Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2020

Event Notification Report for February 21, 2020

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
2/20/2020 - 2/21/2020

** EVENT NUMBERS **

Power Reactor	Event Number: 54487
Facility: SEQUOYAH Region: 2 State: TN Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: JOHN ALEXANDER HQ OPS Officer: BRIAN P. SMITH	Notification Date: 01/22/2020 Notification Time: 04:34 [ET] Event Date: 01/21/2020 Event Time: 22:18 [EST] Last Update Date: 02/20/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION	Person (Organization): RANDY MUSSER (R2DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

Event Text

EN Revision Imported Date : 2/21/2020

EN Revision Text: CONTAINMENT RELIEF VALVES INOPERABLE

"At 22:18 (EST) on 1/21/20, it was discovered that all Unit 1 containment vacuum relief isolation valves were closed and all vacuum relief lines were simultaneously inoperable; therefore, this condition is being reported as an eight-hour, non-emergency notification per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v). The isolation valves were opened and the vacuum relief valves were restored to operable.

"There is no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

* * * UPDATE ON 02/20/2020 AT 1626 EST FROM FRANK SCHULTE TO BRIAN P. SMITH * * *

"At 1549 (EST), February 20, 2020, a completed engineering evaluation of the condition initially reported on January 22, 2020 determined that the inoperability of the Sequoyah Unit 1 Containment Vacuum Relief System affected the ability to protect containment against an external pressure event. This condition is not bounded by existing design and licensing documents; however, it poses no impact to the health and safety of the public or plant personnel. The condition was resolved when isolation valves were opened on January 21, 2020 and the vacuum relief lines were restored to an operable status. Therefore, this event is being reported as an eight-hour, non-emergency notification per 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B), "an unanalyzed condition that significantly degrades plant safety."

"Subsequent to the initial notification, continued evaluation of the reported condition has concluded that the isolation of the containment vacuum relief function did not prevent the fulfillment of a safety function that is needed to control the release of radioactive material; nor mitigate the consequences of an accident therefore this event is not reportable under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v), "Event or Condition that could have prevented fulfillment of a safety function.

"The NRC Resident has been notified."

Notified R2DO (Musser)

Agreement State	Event Number: 54522
Rep Org: ARIZONA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: SCOTTSDALE HC DBA HONORHEALTH SCOTTSDALE SHEA MEDICAL CTR Region: 4 City: SCOTTSDALE State: AZ County: License #: 07-265 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI HQ OPS Officer: KERBY SCALES	Notification Date: 02/12/2020 Notification Time: 19:00 [ET] Event Date: 02/11/2020 Event Time: 00:00 [MST] Last Update Date: 02/12/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): RAY AZUA (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST BRACHYTHERAPY SEED

The following was received from the state of Arizona via email:

"The Department [Arizona Department of Health Services] has received notification from the licensee (Scottsdale Healthcare dba Honorhealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center) that one brachytherapy seed has been lost. It is assumed that the seed went down the drain of an autopsy table on 02/11/2020. All other seeds are accounted for and stored in the licensee's brachytherapy hot lab. The seed model is Civadot, and the isotope is Palladium-103. The Lot ID from which the seed originated is CSH-201. The calibrated activity of the seed on 12/10/2019 was 0.783 mCi (29.0 MBq). The calculated activity as of 02/12/2020 is 0.058 mCi (2.15 MBq). The Department has requested additional information and continues to investigate the event."

Arizona Incident Number: 20-003

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

!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED.THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Power Reactor	Event Number: 54531
Facility: WATTS BAR Region: 2 State: TN Unit: [1] [2] [] RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP NRC Notified By: JUSTIN GALLAGHER HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD	Notification Date: 02/19/2020 Notification Time: 10:20 [ET] Event Date: 02/19/2020 Event Time: 09:57 [EST] Last Update Date: 02/20/2020
Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT 10 CFR Section: 50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED	Person (Organization): RANDY MUSSER (R2DO) LAURA DUDES (R2RA) HO NIEH (NRR) CHRIS MILLER (NRR EO) SILAS KENNEDY (IRD)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

Hot Standby

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

Event Text

EN Revision Imported Date : 2/21/2020

EN Revision Text: NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL EVENT DUE TO FIRE IN CONTROL BUILDING

"At 0957 EST on February 19, 2020, a Notification of Unusual Event [NOUE] has been determined to be present at the Watts Bar plant Unit 1 under criteria HU4 for a fire potentially degrading the safety of the plant (fire for more than 15 minutes).

