Event Notification Report for April 22, 2024
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
04/21/2024 - 04/22/2024
Part 21
Event Number: 57088
Rep Org: Global Nuclear Fuel
Licensee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC
Region: 2
City: Wilmington State: NC
County:
License #: SNM-1097
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Ralph Hayes
HQ OPS Officer: Adam Koziol
Licensee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC
Region: 2
City: Wilmington State: NC
County:
License #: SNM-1097
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Ralph Hayes
HQ OPS Officer: Adam Koziol
Notification Date: 04/22/2024
Notification Time: 14:33 [ET]
Event Date: 04/22/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/29/2024
Notification Time: 14:33 [ET]
Event Date: 04/22/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/29/2024
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
21.21(d)(3)(i) - Defects And Noncompliance
10 CFR Section:
21.21(d)(3)(i) - Defects And Noncompliance
Person (Organization):
Werkheiser, Dave (R1DO)
Part 21/50.55 Reactors, - (EMAIL)
Betancourt-Roldan, Diana (R3DO)
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
Werkheiser, Dave (R1DO)
Part 21/50.55 Reactors, - (EMAIL)
Betancourt-Roldan, Diana (R3DO)
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
EN Revision Imported Date: 4/30/2024
EN Revision Text: PART 21 - FUEL ASSEMBLY SPACER RELOCATION
The following is a summary of information provided by the licensee via email:
Global Nuclear Fuel discovered instances of GNF3 fuel assembly spacers relocating within the fuel bundle. A safety communication was issued in 2022 following the discovery of a raised water rod (WR) at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. Shutdown inspections in February 2024 at Lasalle identified five spacers out of position. Shutdown inspections at Limerick in April 2024 identified four spacers out of position. Those discoveries prompted this Part 21 report. An evaluation concluded that the relocated spacers could result in a degraded critical power margin, but the evaluation of this condition indicates it will not compromise or greatly reduce protection to public health and safety.
Plants with suspect bundles installed:
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (Raised WR but no defective spacers)
Lasalle (1 bundle with 5 relocated spacers found)
Limerick (1 bundle with 4 relocated spacers found)
Nine Mile Point (No defects found)
Fermi (No defects found)
Peach Bottom (Shutdown scheduled in Fall 2024)
Fitzpatrick (Shutdown scheduled in Fall 2024)
* * * UPDATE ON 4/26/24 AT 1220 EDT FROM LISA SCHICHLEIN TO ADAM KOZIOL * * *
Updated to correct administrative errors in the summary of defects. Corrections were made above.
Notified R1DO (Werkheiser), R3DO (Betancourt-Roldan), R4DO (Warnick), Part 21/Reactor Group (email)
EN Revision Text: PART 21 - FUEL ASSEMBLY SPACER RELOCATION
The following is a summary of information provided by the licensee via email:
Global Nuclear Fuel discovered instances of GNF3 fuel assembly spacers relocating within the fuel bundle. A safety communication was issued in 2022 following the discovery of a raised water rod (WR) at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. Shutdown inspections in February 2024 at Lasalle identified five spacers out of position. Shutdown inspections at Limerick in April 2024 identified four spacers out of position. Those discoveries prompted this Part 21 report. An evaluation concluded that the relocated spacers could result in a degraded critical power margin, but the evaluation of this condition indicates it will not compromise or greatly reduce protection to public health and safety.
Plants with suspect bundles installed:
Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (Raised WR but no defective spacers)
Lasalle (1 bundle with 5 relocated spacers found)
Limerick (1 bundle with 4 relocated spacers found)
Nine Mile Point (No defects found)
Fermi (No defects found)
Peach Bottom (Shutdown scheduled in Fall 2024)
Fitzpatrick (Shutdown scheduled in Fall 2024)
* * * UPDATE ON 4/26/24 AT 1220 EDT FROM LISA SCHICHLEIN TO ADAM KOZIOL * * *
Updated to correct administrative errors in the summary of defects. Corrections were made above.
Notified R1DO (Werkheiser), R3DO (Betancourt-Roldan), R4DO (Warnick), Part 21/Reactor Group (email)
Agreement State
Event Number: 57087
Rep Org: Iowa Department of Public Health
Licensee: Arconic Davenport, LLC
Region: 3
City: Bettendorf State: IA
County:
License #: 0162182FG
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Stuart Jordan
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Licensee: Arconic Davenport, LLC
Region: 3
City: Bettendorf State: IA
County:
License #: 0162182FG
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Stuart Jordan
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Notification Date: 04/22/2024
Notification Time: 15:46 [ET]
Event Date: 04/22/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/22/2024
Notification Time: 15:46 [ET]
Event Date: 04/22/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/22/2024
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Betancourt-Roldan, Diana (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Betancourt-Roldan, Diana (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SHUTTER STUCK PARTIALLY OPEN
The following was received from the Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Radiological Health (Iowa HHS) via email:
"Arconic Davenport possesses an IMS Measuring System (model 5221-02 profile thickness gauge) for measuring thickness of aluminum on the production line. The C-frame gauge contains five independent source housings, with each housing containing a 5 curie, americium-241, sealed source. The C-frame gauge is constructed from steel and is suspended from a monorail which allows the device to be moved offline to a restricted access calibration area. The shutter [on each source] is opened and closed by a pneumatic cylinder that is controlled from a remote location.
"On the morning of April 22, 2024, it was determined that shutter number 1 of the C-frame gauge B had failed to fully close. This was determined [during] an automated attempt to close all 5 shutters on the gauge, and the computer indicated that shutter number 1 was not fully closed. Per the licensee's procedures, the C-frame gauge was removed from the line using the monorail to the secured calibration house. Radiation surveys of the outside wall adjacent to the shutter 1 position were above background with a maximum dose rate of 0.1 mR/hr.
"The licensee has contacted their service provider to perform repair work (identify and fix the equipment problem) which is tentatively scheduled for same day or April 23, 2024. No reported overexposures have occurred because of this incident, no release or contamination of radioactive material occurred because of this incident (most recent negative leak test was November 2, 2023), and Iowa HHS will update this report once additional information is provided (cause, corrective actions, etc.)."
IA Event Number: IA240002
The following was received from the Iowa Department of Public Health - Bureau of Radiological Health (Iowa HHS) via email:
"Arconic Davenport possesses an IMS Measuring System (model 5221-02 profile thickness gauge) for measuring thickness of aluminum on the production line. The C-frame gauge contains five independent source housings, with each housing containing a 5 curie, americium-241, sealed source. The C-frame gauge is constructed from steel and is suspended from a monorail which allows the device to be moved offline to a restricted access calibration area. The shutter [on each source] is opened and closed by a pneumatic cylinder that is controlled from a remote location.
"On the morning of April 22, 2024, it was determined that shutter number 1 of the C-frame gauge B had failed to fully close. This was determined [during] an automated attempt to close all 5 shutters on the gauge, and the computer indicated that shutter number 1 was not fully closed. Per the licensee's procedures, the C-frame gauge was removed from the line using the monorail to the secured calibration house. Radiation surveys of the outside wall adjacent to the shutter 1 position were above background with a maximum dose rate of 0.1 mR/hr.
"The licensee has contacted their service provider to perform repair work (identify and fix the equipment problem) which is tentatively scheduled for same day or April 23, 2024. No reported overexposures have occurred because of this incident, no release or contamination of radioactive material occurred because of this incident (most recent negative leak test was November 2, 2023), and Iowa HHS will update this report once additional information is provided (cause, corrective actions, etc.)."
IA Event Number: IA240002