Event Notification Report for April 24, 2024

AGREEMENT STATE - STOLEN GAUGE

The following information was provided by the California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch (RHB) via email:

"On 4/15/2024, the California Office of Emergency Services (OES) forwarded a report from Testing Engineers, Inc. The radiation safety officer (RSO) notified OES that one of their nuclear gauges (CPN MC-1, serial number MD71108870 containing 10 mCi of Cs-137 and 50 mCi of Am-241) was stolen from a storage unit that is located within a public storage facility in Concord, CA. The gauge was stolen from the storage unit at an unknown time between 04/13/2024 and 04/14/2024, but was discovered missing at 1541 [PDT] on 04/15/2024. A car was used to ram the door of the storage unit, and a pry bar was used to remove the gauge from a locked cabinet. Local law enforcement was notified, and a reward was posted on Craigslist, Facebook, and Nextdoor for the safe return of the gauge.

"RHB will investigate the incident."


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 REPORT - DAMAGED GAUGE SHUTTER

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

"On April 16, 2024, the Department was notified by the licensee that they had removed a Natco model B-20-06 nuclear gauge containing a 175 millicurie (original activity) Cs-137 source from a vessel to allow work on the vessel. The gauge shutter was in the closed position and was functioning normally. Dose rates taken at the gauge before removal were normal at 0.65 millirem per hour.

"After the gauge was removed from the vessel, it was placed on a pallet with other gauges that had been removed from the vessel. At this time, the licensee performed additional radiation surveys, and the dose rate taken within a foot at the top of the gauge shutter was now reading 8.65 millirem per hour. The gauges were all moved to a locked storage location.

"The licensee has contacted a service company to inspect the gauge and determine the cause for the increased dose rates. The licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) stated the shutter may have been damaged as the gauge was being moved to the pallet. The RSO stated no overexposures had occurred.

"Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Incident No.: 10099

Texas NMED No.: TX240012

EN Revision Imported Date: 4/29/2024

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 one spacer 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)