Event Notification Report for December 23, 2005
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
12/22/2005 - 12/23/2005
EVENT NUMBERS
42225
General Information or Other
Event Number: 42225
Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: WE ENERGIES
Region: 3
City: PORT WASHINGTON State: WI
County:
License #: GL 707237
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL WELLING
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Licensee: WE ENERGIES
Region: 3
City: PORT WASHINGTON State: WI
County:
License #: GL 707237
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL WELLING
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 12/23/2005
Notification Time: 10:31 [ET]
Event Date: 12/23/2005
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/23/2005
Notification Time: 10:31 [ET]
Event Date: 12/23/2005
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 12/23/2005
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3)
SANDY WASTLER (NMSS)
JIM WHITNEY (E-MAIL) (TAS)
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3)
SANDY WASTLER (NMSS)
JIM WHITNEY (E-MAIL) (TAS)
AGREEMENT STATE - LOSS OF TRITIUM SIGNS
"In 2004 the Port Washington Power Plant (PWPP) was demolished in preparation for the construction of a new gas-fired plant. Before demolishing began, 56 exit signs containing Tritium (H-3) were taken down, boxed up and planned for return to Isolite through a contractor. The signs were accounted for in December of 2004 but during the 4th quarter of 2005 WE Energies identified that there was no accounting for the signs disposal. An investigation began and WE Energies spoke with their contractors and sub-contractors. No paperwork was found for the disposal and it appears they were sent to a landfill with the general trash.
"Due to the length of time since disposal, the signs are assumed to be in the landfill buried under general trash. No search of the landfill will be conducted.
"WE Energies has taken four steps to identify and properly manage their exit signs. They are:
1. Conduct a full inventory for exit signs at all WE Energies sites.
2. Develop a procedure for the use, control, handling and disposal or their exit signs.
3. Begin replacing their exist signs containing H-3 with signs not containing H-3.
4. Implement a training program for management on the proper use and control of their exit signs.
"WI DHFS is meeting with WE Energies in January to discuss this incident."
Additional information on the signs is not available at this time. This information will be discussed at the January 2006 meeting. The State of Wisconsin estimates that the signs contained 20-30 Curies each. This equates to a total activity of (56x30) 1680 Curies of tritium.
Wisconsin Event Report ID: 32
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
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. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are 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.
"In 2004 the Port Washington Power Plant (PWPP) was demolished in preparation for the construction of a new gas-fired plant. Before demolishing began, 56 exit signs containing Tritium (H-3) were taken down, boxed up and planned for return to Isolite through a contractor. The signs were accounted for in December of 2004 but during the 4th quarter of 2005 WE Energies identified that there was no accounting for the signs disposal. An investigation began and WE Energies spoke with their contractors and sub-contractors. No paperwork was found for the disposal and it appears they were sent to a landfill with the general trash.
"Due to the length of time since disposal, the signs are assumed to be in the landfill buried under general trash. No search of the landfill will be conducted.
"WE Energies has taken four steps to identify and properly manage their exit signs. They are:
1. Conduct a full inventory for exit signs at all WE Energies sites.
2. Develop a procedure for the use, control, handling and disposal or their exit signs.
3. Begin replacing their exist signs containing H-3 with signs not containing H-3.
4. Implement a training program for management on the proper use and control of their exit signs.
"WI DHFS is meeting with WE Energies in January to discuss this incident."
Additional information on the signs is not available at this time. This information will be discussed at the January 2006 meeting. The State of Wisconsin estimates that the signs contained 20-30 Curies each. This equates to a total activity of (56x30) 1680 Curies of tritium.
Wisconsin Event Report ID: 32
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
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. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are 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.