Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2019

Event Notification Report for October 17, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
10/16/2019 - 10/17/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **

Agreement State	Event Number: 54317
Rep Org: ARIZONA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: NEI GEOTECHNICAL Region: 4 City: YUMA State: AZ County: License #: 14-028 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA	Notification Date: 10/08/2019 Notification Time: 17:08 [ET] Event Date: 09/05/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [MST] Last Update Date: 10/08/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): RAY KELLAR (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) ILTAB (EMAIL) - CNSNS (MEXICO) (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE STOLEN FROM JOB SITE

The following report was received from the Arizona Department of Health Services via email:

"The Department [Arizona Department of Health Services] received notification on October 8, 2019, that a Humboldt 5001 series, SN#5820, portable gauge was stolen from a work site in San Luis, Arizona, on September 5, 2019. The portable gauge contains 44 milliCuries of americium-241 and 11 milliCuries of cesium-137. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the San Luis Police Department were notified of the event by the licensee on September 5th and a police report was filed. The Department [Arizona Department of Health Services] has requested additional information and continues to investigate the event."

Arizona Incident Number: 19-023

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

Fuel Cycle Facility	Event Number: 54319
Facility: GLOBAL NUCLEAR FUEL - AMERICAS RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION Comments: LEU CONVERSION (UF6 TO UO2) LEU FABRICATION LWR COMMERICAL FUEL Region: 2 City: WILMINGTON State: NC County: NEW HANOVER License #: SNM-1097 Docket: 07001113 NRC Notified By: PHILLIP OLLIS HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH	Notification Date: 10/09/2019 Notification Time: 15:55 [ET] Event Date: 10/09/2019 Event Time: 13:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 10/09/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: PART 70 APP A (c) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION/NEWS REL	Person (Organization): EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

CONCURRENT NOTIFICATION DUE TO PLANNED MAINTENANCE ON FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

"At 1300 (EDT) on October 9th, 2019, the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshall was notified per State code requirements that the electric fire pump supporting the Fuel Manufacturing Operation (FMO) was being taken offline for maintenance. An electrical disconnect was being replaced. Compensatory measures were enacted. The pump was restored to operation at 1348 (EDT). Because the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshall was notified, a concurrent notification to the NRC Operations Center is being made per 10 CFR 70, Appendix A(c)."

The licensee will notify NRC Region 2 and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Radiation Protection Branch.

Power Reactor	Event Number: 54332
Facility: BROWNS FERRY Region: 2 State: AL Unit: [] [2] [] RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4,[3] GE-4 NRC Notified By: WESLEY CONKLE HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH	Notification Date: 10/16/2019 Notification Time: 10:22 [ET] Event Date: 08/20/2019 Event Time: 11:33 [CDT] Last Update Date: 10/16/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.73(a)(1) - INVALID SPECIF SYSTEM ACTUATION	Person (Organization): BRADLEY DAVIS (R2DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

Power Operation

Event Text

60-DAY OPTIONAL TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION OF INVALID SPECIFIED SYSTEM ACTUATION

"This 60-day telephone notification is being made per the reporting requirements specified by 10 CFR 50.73(a)(2)(iv)(A) and 10 CFR 50.73(a)(1) to describe an invalid actuation of a general containment isolation signal affecting more than one system. On August 20, 2019, at approximately 1133 hours Central Daylight Time (CDT), Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN), Unit 2 experienced an unexpected loss of the 2A Reactor Protection System (RPS). This resulted in Primary Containment Isolation System (PCIS) groups 2, 3, 6, and 8 isolations, and initiation of Standby Gas Treatment Trains A, B, and C and Control Room Emergency Ventilation System Train A. All affected safety systems responded as expected.

