Event Notification Report for August 15, 2024

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST SOURCE

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via phone and email:

"On August 7, 2024, the Department was notified by the licensee that they had lost a Humboldt model 5001 EZ moisture density gauge. The gauge contains a 40 millicurie americium - 241 source and an 8 millicurie cesium - 137 source. The gauge was used at a temporary job site and had been placed in the back of a pickup truck to transport back to its storage location. The technician failed to secure the gauge in the truck and did not raise and secure the tailgate. When the technician arrived at the office, they found the gauge was missing. The technician drove the route they had taken looking for the gauge but did not find it. They then notified their radiation safety officer (RSO). The licensee has contacted the Houston Police Department and notified them of the loss. The licensee stated the cesium source rod was locked in the fully shielded position. The RSO stated that the technician and a district RSO are still out looking for the gauge at the time of this report. The RSO stated the gauge would not create an exposure risk to any individual. Additional information will be provided in accordance with SA 300."

Texas Incident #: I-10119


* * * UPDATE ON 08/09/24 AT 2019 EDT FROM ARTHUR TUCKER TO JOSUE RAMIREZ * * *

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:

"On August 9, 2024, the licensee reported that they had recovered the gauge. An individual was driving on the road where the gauge had fallen out of the truck and recognized what it was and picked it up. He found the contact information on the gauge container and called the licensee. The licensee has the gauge in its storage location. The licensee inspected the gauge and stated that the gauge was in good condition."

Notified R4DO (Vossmar), NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB, and CNSNS (Mexico) via email.


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 - LOST STATIC ELIMINATOR

The following is a summary of information provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (the Department) via email:

The Department reported that on August 7, 2024, the licensee notified them of a lost NRD model P-2021 static eliminator containing 0.7 mCi of polonium 210. The licensee continues to search for the device.

Colorado event ID: CO240020

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 - DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was provided by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) via email:

"NYSDOH received a phone call from the radiation safety officer (RSO) on August 7, 2024, to report a damaged moisture density gauge. The gauge was struck by a passing skid steer.

"Device Make: Instrotek
"Device Model: 3500
"Isotopes: Am-241/Be (44mCi), Cs-137 (11mCi)

"The area was cordoned off. The gauge base plate appeared damaged. The source rod was not exposed. Measurements taken with a survey meter were 0.2 mR/hr at 3ft, which appears consistent with the radiation dose profile for this instrument per the sealed source and device registry.

"The RSO reports that the device was removed from the site at the request of the client and transported to the Kleinfelder Scranton, PA, location for leak testing. A leak test was performed and sent out for analysis, however, at this time is not believed that the source would be leaking. It is not believed that this event led to any degradation of the source, source housing, or shielding. NYSDOH is monitoring this incident and has assigned incident number 1496 to track this event.

"As this company was performing work under reciprocity, the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have also been notified of this event for their awareness. Additional information will be provided to NMED once available."

New York event report ID: NY-24-07

* * * UPDATE ON 08/09/2024 AT 1643 EDT FROM ATNATIWOS MESHESHA TO JOSUE RAMIREZ * * *

This event was also reported by the State of Maryland under EN 57267.

Notified R1DO (Bickett), NMSS Events Notifications (Email).

EN Revision Imported Date: 8/14/2024

EN Revision Text: ALERT - FIRE IN SAFETY-RELATED TRANSFORMER

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone:

"At 1200 EDT on August 13, 2024, with Unit 2 in Mode 1 at 100 percent power, Vogtle Unit 2 declared an ALERT per emergency action level (EAL) SA9 due to a fire that caused visible damage to a safety system component needed for the current operating mode. At 1151 EDT, the fire was extinguished. The equipment affected was the safety-related regulating 480V transformer which supplies power to the Unit 2 'B' engineered safety features chiller.

"There was no impact to the safety and health of the public or plant personnel.

"Units 1, 3, and 4 are unaffected.

"State and local officials were notified. The NRC resident inspector was notified."

The NRC decided to remain in the Normal mode of operation at 1234 EDT.

Notified DHS SWO, DOE Ops Center, FEMA Ops Center, HHS Ops Center, CISA Central, EPA Emergency Ops Center, USDA Watch Officer, FDA Emergency Ops Center (email), FEMA NWC (email), DHS Nuclear SSA (email), DHS NRCC THD Desk (email), FEMA NRCC SASC (email), FERC RMC (email), CWMD Watch Desk (email).

The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance:

The fire alarm was received at 1145 EDT. A fire was confirmed at 1149 EDT. The switchgear was de-energized and a fire extinguisher was used to put out the fire.

* * * UPDATE ON 8/14/2024 AT 1448 EDT FROM JEFF COX TO BRIAN SMITH * * *

The licensee terminated the ALERT emergency action level at 1436 EDT.

Notified R2DO (Lopez-Santiago), IR MOC (Grant), NRR EO (Felts), DHS SWO, DOE Ops Center, FEMA Ops Center, HHS Ops Center, CISA Central, EPA Emergency Ops Center, USDA Watch Officer, FDA Emergency Ops Center (email), FEMA NWC (email), DHS Nuclear SSA (email), DHS NRCC THD Desk (email), FEMA NRCC SASC (email), FERC RMC (email), CWMD Watch Desk (email).