U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 09/11/2009 - 09/14/2009 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45338 | Facility: MONTICELLO Region: 3 State: MN Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-3 NRC Notified By: WILLIAM STANG HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/10/2009 Notification Time: 13:06 [ET] Event Date: 09/10/2009 Event Time: 09:13 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/12/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION | Person (Organization): MARK RING (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 | Event Text STATE OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO NOT MEETING PERMIT REQUIREMENTS "The Minnesota State Pollution Control Agency and State Department of Emergency Management were notified today, September 10, 2009, that Monticello did not meet the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. "Samples from a new monitoring well near the reactor building showed low levels of tritium greater than normal background but below Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards. The concentration of tritium is below any radiological reporting levels established in station procedures. No elevated levels have been detected in any of the other permanent plant monitoring wells. Therefore, we have no indications that there has been a release of tritium beyond the site from this source. The station will continue to monitor, sample and investigate the source of the tritium." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. * * * UPDATE FROM B. CALLSTROM TO V. KLCO AT 1201 ON 9/12/2009 * * * "A subsequent water sample from a new monitoring well near the reactor building indicated a level of 21,300 picocuries/liter of tritium which is slightly above the Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard for tritium of 20,000 picocuries/liter. No elevated levels have been detected in any of the other permanent plant monitoring wells. Therefore, [the licensee has] no indication that there has been a release of tritium beyond the site from this source. The station will continue to monitor, sample and investigate the source of the tritium. "This poses no immediate safety concern for plant employees or the general public." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified the R3DO (Ring). | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45339 | Facility: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR Region: 4 State: AR Unit: [1] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] B&W-L-LP,[2] CE NRC Notified By: CLAY REED HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 11:32 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: 10:25 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE | Person (Organization): DAVID PROULX (R4DO) | 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 | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling | Event Text SPDS REMOVED FROM SERVICE FOR MAINTENANCE "Arkansas Nuclear One Unit 2 is removing the Safety Parameter Display System (SPDS) from service for preventative maintenance and scheduled corrective maintenance. SPDS is a computer based system that is utilized by both Unit 1 and Unit 2 to provide critical information during an emergency. Unit 2 is currently in a refueling outage. Unit 1 is on line at 100% power. Compensatory measures are being taken to ensure that necessary backup monitoring is established on Unit 1. The maintenance window is scheduled to be open for 24 hours." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. The licensee made a courtesy notification to the Arkansas Department of Health. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45340 | Facility: DUANE ARNOLD Region: 3 State: IA Unit: [1] [ ] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-4 NRC Notified By: SCOTT AREBAUGH HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 12:40 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: 11:01 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE | Person (Organization): MARK RING (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 | Event Text TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER UNAVAILABLE DUE TO MAINTENANCE "At 1100 on Friday, September 11, 2009 a portion of the Duane Arnold Energy Center power plant (DAEC) Technical Support Center (TSC) ventilation system, Technical Support Center (TSC) air conditioning system, and Technical Support Center (TSC) computer system was removed from service for maintenance on Technical Support Center (TSC) electrical power supply. "The electrical power supply being removed supports air conditioning, filtration system and computers. "Under certain accident conditions the TSC may become unavailable due to the inability of the ventilation system to maintain a habitable atmosphere and loss of computer systems. Compensatory measures exist to rapidly restore power to the TSC if necessary based upon TSC activation requirements. "The TSC power supply maintenance is scheduled to complete at 1800 on Friday, September 11, 2009. The licensee has notified the NRC Senior Resident Inspector. This notification is being made in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72 (b) (3) (xiii) due to loss of an emergency response facility." * * * UPDATE FROM SCOTT AREBAUGH TO VINCE KLCO AT 1802 ON 9/11/2009 * * * The TSC power supply maintenance has been completed and the Technical Support Center(TSC) is now fully available. The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified the R3DO(Ring). | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45341 | Facility: LASALLE Region: 3 State: IL Unit: [1] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] GE-5,[2] GE-5 NRC Notified By: JOHN KEENAN HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 13:52 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: 09:04 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE | Person (Organization): MARK RING (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 TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER UNAVAILABLE "On September 11, 2009, while performing a quarterly surveillance on the Technical Support Center Emergency Diesel Generator, the automatic transfer switch failed to swap as required. This resulted in both the normal and emergency feed to the Technical Support Center losing power. At 1026, the automatic transfer switch was mechanically transferred to the normal feed, restoring the power to the Technical Support Center. "The Outage Control Center was staffed to prepare repair plans for the Automatic Transfer Switch. These repairs will restore backup power capability to the Technical Support Center. Actions are in progress to identify the necessary parts and generate the work packages to restore the backup power capability. "The licensee has notified the [NRC] Senior Resident Inspector." | General Information or Other | Event Number: 45343 | Rep Org: SARGENT & LUNDY LLC Licensee: SARGENT & LUNDY LLC Region: 3 City: CHICAGO State: IL County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: PAULA SCHOLL HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 16:00 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 21.21 - UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH | Person (Organization): DAVID PROULX (R4DO) ALAN BLAMEY (R2DO) PART 21 GROUP () | Event Text PROBLEM WITH SEISMIC SOIL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS SOFTWARE "ACS SASSI (Sargent & Lundy Program No. 03.7.848-2.21) by Ghiocel Predictive Technologies Inc. (GPT) is a program which