Event Notification Report for June 24, 2021

EN Revision Imported Date: 7/23/2021

EN Revision Text: 10 CFR 50.55(e) REPORT REGARDING ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION AND MEASURING AND TEST EQUIPMENT CONTROL

The following is a synopsis of information received via E-mail:

The individual informing the Commission is Michael J. Yox, 7825 River Road, Waynesboro, GA 30830.

The activities which fail to comply include construction processes including, installation of some electrical and mechanical commodities, and control of measuring and test equipment at the Vogtle 3 and 4 construction project.

The primary construction firm for the Vogtle 3 and 4 construction project is Bechtel Power Corporation (Bechtel).

This report is being provided based on construction nonconformances including, installation of some electrical and mechanical commodities, and control of measuring and test equipment for Vogtle Units 3 and 4. The nonconformances affect cable separation and other raceway structural elements. The extent of condition for the measuring and test equipment issue is under evaluation and may impact additional safety-related work.

The identified construction nonconformances are a small fraction of the overall structures and components. There is no specifically identified substantial safety hazard (SSH) for these nonconformances. The nonconformances identified affect some safety-related components and based on this it was conservatively judged that the issues could be related to an SSH. These issues were discovered while the facility is under construction. The identified conditions will be corrected prior to completion of the facility.

The evaluation for this report was completed on June 24, 2021.

As stated above, there are no specifically identified basic components that have been identified to contain a defect for Vogtle Units 3 and 4. The nonconformances identified affect some safety-related components and based on this it was conservatively judged that these conditions involve a failure to comply that could be related to an SSH.

The corrective action which has been, is being, or will be taken include: Comprehensive extent-of-condition reviews and correction of identified conditions are being conducted. The actions to identify and resolve the nonconforming conditions are in process and will be completed in accordance with the site corrective action program. Bechtel, and other subcontractors as needed, will implement actions to correct the identified conditions and ensure that processes are in place to avoid future occurrences. Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) is the organization responsible for ensuring Bechtel and the other subcontractors complete the required actions to correct the nonconforming conditions and ensuring that processes are in place to avoid future occurrences.

EN Revision Imported Date: 7/23/2021

EN Revision Text: LOSS OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER CAPABILITY

"This is an eight-hour, non-emergency notification for a loss of Emergency Assessment Capability. This event is reportable in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(xiii) because the Technical Support Center (TSC) supply fan belt had failed, which affects the functionality of an emergency response facility.

"Corrective maintenance activities will be performed to restore functionality. The work includes replacing the failed belt and restarting the TSC supply fan. The work duration is approximately 8 hours. If an emergency is declared requiring TSC activation during this period, the TSC will be staffed and activated using existing emergency planning procedures unless the TSC becomes uninhabitable due to ambient temperature, radiological, or other conditions. If relocation of the TSC becomes necessary, the Emergency Director will relocate the TSC staff to an alternate location in accordance with applicable site procedures. [The Emergency Response Organization team has been notified of the maintenance and the possible need to relocate during an emergency.]

"There was no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel. The NRC Resident Inspector and Illinois Emergency Management Agency have been notified."

EN Revision Imported Date: 8/20/2021

EN Revision Text: UNPLANNED CONTAMINATION TO AN INDIVIDUAL

The following synopsis was received via phone call from the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO):

At 1800 EDT on June 24, 2021 at the licensee facility, an employee left the work site unaware that he was contaminated on his skin and his clothing. The only places the individual traveled to were his car and his home before being called back to work at 1924 EDT to investigate the contamination event. When the individual came back to the facility, contamination was found on his hand including Sr-82, Sr-85, Rb-83, and Rb-84. The activity was 600,000 counts or 0.18 micro curies. Dose calculations have not been performed, however, the RSO does not believe the dose will be near any federal limits. The work area has been decontaminated and the individual's car has been surveyed and no contamination was found. The licensee plans to survey the individual's home as well as contact the NRC Region 3 materials inspector. The licensee is reporting the event under both 30.50(a) and 30.50(b)(1) as a precaution as more data is being collected.

* * * Update from Matthew Trusner to Donald Norwood at 1914 EDT on 6/25/2021 * * *

The following information was received via E-mail:

"On June 24, 2021, at approximately 1800 EDT, Curium-Noblesville RSO became aware of a radioactive spill in a restricted (production) area. The spill occurred behind the production hot cells. The affected area is designated as a triple shoe cover area and cordoned to limit access.

"The RSO directed a Radiation Safety Technician to respond to and initiate the investigation and data collection. The Radiation Safety Technician performed contamination surveys and found a maximum count rate of 800,000 cpm. The Radiation Safety Technician subsequently remediated the spill to 70,000 cpm (below the administrative level of 100,000 cpm) within minutes of completing the survey.

"The spill initiated when a Chemist tried to manually un-crimp a vial containing approximately 695 mCi of Sr-82 and 703 mCi of Sr-85. As the the Chemist tried to un-crimp the vial, the glass below the crimp broke leading to a few drops to fall on the concrete floor behind the hot cells. During the initial investigation surveys, the RSO discovered that the production batch record was contaminated. This prompted the RSO to find the Chemist to ensure he was free of contamination. The RSO discovered that the Chemist had already left the site.

"The RSO immediately contacted the Director of Health Physics for assistance. They made the decision to bring the Chemist onsite for a survey. The RSO discovered that the Chemist's work clothes presented spots reading approximately 600,000 cpm on contact with the pants and 200,000 with the shirt. The RSO also found contamination on the right hand reading approximately 34,000 cpm. Because the Chemist had left the site, the RSO surveyed the Chemist's car and did not identify contamination above background levels. The RSO communicated the findings to the Director of Health Physics and initiated the decontamination activities for the Chemist.

"Prior to decontaminating the Chemist's hand, the RSO obtained a gamma spectrum to identify the radioactive contaminants. He found a mixture of Sr-82, Sr-85, Rb-83 and Rb-84. The Director of Health Physics reviewed the notification requirements prescribed in Part 20 and Part 30 and escalated the event to Curium management and legal teams. Curium made the decision to proactively report the event to the NRC Operations Center under 10 CFR 30.50(a) given that the notification was required within 4 hours of discovery and Curium had not acquired enough data to verify if any regulatory limit was exceeded or not. After the notification, the RSO stopped the decontamination activities after no further contamination was being removed. The RSO measured a residual contamination of 4,200 cpm on the hand. He then followed the Chemist to his home and performed a contamination survey of the areas in which the Chemist indicated that he had been present after leaving the work site that day. The RSO found no contamination above background levels.

"The Director of Health Physics performed an initial dose estimate on June 25, 2021. The RSO used Rb-84 as the most restrictive nuclide that yielded the highest dose in the mixture. The estimates indicated that the Chemist received approximately 1,203 mrem to the maximally exposed shallow dose equivalent (extremity), 636 mrem shallow dose equivalent (whole body) and 13 mrem deep dose equivalent. The RSO performed 24-hour urinalysis and did not find the presence of the radionuclides. All license material was accounted for.

"Curium personnel discussed the incident with NRC Region-III on June 25, 2021. Curium is in the process of completing formal root cause analysis."

Notified R3DO (Stone) and the NMSS Events Notification E-mail group.

* * * RETRACTION ON 07/20/21 AT 1506 EDT FROM MATTHEW TRUSNER TO SOLOMON SAHLE * * *

The following retraction is a summary received from the licensee via phone:

As part of an internal investigation, the licensee determined that neither the employee nor any member of the public received any exposure exceeding regulatory limits.

The licensee will notify the NRC Region 3.

Notified R3DO (Pelke) and NMSS Events Notification via email.