U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 09/19/2005 - 09/20/2005 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** | Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 41929 | Rep Org: SCHLUMBERGER INC. Licensee: SCHLUMBERGER INC. Region: 1 City: TRENTON State: NJ County: License #: 29-08636-02 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: TOM BRACKE HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 08/18/2005 Notification Time: 14:25 [ET] Event Date: 08/17/2005 Event Time: 12:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | Person (Organization): RAYMOND LORSON (R1) GARY SANBORN (R4) GREG MORELL (NMSS) | Event Text MATERIAL EVENT - LOST TRITIUM SOURCE A shipment of a pulse neutron generator containing a 1.5 curie tritium source was determined to be lost by the shipper (Federal Express) and reported to the licensee on 8/17/05. The neutron generator originated in New Jersey and was shipped to Texas where it was used under a well logging source license. Upon completion of use, the generator was to be returned to New Jersey from Texas. The shipment in question originated in Webster, Texas, and was destined for the licensee's Princeton Technology Center in Princeton Junction, New Jersey. The shipping date was 7/12/05. The licensee stated that the neutron generator failed to arrive as scheduled and that on or about 7/15/05 the shipper initiated an internal incident report to investigate the shipment. The neutron generator was tracked to the shipper's Trenton, New Jersey site. The licensee also reported that the shipper reported finding packaging related to the neutron generator shipment but that the contents were missing. The tritium source in the neutron generator 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. * * * * UPDATE FROM T. BRACKE TO M. RIPLEY 1640 EDT 09/19/05 * * * * The licensee stated that the device and source have not yet been found. The shipper has, however, exhausted their search of their facilities in Webster, TX, Houston, TX, Trenton, NJ and Woodbridge, NJ. Notified R1 DO (J. White) and NMSS EO (M. Burgess) | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41988 | Rep Org: IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH Licensee: MID-AMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY Region: 3 City: SALIX State: IA County: License #: 0100-1-97-FG Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: DON FLATER HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 09/14/2005 Notification Time: 09:56 [ET] Event Date: 08/07/2004 Event Time: [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): JULIO LARA (R3) MICHELE BURGESS (NMSS) | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING FIRE DAMAGE TO GAUGE SOURCES The State representative reported that a fire occurred at the Mid-America coal fired electrical power plant in Salix, Iowa on August 7, 2004. Two Thermo-Electron level and flow gauges used on the facility's coke tower were damaged by the fire. Each of the two gauges contained a 50 millicuries Cesium-137 sealed source. The facility RSO isolated access to the gauge location until they could be inspected by representatives of Thermo-electron. On August 11, 2004, Thermo-electron representatives arrived onsite and performed leak tests of the gauge sources. The sources were determined to be intact. Thermo-electron took possession of the gauges. The gauges have subsequently been repaired and returned to the licensee for reinstallation at its facility. It has been determined that no radiation was released as a result of this event. The State has notified NRC Region 3 (Lynch) of this event. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41989 | Rep Org: GEORGIA RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PGM Licensee: ACUREN INSPECTION Region: 1 City: SAVANNAH State: GA County: License #: GA 1115-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ELIZABETH DRINNON HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 09/14/2005 Notification Time: 10:30 [ET] Event Date: 09/13/2005 Event Time: 16:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/15/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): JAMES TRAPP (R1) TRISH HOLAHAN (NMSS) TIM MCGINTY (IRD) BENJAMIN SANDLER (TAS) | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A STOLEN/RECOVERED INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA At 1600 EDT on 9/13/05 an Acuren Inspection vehicle was discovered missing from their satellite office located in Augusta, GA. The vehicle contained a TechOps industrial radiography camera, model and serial number unknown containing an Ir-192 source (source strength not available at time of the report). The vehicle was recovered four (4) hours later at 2000 EDT by law enforcement. The individual believed responsible for the theft, an employee, was arrested at 0300 EDT on 9/14. The corporate RSO (Radiation Safety Officer) is enroute to Augusta to examine the recovered vehicle and radiography camera. The State of Georgia will update this report as additional