Event Notification Report for March 11, 2013

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
03/08/2013 - 03/11/2013

** EVENT NUMBERS **


48628 48792 48793 48799 48800 48814

To top of page
Power Reactor Event Number: 48628
Facility: FORT CALHOUN
Region: 4 State: NE
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: (1) CE
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL PEAK
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER
Notification Date: 12/27/2012
Notification Time: 15:46 [ET]
Event Date: 12/27/2012
Event Time: 14:45 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
HEATHER GEPFORD (R4DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N N 0 Cold Shutdown 0 Cold Shutdown

Event Text

SCHEDULED OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER (OSC) OUTAGE FOR EQUIPMENT UPGRADE

"Fort Calhoun Station (FCS) will be implementing a scheduled modification to renovate and upgrade the interior configuration of the site's Operational Support Center (OSC). The OSC is located within the Technical Support Center (TSC). The TSC will remain fully operable. Due to the construction, beginning on December 27, 2012 with a planned completion date of February 27, 2013, the OSC will be inoperable. An alternate OSC has been established on-site and is fully operable."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE AT 0900 EST ON 03/08/13 FROM MICHAEL PEAK TO S. SANDIN * * *

"This is an update to Event Notification 48628, dated December 27, 2012.

"On March 8th, 2013, Fort Calhoun Station (FCS) will be entering a new phase of scheduled modifications to renovate and alter the interior configuration of its Technical Support Center (TSC). The TSC ventilation system will not be functional during this phase of modification. Combined with renovations, the primary TSC and OSC will be inoperable. An alternate OSC and TSC have been established. If the Emergency Response Organization is activated the alternate emergency facilities will be available for emergency responders per existing Emergency Plan procedures.

"The project is scheduled to be completed April 12, 2013. An update to this report will be provided when the TSC renovation is complete."

The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R4DO (Werner).

To top of page
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Power Reactor Event Number: 48792
Facility: FORT CALHOUN
Region: 4 State: NE
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: (1) CE
NRC Notified By: DAVID ORTIZ
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER
Notification Date: 02/28/2013
Notification Time: 15:34 [ET]
Event Date: 02/27/2013
Event Time: 15:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/08/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
DON ALLEN (R4DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N N 0 Cold Shutdown 0 Cold Shutdown

Event Text

TEST LAB FAILED TO IDENTIFY POSITIVE SAMPLES

"Per 10 CFR 26.719 section (c)(2) the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) is making this notification of an apparent false positive error that has occurred on a blind performance test sample submitted to the Health and Human Services (HHS)-certified laboratory used for drug testing.

"On February 27, 2013, OPPD was notified that two positive drug samples that were part of a blind performance test package provided by Professional Toxicology and submitted to Clinical Reference Laboratory tested negative. Currently Professional Toxicology indicates that the two positive samples were provided with the NRC required positive levels for the drug.

"OPPD will investigate the issue and report to the NRC as required by part 26.719(c)(1). Professional Toxicology and Clinical Reference Laboratory are contracted by OPPD as required by NRC regulations to provide fitness for duty services."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * RETRACTION AT 1640 EST ON 3/8/2013 FROM MICHAEL PEAK TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *

"Additional investigation has determined that the samples submitted by Professional Toxicology did not contain the required levels of the drug being tested. The analysis performed by Clinical Reference Laboratory was correct. There was not a reportable condition per 10 CFR 26.719. Therefore, this report is being retracted."

The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified the R4DO (Powers).

To top of page
Agreement State Event Number: 48793
Rep Org: VIRGINIA RAD MATERIALS PROGRAM
Licensee: CARILION CLINIC
Region: 1
City: ROANOKE State: VA
County:
License #: 770-051-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHARLES COLEMAN
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL
Notification Date: 02/28/2013
Notification Time: 16:22 [ET]
Event Date: 02/27/2013
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/28/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
ART BURRITT (R1DO)
FSME EVENT RESOURCE (EMAI)

Event Text

PATIENT RECEIVED LESS THAN PRESCRIBED DOSE TO LIVER

The following was received via fax from the Commonwealth of Virginia:

"On February 27, 2013, a patient was treated with Y-90 microspheres (SIRTeX SIR-Spheres) for a liver lesion. The prescribed activity was 11.3 millicuries. Measurements of the residual activity in the delivery system indicated only 8.4 millicuries was delivered to the patient, resulting in a total dose differing from the prescribed dose by 25.9 percent. Notifications were made to the referring physician and patient. The licensee will submit a written report of the event within 15 days."

VA Event Report: VA-13-0003

A Medical Event may indicate potential problems in a medical facility's use of radioactive materials. It does not necessarily result in harm to the patient.

To top of page
Agreement State Event Number: 48799
Rep Org: NJ RAD PROT AND REL PREVENTION PGM
Licensee: UNKNOWN
Region: 1
City: PORT ELIZABETH State: NJ
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: PATRICIA GARDNER
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL
Notification Date: 03/01/2013
Notification Time: 11:36 [ET]
Event Date: 03/01/2013
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/01/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
ART BURRITT (R1DO)
FSME EVENT RESOURCE (EMAI)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SHIPMENT CONTAINING CESIUM-137 FOUND

The following was received from the State of New Jersey via email:

"Provided below is a summary of the Bureau of Environmental Radiation (BERad) response received today. The owner of the shipment is International Forest Products Corporation (IFP) located in Massachusetts. Therefore, the State of Massachusetts Radiation Control Program was contacted. MA staff contacted IFP who determined that the shipment was originally sent to China and rejected. IFP was informed of this rejection, but was not given a reason for the rejection. The bails of paper came from Connecticut. Because Connecticut is not an Agreement State, the NRC Region 1 was contacted to determine if there was a licensee at that location. State of Connecticut radiation control staff were contacted.

"The source is shielded, secure and awaiting disposition. At this time it has not been determined who will hire the licensed contractor to package and ship the material for disposal, nor who the contractor will be.

"At 1453 on 2/28/13, RMP [New Jersey Radioactive Materials Program] personnel received notification from the Communication Center that an international shipping container on a truck was being held at Port Elizabeth due to elevated levels of Cs-137. The FBI, Union City Bomb Squad, Fire Department, EMS, and DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] emergency response responded. Per direction from the FBI, the truck was unloaded at the U.S. Customs East Coast Warehouse at the Port. The container was opened and the contents, which was found to be bales of paper, were unloaded and surveyed. An approximately 6 inch object wrapped in cardboard and duct tape was identified as the source of the elevated readings. The source was isolated and secured by Emergency response personnel, who placed the source in a lead pig (which was shorter than the source), then placed the pig in a 5 gallon pail filled with vermiculite.

"On 3/1/13, RMP personnel responded to the U.S. Customs East Coast Warehouse to obtain readings and confirm the information that had been reported. DEP emergency response personnel were also at the site today. The highest reading on the outside of the bucket was 220 uR/hr, compared with a background of 10uR/hr. The highest reading with the lid of the bucket removed was 300 uR/hr. Emergency Response placed the bottom part of a second lead pig on top the pig they used yesterday in order to ensure the entire source was covered. The two pieces were then taped together.

"The highest reading when the source was out of the pig was 2.5 mR/hr on contact. A wipe indicated that the source was not leaking. The highest reading once the source was shielding by the pigs was 20 uR/hr. The pigs were placed in the 5 gallon pail which was then placed in a 55 gallon drum filled with vermiculite. The highest reading on the 55 gallon drum was 15 uR/hr. All readings were obtained with a Victoreen Model 450P ion chamber.

"A spectrum of the source, taken with an identiFinder, identified the nuclide as Cs-137."

To top of page
Agreement State Event Number: 48800
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: STERIGENICS US LLC
Region: 4
City: FORT WORTH State: TX
County:
License #: 03851
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL
Notification Date: 03/01/2013
Notification Time: 16:34 [ET]
Event Date: 02/28/2013
Event Time: 23:58 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/01/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
DON ALLEN (R4DO)
FSME EVENT RESOURCE (EMAI)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - IRRADIATOR RACK FAILED TO LOWER

The following was received from the State of Texas via email:

"On March 1, 2013, the Agency [State of Texas] was notified by the licensee that at 2358 hours on February 28, 2013, one of the two sources failed to full lower into its storage pool. The rack had dropped 11 of 24 feet when it became stuck.

"The operator determined that the drive had failed, disengaged the motor from the drive mechanism, and the source lowered into the fully shielded position on its own. The licensee stated all alarms and interlocks functioned as designed. No exposure was received by any individual as a result of this event.

"The licensee stated that on March 1, 2013, they replaced the drive motor and successfully tested it. The licensee has not determined the cause for the motor failure. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Incident #: I-9047

To top of page
Power Reactor Event Number: 48814
Facility: PALO VERDE
Region: 4 State: AZ
Unit: [1] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: SEAN DAVISON
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK
Notification Date: 03/09/2013
Notification Time: 04:57 [ET]
Event Date: 03/08/2013
Event Time: 19:21 [MST]
Last Update Date: 03/09/2013
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
Person (Organization):
DALE POWERS (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 Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
3 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

SPENT FUEL POOL CRITICALITY ANALYSIS OF RECORD NOT REVISED FOLLOWING POWER UPRATE

"During review of industry operating experience, engineering personnel determined the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS) analysis of record (AOR) for Spent Fuel Pool (SFP) criticality was not revised to support a license amendment to allow power uprate to 3990 MW thermal. The power uprate impacted the reactivity of fuel discharged to the SFP but the SFP criticality AOR was not revised to account for the impact to fuel reactivity. At 1921 [MST] on March 8, 2013, PVNGS received preliminary analysis from Westinghouse that indicates the current AOR for SFP criticality is nonconservative due to the impact of the power uprate. However, significant margin is maintained to SFP criticality at the current Technical Specification minimum SFP boron concentration requirement of 2150 parts per million (ppm) and additional margin is provided by procedure requirements which maintain SFP boron concentration greater than 4000 ppm. Margin also exists due to the maximum fuel enrichment used at PVNGS being less than the fuel enrichment assumed in the AOR.

"The SFP criticality analysis supports Technical Specification (TS) LCOs 3.7.15 (Fuel Storage Pool Boron Concentration) and 3.7.17 (Spent Fuel Assembly Storage) as well as TS Design Features 4.3.1 (Fuel Storage Criticality).

"This notification is being made pursuant to the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.72 (b)(3)(ii)(B) to describe an unanalyzed condition. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of this condition."

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021