| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
08/31/2005 - 09/01/2005 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41949 | Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: UNKNOWN
Region: 3
City: MADISON State: WI
County:
License #: N/A
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL WELLING
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 08/26/2005
Notification Time: 13:27 [ET]
Event Date: 08/26/2005
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/26/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
KENNETH O'BRIEN (R3)
E. WILLIAM BRACH (NMSS)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE - TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS FOUND IN RECYCLABLES
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"Wisconsin Radiation Protection Section [RPS] was contacted by Cascade Asset Management Company on August 25th. Workers at Cascade found several exit signs containing Tritium with a shipment of recyclable material. WI RPS staff were dispatched to investigate. Six intact signs and pieces of other signs were found in a trash barrel. Wipes were taken of the signs and barrel, and are being analyzed for contamination. The signs were placed in bags, sealed and placed in a remote part of the building. An investigation into the origin of the signs is under way."
Wisconsin Event Report ID No.: 30
This is less than the quantity of an IAEA Category 3 source.
Sources that are 'Less than IAEA Category 3 sources,' are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury.
For some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are IAEA Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 41950 | Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: PROTECHNICS
Region: 4
City: TRINIDAD State: CO
County:
License #: CO-545-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ED STROUD
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 08/26/2005
Notification Time: 13:59 [ET]
Event Date: 08/22/2005
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 08/26/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
E. WILLIAM BRACH (NMSS)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE - VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH SPILLED SOURCE
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"A well logging licensee notified the [Colorado Department of Health] on 8/26/05, that one of their well logging vehicles was involved in a roll-over accident in Colorado on Monday, 8/22/05, resulting in the spill of a small quantity of Scandium-46. No other vehicles or personnel were involved.
"The licensee, ProTechnics, of Trinidad, Colorado, License Number CO-545-01, stated that the accident occurred in a remote area on state highway 550, south of Ouray, Colorado. Emergency vehicles responded to the scene, and the driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The licensee sent additional personnel to the site with survey meters, and they assisted with the clean up. They reported that the shipping container was ejected from the vehicle, and broke open. They reported that they were able to clean up all of the spilled material, except for one spot that was reading 15 [millirem per hour] on contact. The spot was located in a remote area, several feet to the side of the road.
"No other details are available at this time.
"The Department has initiated an investigation of this incident, and arrangements are being made to perform a confirmatory survey of the area." |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41954 | Facility: WATERFORD
Region: 4 State: LA
Unit: [3] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [3] CE
NRC Notified By: KENNY CAMBREY
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/27/2005
Notification Time: 23:22 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2005
Event Time: 22:04 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2005 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
PAO-TSIN KUO (NRR)
MEL LEACH (IRD)
AKERS (DHS)
CASTO (FEMA)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 3 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO HURRICANE WARNING
At 2204 CDT, an Unusual Event was declared due to a Hurricane warning in St Charles Parish, LA. The licensee does not have any Limiting Conditions for Operation on safety related equipment. No electrical grid disturbances currently exist.
The licensee will be notifying the NRC Resident Inspector. The licensee notified the State and Local government agencies.
* * * UPDATE FROM J. PIERCE TO M. RIPLEY 1144 EDT 08/28/05 * * *
"Waterford 3 will commence a plant shutdown to Mode 4 on August 28, 2005 at 1100 CDT. The goal is to be approximately 325 deg F reactor coolant system temperature with both trains of Shutdown Cooling in service [expected at approximately 0100 CDT 08/29/05] . This is approximately 2 hours before hurricane force winds are expected on site."
Notified R4DO (Jones), NRR EO (Kuo), IRD Mgr. (Wilson), DHS (York), and FEMA (Canupp).
* * * UPDATE FROM J. PIERCE TO J. ROTTON 1131 EDT 08/29/05 * * *
As a result of Hurricane Katrina, all offsite power was lost at 0800 CDT. The emergency diesel generators successfully started and loaded.
Notified R4DO (R. Bywater), NSIR (Leach, Wilson), NRR EO (Kuo, Jung), FEMA (Kuzia), DHS (Stransky).
* * * UPDATE FROM LICENSEE (LEWIS) TO NRC (HUFFMAN) AT 2302 EDT ON 8/29/05 * * *
The Hurricane warning for St Charles Parish, LA, has been discontinued by the National Weather Service. Initiating condition, D UE-5, is no longer applicable. Waterford 3 remains in an Unusual Event for initiating condition C UE-1, loss of all offsite power. An agreement to relax 60 minute notification updates to State and local authorities remains in effect.
The licensee has notified State and local authorities as well as the NRC Resident Inspector.
Offsite power is available to the licensee switchyard. However, the voltage is too high for plant specification and the licensee remains disconnected from offsite power and on the emergency diesel generators.
* * * UPDATE FROM LICENSEE (LEWIS) TO NRC (KNOKE) AT 0001 EDT ON 8/31/05 * * *
Waterford 3 remains in an Unusual Event for initiating condition C UE-1, loss of all offsite power. An agreement to relax 60 minute notification updates to State and local authorities remains in effect. The communications system for Public Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) is working internally, but not externally. Other areas where communications are lost are Emergency Operations Facility (EOF), Operations hotline, Reactor Auxiliary Building (RAB), and the Emergency Notification System (ENS). Waterford has use of an industrial hotline to a circuit in the Parish of St Charles, however, this is very limited in its capability. The Civil Defense communication system is still inoperable. |
| Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 41964 | Rep Org: DOW CHEMICAL
Licensee: DOW CHEMICAL
Region: 1
City: GALESFERRY State: CT
County:
License #: 06-15498-02
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAWN GILDAY
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 08/31/2005
Notification Time: 10:27 [ET]
Event Date: 08/30/2005
Event Time: 14:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
30.50(b)(2) - SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE
| Person (Organization):
EUGENE COBEY (R1)
JOHN HICKEY (NMSS)
| Event Text SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY
The RSO called to state that the Bromine Monitor at their facility failed to function properly. The shutter on the monitor failed to close, thus leaving it in an unsafe condition. The licensee taped a piece of metal (the same metal as the shutter) across the instrument to render it in a safe condition. The equipment was removed from service and no personnel received exposure from the event. The equipment is made by AEA Technology, Model number CUCD2, s/n 5738LY. The radionuclide is 10 microCuries of Cd-109 (cadium-109). A qualified technical has been dispatched to repair the Bromine Monitor. |
| Transportation Event | Event Number: 41965 | Rep Org: NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER
Licensee: CARDINAL HEALTH NUCLEAR PHARMACY SERVICES
Region: 3
City: KANSAS CITY State: MO
County: JACKSON
License #:
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: WILLIAMS
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 08/31/2005
Notification Time: 16:13 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2005
Event Time: 13:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
INFORMATION ONLY
| Person (Organization):
STEVE ORTH (R3)
TOM ESSIG (NMSS)
| Event Text POTENTIAL RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AT SCENE OF VEHICLE ACCIDENT
The U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center (NRC) was informed by a representative of Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy Services located in Dublin, OH, that one of their commercial trucks operating in Kansas City, MO, was involved in a fatality (driver) accident. The reporting party (representative) noted that there was a potential release of approximately 200 millicuries Technetium-99m due to the accident, however, this could not be confirmed since the police are treating the location as a crime scene. The U.S.C.G. NRC notified NRC Region III Office and various federal agencies including DOT, EPA and HHS. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 41966 | Facility: OCONEE
Region: 2 State: SC
Unit: [ ] [ ] [3]
RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] B&W-L-LP,[3] B&W-L-LP
NRC Notified By: RANDY TODD
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 08/31/2005
Notification Time: 17:38 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2005
Event Time: 14:28 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(A) - ECCS INJECTION
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS
| Person (Organization):
MARK LESSER (R2)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 3 | A/R | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text UNIT 3 EXPERIENCED AN AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP DURING ROUTINE TESTING
"Event: At 1428 hours on 8/31/2005, Oconee Unit 3 tripped. A routine test of the alternate power source for the Control Rod Drive System was in progress when power to the Control Rod Drive system was interrupted, which resulted in a reactor trip. AC power transferred to the Start-up source (switchyard). Normally the Main Steam Header pressure control setpoint is automatically increased for post-trip RCS temperature control. This did not occur. As a result the RCS cooled down to approximately 536F (versus a normal post-trip temperature of approximately 555F), reducing RCS pressure to the actuation setpoint for Engineered Safeguards Channels 1 and 2. This started the High Pressure Injection pumps in ECCS mode, caused partial containment isolation and initiated start-up of both Keowee Hydro Units (emergency power). Because Start-up power was available, Keowee did not supply power but remained in stand-by. At 1133 hours Operators terminated ECCS injection.
"Initial Safety Significance: Because RCS pressure decreased below normal post-trip levels which resulted in an ECCS actuation, this is considered an abnormal transient. Unit 3 has been stabilized and at this time the actual event is considered to have low safety significance. The exact cause of the loss of power to the Control Rod Drive system is unknown, but is under investigation. It is suspected that that loss also resulted in the failure of the Main Steam Header Pressure to shift to the post-trip Main Steam pressure control setpoint.
"Corrective Action(s): Operations stabilized Unit 3. A post-trip investigation is in progress, per site procedures and directives."
All control rods fully inserted as a result of the reactor trip. No primary or secondary reliefs or PORVs lifted. Pressurizer level decreased off-scale low and was recovered prior to securing the High Pressure Injection pumps (the licensee estimates approximately 3000 gallons was injected). Current RCS temp is 542F (Tave) with RCS pressure in the normal post-trip band. Decay heat is being removed by the Steam Generators to Condenser through the Turbine Bypass Valves. Main Feedwater remained in service during the transient.
The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspector and does not plan a press release at this time.
* * *UPDATE FROM LICENSEE (NIX) TO NRC (HUFFMAN) @ 2156 EDT ON 8/31/05 * * *
"During this event, the Engineering Safeguards (ES) System was manually bypassed at 14:33 on 8-31-05 to restore both High Pressure Injection (HPI) System trains to a normal lineup following an ES-initiated safety injection. Manually bypassing ES for both trains of HPI required entry into Tech Spec 3.0.3 at 15:33 on 8-31-05. Tech Spec 3.0.3 requires shutdown of Unit 3 to Mode 3 by 03:33 on 9-1-05 and to Mode 4 by 09:33 on 9-1-05. This condition was discovered to apply at 21:15 on 8-31-05.
"Initial Safety Significance: Units 1 and 2 remain at 100% power with no issues following the Unit 3 ES Actuation and Keowee Hydro Unit emergency start. Unit 3 remains in Mode 3. No other safety systems have actuated or exhibited abnormal behavior. Therefore, the safety significance of this condition is LOW.
"Corrective Action(s): Restore ES System to Automatic for the HPI System."
The licensee reported this under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2) (i), Technical Specification Shutdown.
The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Lesser) notified. | |