Event Notification Report for December 28, 2009

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT- DAMAGE TO PORTABLE GAUGE

The following was received via email:

"At 6:15 PM, on 12/28/09, the Nevada Radiation Control Program (RCP) received a phone call from NHP [Nevada Highway Patrol] and was informed that a nuclear density gauge [model CPN MC3 Am-241/Be 50 mCi and Cs-137 10 mCi nominal] had fallen out of a truck in Las Vegas and that the gauge had been destroyed.

"At 6:35 PM, NHP, Las Vegas, contacted [the Nevada RCP Senior RSO] and reported that a nuclear density gauge had fallen from a truck at I-15 and 215 and that his initial instrument reading was 415 micro R/hr at 10 feet. The instrument was destroyed; however the source tube was not ruptured. The NHP was also on the line with [RCP] who was arranging for Metro All Regional Multi-Agency Operations and Response (ARMOR) to respond with other instruments. [The RCP] coordinated from that point with subsequent calls to [the Nevada RCP Senior RSO] to discuss how to proceed. The subsequent instrument readings received from Metro ARMOR indicated that the surface of the device case was 600 mR/hr.

"On the morning of 12/29/09, RCP learned that Instrotek was on the way to the licensee to conduct wipe tests and determine if the gauge could be shipped for repair.

"RCP also took measurements on December 29, 2009 with a calibrated Victoreen 451 P. The measurements were 70 mR/hr at contact with the outside of the shipping container that held the gauge pieces. It was indicated that the licensee was to call the program [State] on 12/29/09 to report the incident. As of this writing the program is awaiting contact from the licensee.

"The state has an inspector in the area, and will continue to keep the NRC informed of the status of our investigation."

The RCP stated that both sources were recovered, intact, and leak tested satisfactory.

Nevada Event #: NV-01-001

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION FOR ELEVATED TRITIUM LEVELS

"On 12/23/09, station management was notified that a sample taken from [James A. Fitzpatrick] JAFs west storm drain was positive for tritium. The sample results were confirmed at 984 pCi/L. The sensitivity of the analysis is 800 pCi/L. The Offsite Dose Calculation Manual (ODCM) lower limit of detection (LLD) requirement for tritium is 3,000 pCi/L with a reporting level of 30,000 pCi/L. Comparing the confirmed activity level in the sample with the reporting criteria, there is little environmental impact, as the sample is more than an order of magnitude below the reporting criteria.

"Although no regulatory limit was exceeded these results were evaluated against the NEI 07-07 guidance for voluntary informal communication of state/local authorities. Since the storm drains communicate with native soil and Lake Ontario, it has been determined that the voluntary informal communication criteria applies. That determination was made at 1515 [EST] on 12/28/09.

"Since the state and local agencies will be notified of the slightly positive indication in the storm drain sample, reporting criterion 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi) was reviewed and based on the public sensitivity to tritium issues, it was determined that a notification to the NRC should be made.

"The site has developed an action plan to address locating the source of the tritium [including] potential remediation actions, inclusion in the annual Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (REMP) report, and evaluation for inclusion as an NRC IN 80-10 pathway. In the interim, both the reactor building perimeter sump and west storm drain have been placed on an increased sampling frequency. The storm drain will be sampled weekly and the reactor building perimeter sump will be sampled daily.

"Background: On 11/03/09 station management was notified that a sample from the reactor building perimeter sump was positive for tritium at 1474 pCi/L. The reactor building perimeter sump was placed on increased monitoring frequency due to the positive indication. Since the sump only communicates with the environment, through the west storm drain, and there was no positive indication of tritium in the west storm drain or in the ground water monitoring wells, it was determined that no 'voluntary informal communication' criteria applied, at that time."

The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

The licensee will notify the state, local, and other government agencies.