Event Notification Report for June 18, 2024

LOST RADIOACTIVE SOURCE

The following is a summary of information obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers report guidance:

At 0415 CDT, on 6/10/2024, the Radiation Safety Officer's (RSO) truck, which contained a Troxler 3440 nuclear gauge (serial number 66812), was stolen (loss of control). The RSO left the truck running with the keys in the ignition and the nuclear gauge secured inside when an individual decided to get in the drivers seat and drive away. When the RSO realized the truck was stolen, they immediately contacted Missouri local law enforcement. The nuclear gauge contains 44 mCi of Am241:Be.

* * * UPDATE ON 6/10/2024 AT 1032 EDT FROM LARRY BRADSHAW TO IAN HOWARD * * *

The following is a summary of information obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers report guidance:

At 0902 CDT, on 6/10/2024, the truck was located and returned to the RSO with the Troxler gauge secure in its locked case. There was no indication of tampering with the case or the locks used to secure the Troxler gauge.

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 - LOST SOURCE

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

"On June 11, 2024, the Department was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a 40 millicurie americium-241/beryllium (Am-241/Be) source from a Troxler 3430 moisture/density gauge could not be located. The gauge did not pass the standardization test, and was later sent to the service provider. On June 10, 2024, the service provider informed the RSO that the gauge was inspected, the cap that held the Am-241/Be source in place was no longer screwed in, and the source was missing. Radiation surveys were conducted at the facility but were unable to locate the Am-241/Be source. RSO contacted the service provider and requested a facility survey. The RSO will be interviewing their technicians and reviewing use records for the gauge in an attempt to locate where the source could have fallen out of the gauge. An exposure risk to an individual was not reported. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

TX Incident Number: 10109

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 - STUCK SOURCE

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

"At 1034 PDT on June 6, 2024, the Department received an email from the Mistras Group, notifying the Department of an event at the MRC Martinez Refinery. At 1407 PDT on June 3, 2024, the radiation safety officer (RSO) received a call from a radiography crew at MRC Martinez Refinery regarding a 61 curie Ir-192 source (serial number 475 I) that would not retract back into the industrial nuclear IR-100 radiographic exposure device (serial number 4059). The RSO arrived on the site at 1444 PDT to find that the extension tube female end crimp had dislodged from the tubing and was laying on the deck of the structure that the crew was working on. At 1555 PDT, the RSO was able to manipulate the cable into a position where they were able to retract the source back into the locked and shielded position without incident or overexposure. Five crew members were present during the time the source was in an unshielded position: the RSO, one radiographer trainer, and three assistants. The highest exposure recorded to their instadose [dosimeter] was 40 mR for the radiographer trainer. The RSO will submit a written report within 30 days following an investigation."

California 5010 report number: 060424

AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP

The following information was provided by the licensee via email:

"On June 16, 2024, at 1233 CDT, Waterford Steam Electric Station Unit 3 was operating at 93 percent power when an automatic reactor trip occurred. Immediately following the reactor trip, emergency feedwater (EFW) actuated automatically. The unit is currently in Mode 3. All control rods fully inserted. Decay heat removal is via the main condenser. Preliminary evaluation indicates that all plant systems functioned normally after the reactor trip, except steam generator (SG) feedwater pump 'A' tripped and SG '1' main feed regulatory controller went to manual. Steam generator water levels are being controlled with the SG feedwater pump 'B'. The cause of the trip is currently being investigated.

"This event is being reported as a 4-hour non-emergency notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) as an actuation of the reactor protection system when the reactor is critical and as an 8-hour non-emergency notification in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) as a valid actuation of the EFW system.

"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."