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
JAMES TRAPP (R1)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION MADE DUE TO AN ASBESTOS SPILL
An asbestos spill that was quantified at 1430 on 2/8/05 to be approximately 10-15 pounds occurred. The spill was from old pipe lagging that came off pipes that were on an outside roof area and did not contact the ground or surrounding waterway. Reports have or will be made to the following government agencies: National Response Center, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Public Service Commission as part of the licensee's requirement. Containment and cleanup of the asbestos is in progress.
The NRC Resident has been notified. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41386 | Facility: FT CALHOUN
Region: 4 State: NE
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE
NRC Notified By: ERICK MATZKE
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 02/08/2005
Notification Time: 16:45 [ET]
Event Date: 02/08/2005
Event Time: 09:20 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION
| Person (Organization):
BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text STEAM-DRIVEN AUXILIARY FEEDWATER (AFW) PUMP DECLARED INOPERABLE DUE TO DESIGN ISSUE
The following information was obtained from the licensee via facsimile:
"At 0920 [hrs.] CST, on February 8, 2005, Fort Calhoun Station declared the steam driven auxiliary feedwater (AFW) pump (FW-10) inoperable due to discovery of a design problem with the pump turbine. The station entered the appropriate technical specification action statement at that time. The pertinent action statements for auxiliary feedwater ([T.S.] 2.5.1) read as follows:
"B. With one AFW train inoperable for reasons other than condition A, restore the AFW train to OPERABLE status within 24 hours.
"C. If the required action and associated completion times of condition A or B are not met, then the unit shall be placed in MODE 2 in 6 hours, in MODE 3 in the next 6 hours, and less than 300 [degrees] F without reliance on the steam generators for decay heat removal within the next 18 hours.
"A change to the design basis is in progress to allow the pump to be made operable within 24 hours."
The design problem is due to the AFW pump drains. The manufacturer states that the drain lines must drain below the level of the AFW turbine. The current configuration is that the drains are aligned to the condenser which is approximately 18 feet above the elevation of the AFW turbine. This is not a problem during normal AFW turbine operation as the condenser would most likely be in service. However, the condenser cannot be relied upon during all accident conditions that require AFW actuation.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 41387 | Rep Org: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES
Licensee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES
Region: 4
City: HOUSTON State: TX
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DWAINE BROWN
HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD | Notification Date: 02/08/2005
Notification Time: 19:21 [ET]
Event Date: 02/08/2005
Event Time: 11:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
| Person (Organization):
BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)
JAMES TRAPP (R1)
GEORGE PANGBORN (R1)
LONNIE LACEY (DHS)
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
MR CREWS (DOT)
THOMAS YATES (DOE)
JOSEPHINE PICCONE (STP)
JACK RAMSEY (IP)
JACK CRLENJAK (IRD)
| Event Text LICENSEE REPORTED A SHIPMENT THEY WERE TO RECEIVE IS UNACCOUNTED FOR
Halliburton Energy Services had shipped a well logging source and calibrating source containing 18.5 curies of Am-241 Be and .5 curies of Am-241 from Nizhnevartovsk, Russia to Houston TX. Both sources were in a 18" dia 23" long cylindrical type "A" container which weighed 83kg. The sources went through Amsterdam to JFK in New York and cleared customs in New York on 10/09/04. After clearing customs they have not been able to track the package to any of the transport companies that were scheduled to handle it. An ongoing search is still being conducted. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41389 | Facility: PALO VERDE
Region: 4 State: AZ
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: JIM MORELAND
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 02/09/2005
Notification Time: 03:31 [ET]
Event Date: 02/09/2005
Event Time: 01:04 [MST]
Last Update Date: 02/09/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS
| Person (Organization):
BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 85 | Power Operation | Event Text TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS REQUIRED SHUTDOWN DUE TO LOSS OF NORMAL AND ALTERNATE POWER TO SAFETY BUS
"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 February 9, 2005, at approximately 01:04 MST, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) Unit 1 commenced a reactor shutdown required by Technical Specification 3.8.1.
"Limiting Condition for Operability (LCO) 3.8.1 requires two independent AC sources be available. On February 6, 2005, at approximately 22:19 Mountain Standard Time (MST) a valid actuation of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1 Train 'B' Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG) occurred as a result of under-voltage on its respective safety bus (PBB-S04). EDG 'B' started and loaded as designed to energize PBB-S04. (Reference EN #41379 reported on 02/06/2005).
"The loss of power to the safety bus was the result of a fault associated with 13.8KV breaker NAN-SO6J which caused breakers NAN-S06H (normal power supply), NAN-S06K (alternate power supply), and NAN-S06J (EOF & TSC Bldg power supply) to all trip open on over-current. This action resulted in the de-energization of NAN-SO6, NAN-S04, and PBB-S04. PVNGS will be unable to make repairs and restore the required second independent AC power source with the allowed 72 hour required action time frame.
"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 NRC Resident Inspector has been notified." | |