Event Notification Report for May 16, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
5/15/2019 - 5/16/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **


539685405354064


Power Reactor Event Number: 53968
Facility: PALO VERDE
Region: 4     State: AZ
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: GEORGE LESTER
HQ OPS Officer: CATY NOLAN
Notification Date: 04/01/2019
Notification Time: 06:40 [ET]
Event Date: 03/31/2019
Event Time: 20:06 [MST]
Last Update Date: 05/15/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION
50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) - POT UNCNTRL RAD REL
Person (Organization):
MICHAEL VASQUEZ (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

Event Text

UNANALYZED CONDITION DUE TO ECCS LEAKAGE

"At 2006 [MST], on 3/31/2019, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1 Shift Manager was informed that leakage was measured from the Train A Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) piping at approximately 100 ml/minute through a High Pressure Safety Injection (HPSI) A drain valve. This value exceeds the assumed 3000 ml/hour ECCS leakage for a large break loss of coolant accident analysis. At 0230 [MST] on April 1, 2019, the valve was flushed and the leakage reduced to 10 ml/minute (600 ml/hour) and was no longer above the limit of the safety analysis. This condition is being reported as an unanalyzed condition per 10 CFR 50.72(b)3)(ii)(B) and a condition that could have prevented the fulfillment of a safety function to the control the release of radioactive material per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(C). This event did not result in an abnormal release of radioactive material.

"Notification received by Caty Nolan and emailed to HOO.HOC@NRC.GOV
The NRC asked a followup question:
Why was the criterion for Control of Radioactive Material selected?
per the PVNGS Unit 1 Shift Manager, this criterion was selected due to the potential of exceeding offsite dose projections, post recirculation, following a Design Basis Accident."

The resident inspector has been notified.

* * * UPDATE ON 05/15/19 AT 1417 EDT FROM SEAN DORNSEIF TO BETHANY CECERE * * *

"An engineering evaluation concluded that the as-found ECCS leakage would not have degraded the performance of the Pump Room Exhaust Air Cleanup system; therefore, it remained operable.

"The evaluation also concluded that the as-found leakage was within the analysis margins for HPSI pump hydraulic performance and containment flood level following a Large Break Loss of Coolant Accident; therefore, the ECCS also remained operable.

"Based on the above information, the condition identified on March 31, 2019, was an unanalyzed condition per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B), but did not prevent the fulfillment of the safety function of the structures or systems that are needed to control the release of radioactive material per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(C).

"The NRC resident inspectors have been informed."

Notified R4DO (Proulx).


Agreement State Event Number: 54053
Rep Org: UTAH DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: ALS LABORATORY GROUP ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION
Region: 4
City: SALT LAKE CITY   State: UT
County:
License #: UT 1800237
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: PHILIP GRIFFIN
HQ OPS Officer: JOANNA BRIDGE
Notification Date: 05/07/2019
Notification Time: 13:57 [ET]
Event Date: 04/26/2019
Event Time: 15:00 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 05/07/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RYAN ALEXANDER (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST CALIBRATION SOURCES

The following was received via e-mail:

"During a routine [Utah Division of Radiation Control] inspection on April 26, 2019, the licensee discovered that two planchet sources containing radioactive materials were missing from its secured laboratory. The sources were used to calibrate a wipe counting system that the licensee rarely used. One source contained 9.9 nanoCuries of strontium-90 (Sr-90) and the other source contained 17.81 nanoCuries of plutonium-239 (Pu-239). The activity of the Sr-90 source was well below the exempt quantity threshold. The inspector gave the licensee until May 3, 2019, to search for the sources and to let the inspector know the results of the search. On May 2, 2019, the licensee informed the Division that, after an exhaustive search, the licensee had failed to locate the sources. Following a review of the applicable rules by Division staff on May 6, 2019, the inspector verified with the licensee that the sources were still missing and informed the licensee of the incident notification requirements and the anticipated enforcement activities to be taken by the Division."

Event Report No.: UT190001

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


Power Reactor Event Number: 54064
Facility: COMANCHE PEAK
Region: 4     State: TX
Unit: [] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: ROBERT DANIELS
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA
Notification Date: 05/15/2019
Notification Time: 02:21 [ET]
Event Date: 05/14/2019
Event Time: 21:51 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/15/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
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 92 Power Operation

Event Text

VOLTAGE TRANSIENT DUE TO LOSS OF OFFSITE SWITCHYARD

"At 2151 CDT, on 14 May 2019, Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (CPNPP) experienced a voltage transient within the onsite 138kV switchyard due to the loss of one of the offsite switchyards supplying power to the CPNPP 138kV switchyard. The reduction in safeguards bus voltage due to the transient caused the Unit 2 safeguard busses to load shed and perform a slow transfer to power supplied from 345kV transformer XST2A. Unit 2 was subjected to actuation of both blackout sequencers causing an automatic start of both motor driven Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW) pumps as well as the turbine-driven AFW pump.

"No emergency diesel generators started by design. All AFW pumps have been returned to standby status. All other safety systems functioned as designed. Unit 1 is currently defueled, and was unaffected by this event.

"The licensee has notified the NRC resident inspector."

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021