Event Notification Report for March 21, 2022

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

EVENT REPORTS FOR
03/18/2022 - 03/21/2022

EVENT NUMBERS
55783 55787 55796
Agreement State
Event Number: 55783
Rep Org: Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency
Licensee: Heuft USA, Inc.
Region: 3
City: Downers Grove   State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01354-22
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Gary Forsee
HQ OPS Officer: Mike Stafford
Notification Date: 03/11/2022
Notification Time: 11:37 [ET]
Event Date: 03/11/2022
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/11/2022
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Hanna, John (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL)
CNSC (Canada), - (Email) (EMAIL)
Event Text
EN Revision Imported Date: 3/21/2022

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST AM-241 SHIPMENT

The following information was provided by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:

"The Agency was contacted on 3/11/22, by the Radiation Safety Officer for Heuft USA, Inc to advise that a package scheduled to arrive at their Downers Grove, IL facility on or before 3/10/22, had not arrived. This was reported as missing in transit. The 6"x6"x6" excepted package contains approximately 86 mCi of Am-241. The carrier could not immediately locate the package and advised it had not been checked into any of their processing facilities. Last known location was an industrial facility (S.C. Johnson) in Sturtevant, WI on 3/3/22, when it was packaged for transit and picked up by the carrier. The package contained (2) special form model AMC-25 sealed sources containing approximately 43 mCi of Am-241 each. Source serial numbers were 3676CW and 7256LQ. Both sources were contained in the 6"x6"x6" brown cardboard box. As it is an excepted package, it will bear only the terms `UN2910' and `RQ' (reportable quantity), and not radioactive labels. Should the package be opened, there is an aluminum 5"x5" round can filled with foam and two zip lock bags. Each bag contains a shielded source holder with the Am-241 capsules therein. The bags and the can are labeled with a trefoil and the words `Radioactive Material'. Unshielded, the two sources would yield a combined exposure rate of about 15 mR/hour at one foot. This is not an immediate hazard to workers or members of the public that locate the package. There is no indication of intentional theft or diversion."

Item Number: IL220009

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


Agreement State
Event Number: 55787
Rep Org: Texas Dept of State Health Services
Licensee: Professional Service Industries
Region: 4
City: San Antonio   State: TX
County:
License #: L04946
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Karen Blanchard
HQ OPS Officer: Brian Lin
Notification Date: 03/14/2022
Notification Time: 15:48 [ET]
Event Date: 03/13/2022
Event Time: 18:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/17/2022
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Drake, James (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Event Text
EN Revision Imported Date: 3/21/2022

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST AND FOUND DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:

"On March 14, 2022 the Agency received information from the gauge manufacturer that a call had come to their 24-hour number at approximately 1830 (CDT) on March 13, 2022 that Troxler moisture/density gauge (Model 3430: 8 milliCurie cesium-137, 40 milliCurie americium-241/beryllium) had been found in the parking lot of an apartment complex in San Antonio, Texas. The finder did not want to call the police so the manufacturer contacted them. The gauge was inside its unlocked transport case and the finder kept watch on it until the police arrived and took it between 2100 and 2200 (CDT). The gauge was placed in their impound. After receiving the information, the Agency contacted the police department but was only able to get limited information. Attempts to contact the police impound were unsuccessful. A radioactive materials inspector was dispatched but by the time he got there the gauge had been picked up by the owner licensee. The impound staff had called the manufacturer, provided the serial number, and the manufacturer contacted the licensee's corporate office who notified the San Antonio office. The Agency contacted the licensee, their radiation safety officer (RSO) is out of the office and the individual handling the incident is in the process of investigating until the RSO returns mid-week. The licensee confirmed that there were no locks on the case and the insertion rod did not have a lock when they retrieved it. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Texas incident no.: I-9923

* * * UPDATE FROM KAREN BLANCHARD TO DONALD NORWOOD AT 1848 EDT ON 3/17/2022 * * *

The following information was received via E-mail:

"On March 17, 2022, the licensee notified the Agency that its investigation had revealed that on February 14, 2022, one of its technicians had taken the gauge to their residence at the end of the workday and the gauge was stolen from the vehicle, which was parked at the technician's apartment complex, during the overnight hours. The technician stated that the transport case was secured with two chains in the bed of the pickup and that there was a lock on the insertion rod. The technician did not report the theft to the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) when he discovered it on February 15, 2022. The technician did make a statement to the RSO that day that the gauge was not in its storage location at their facility. The RSO presumed another technician had it out on a job. Since neither the technician nor any of the other technicians brought up to the RSO that the gauge was not there after that, the RSO did not follow up. Any additional information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Notified R4DO (Drake) and NMSS Events Notification E-mail group.

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: 55796
Facility: Palo Verde
Region: 4     State: AZ
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: Ivory Byers
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Notification Date: 03/19/2022
Notification Time: 23:43 [ET]
Event Date: 03/19/2022
Event Time: 13:06 [MST]
Last Update Date: 03/20/2022
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - Loss Comm/Asmt/Response
Person (Organization):
Drake, James (R4DO)
Power Reactor Unit Info
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
LOSS OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER (TSC)

The following information was provided by the licensee via email:

"The following event description is based on information currently available. If through subsequent reviews of this event additional information is identified that is pertinent to this event or alters the information being provided at this time a follow-up notification will be made via the ENS or under the reporting requirements of 10CFR50.73.

"At 1306 [MST] on March 19, 2022, the Technical Support Center (TSC) lost normal and alternate electrical power, resulting in the inability to perform emergency assessments at the TSC. At the time of the event, the normal power source to the TSC (offsite power) was under a clearance for maintenance activities and the alternate power source (backup generator) was running to provide electrical power to the TSC. At 1306, the alternate power source to the TSC was lost when the backup generator tripped. Power was restored to the TSC via the normal power source at 1723. The cause of the TSC backup generator trip is unknown at this time.

"All three units are stable and in Mode 1.

"No emergency classification was required per the Emergency Plan.

"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been informed."