Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Event Notification Report for August 18, 2009

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
08/17/2009 - 08/18/2009

** EVENT NUMBERS **

General Information or Other	Event Number: 45259
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Licensee: PAVETEX ENGINEERING AND TESTING INC Region: 4 City: LUBBOCK State: TX County: License #: 05533 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: RUBEN CORTEZ HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL	Notification Date: 08/12/2009 Notification Time: 18:01 [ET] Event Date: 08/11/2009 Event Time: 16:30 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/12/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): JACK WHITTEN (R4DO) ANDREW MAUER (FSME) ILTAB VIA EMAIL ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED

The following was provided by the State via e-mail:

"[An] 8 mCi Cs-137 source [was] stolen from PaveTex at 16:30 CST 8/11/2009 at the O'Reilly Auto Parts on US 87 in Big Spring, TX. [The] Source was in a Troxler model 4640 thin layer density gauge, serial no. 1280. [The State was] notified [at] 15:30 CST on 8/12 that the source was located by a member of the public at the TA Truck stop on I-20 at US-87 north of town and that [the] site RSO had sent someone to pick up [the] gauge."

Texas Incident # - I-8654

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.

General Information or Other	Event Number: 45261
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Licensee: BAKER HUGHES Region: 4 City: TYLER State: TX County: License #: L00446 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ	Notification Date: 08/13/2009 Notification Time: 18:08 [ET] Event Date: 08/12/2009 Event Time: 18:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/13/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): JACK WHITTEN (R4DO) ANDREW MAUER (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POSSIBLE OVEREXPOSURE DURING TRANSPORTATION

"On August 13, 2009, at 1630 the Agency [Texas Department of Health] received a call from the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) stating that they had shipped a 2.5 curie Cesium 137 source via common carrier to Tyler, Texas from Van Buren, Arkansas. Some time after receiving the source in Tyler, Texas, the licensee discovered that the source had been shipped in a container designed to carry Americium. The licensee recreated the event and determined that the dose rate in the cab of the transport truck was 25 millirem per hour. The trip was estimated to take six hours to complete, so the dose to the driver was calculated to be 150 millirem for the trip. The licensee is attempting to identify the driver and will determine additional dose rates required for shipping during their investigation. A survey was conducted by the licensee prior to the package leaving Arkansas and the individual who performed the survey stated that he did not see any unusual dose rates from the package. The RSO stated that they will provide a copy of the survey and additional information as it is gathered. This Agency [Texas Department of Health] will perform an onsite investigation on August 14, 2009, and will provide additional information to the NRC when prudent."

Texas Incident #I-8655

Power Reactor	Event Number: 45269
Facility: QUAD CITIES Region: 3 State: IL Unit: [1] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-3,[2] GE-3 NRC Notified By: RANDALL DEWEERDT HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE	Notification Date: 08/17/2009 Notification Time: 18:51 [ET] Event Date: 08/17/2009 Event Time: 09:31 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/17/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY	Person (Organization): JOHN GIESSNER (R3DO)

Unit	SCRAM Code	RX CRIT	Initial PWR	Initial RX Mode	Current PWR	Current RX Mode
1	N	Y	100	Power Operation	100	Power Operation
2	N	Y	100	Power Operation	100	Power Operation

Event Text

FITNESS FOR DUTY - SUPERVISOR TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL

A licensed employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employee's unescorted access to the plant has been denied. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

Power Reactor	Event Number: 45270
Facility: SUSQUEHANNA Region: 1 State: PA Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4 NRC Notified By: GORDY ROBINSON HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH	Notification Date: 08/18/2009 Notification Time: 02:00 [ET] Event Date: 08/17/2009 Event Time: 12:10 [EDT] Last Update Date: 08/18/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE	Person (Organization): RICHARD CONTE (R1DO)

Unit	SCRAM Code	RX CRIT	Initial PWR	Initial RX Mode	Current PWR	Current RX Mode
2	N	Y	94	Power Operation	94	Power Operation

Event Text

LOSS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA SYSTEM AND SAFETY PARAMETER DISPLAY SYSTEM DUE TO COMPUTER PROBLEMS

"At 1210 hours on 08/17/09, reactor operators noticed [the] Plant Integrated Computer System was beginning to fail. This computer system also performs the Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) and Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) functions. Investigation by computer maintenance personnel was initiated. It was determined that [the] Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) and Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) were not reliable. Redundant, normal control room indications are still available to the operators.

"At 1955 hours on 08/17/09, the Plant Integrated Computer System was restored to service, including the Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) and Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) functions.

"A few hours later at 0004 hours on 08/18/09, the Plant Integrated Computer System failed, including loss of Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) and Emergency Response Data System (ERDS). Reactor power was lowered by 0.3% from the initial authorized limit of 94.4% to 94.1% due to the loss of the core thermal power heat balance provided by the computer system.

"Since the Unit 2 SPDS and ERDS computer systems were not available for greater than an 8 hour time period, this is considered a Loss of Emergency Assessment Capability and therefore reportable under 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(xiii)."

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

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