| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
03/02/2006 - 03/03/2006 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 42172 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: LEIGHTON AND ASSOCIATES
Region: 4
City: IRVINE State: CA
County:
License #: 3109-30
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DONELLE KRAJEWSKI
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 11/28/2005
Notification Time: 13:25 [ET]
Event Date: 11/28/2005
Event Time: 07:22 [PST]
Last Update Date: 03/02/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
ANTHONY GODY (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
TAS via email ()
MEXICO via fax ()
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A STOLEN NUCLEAR GAUGE
"At 0830 on November 28, 2005, RHB-Brea received a call from the licensee that one of their gauges (CPN, MC1-DRP, #MD20306488 containing 10 mCi Cs-137 and 50 mCi Am-241:Be) was stolen out of their construction trailer that was located at a temporary job site (KB Homes - "The Cove" construction site, located at the corner of Warren Road and Cottonwood in San Jacinto, CA). Three of the four construction trailers at this job site had been broken into over the same time period - the security metal plates (covering the locks to the doors) had all been pried open and the locks to the doors were cut off and were removed from the site. The theft occurred sometime between 1130 on November 23, 2005 (when the gauge user secured the gauge inside the construction trailer) and 0722 on November 28, 2005 (when the gauge user returned to the job site and discovered the theft). The last leak test for this gauge was performed on January 4, 2005 and was negative for removable contamination. The licensee contacted the San Jacinto Police Department to report the theft. They will also post a $1000 reward for the gauge in the local paper."
"CA NMED #: XCA-824"
* * * UPDATE FROM D. KRAJEWSKI TO W. GOTT AT 1925 ON 03/02/06 * * *
The gauge was located about a week ago and returned to the owner Leighton and Associates. The gauge was not damaged. A leak test was performed and the results are pending. Local law enforcement are still investigating.
Notified R4DO (Whitten), NMSS EO (Flanders), emailed to ILTAB and Mexico.
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. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42379 | Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: RICH KLINEFELTER
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY | Notification Date: 03/01/2006
Notification Time: 22:22 [ET]
Event Date: 03/01/2006
Event Time: 21:27 [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/02/2006 | Emergency Class: ALERT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
CHRISTOPHER CAHILL (R1)
MELVYN LEACH (IRD)
JOSE CALVO (NRR)
JIM DYER (NRR)
SAM COLLINS (RA)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 93 | Power Operation | 93 | Power Operation | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text ALERT DECLARED DUE TO HALON DISCHARGE IN SECURITY CONTROL CENTER
"At 21:27 on March 1, 2006, a Susquehanna security officer evacuated the security control center and notified the control room of a fire alarm and actuation of the Halon fire suppression system. The actuation of this system resulted in a potential atmosphere immediately dangerous to life and health [IDLH] of personnel in a plant vital area. The fire brigade responded to the event, donning respirators to enter the building, but saw no visible smoke or flames. As a result of an IDLH atmosphere in a plant vital area, Susquehanna entered the emergency plan at the Alert level."
The NRC Resident Inspector was informed and responded to the site. The licensee notified state, local and other government agencies. The licensee plans on issuing a press release.
Notified DHS (Hill), FEMA (Liggett), DOE (Bailey), EPA (National Response Center, Baumgartner), HHS (Riggs), and USDA (D. Timmons).
* * * UPDATE AT 0530 EST ON 3/2/06 FROM RICH KLINEFELTER TO S. SANDIN * * *
The licensee terminated the Alert 0433 EST based on the following:
Habitability was restored to the security control center by
1. Stopping the Halon discharge
2. Ventilating the affected area
3. Restoring access
4. Isolating Halon sources in the adjacent area to prevent a recurrence and,
5. Posting Fire Watches.
The licensee informed State/local agencies and the on-site NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified Region I (Perry), NRR EO (Calvo), IRD (Leach), DHS (Hill), FEMA (Liggett), DOE (Pauley), EPA (National Response Center, McCrossen), HHS (H. Peagler), and USDA (D. Timmons). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42381 | 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: BILL GOTT | Notification Date: 03/02/2006
Notification Time: 18:48 [ET]
Event Date: 03/02/2006
Event Time: 14:30 [MST]
Last Update Date: 03/02/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
JACK WHITTEN (R4)
|
| 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 OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
"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.
"This is a report of a situation, related to the protection of the environment, for which a notification to another government agency has been or will be made, as described in 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(xi).
"Specifically, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) notified the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) of the possibility of a discharge of non-hazardous material that has the potential to cause groundwater limits to be exceeded
"At Palo Verde Unit 3, water was observed in a concrete pipe vault that was abutted against soil. The source of the water appeared to becoming from seals around the pipes and originating from the ground behind the pipe chase. The area behind the pipe chase contains a series of pipes buried in a layer of compacted soil. In order to characterize the water and identify its source, a pothole, approximately 13 feet deep and reinforced with a perforated drain pipe was dug in the radiological controlled area yard so that a sample of the water could be obtained. Initial results from the unit laboratory indicated the presence of tritium. A confirmatory sample was collected and analyzed by the State certified laboratory at Palo Verde that confirmed the presence of tritium at a concentration of approximately 7.14 x 10 -5 microCurie per milliliter. The Aquifer Protection Permit Aquifer Quality Limit for tritium is 2.00 x 10 -5 microCurie per milliliter.
"At this time we are working to identify the source. We currently have no evidence that the water has contaminated any aquifer but are continuing with our investigation. Palo Verde's ground-water monitoring program - in place since the unit operations began - has validated that no tritium has been present in any wells or aquifers in any quarterly samples. PVNGS has just finished collecting its quarterly monitoring samples. Analyzed samples have no indication of tritium. The remaining samples will be completed next week.
"No Technical Specification effluent limits have been exceeded. No Offsite Dose Calculation Manual (ODCM) effluent limits have been exceeded. No federal effluent limits have been exceeded. Palo Verde has not identified any health or safety risk to the public or onsite personnel.
"No source of leakage or release path has been identified, therefore no release rate or total quantity released has been quantified.
"Unit 3 is operating at approximately 100% rated thermal power at normal operating temperature and pressure.
"This information is also being reported to the Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |