| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
04/26/2011 - 04/27/2011 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | !!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!! | | Power Reactor | Event Number: 46709 | Facility: MCGUIRE
Region: 2 State: NC
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: TONY COOK
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 03/30/2011
Notification Time: 07:01 [ET]
Event Date: 03/30/2011
Event Time: 00:10 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/26/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
| Person (Organization):
MARVIN SYKES (R2DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | N | 0 | Cold Shutdown | 0 | Cold Shutdown | Event Text CONTROL ROD MALFUNCTION DURING ROD TESTING RESULTS IN OPERATORS MANUALLY OPENING TRIP BREAKERS
"Rod L-13 did not function as expected during control rod movement test. This rod is in Shutdown Bank C. When withdrawing this bank, rod L-13 did not withdraw and when the bank was manually inserted, rod L-13 began to withdraw. The [operating] crew went to Enclosure 13.2 of the procedure to deal with the misaligned rods. This enclosure has procedural guidance to open the reactor trip breakers, if desired. The reactor trip breakers were opened and all 211 rods are fully inserted. The reactor was not critical. This activity was performed twice [at the request of reactor engineering]."
The licensee will remain in Mode 5 (Cold Shutdown) until troubleshooting and repair is completed.
The licensee will be notifying the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * RETRACTION AT 1528 ON 4/26/2011 FROM JAMES DAIN TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
"This notification pertains to Event Number 46709. Based on further investigation, this event is being retracted.
"The event described in Event Number 46709 involved a control rod malfunction on Unit 2 while in Mode 5, during RCCA movement testing. Specifically, Control Rod 'L-13' in Shutdown Bank 'c' did not move with the bank when the bank was withdrawn from the bottom of the core. When the bank was reinserted to the bottom of the core, L-13 was observed to be 12 steps withdrawn. This condition was corrected by opening the reactor trip breakers which placed L-13 at the bottom of the core. The subsequent troubleshooting plan involved further manipulation of Shutdown Bank 'C' with additional instrumentation on the rod control cabinets. The same anomaly occurred and the reactor trip breakers were again opened.
"This event (both openings of the reactor trip breakers) was reported to the NRC on 3/30/11 as a valid RPS actuation (8-hour report; 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A)). The event in question did not result in any consequences, given that the plant was in Mode 5 and not critical. NUREG-1022, Revision 2 states that actuations that need not be reported are those initiated for reasons other than to mitigate the consequences of an event (e.g., at the discretion of the licensee as part of a preplanned procedure). Notwithstanding the issue of whether opening the reactor trip breakers was to mitigate the consequences of an event, NUREG-1022 cites one valid example of actuations that need not be reported, namely if the actuation was 'at the discretion of the licensee as part of a preplanned procedure'. The purpose of the test being conducted was to identify issues with the control rod system. The malfunction that occurred is one of a host of possible issues that could reasonably be expected to occur. Although the test personnel did not go into the test expecting the need to open the reactor trip breakers, the malfunction that occurred resulted in a desire to open the reactor trip breakers in order to restore the plant to the desired configuration. This action was a choice as allowed by the test procedure, and the personnel involved were aware of the result of the action before it occurred. Therefore, the event constituted a 'pre-planned sequence during testing', and was 'at the discretion of the licensee as part of a preplanned procedure.'
"Based upon the above considerations, the event does not meet the aforementioned criteria for an 8-hour report, and Event Number 46709 is therefore retracted. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector of this update."
Notified the R2DO (Seymour). |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 46778 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: BP PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA
Region: 4
City: TEXAS CITY State: TX
County:
License #: L00254
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN BLANCHARD
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 04/22/2011
Notification Time: 15:29 [ET]
Event Date: 04/21/2011
Event Time: 15:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/22/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (R4DO)
KEVIN O'SULLIVAN (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MALFUNCTIONING GAUGE INVOLVING A CESIUM-137 SOURCE
"On April 21, 2011, at approximately 1530 CDT, a malfunction occurred when a repaired gauge was being installed on a process vessel at the licensee's facility. The device has two 2-curie Cesium-137 sources, each attached to a separate chain, that are lowered into place in the insertion tube via hand crank. When the first source was being lowered into the tube, the mechanism seized and the source could not be raised or lowered. The device was removed from the vessel, the chain was cut, and the source was pulled up and placed into shielded container. The device and two sources were transported back to the service company for repair.
"Gauge information: Thermo Scientific (TFS) model 5220. Device SN: B-36. Source SNs: MB-3946 and MB-3956."
Texas Incident: I-8837 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 46779 | Rep Org: NV DIV OF RAD HEALTH
Licensee: LAMOTHE CARDIOLOGY
Region: 4
City: LAS VEGAS State: NV
County: CLARK
License #: 03-12-0435-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: SNEHA RAVIKUMAR
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 04/22/2011
Notification Time: 18:07 [ET]
Event Date: 03/25/2011
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 04/22/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4DO)
KEVIN O'SULLIVAN (FSME)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISPLACED SOURCE
The following information was received by e-mail from the State of Nevada:
"A vial with serial # S358015-011, containing 198 microcuries of Cs-137, belonging to the licensee, is unaccounted for. Cardinal Health removed all equipment from the licensee's office on the last day of patient care and stored it at Advanced Isotopes. The source was originally from Biotech (currently Cardinal Health). The licensee allegedly tried working with Cardinal Health to clear this up, but to no avail. The licensee plans to contact the RSO of Advanced Isotopes, who is currently out of town, and let the [Nevada] Radiation Control Program know if they have any additional information. The matter is being taken very seriously and is being investigated."
This incident is documented as Nevada Incident- NV110012 and was initially reported to the State of Nevada on 4/12/2011.
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46786 | Facility: COMANCHE PEAK
Region: 4 State: TX
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: RAUL MARTINEZ
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE | Notification Date: 04/26/2011
Notification Time: 03:58 [ET]
Event Date: 04/26/2011
Event Time: 00:20 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/26/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | Y | 1 | Startup | 1 | Startup | Event Text SAFETY RELATED PIPING HAD UNACCEPTABLE AIR VOID
"Engineering reported that an ultrasonic [test] had identified an unacceptable air void in the horizontal run of suction piping from the Refueling Water Storage Tank (RWST) to the Safety Injection pumps, Residual Heat Removal pumps, and Containment Spray pumps. Technical Specification 3.0.3 was entered at 0020 CDT[on] 04/26/2011, and actions were started to remove the [air] void by venting of the suction pipe. Unit 2 was in progress of low power physics testing following refueling outage 2RF12. Inspection for [air] voids is in response to NRC generic letter on voiding in ECCS piping.
"The void was removed from the system by venting. Engineering confirmed with ultrasonic [test] that the void was removed, and Technical Specification 3.0.3 was exited at 0143 CDT [on] 04/26/2011."
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |