| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
08/11/2014 - 08/12/2014 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Agreement State | Event Number: 50335 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: ECO RECYCLING
Region: 1
City: BROCKTON State: MA
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ANTHONY CARPENITO
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 08/01/2014
Notification Time: 11:22 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2012
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/01/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
ANTHONY DIMITRIADIS (R1DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - ALPHATRON IONIZATION VACUUM GAUGE FOUND IN LOAD OF SCRAP METAL
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"On 9/12/12, a scrap metal load shipped by ECO Recycling of Brockton, MA, was rejected by Metal Recycling of Providence, RI, for triggering the site's radiation detectors. The highest vehicle radiation reading was < 0.2 mR/hr. The vehicle returned to Brockton where, on 9/13/12, one device (described as an Alphatron ionization vacuum gauge containing approximately 500 microcuries Radium-226 manufactured by National Resources of Newton, MA approximately 40 years ago) was located and removed from the load by an independent consultant and isolated in secure storage on-site in Brockton for future disposition. The consultant indicated < 0.5 mR/hr readings in accessible areas near the storage container. The original owner not determined. The device continues to be secured at Brockton site as of 8/1/14.
"The Agency [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] considers this event to still be OPEN."
Event Docket #: 19-1408 |
| Non-Agreement State | Event Number: 50339 | Rep Org: MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Licensee: MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Region: 4
City: BOZEMAN State: MT
County:
License #: 25-00326-06
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CURTIS HOFER
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/04/2014
Notification Time: 11:57 [ET]
Event Date: 07/03/2014
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 08/04/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
| Person (Organization):
GREG WERNER (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
CANADA (FAX)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text MISSING NICKEL-63 SOURCE
"On July 3, 2014, Montana State University's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) went to remove the Ni-63 sealed source (14 mCi) from a Varian Model 3400, Serial #13762 (Source Serial #A1059), Gas Chromatograph/Electron Capture Detector (GC/ECD) that was in storage. The RSO is in the process of disposing of all unwanted/unused sources. Upon arriving, the RSO found that the GC/ECD was no longer in CB 28 [Chemistry/Biochemistry Room 28] as it was three months earlier during the semi-annual sealed source leak test inspection. None of the individuals occupying the space had any idea what happened to the device.
"An email, including a picture of the device was sent to all personnel in both the transferor (Land Resources/Environmental Science) and transferee (Chemistry/Biochemistry) departments. In addition a lab by lab search of all chemistry labs was conducted by the RSO. As of this date, the GC/ECD has not been found. The RSO is in the process of continuing the search on the rest of the campus.
"Ni-63 is a low energy (67 keV) beta emitter. The beta energy necessary to penetrate the skin is 70 keV. Therefore, it is very unlikely for anyone to receive a dose from it unless it was broken open and injected, ingested, or inhaled.
"Corrective actions:
1. Two other unused GC/ECDs were picked up by the RSO and taken to his secure lab for removal of the Ni-63 sources to prevent the incident from happening again.
2. The three remaining GC/ECDs are being required to be put on active protocols.
3. During the search for the missing GC/ECD, another GC/ECD was revealed to be in another lab which has not been registered with the RSO. Therefore, the RSO has requested that all Principal Investigators (PIs) report all radiation producing equipment to him immediately.
4. The RSO is also currently meeting with each PI using radioactive material to verify they do not have the missing GC/ECD nor are there any other unreported radiation producing devices on campus.
5. The RSO has also placed a notice on all GC/ECDs stating, the RSO must be contacted prior to relocating this device.
6. All personnel in labs containing radiation producing equipment will be trained to report to the RSO any relocation of these devices.