"Plant conditions which initiate PCIS Group 2 actuations are Reactor Vessel Low Water Level (Level 3) or High Drywell Pressure. The PCIS Group 3 actuations are initiated by Reactor Vessel Low Water Level (Level 3) or Reactor Water Cleanup Area High Temperature. The PCIS Group 6 actuations are initiated by Reactor Vessel Low Water Level (Level 3), High Drywell Pressure, or Reactor Building Ventilation Exhaust High radiation (Reactor Zone or Refuel Zone). The PCIS Group 8 actuations are initiated by Low Reactor Vessel Water Level (Level 3) or High Drywell Pressure. At the time of the event, these conditions did not exist; therefore, the actuation of the PCIS was invalid.

"The cause of the RPS MG Set trip was dirty potentiometer windings on an Over Voltage Relay. The dirt prevented the potentiometer's wiper from contacting its windings, resulting in erratic setpoint values.

"There were no safety consequences or impact to the health and safety of the public as a result of this event.

"This event was entered into the Corrective Action Program as Condition Reports 1542603, 1542608, and 1542569.

"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of this event."

Power Reactor	Event Number: 54333
Facility: HARRIS Region: 2 State: NC Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] W-3-LP NRC Notified By: NATHAN BLANTON HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA	Notification Date: 10/16/2019 Notification Time: 14:28 [ET] Event Date: 10/16/2019 Event Time: 08:29 [EDT] Last Update Date: 10/16/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(xii) - OFFSITE MEDICAL	Person (Organization): BRADLEY DAVIS (R2DO) WILLIAM GOTT (IRD) CHRIS MILLER (NRR EO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

Refueling

Event Text

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO THE TRANSPORT OF A POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED PERSON OFFSITE

"On October 16, 2019, at 0829 [EDT], an individual was transported for treatment to an offsite facility to address a personal medical issue. Due to the nature of the medical condition, only a partial survey could be completed prior to transport. Follow-up surveys performed by radiation protection technicians identified no radiological contamination of the worker or of the ambulance and response personnel.

"This event is being reported per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xii), 'Any event requiring the transport of a radioactively contaminated person to an offsite medical facility for treatment.' The NRC Resident Inspectors have been notified."

Fuel Cycle Facility	Event Number: 54335
Facility: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION Comments: LEU CONVERSION (UF6 to UO2) COMMERCIAL LWR FUEL Region: 2 City: COLUMBIA State: SC County: RICHLAND License #: SNM-1107 Docket: 07001151 NRC Notified By: GERALD COUTURE HQ OPS Officer: BRIAN LIN	Notification Date: 10/16/2019 Notification Time: 19:05 [ET] Event Date: 10/16/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 10/16/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: PART 70 APP A (b)(1) - UNANALYZED CONDITION	Person (Organization): BRADLEY DAVIS (R2DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AN ITEM RELIED ON FOR SAFETY (IROFS) DETERMINED TO BE INADEQUATE

The following was reported by Westinghouse Electric Company via email:

"As part of a review to revalidate the design of passive safety controls, on October 16, 2019 an engineering calculation was completed which demonstrates that one of two independent and redundant passive overflow devices used in the Solvent Extraction (SOLX) process was undersized for its credited safety function. This passive overflow device is an Item Relied On For Safety (IROFS), designated as SOLX -115. The IROFS prevents the potential backflow of uranium bearing solution from the SOLX process into the commercially-provided, chemical supply drums. These drums are non-favorable geometry (NFG) containers used to add chemicals to the batch process. Upon review of the calculation, the process engineer reported the issue at 3:05 p.m. [EDT] to the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) department.

"The design of the second, redundant passive overflow IROFS in this accident sequence (SOLX-117) has been validated and is available and reliable to perform its safety function. Under the new calculation, with no credit for SOLX-115, the overall likelihood index (OLI) for this scenario increased from -6 to -3. Therefore, the 10CFR70.61 performance requirements (OLI < -4) are not satisfied.

"The process was shut down, and the NFG chemical drums were isolated from the process until appropriate controls are established. This event has been entered into the facility's Corrective Action Program (CAP)."

The licensee notified the NRC Region II office (McCurry).

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021