"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified for this event."

Notified DHS SWO, FEMA Operations Center, CISA IOCC, FEMA NWC (email), DHS Nuclear SSA (email), and FEMA NRCC SASC (email).

* * * UPDATE ON 02/19/2020 AT 1151 EST FROM ANDREW WALDMANN TO DONALD NORWOOD * * *

The fire was declared extinguished at 1033 EST. The NOUE was terminated at 1126 EST. The investigation into the cause of the fire is in progress.

Notified R2DO (Musser), NRR EO (Miller), and IRD MOC (Kennedy). Additionally, notified DHS SWO, FEMA Operations Center, CISA IOCC, FEMA NWC (email), DHS Nuclear SSA (email), and FEMA NRCC SASC (email).

* * * RETRACTION ON 2/20/2020 AT 1453 EST FROM MICHAEL BUTHEY TO RICHARD L. SMITH * * *

"Watts Bar Nuclear Plant (WBN) is retracting Event Notice 54531 (NOUE notification) based on the following additional information.

"WBN reported a condition that was determined to meet the definition of a FIRE in the plant Emergency Preparedness Implementing Procedures (EPIP) based on indications available to the decision-maker at the time the declaration was made. A fire, without observation of flame, is considered present if large quantities of smoke and heat are observed.

"Moderate quantities of smoke were observed coming from an electrical cabinet not required to support safe plant operation. Once Fire Brigade personnel were able to access the affected room, no evidence of flame or significant heat was observed. Plant personnel ultimately determined that an overheated electrical component (transformer) resulted in the smoke. As such, the actual conditions did not meet the EPIP definition of a fire."

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified of this retraction.

Notified R2DO (Musser), NRR EO (Miller), and IRD MOC (Kennedy).

Power Reactor	Event Number: 54533
Facility: FITZPATRICK Region: 1 State: NY Unit: [1] [] [] RX Type: [1] GE-4 NRC Notified By: HENRY BORICK HQ OPS Officer: RICHARD SMITH	Notification Date: 02/20/2020 Notification Time: 15:04 [ET] Event Date: 02/20/2020 Event Time: 12:40 [EST] Last Update Date: 02/20/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B) - UNANALYZED CONDITION	Person (Organization): ANTHONY DIMITRIADIS (R1DO)

Unit

SCRAM Code

RX Crit

Initial PWR

Initial RX Mode

Current PWR

Current RX Mode

100

Power Operation

100

Power Operation

Event Text

UNANALYZED CONDITION - UNPROTECTED DC CONTROL CIRCUITS

[On February 20, 2020, at 1240 EST, the Licensee determined the following information:]

"This notification is in reference to reports EN 54130 and LER 2019-002, which were retracted. James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant received additional information on the technical basis for the retraction. Further review, including testing of the terminal blocks, demonstrated that the short circuit current would result in heat levels in excess of cable insulation ratings.

"Unprotected DC control circuits for non-safety related DC motors are routed between separate fire areas. A postulated fire in one area can cause a short circuit and potentially result in secondary fires or cable fires in other fire areas where the cables are routed. The secondary fires or cable failures degrade the degree of separation for redundant safe shutdown trains and are outside the assumptions of the 10 CFR 50 Appendix R Safe Shutdown Analysis. This condition is reportable in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B).

"Compensatory actions per the Technical Requirements Manual (TRM) for affected fire areas have been implemented. A modification to install fuses in the control circuits for 94P-2(M), 31P-7A(M), 31P-7B(M), and 94P-13(M) has been scheduled and shall correct this condition."

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021