| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
09/20/2017 - 09/21/2017 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | !!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!! | | Power Reactor | Event Number: 52848 | Facility: COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION
Region: 4 State: WA
Unit: [2] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [2] GE-5
NRC Notified By: SID MORRISON
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA | Notification Date: 07/11/2017
Notification Time: 17:45 [ET]
Event Date: 07/11/2017
Event Time: 07:50 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/20/2017 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION
| Person (Organization):
DAVID PROULX (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 | Event Text FLOW INDICATING SWITCH FOR HIGH PRESSURE CORE SPRAY UNRELIABLE INDICATION
"This report is being made pursuant to 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) as an event or condition that could have prevented fulfillment of a safety function. On July 11th, 2017, it was discovered that the flow indicating switch for the high pressure core spray (HPCS) minimum flow valve was providing unreliable indication. There was no flow through the line at the time the condition was discovered. This switch provides the flow signal to the HPCS minimum flow valve logic.
"The switch was declared inoperable and the required actions of Technical Specification 3.3.5.1 were entered. This condition could have prevented the HPCS system, a single train safety system, from performing its specified safety function. Troubleshooting is underway to determine the cause of and correct the condition."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * RETRACTION FROM DAN SHARPE TO KARL DIEDERICH AT 1710 EDT ON 9/20/17 * * *
"The condition reported in Event notification #52848 pursuant to 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) has been evaluated, and determined not to have met the threshold for classification as an Event or Condition the Could Have Prevented Fulfillment of a Safety Function.
"Engineering analysis has concluded that the affected switch was capable of performing its required support function to provide the flow signal to the HPCS minimum flow valve logic. Thus, the HPCS system remained capable of performing its specific function for the identified condition."
The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.
Notified R4DO (G. Miller). |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 52965 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: BASF CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: BISHOP State: TX
County:
License #: 06855
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ | Notification Date: 09/12/2017
Notification Time: 16:14 [ET]
Event Date: 09/11/2017
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/12/2017 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - THREE GAUGES WITH STUCK SHUTTERS
The following information was received from the State of Texas via email:
"On September 12, 2017, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that during routine inspections, three Berthold nuclear gauges were found with shutters stuck in the open position. Two of the gauges were model LB7442D each containing a 30 millicurie (original activity) cesium-137 source and one was a model LB300L containing a 44.7 millicurie (original activity) cobalt-60 source.
"The shutter on the model LB300L gauge was stuck in the open position. The lock on the shutter on one of the model LB7442D gauge could not be removed. The locking latch on the other model LB7442D gauge would not operate. The RSO stated a service company has been contacted to repair the gauges and is expected to be on site by September 15, 2017. No individual will receive significant exposure to radiation due to this event."
Texas Report: I-9509 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 52978 | Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: GFA INTERNATIONAL INC.
Region: 1
City: FT. MYERS State: FL
County:
License #: 3021-2
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: TIM DUNN
HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE | Notification Date: 09/19/2017
Notification Time: 16:54 [ET]
Event Date: 09/19/2017
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/20/2017 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
SILAS KENNEDY (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE
The following information was received from the State of Florida via email:
"[The State of Florida Bureau of Radiation Control] received a call from [the licensee] RSO to report a stolen Troxler gauge. An employee from GFA International had the gauge stolen from the back of his truck while at a convenience store. Awaiting the police report for more information."
The stolen gauge is a Troxler Moisture Density Model 3430, S/N 29415, containing two sources; 8 mCi Cs-137 and 40 mCi Am241/Be.
* * * UPDATE ON 9/20/17 AT 1215 EDT FROM TIM DUNN TO DONG PARK * * *
The following information was received from the State of Florida via email:
"[The State of Florida Bureau of Radiation Control] received a call from [the licensee RSO] to report that the gauge has been found. A contractor onsite found the gauge on 9/19 and secured it until [the licensee RSO] could be located and took possession of the gauge on 9/20. The case has a small crack, but all radiation readings are normal."
Incident Number: FL17-256
Notified R1DO (Kennedy) and NMSS Events Notification via email.
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 |
| Non-Power Reactor | Event Number: 52980 | Facility: KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
RX Type: 250 KW TRIGA MARK II
Comments:
Region: 0
City: MANHATTAN State: KS
County: RILEY
License #: R-88
Agreement: Y
Docket: 05000188
NRC Notified By: AMIR BAHADORI
HQ OPS Officer: STEVEN VITTO | Notification Date: 09/20/2017
Notification Time: 13:13 [ET]
Event Date: 09/19/2017
Event Time: 14:49 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/20/2017 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
NON-POWER REACTOR EVENT
| Person (Organization):
SPYROS TRAIFOROS (NPR)
BETH REED (NPR)
| Event Text REACTOR BAY VENTILATION INOPERABLE
The following was received via email:
"The exhaust plenum monitor (EPM) was sent out for calibration a couple of weeks ago. It was received back on September 17, 2017, and returned to service. [On 9/20/17,] one of the senior reactor operators noticed that the noble gas detector was not responding properly. It was turned off. A relay on the EPM controls reactor bay ventilation, which is required to be operable per Technical Specifications. If the EPM alarms, ventilation is turned off. This relay was rewired to use only the two operating EPM detectors. Despite this, the reactor bay ventilation was observed to not operate as expected. The problem was traced back to a separate faulty relay, which was subsequently bypassed. The senior reactor operator had access to a control room breaker, and planned to manually cut power to the ventilation system if the EPM or continuous air monitor alarmed. An experiment was installed that has the potential to release radioactive gases; the reactor was started up at 1449 CDT and shut down at 1743 CDT. No increases in radiation levels were observed during or after operations. The ventilation system was operating during reactor operations.
"As previously mentioned, reactor bay ventilation is required to be operable per Technical Specifications. Operable is defined as being capable of performing it's intended function in a normal manner. Manually cutting power to the ventilation system via control room breaker is not considered normal operation for the ventilation system. According to Technical Specifications, the reactor may be operated with the ventilation system inoperable, but reactor experiment operations with the potential to release radioactive gases or aerosols must be secured. While the apparatus was secured according to the definition in Section 1 of the Technical Specifications, the experiment was still performed, and so experiment operations were not secured in accordance with the Limiting Condition of Operation." | |