Morning Report for March 24, 1999
Headquarters Daily Report MARCH 24, 1999 *************************************************************************** REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED HEADQUARTERS X REGION I X REGION II X REGION III X REGION IV X PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION I MARCH 24, 1999 Licensee/Facility: Notification: MR Number: 1-99-0012 Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Date: 03/23/99 Bennington,Vermont Dockets: 03008027 License No: 44-11345-02 Subject: MISSING IODINE-125 SEED FROM SHIPMENT Discussion: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center reported that on March 16, 1999, they received two packages containing iodine 125 seeds for implant procedures. The first package contained 115 seeds (0.34 millicurie each) instead of the 120 that were ordered. The second package contained the correct number of seeds (106 seeds of 0.31 millicurie each) inside a lead container, however, they found four additional seeds in the second package, inside the outer plastic package that contained the lead pig. These four seeds had the same activity (0.34 mCi) as those in the first package. One seed is still missing from the first package. The physicist stated that neither of the packages indicated any damage. Although there were four seeds outside the lead shield, no radiation dose rates above 0.04 mR/hr were observed at the surface of the package. The seals of the inside containers were intact. Licensee is following up with the supplier, Mentor Corporation, a California company licensed by the State of California. Licensee is continuing its efforts to locate the missing seed (0.34 mCi). Regional Action: Region I will review licensee's action during the next routine inspection of the facility. Region I notified the State of California of this event. Contact: S. Lodhi (610)337-5364 _ REGION I MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 MARCH 24, 1999 Licensee/Facility: Notification: MR Number: 1-99-0013 Hospital Center At Orange Date: 02/25/99 Orange,New Jersey Dockets: 03000347 License No: 29-03038-02 Subject: SOURCE DRIVE MECHANISM FAILURE OF COBALT-60 TELETHERAPY UNIT Discussion: On February 25, 1999, an authorized user (AU) reported to the NRC Region I that the Advanced Medical Systems Cobalt-60 teletherapy source failed to return to the "Off" position after taking a treatment simulation film for a patient. After safely pulling the patient out of the treatment room, the RT informed the service company and the source returned to the "OFF" position when the unit was returned to its vertical position. All patient treatments were cancelled, pending the inspection, and any needed repairs of the unit as determined by the service company. The service company engineers indicated that the jamming of the source drive mechanism may be attributable to a system design problem. In that, when a new source is placed in these units, the heat generated by a high activity source tends to cause some "swelling" of the source housing which causes the source wheel to rub against the internal surface of the unit head causing restriction of the source assembly movement. This is corrected by replacing the source wheel. Regional Action: On March 10, 1999, a safety inspection was conducted at Hospital Center at Orange. The licensee showed the patient film to the inspector indicating that the source must have been stuck in a partially shielded position, because the film did not show any radiation exposure. The licensee followed its emergency procedures and no personnel radiation exposure occurred. Contact: Neelam Bhalla (610)337-5188 _ REGION II MORNING REPORT PAGE 3 MARCH 24, 1999 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Duke Power Co. MR Number: 2-99-0005 Mc Guire 1 Date: 03/24/99 Cornelius,North Carolina Dockets: 50-369 PWR/W-4-LP Subject: AUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMP ROOM GROUND WATER SUMP OVERFLOW Discussion: On March 21, 1999, McGuire Unit 1 experienced an overflow of the "A" groundwater sump in the Unit 1 auxiliary feedwater (AFW) pump room. The overflow occurred during a planned drain-down of a portion of the Unit 2 train A nuclear service water system. (The train A service water systems for Units 1 & 2 drain to the "A" ground water sump in Unit 1; the train B service water systems in Units 1 & 2 drain to the "B" groundwater sump in Unit 2.) The overflow occurred when an operator inadvertently moved a butterfly isolation valve past its closed seat while attempting to ensure that the service water boundary valves for the drain-down evolution were properly shut. Two safety-related sump pumps in the "A" groundwater sump tripped after operating approximately twenty minutes while submerged. The "A" groundwater sump overflowed and approximately two inches of water accumulated on the AFW pump room floor before the drain path was isolated. No other safety-related equipment was impacted. Regional Action: Resident inspector followup of the event is ongoing. Contact: EDWIN LEA (404)552-4567 _ REGION III MORNING REPORT PAGE 4 MARCH 24, 1999 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Commonwealth Edison Co. MR Number: 3-99-0020 Byron 1 2 Date: 03/24/99 Byron,Illinois Licensee and SRI/RI via Telecon Dockets: 50-454,50-455 PWR/W-4-LP,PWR/W-4-LP Subject: BYRON STATION SENIOR MANAGEMENT CHANGES Discussion: On 3/24/99, Mr. William Levis assumed the responsibilities as site vice president replacing Mr. Ken Graesser. Mr. Levis was the station manager and is being replaced by Mr. Richard Lopriore. Mr. Graesser will continue with the ComEd corporate Nuclear Generation Group until some time in the summer of 1999 when he plans to retire. Mr. Lopriore is coming to Byron station from Ontario Hydro where he was assistant vice president for Pickering Station Units 5 through 8. He also held previous positions with Carolina Power and Light's Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant and Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant. Regional Action: This is for information. Contact: Michael Jordan (630)829-9637 _
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021