information becomes available. * * * UPDATE ON 09/15/05 @ 1525 FROM ELIZABETH DRINNON TO CHAUNCEY GOULD * * * The model of the camera is AEA 660B serial # B2655. The source model AEA 424-9 serial number 21291B, containing iridium 192. The strength of the source at the time of the theft was 18.5 curies. Notified Reg 1 RDO (Trapp), NMSS EO (Hodges), IRD (Wilson), TAS (English), TAS(Sandler), and DHS (Cartledge) IAEA Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours. It could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example, level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41990 | Rep Org: NC DIV OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: DUPONT FLUOROPRODUCTS Region: 1 City: FAYETTVILLE State: NC County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: LEE COX HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA | Notification Date: 09/14/2005 Notification Time: 12:30 [ET] Event Date: 06/01/2005 Event Time: [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): JAMES TRAPP (R1) GREG MORELL (NMSS) | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - TRITIUM SOURCES DISPOSED AT LANDFILL Nineteen Tritium Exit Signs were inadvertently disposed in Robeson County Landfill in St. Pauls, North Carolina in mid June 2005, totaling 403 Curies of Tritium gas (H-3). The incident location is at 22828 NC Way 87 W. Fayetteville, NC. 28306-7332. A survey of the landfill has not yet been performed and there are no significant exposure hazards. No one has been injured by the event. (NC Incident No.05-32). 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. These are IAEA Category 5 sources and are not dangerous: No one could be permanently injured by this amount of radioactive material. | General Information or Other | Event Number: 41994 | Rep Org: WA DIVISION OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: CARDINAL HEALTH 414, INC. Region: 4 City: FIFE State: WA County: License #: WN-NP005-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ARDEN C SCROGGS HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA | Notification Date: 09/14/2005 Notification Time: 13:18 [ET] Event Date: 08/15/2005 Event Time: [PDT] Last Update Date: 09/14/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): MIKE RUNYAN (R4) M. WAYNE HODGES (NMSS) CANADA CNSC (FAX) () | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF CASE CONTAINING TECHNETIUM-99m The licensee provided the following information via email: "A customer of Cardinal Health called Cardinal on Tuesday, 16 August 2005, to inform Cardinal that they had not received part of their nuclear medicine order for Monday, 15 August. Only one of the two cases ordered had been delivered. The missing case contained 6 doses of diagnostic technetium-99m (a maximum total activity of 9.36 Megabecquerels [253 millicuries] as of ~ 06:30 am on 15 August). Cardinal Health indicates the doses were prepared early the morning of 15 August. The driver who delivered to the customer location on 15 August stated that only one case had been picked up from the pharmacy for that customer. Survey of delivery vehicle confirmed absence of missing radioactive material. The customer is sure that they did not receive the shipment. ORP performed a Cardinal facility site investigation on 19 August. Cardinal Health has not yet been able to explain what actually happened. Cardinal Health and ORP continue to investigate the event (Event Report # WA-05-047)." 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. | Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 41998 | Facility: FRAMATOME ANP RICHLAND RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION Comments: LEU CONVERSION FABRICATION & SCRAP RECOVERY COMMERCIAL LWR FUEL Region: 2 City: RICHLAND State: WA County: BENTON License #: SNM-1227 Agreement: Y Docket: 07001257 NRC Notified By: BOB LINK HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 09/18/2005 Notification Time: 23:49 [ET] Event Date: 09/18/2005 Event Time: [PDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 70.50(b)(1) - UNPLANNED CONTAMINATION | Person (Organization): JOEL MUNDAY (R2) TOM ESSIG (NMSS) | Event Text CONTAMINATION EVENT IN UNCONTROLLED AREA The licensee observed a puddle of water on a blacktop surface in an area outside the Uranium Oxide (UO2) building under conditions where no water would ordinarily be expected. The puddle was characterized as about 4 feet by 8 feet in size. The area was barricaded and samples were taken for analysis. The sample analysis has still not been completed, however, the puddle has evaporated and radiological survey of the blacktop area with a GM tube type probe indicated an on-contact radiological contamination count rate of 4000 CPM (counts per minute). The licensee has covered the blacktop surface with a tarpaulin now that the area is dry and a decontamination plan is under development. The location of the contamination is within the facility's security zone that is not a contamination-controlled area. There was no release or potential of release outside the facility. There was no personnel contamination associated with this event. The licensee believes the contamination is from Uranium but is still awaiting lab results. The source of the contamination is still unknown. The license was performing fire protection deluge testing at approximately the time the puddle was discovered but the connection between this testing and the generation of the contaminated water is not known. The licensee plans to contact the Region. | Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 41999 | Rep Org: GEOMECHANICS Licensee: GEOMECHANICS Region: 1 City: ELIZABETH State: PA County: License #: 37-17332-01 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: WALTER LORENCE HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/19/2005 Notification Time: 08:32 [ET] Event Date: 09/19/2005 Event Time: 07:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | Person (Organization): JOHN WHITE (R1) GREG MORELL (NMSS) TAS (e-mail) () | Event Text STOLEN HUMBOLDT SCIENTIFIC MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE An employee of Geomechanics notified his company that a Humboldt Scientific gauge was stolen from his truck. The moisture density gauge is a Humboldt Scientific (Model 5001, S/N 4731) with 40 millicuries of Am-241/Be and 10 millicuries of Cs-137. The source serial numbers are NJ04997 and 5850CM respectively. The employee was parked overnight in a Holiday Inn Express parking lot in Charleston West Virginia when the theft occurred. The gauge was locked in a container, which was chained to the bed of the truck. The licensee notified the LLEA and they are investigating the incident. The licensee is not expecting any media attention, and is not offering a reward. 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. | Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 42000 | Rep Org: GEOTEST, INC Licensee: GEOTEST, INC Region: 3 City: ST LOUIS State: MO County: License #: 24-26550-01 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: DANIEL BARNES HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/19/2005 Notification Time: 10:10 [ET] Event Date: 09/19/2005 Event Time: 07:30 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | Person (Organization): JULIO LARA (R3) GREG MORELL (NMSS) TAS (e-mail) () | Event Text STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE An employee of GeoTest notified his company that a moisture density gauge was stolen from his job site in Jefferson County, MO. The gauge is a Troxler (Model 3440, S/N 36277) with 40 millicuries of Am-241/Be and 8 millicuries of Cs-137. The employee had the gauge locked inside a cabinet that was inside a locked trailer at the job site. The licensee notified the LLEA (Police Dept in Herculaneum, MO) and they are investigating the incident. The licensee is not expecting any media attention, and is not offering a reward. 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. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 42001 | Facility: TURKEY POINT Region: 2 State: FL Unit: [3] [4] [ ] RX Type: [3] W-3-LP,[4] W-3-LP NRC Notified By: GRANT MELIN HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 09/19/2005 Notification Time: 11:26 [ET] Event Date: 09/19/2005 Event Time: 11:04 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT 10 CFR Section: 50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED | Person (Organization): JOEL MUNDAY (R2) ERIC BENNER () PETER WILSON (IRD) EACHES (FEMA) MIKE INZER (DHS) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 3 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | 4 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE TO HURRICANE RITA "Turkey Point nuclear power plant is under a hurricane warning from the National Hurricane Center, starting at 11:00 EDT for Tropical Storm Rita." On-site facilities are not being activated at this time. No off-site assistance is requested. All 4 Emergency Diesel Generators are available and fully operable if needed. The electrical grid is stable. The licensee has notified the State and local agencies. The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. * * * UPDATE FROM D. FUNK TO W GOTT AT 1917 ON 09/19/05 * * * Tropical storm force winds are expected between 0700 and 2100 on 09/20/05. Maximum expected sustained wind speed is 53 MPH. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R2DO (C Ogle) and R2 IRC (J. Hufham) | Power Reactor | Event Number: 42002 | Facility: SEABROOK Region: 1 State: NH Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: PAUL DUNDIN HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT | Notification Date: 09/19/2005 Notification Time: 16:25 [ET] Event Date: 09/19/2005 Event Time: 07:22 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/19/2005 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 26.73 - FITNESS FOR DUTY | 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 | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY A licensed employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |