| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
02/15/2011 - 02/16/2011 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information | Event Number: 46348 | Rep Org: GE HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY
Licensee: GE HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY
Region: 1
City: WILMINGTON State: NC
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DALE PORTER
HQ OPS Officer: ERIC SIMPSON | Notification Date: 10/20/2010
Notification Time: 12:54 [ET]
Event Date: 10/20/2010
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 02/15/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
21.21 - UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH
| Person (Organization):
MARIE MILLER (R1DO)
RANDY MUSSER (R2DO)
STEVE ORTH (R3DO)
VIVIAN CAMPBELL (R4DO)
PART 21 GP VIA EMAIL ()
| Event Text PART 21 - CRACK INDICATIONS IN MARATHON CONTROL ROD BLADES
The following was received via facsimile:
"A recent inspection of near 'End-of-Life' Marathon Control Rod Blades (CRB) at an international BWR/6 has revealed crack indications. The CRB assemblies in question were manufactured in 1997. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) continues to investigate the cause(s) of the crack indications. Once the cause of the crack indications is determined, GEH will evaluate the nuclear and mechanical lifetime limits of the Marathon Control Rod Blade design in light of the new inspection data, and make revised lifetime recommendations, if necessary.
"This 60-day interim notification, in accordance with 10CFR Part 21.21(a)(2), is sent for all plants that are D lattice, BWR/2-4 or S lattice, BWR/6 plants. Since there have been no reported cracking occurrences in C lattice assemblies to date, these CRBs are tentatively eliminated from the investigation. C lattice, BWR/4-5 plants have been included on Attachment 2 for identification. Should the results of the investigation implicate the C lattice plants, the final resolution to this 10CFR Part 21 evaluation will include the C lattice plants."
The D lattice and S lattice plants in the US that are affected by this notification include Nine Mile Point, Unit 1; Millstone, Unit 1; Fitzpatrick; Pilgrim; Vermont Yankee; Grand Gulf; River Bend; Clinton; Oyster Creek; Dresden, Unit 2; Dresden, Unit 3; Peach Bottom, Unit 2; Peach Bottom, Unit 3; Quad Cities, Unit 1; Quad Cities, Unit 2; Perry, Unit 1; Duane Arnold; Cooper; Monticello; Brunswick, Unit 1; Brunswick, Unit 2; Hatch, Unit 1; Hatch, Unit 2; Browns Ferry, Unit 1; Browns Ferry, Unit 2; and Browns Ferry, Unit 3.
* * * UPDATE FROM DALE PORTER TO ERIC SIMPSON VIA FAX AT 1556 ON 12/1/2010 * * *
"In August 2010, GE Hitachi (GEH) performed the planned inspection of four near 'End-of-Life' CRBs at 'Plant O.' The inspection revealed crack indications on all four Control Rod Blades (CRBs). The observed cracks are much more numerous, and have more material distortion than previously observed. Further, the cracks occur at a much lower reported local B-10 depletion than previously observed, with cracking predominantly starting at approximately 40% local depletion, whereas previous inspections observed cracking only above 60% local depletion.
"The cracks at 'Plant O' are also more severe, in that they resulted in missing capsule tube fragments from two of the inspected CRBs. A lost parts analysis performed for 'Plant O' determined that there is no negative affect on plant performance due to the missing tube fragments.
"At this point in the investigation, no causal or contributing factors unique to the 'Plant O' CRBs, nor their operation, has been identified.
"Including the inspections at 'Plant O,' GEH has now completed the visual inspection of 97 irradiated Marathon CRBs, with 10 showing crack indications. As 'Plant O' is an S lattice design, all crack indications are still confined to D and S lattice applications, with no crack indications on C lattice designs. When considering only D and S lattice applications that are near 'End-of-Life' depletion limits, 10 of 23 control rod inspections have revealed crack indications."
Notified R1DO (Schmidt), R2DO (Shaeffer), R3DO (Ring), R4DO (Powers) and Part 21 Group.
* * * UPDATE FROM DALE PORTER TO JOHN SHOEMAKER VIA FACSIMILE AT 0934 EST ON 02/15/2001 * * *
"Subject: Part 21 Reportable Condition Notification: Design Life of D and S Lattice Marathon Control Blades
"GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) has completed its evaluation of the cracking of Marathon Control Rod Blades (CRB) at an international BWR/6. This issue was initially reported on October 20, 2010 as GEH letter MFN 10-327 (Reference 1). Additional information was provided on December 1, 2010 as GEH letter MFN 10-351 (Reference 2).
"GEH has determined that the design life, of D and S lattice Marathon Control Blades may be less than previously stated. The design life if not revised, could result in significant control blade cracking and could, if not corrected, create a substantial safety hazard and is considered a reportable condition under 10 CFR Part 21.21 (d). Marathon C lattice Control Blades are not affected by this condition. The information contained in this document informs the NRC of the conclusions and recommendations derived from GEH's investigation of this issue."
Notified R1DO (Ferdas), R2DO (McCoy), R3DO (Kozak), R4DO (Gaddy) and Part 21 Group. |
| Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 46608 | Facility: NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES INC.
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: HEU CONVERSION & SCRAP RECOVERY
NAVAL REACTOR FUEL CYCLE
LEU SCRAP RECOVERY
Region: 2
City: ERWIN State: TN
County: UNICOI
License #: SNM-124
Agreement: Y
Docket: 07000143
NRC Notified By: RIK DROKE
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 02/11/2011
Notification Time: 13:42 [ET]
Event Date: 02/10/2011
Event Time: 17:02 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/11/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
74.57 - ALARM RESOLUTION
| Person (Organization):
GERALD MCCOY (R2DO)
DAVID PSTRAK (NMSS)
FUELS OUO GRP EMAIL ()
| Event Text MATERIAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY (MC&A) ALARM RESOLUTION
"10 CFR 74.57 (f) (2) requires notification within 24 hours that an MC&A alarm resolution procedure has been initiated. In the solvent extraction area of Building 333, the input minus output value exceeded the MC&A limit. Because the alarm investigation procedure has been initiated, this notification is being made. There is no indication that a material loss has occurred.
"There were no actual or potential safety consequences to workers, the public, or the environment."
The licensee has notified NRC Region 2 and the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Non-Agreement State | Event Number: 46615 | Rep Org: MALLINCKRODT INC.
Licensee: MALLINCKRODT INC.
Region: 3
City: MARYLAND HTS State: MO
County: ST. LOUIS
License #: 24-04206-01
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES SCHUH
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 02/15/2011
Notification Time: 11:30 [ET]
Event Date: 02/15/2011
Event Time: 10:20 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/15/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
| Person (Organization):
LAURA KOZAK (R3DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
CANADA (VIA)
|
| This material event contains a "Category 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text MISSING TC-99 GENERATOR
The licensee was shipping a 16 Curie MO-99/TC-99 Generator inside a 49 lb depleted uranium cask with an activity level of 8.09 millicuries of U-238 to a customer in Port Huron, Michigan. Shipping documents indicate that the ground courier (Associated Couriers, Inc.) had taken custody of the shipment from the air courier (AirNet) and transported it to its warehouse near Detroit, Michigan. When the ground courier went to make delivery of the device to the customer, the shipment could not be located. The licensee has contacted both the ground courier and air courier as well as the customers along the delivery route in an attempt to find the device.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours. It could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example: level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46616 | Facility: SAN ONOFRE
Region: 4 State: CA
Unit: [ ] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: DENNIS MORRIS
HQ OPS Officer: RYAN ALEXANDER | Notification Date: 02/15/2011
Notification Time: 17:40 [ET]
Event Date: 02/15/2011
Event Time: 11:40 [PST]
Last Update Date: 02/15/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
VINCENT GADDY (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | | 3 | N | N | 0 | Hot Standby | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text OFF-SITE NOTIFICATION OF SEWAGE SPILL CONTAINED ON-SITE (<100 GALLONS)
"On February 15, 2011, at about 0830 PST, approximately 65 gallons (calculated maximum of 98 gallons) of partially treated sewage spilled on the ground and into a concrete ditch at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) at the Mesa area while cleaning up from the plant overflow on 2-11-11. The spill was contained, vacuumed up, and returned to the sewage treatment plant. At approximately 1140 PST, Southern California Edison notified the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health was notified at 1220 PST.
"Unit 2 is operating at approximately 100% power and Unit 3 is in Mode 3 after a steam generator replacement and refueling outage."
The licensee will notify the Resident Inspector. | |