performs seismic soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis. Sargent & Lundy (S&L) purchased licenses to use ACS SASSI NQA Version 2.2.1 from GPT in 2008 and verified and validated the software under S&L's QA program. "S&L used ACS SASSI for seismic analysis activities for South Texas Project Units 3 & 4 (STP 3&4). "On July 14, 2009, during SSI analysis of the Control Building performed to address the STP 3&4 Shear Wave Velocity Departure, irregularities were observed in the results obtained using ACS SASSI and the analysis was halted. The irregularities in turn led us to question the results for the Ultimate Heat Sink / Reactor Service Water Pump House (UHS/RSWPH) completed earlier. "Our investigations, including a review of other uses of the software, indicate that numerical instability may occur with high numbers of soil layers, even when soil layer properties and number of soil layers (less than or equal to 100) are within the parameters stated in the User's Manual. Our investigations indicate that the results for the Control Building with 94 layers, the Reactor Building with 84 layers, and the UHS/RSWPH with 100 layers are not reliable. Some individual results are conservative, others are not. "S&L recommended to the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) that the work performed using ACS SASSI NQA Version 2.2.1 relied upon to support licensing positions and to support the design basis be reanalyzed using SASSI 2000, Version 3.0. STPNOC accepted this recommendation. "S&L is no longer using ACS SASSI for production work. In addition, we have investigated whether SASSI 2000 has similar irregularities. We concluded that SASSI 2000 does not have this condition and is fundamentally sound." | Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 45344 | Rep Org: HAWAII ADVANCED IMAGING INSTITUTE Licensee: QUEENS MEDICAL CENTER Region: 4 City: HONOLULU State: HI County: License #: 53-16533-02 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: RONALD FRICK HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 15:54 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: 09:00 [HST] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.1906(d)(1) - SURFACE CONTAM LEVELS > LIMITS | Person (Organization): DAVID PROULX (R4DO) MARK SHAFFER (FSME) | Event Text EXTERNAL CONTAMINATION ON RECEIVED SHIPMENT The Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute received a daily shipment of F18 isotopes in two separate package that indicated a contamination level of 5086 dpm/100 square centimeters on package #1 and 12936 dpm/100 square centimeters on package #2. The limit is 2200 dpm/ 100 square centimeters. The packages are currently stored in the hot lab at the Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute. The carrier company (Queens Medical Center of Honolulu) was notified of the contamination event. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45345 | Facility: MCGUIRE Region: 2 State: NC Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: WARREN MOORE HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 09/11/2009 Notification Time: 18:08 [ET] Event Date: 09/11/2009 Event Time: 17:18 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/11/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xii) - OFFSITE MEDICAL | Person (Organization): ALAN BLAMEY (R2DO) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 2 | N | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling | Event Text TRANSPORT OF A POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED INDIVIDUAL OFFSITE A potentially contaminated individual was transported offsite for medical treatment due to an injury in a normally clean area inside the site's radiologically controlled area (RCA). The individual was a contractor working for Bartlett Nuclear and initial indications are that a fall caused a back injury. The individual was transported to the Carolina Medical Center in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. A site senior health physics technician accompanied the individual to the medical center. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. * * * UPDATE FROM THAD REAMES TO PETE SNYDER ON 9/11/09 AT 1900 * * * The contract employee taken to the hospital has been confirmed not to be radioactively contaminated, nor is the Ambulance or other areas contaminated. Notified R2DO (Blamey). | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45347 | Facility: SAN ONOFRE Region: 4 State: CA Unit: [ ] [2] [ ] RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] CE,[3] CE NRC Notified By: BILL POIRIER HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 09/13/2009 Notification Time: 16:12 [ET] Event Date: 09/13/2009 Event Time: 12:43 [PDT] Last Update Date: 09/13/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL | Person (Organization): DAVID PROULX (R4DO) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 2 | A/R | Y | 94 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP FOLLOWING TURBINE TRIP FOR LOSS OF CONDENSER VACUUM "The SONGS Unit 2 reactor automatically tripped from approximately 94% power at 1243 PDT due to loss of turbine load caused by lowering main condenser vacuum. Prior to the reactor trip, personnel were attempting to conduct a heat treat on Unit 2. During this evolution, Gate 5 in the main circulating water system was being repositioned when it stopped moving at 45 percent. This resulted in a recirculation and subsequent increase in circulating water temperature, a lowering main condenser vacuum, a loss of load on the main turbine, and an associated automatic reactor trip. "All rods inserted on the automatic reactor trip and the electric grid is stable. "This event report is being made under 10CFR50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) as a valid Reactor Protection System actuation." Decay heat is being removed via normal feedwater to steam generators steaming through the condenser bypass valves to the main condenser. "At the time of this event, SONGS Unit 3 was operating at approximately 99% power." The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | Power Reactor | Event Number: 45348 | Facility: PEACH BOTTOM Region: 1 State: PA Unit: [ ] [3] [ ] RX Type: [2] GE-4,[3] GE-4 NRC Notified By: CAMERON CAMPBELL HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ | Notification Date: 09/14/2009 Notification Time: 01:49 [ET] Event Date: 09/13/2009 Event Time: 22:44 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/14/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL | Person (Organization): RAY POWELL (R1DO) | Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | 3 | M/R | Y | 0 | Startup | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO SHORT PERIOD DURING PLANT SHUTDOWN "During the scheduled shutdown to commence the Peach Bottom Unit 3 refueling outage, Unit 3 was manually shutdown using the mode switch in accordance with GP-3, 'Normal Plant Shutdown,' when reactor period lowered below 50 seconds as indicated on the WRNM [Wide Range Nuclear Monitoring] system. The Feedwater Startup Level Controller was in automatic set at 23" when a small addition of cold water added enough positive reactivity to cause reactor period to be less than 50 seconds. The shortest period observed was 44 seconds. The WRNM system RPS [Reactor Protective System] automatic SCRAM setpoint is 19 seconds." All control rods inserted into the core. Decay heat is being removed by shutdown cooling. The plant is continuing into its scheduled refueling outage. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |