| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
11/29/2007 - 11/30/2007 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 42581 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: LICON ENGINEERING
Region: 4
City: EL PASO State: TX
County:
License #: L05530
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: LATISCHA HANSON
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 05/16/2006
Notification Time: 22:49 [ET]
Event Date: 05/16/2006
Event Time: 16:15 [MST]
Last Update Date: 11/29/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM JONES (R4)
PATRICIA HOLAHAN (NMSS)
ILTAB (via email) ()
MEXICO (via fax) ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A LOST MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The licensee while transporting a Campbell Moisture Density Gauge S/N MC1391 from one jobsite to another in El Paso, TX, discovered upon arrival that the tailgate of the truck was down and the transport case with gauge were missing. The loss occurred within a sixteen (16) mile radius of the intersection of Hawkins Blvd. and Montana Ave. The licensee acknowledged to the TX Department of Health representative that the instrument had not been properly secured prior to transport. The gauge contains two (2) sources, i.e., 50 millicuries Am-241/Be and 10 millicuries Cs-137.
The licensee informed local law enforcement and the TX Department of Health. TX Incident No. I-8338
**** UPDATE ON 5/17/06 AT 2250 EDT VIA E-MAIL FROM LATISCHA HANSON TO SANDIN ****
Incident # correction: It should be I-8337.
**** UPDATE ON 5/29/06 AT 2057 EDT FROM LATISCHA HANSON TO KNOKE ****
The licensee (RSO) contacted the TX Department of Health representative to indicate that a trucker who is presently in Chicago, IL., found the instrument. The RSO requested the trucker FedEx the gauge back to the licensee. When the State tried the trucker's phone number they received a message that the number is disconnected. No other identification concerning the trucker was available.
Contacted NMSS (Janosko) and R4DO (Cain). Emailed ILTAB and Mexico.
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED FROM LATISCHA HANSON TO JEFF ROTTON AT 2110 EST ON 11/29/07 * * *
The State provided the following information via email:
"On November 24, 2007 at 3:08 pm CST, the Incident Investigation Program (IIP) was contacted by the local El Paso, Texas FBI during the State holiday office closure, that the [moisture density] gauge had been recovered by the local police department and retained for evidence. The individual had made a call to the local fire department reporting that his family may have been exposed to radiation from a piece of equipment on his property. The local fire department in turn contacted the local police department, who discovered it was the reported stolen gauge in May 2006. The local police department contacted the local FBI. The individual was questioned thoroughly by the FBI and finally admitted to having picked up the gauge over a year ago. The FBI asked if it was ok to return the gauge to the owner; IIP gave the ok. The FBI will contact the licensee owner to retrieve the gauge from them. The FBI agent reported the gauge was intact. It is still being decided if the individual will be prosecuted.
"On November 27, 2007 at 3:38 pm CST, IIP received a telephone call from the licensee asking if they could take possession of the gauge and asked if they had any more reporting requirements. They were given permission to take possession, asked to submit in writing to the licensing program that the gauge was found and to give information that gauge was checked and found to be intact. The licensee agreed."
Notified R4DO(Pick), FSME EO (Rathbun), ILTAB (via email), and Mexico (via Fax).
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 injured 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: 43813 | Facility: MILLSTONE
Region: 1 State: CT
Unit: [ ] [ ] [3]
RX Type: [1] GE-3,[2] CE,[3] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: GARY CLOSIUS
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 11/29/2007
Notification Time: 16:31 [ET]
Event Date: 11/28/2007
Event Time: 17:24 [EST]
Last Update Date: 11/29/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
JOHN ROGGE (R1)
FREDERICK BROWN (NRR)
BRIAN McDERMOTT (IRD)
|
| 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 OF HIGH TRITIUM LEVELS IN SUMP
"This communication is being made in accordance with 50.72(b)(2)(xi) and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Industry Ground Water Protection Initiative. Millstone Power Station and other nuclear power stations across the country are participating in this voluntary initiative to develop and improve ground water protection programs at nuclear power stations. This communication provides notification of preliminary sample analysis of water that seeped into the foundation drain sump outside of the Millstone Unit 3 engineered safety features building. This water is pumped to the station yard drain system and discharged to Long Island Sound via a permitted and monitored pathway for the station. Tritium was detected at a concentration of approximately 34,000 picoCuries per liter in a sample of the water from the sump. The NEI reporting threshold for tritium concentrations is 20,000 picoCuries per liter.
"Investigation into the source of the tritium is underway and at the present time the source has not been determined.
"The presence of tritium at this location does not present a health hazard to plant employees or the general public. Samples from several wells closest to the affected sump show no detectable concentrations of tritium. Additional sampling is underway. Based on the known hydrology of the site, public drinking water supplies are not affected.
"The licensee notified the following agencies: CT Department of Environmental Protection, CT Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, CT Department of Public Utilities Control, The Town of Waterford, and The Town of East Lyme."
The licensee performed pump maintenance in the sump. At the same time, they performed samples of the water in the sump and found the high tritium concentration in the samples taken.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |