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Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Event Notification Report for February 9, 2016

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
02/08/2016 - 02/09/2016

** EVENT NUMBERS **


51698 51699 51703 51705 51716

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Agreement State Event Number: 51698
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: PURCELL, RHOADES & ASSOC.
Region: 4
City: PLEASANT HILL State: CA
County:
License #: 2898
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GREGER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER 		Notification Date: 01/29/2016
Notification Time: 16:42 [ET]
Event Date: 01/28/2016
Event Time: 17:00 [PST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
THOMAS FARNHOLTZ (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
CNSNS (MEXICO) (FAX)
ILTAB (EMAI)

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST/STOLEN NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received from the State of California via email:

"[The licensee] states that the nuclear density gauge was inside a box in company van parked in the public street on the side of the building. It was discovered missing once they needed to use it for a job. [The State] was notified that the item had been missing for approximately 24 hours.

"Nuclear Gauge information:
Unit: CPN-Campbell Pacific Nuclear MC3 ; Serial # M37107962.
Additional information: Substance Type: Cesium -137, Amount: 10 mCi; Americium -241, Amount: 50 mCi."

The State of California, Department of Public Health Radiologic Health Branch received notification from the California's Governor's Office of Emergency Services. The licensee has contacted local law enforcement and a search for the gauge is still ongoing. Additional information will be provided when available.

California Report No. 012916

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

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Agreement State Event Number: 51699
Rep Org: NE DIV OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
Licensee: ISG & ASSOCIATES
Region: 4
City: OMAHA State: NE
County:
License #: 01-116-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JULIA SCHMITT
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER 		Notification Date: 01/29/2016
Notification Time: 17:06 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2016
Event Time: [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
THOMAS FARNHOLTZ (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received from the State of Nebraska via email:

"The Radiation Safety Officer for the Nebraska Radioactive Materials licensee reported that a Humboldt Model 5001, Serial Number 5624 industrial gauge had been damaged today (1/29/2016) at a temporary job site in Falls City, NE. The gauge contains 10 mCi of Cs-137 and 40 mCi of Am-241/Be. The user had left the gauge unattended for a brief time, and upon returning, found that a construction vehicle had run over the gauge. The gauge handle was broken and the case damaged. The source was able to be retracted, however the shutter was damaged and could not be completely closed. Wipe tests verified that there was no leakage from the source. Office of Radiological Health staff were dispatched to the scene."

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Agreement State Event Number: 51703
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: MORAVEK BIOCHEMICALS, INC
Region: 4
City: BREA State: CA
County:
License #: 2960
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GREGER
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK 		Notification Date: 01/30/2016
Notification Time: 13:11 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2016
Event Time: [PST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
THOMAS FARNHOLTZ (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - CONTAMINATION FOUND ON RECEIPT INSPECTION

The following report was received from the State of California via email:

"Moravek received a package of tritium from Merck and Company (Rahway, New Jersey) on 1/29/16 by [common carrier] delivery (non-exclusive use). Upon performing the receipt radiological survey, Moravek personnel reported finding removable contamination of tritium on the external package surfaces up to 44.75 dpm/square cm. The applicable regulatory limit is 22 dpm/square cm based on wiping a 300 square cm area. Moravek personnel reported they estimate they wiped 100 square cm areas. The results of 5 wipes (approximately 500 square cm) performed by Moravek personnel of the package surfaces yielded an average of 26.4 dpm/square cm.

"The contamination regulatory limit is identical for all beta and gamma emitting radionuclides. However, the safety significance of the contamination is nuclide specific, and ranges up to a factor in excess of 10,000 for common beta/gamma emitting radionuclides. Tritium is on the very low end of the safety significance spectrum, with for example, the safety significance of tritium contamination being approximately a factor of 4000 less than the safety significance of a similar contamination level of Cs-137. The dose consequences of the highest wipe concentration of 44.75 dpm/square cm of tritium found on the package is therefore very minor.

"The [common carrier] RSO was notified of the contamination wipe results. The New Jersey radiation control program will also be notified."

California 5010 Number: 012916

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Agreement State Event Number: 51705
Rep Org: NJ RAD PROT AND REL PREVENTION PGM
Licensee: FRENCH & PARRELLO ASSOCIATES
Region: 1
City: WALL TOWNSHIP State: NJ
County:
License #: PI #507834
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CATHY BIEL
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH 		Notification Date: 02/01/2016
Notification Time: 15:40 [ET]
Event Date: 02/01/2016
Event Time: 13:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/01/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
JOHN ROGGE (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - TROXLER SOURCE SEPARATED FROM SOURCE ROD

The following information was obtained from the State of New Jersey via facsimile:

"[The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection] was informed by a portable gauge licensee of a complete failure of their portable gauge source rod resulting in the sealed source (containing 8 mCi of Cs-137) dropping from the rod onto the ground. The incident occurred at Monmouth University this morning [2/1/16] at a construction site there. The loose source is in a concrete container and locked up at their licensed facility awaiting a lead pig sent overnight from Troxler. A survey has been conducted around the storage area to confirm that exposure there is below public dose limit.

"The licensee's initial report from the field suspected that the failure of the containment was due to the advanced age of the gauge - reported at 20 years."

Event Report ID No.: NJ #16-02-01-1239-01

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Power Reactor Event Number: 51716
Facility: PERRY
Region: 3 State: OH
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL DOTY
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD 		Notification Date: 02/08/2016
Notification Time: 17:50 [ET]
Event Date: 02/08/2016
Event Time: 15:03 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/08/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) - RPS ACTUATION - CRITICAL
 Person (Organization):
DAVID HILLS (R3DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 M/R Y 100 Power Operation 0 Hot Shutdown

Event Text

MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM FOLLOWING SPURIOUS OPENING OF TWO SAFETY RELIEF VALVES

"At 1500 EST on February 8, 2016, two safety relief valves (SRV) opened upon a spurious Division 2 initiation signal. This caused suppression pool temperature to increase. At 1503 EST, plant operators took action to manually SCRAM the reactor at 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the suppression pool per plant procedures. The SRVs closed immediately following the scram at 1503 EST. The cause of the SRVs opening is currently under investigation.

"During the scram, all rods fully inserted into the core. Reactor Pressure is stable with decay heat being removed via turbine bypass valves to the main condenser. Reactor level control is currently being maintained via feedwater. Main Steam Isolation Valves are open. Cool down and depressurization to Mode 4 to follow. The plant is in a normal post SCRAM electrical line-up."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021