| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
10/16/2009 - 10/19/2009 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 45382 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: BETABATT
Region: 4
City: ALVIN State: TX
County:
License #: L-05961
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ | Notification Date: 09/25/2009
Notification Time: 14:50 [ET]
Event Date: 09/25/2009
Event Time: 12:45 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/16/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL SHANNON (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING SEALED SOURCE OF TRITIUM
"On September 1, 2009, the Agency [Texas DEH] received a call from the Florida Bureau of Radiation Control notifying them that during a routine inspection of a facility in Florida, they found tritium contamination on and outside of a container that contained a prototype tritium battery sent to them by a company in Alvin, Texas. The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) at the Texas facility was contacted by this Agency [Florida]. The RSO stated that the facility had shipped two of the six batteries they had made from their facility to Florida. He stated that they had not had contamination issues in the past with these batteries and he believed the contamination event was caused by the testing facility when they opened the outer battery housing to determine the cause of a failure. He stated that they had not experienced any significant contamination issues at their facility.
"On September 18, 2009, in response to additional information provided by the State of Florida, an Agency [Texas DEH] inspector conducted an onsite investigation at the facility in Alvin. The inspector performed a removable contamination survey in the area where the batteries are handled and stored. During his investigation of the event, the inspector learned that the seven batteries were manufactured in a city outside of the State of Texas. One was shipped to the facility in Florida directly, and six were shipped to the facility in Alvin, Texas.
"On September 24, 2009, the Agency [Texas DEH] received notification that the results of the tritium survey done at the facility indicated all swipes exceeded the limit for unrestricted use. The Agency [Texas DEH] contacted the licensee and informed the licensee of their results. Documents regarding previous radiological surveys for the battery storage area, leak test of the 3D diodes, receipt survey on the six 3D diodes that were sent from the manufacturer, and any Bioassays that have been performed on their staff were requested from the licensee.
"On September 25, 2009, at 12:45 PM (local) the Agency [Texas DEH] was notified by the licensee that the area had been isolated and that decontamination work would go on for an undetermined period of time. The licensee has begun providing the requested information. Updates will be provided as additional pertinent information is obtained."
Texas Incident #I-8668.
See also Event Notification #45358 for the notification made by the State of Florida on the same event.
* * * UPDATE AT 1745 EDT ON 10/16/09 FROM ART TUCKER TO S. SANDIN * * *
The following update was received from the State of Texas via email:
"On October 13, 2009, the Agency received copies of surveys performed by BetaBatt at their Texas facility. These surveys indicated contamination levels of tritium to be between 8,000 dpm and 300,000 dpm after the first decontamination effort, and between 51,325 dpm and 16,500 dpm after the second decontamination effort. The licensee is considering additional decontamination techniques to reduce the activity. The report also indicated that two individuals had received bioassay analysis. The results indicated that the two individuals had received small body burdens. The licensee has contacted Rice University and REAC/TS for assistance."
Notified R4DO(Cain) and FSME EO(Delligatti). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45440 | Facility: PERRY
Region: 3 State: OH
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: DAVID DUESING
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 10/16/2009
Notification Time: 01:48 [ET]
Event Date: 10/16/2009
Event Time: 00:48 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/16/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
| Person (Organization):
ERIC DUNCAN (R3DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | M/R | Y | 30 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Shutdown | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM DUE TO REACTOR RECIRCULATION PUMP TRIP
"On October 16, 2009 at 0048 a manual reactor scram was inserted at the Perry Nuclear Plant.
"The plant was conducting a planned shutdown due to the Division 2 Emergency Service Water inoperability. While shifting reactor recirculation pumps to slow speed the 'A' pump failed to transfer and tripped off. Following stabilization from this event a manual reactor scram was inserted from approximately 30% power. This was different from the initial planned shutdown sequence.
"Following the scram all systems operated as expected. The plant is stable in Mode 3. The plant will transition to Mode 4 in accordance with Technical Specification 3.7.1 (Emergency Service Water Inoperability) required actions."
All control rods fully inserted and the plant electrical power is in a normal line-up.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Other Nuclear Material | Event Number: 45441 | Rep Org: BASIN ELECTRIC POWER COOPERATIVE
Licensee: BASIN ELECTRIC POWER COOPERATIVE
Region: 4
City: WHEATLAND State: WY
County:
License #: 33-18224-01
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID CUMMINGS
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 10/16/2009
Notification Time: 13:43 [ET]
Event Date: 02/16/2007
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 10/16/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
30.50(b)(2) - SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
| Event Text COAL BUNKER FIRE DAMAGED DENSITY GAUGE CONTAINING 50 MILLICURIE CS-137
Subsequent to discussions with NRC Region IV (J. Thompson), the licensee is reporting a fire in one of their coal bunkers in late February 2007 damaged a Texas Nuclear Model 5192 density gauge (S/N B4745) containing 50 milliCurie Cs-137. The gauge was fix mounted in Unit 2 approximately 20 feet above the floor. After the fire was extinguished, a radiological survey of the gauge indicated that the source was still in the gauge. The licensee hired a contractor who removed and disposed of the gauge. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 45443 | Facility: VOGTLE
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: TONY PARTON
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 10/16/2009
Notification Time: 15:57 [ET]
Event Date: 10/14/2009
Event Time: 17:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/16/2009 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
| Person (Organization):
RANDY MUSSER (R2DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | N | 0 | Hot Standby | 0 | Hot Standby | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT INVOLVING A NON-LICENSED CONTRACT SUPERVISOR
A non-licensed contract employee supervisor failed to disclose derogatory information as required by the fitness-for-duty program. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.
The licensee will inform the NRC Resident Inspector. | |