7. The RSO has been placed under disciplinary action by the Director of the Office of Research Compliance.
8. The RSO will be conducting a search of the remainder of the MSU campus to locate the missing GC."
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 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 50340 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: CONSTRUCTION TESTING AND ENGINEERING, INC
Region: 4
City: NORTH HIGHLANDS State: CA
County:
License #: CA 5927-34
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KENT PREDERGAST
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 08/04/2014
Notification Time: 14:49 [ET]
Event Date: 08/30/2013
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/04/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
GREG WERNER (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED MOISTURE/DENSITY GAUGE
The following information was received via email from the State of California:
"The current corporate RSO (will also to be assigned as the future RSO for this license) contacted RHB [California Radiologic Health Branch] to report incident that happened on 08/30/13. The RSO was conducting an audit of the program and learned that one of their gauges (Troxler model 3411, S/N 4089, containing 9 mCi of Cs-137 and 44 mCi of Am-241 was run over by a compactor at the Lower Butte Creek Levee Project on 08/30/13. The field technician had reported the incident to the RSO [at the time of the incident]. The rod was broken, however, the source was contained within the shielded part of the gauge assembly. The technician brought the damaged gauge back to the licensee's storage facility and it was stored there until it was picked up by PNT on July 24, 2014. The RSO failed to inform the incident to RHB within 24 hrs. and the incident was reported to RHB almost a year later. The licensee is in the process of changing the RSO to the corporate RSO. Recently, the new RSO has provided refresher training to all the gauge users. The facility will be cited for failure to report the incident per CCR 30295 (b) and 10 CFR 30.50 (b) and for failure to follow procedures."
CA Report No: 072414 |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 50354 | Facility: TURKEY POINT
Region: 2 State: FL
Unit: [3] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [3] W-3-LP,[4] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL COEN
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 08/11/2014
Notification Time: 14:20 [ET]
Event Date: 08/11/2014
Event Time: 10:20 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/11/2014 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
| Person (Organization):
REBECCA NEASE (R2DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 3 | A/R | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 0 | Hot Standby | Event Text MANUAL REACTOR TRIP ON LOSS OF INSTRUMENT AIR FOLLOWED BY SAFETY INJECTION
"This is an non-emergency notification to the NRCOC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center] in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) for a valid actuation of the reactor protection system (RPS) (four hour notification) and 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) for a valid Engineered Safeguards (ESF) actuation (eight hour notification) due to auxiliary feedwater (AFW) initiation , safety injection (SI) initiation, and emergency diesel generator (EDG) auto start.
"On 8/11/14 at 1028 EDT, Unit 3 experienced a manual reactor trip due to a loss of instrument air. Auxiliary feed water automatically initiated as expected. Unit 3 is currently in Mode 3 and stable. Instrument air has been restored.
"At 1305 a safety injection signal [SI] occurred due to main steamline high differential pressure during a plant cooldown to 470 degrees Fahrenheit. High head safety injection (HHSI) pump, residual heat removal (RHR) pumps, and emergency diesel generators (EDGs) auto started as expected due to the safety injection signal. Based on plant conditions, the HHSI and RHR pumps did not inject into the reactor coolant system."
The plant was stabilized after the reactor trip, however, the loss of instrument air resulted in a loss of letdown and PZR level continued to slowly increase to approximately 91%. All rods fully inserted and normal offsite power was maintained.
Operators initiated a plant cooldown to stabilize and lower PZR level using the S/G atmospheric steam dumps. Unequal opening of the S/G atmospheric steam dumps caused the SI to occur due to main steamline high differential pressure. No RCS injection occurred and all SI equipment operated as expected and has been subsequently secured. Unit 3 is stable in mode 3 at 490 degrees Fahrenheit and RCS pressure is 1940 psig. There was no effect on Unit 4 which continues to operate at 100% power. The loss of instrument air is being investigated.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 50355 | Facility: BRUNSWICK
Region: 2 State: NC
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: JOSEPH STINSON
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ | Notification Date: 08/12/2014
Notification Time: 05:04 [ET]
Event Date: 08/12/2014
Event Time: 04:32 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/12/2014 | Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
| Person (Organization):
REBECCA NEASE (R2DO)
ABY MOHSENI (NRR)
BERNARD STAPLETON (IRD)
VICTOR McCREE (R2RA)
DAN DORMAN (NRR)
|
| 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 | Event Text UNUSUAL EVENT FOR A HALON RELEASE NEAR THE TSC AND EOF
The licensee declared an Unusual Event because of a halon discharge in the simulator. This potentially affects access and habitability of the Technical Support Center and the Emergency Operations Facility. The Unusual Event was declared under HU3.1 "toxic, corrosive, asphyxiant, or flammable gases in amounts that have or could have adversely affected normal plant operations." The fire brigade has been dispatched to determine whether a fire actually exists.
The licensee informed State and local agencies and the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified other FEDS (FEMA Ops Center, DHS NICC Watch Officer, DHS SWO) and (Nuclear SSA, FEMA NWC) via email. | |