|
Home > Electronic Reading Room > Document Collections > Reports Associated with Events
> Event Notification Reports
> 2008
> August 6
Event Notification Report for August 6, 2008
|
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
08/05/2008 - 08/06/2008
** EVENT NUMBERS **
|
|
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
|
| Fuel Cycle Facility |
Event Number: 44344 |
Facility: NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES INC.
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: HEU CONVERSION & SCRAP RECOVERY
NAVAL REACTOR FUEL CYCLE
LEU SCRAP RECOVERY
Region: 2
City: ERWIN State: TN
County: UNICOI
License #: SNM-124
Agreement: Y
Docket: 07000143
NRC Notified By: MIKE TESTER
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD
|
Notification Date: 07/11/2008
Notification Time: 15:54 [ET]
Event Date: 07/11/2008
Event Time: 11:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/05/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT
|
Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2)
DENNIS DAMON (NMSS)
FUELS OUO VIA EMAIL ()
|
Event Text
ITEM RELIED ON FOR SAFETY DISCOVERED INOPERABLE
"NOX (nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, etc) detection is IROFS [Item Relied On For Safety] BPF-43 for the BPF facility. This IROFS is one of the two controls used to prevent chemical occupational exposure to NOX emissions due to the U-Aluminum Bowl Cleaning operations. The NOX detector alarms prior to exceeding 5 ppm NOX to allow Operations to perform monitoring and/or evacuation actions. On July 11, 2008 it was identified that the calibration gas used to functionally test the NOX detector has expired. The calibration expiration date was September 2007. The prior functional test of the NOX detector was performed on January 24, 2008. Due to use of expired calibration gas, it was determined that the NOX detector (IROFS BPF-43) has been in a degraded condition since the last functional test (January 2008).
"The other IROFS credited in the ISA Summary for this accident is BUA-43, (power is automatically removed from caustic pumps securing sodium hydroxide flow to U-Aluminum dissolvers upon low sodium nitrate flow as detected by flow switches). From late May until early July of 2008, these flow switches were not functioning correctly, so written and approved compensatory measures were implemented. However, per NFS procedure, these temporary compensatory measures were not incorporated into the ISA Summary so were not available to help meet the performance criteria of 10 CFR 70.61. Since IROFS BPF-43 was in a degraded condition during this time period, performance criteria were not met."
The licensee has ceased operations in the affected building. The functional test performed in January 2008 utilized the out-of-date calibration gas. The functional test previous to the functional test performed in January 2008 was performed in July 2007. The licensee has had no indication or evidence that NOX emissions occurred during the degraded condition period. The licensee is investigating this incident to determine further controls required to prevent reoccurrence.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * UPDATE AT 1241 EDT ON 8/5/08 FROM E.A. SENTER TO S. SANDIN * * *
The licensee is retracting this report based on the following:
"On July 11, 2008, NFS made a 24-hour report (NRC Event No. 44344) to the operations center based on 10CFR70, Appendix A, Paragraph (a)(2). 10CFR70, Appendix A, Paragraph (a)(2) requires a 24-hour report for loss or degradation of an item relied on for safety (IROFS) that results in failure to meet the performance requirement of Sec. 70.61. The report was made due to expired calibration gas being used to functionally test the IROFS BPF-43 Nox (nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, etc) detector.
"After calibrating the detector with in-date calibration gas, it was determined that the NOX detector was actually set to alarm at a much more conservative part per million reading than the normal alarm setting. Therefore there was no degradation of the IROFS BPF-43, but rather an increased level of protection had been applied since the last functional test in January 2008. Based on this information, it is requested that this event report be retracted."
Notified R2DO (Hooper), NMSS (Tschiltz) and Fuels OUO Gp via email. |
|
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
|
| Fuel Cycle Facility |
Event Number: 44345 |
Facility: NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES INC.
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: HEU CONVERSION & SCRAP RECOVERY
NAVAL REACTOR FUEL CYCLE
LEU SCRAP RECOVERY
Region: 2
City: ERWIN State: TN
County: UNICOI
License #: SNM-124
Agreement: Y
Docket: 07000143
NRC Notified By: MIKE TESTER
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
|
Notification Date: 07/14/2008
Notification Time: 13:57 [ET]
Event Date: 07/14/2008
Event Time: 08:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/05/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
OTHER UNSPEC REQMNT
|
Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2)
DENNIS DAMON (NMSS)
FUELS OUO VIA E-MAIL ()
|
Event Text
ITEM RELIED ON FOR SAFETY (IROFS) DISCOVERED INOPERABLE
"NOX (nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, etc) detection is IROFS BUND-17 for the LEU [Low Enriched Uranium] portion of the BPF facility. This IROFS is one of the two controls used to prevent chemical occupational exposure to NOX emissions due to the U-natural dissolution operation. The NOX detector alarms prior to exceeding 5 ppm NOX to allow operations to perform monitoring and/or evacuation actions. On July 11, 2008, it was identified that the calibration gas used to functionally test the NOX detector has expired. The calibration expiration date was September 2007. The prior functional test of the NOX detector was performed on January 11, 2008. Due to use of expired calibration gas, it was determined that the NOX detector (IROFS BPF-43) has been in a degraded condition since the last functional test (January 2008).
"A 2nd IROFS is credited in the NOX accident sequence but, with degradation of IROFS BUND-17, the performance criteria of 10 CFR 70.61 were not met.
"No actual emissions have been identified.
"The event occurred due to a degraded management measure, specifically a periodic function test. Improved calibration verifications have recently been implemented; this improved check identified the problem of the expired calibration gas."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
* * * UPDATE AT 1241 EDT ON 8/5/08 FROM E.A. SENTER TO S. SANDIN * * *
The licensee is retracting this report based on the following:
"On July 14, 2008, NFS made a 24-hour report (NRC Event No. 44345) to the operations center based on 10CFR70, Appendix A, Paragraph (a)(2). 10CFR70, Appendix A, Paragraph (a)(2) requires a 24-hour report for loss or degradation of an item relied on for safety (IROFS) that results in failure to meet the performance requirement of Sec. 70.61. The report was made due to expired calibration gas being used to functionally test the IROFS BUND-17 Nox (nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, etc) detector.
"After calibrating the detector with in-date calibration gas, it was determined that the NOX detector was actually set to alarm at a much more conservative part per million reading than the normal alarm setting. Therefore there was no degradation of the IROFS BUND-17, but rather an increased level of protection had been applied since the last functional test in January 2008. Based on this information, it is requested that this event report be retracted."
Notified R2DO (Hooper), NMSS (Tschiltz) and Fuels OUO Gp via email. |
| General Information or Other |
Event Number: 44376 |
Rep Org: UTAH DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: KENNECOTT UTAH COPPER CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: MAGNA State: UT
County:
License #: UT 1800289
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: GWYN E. GALLOWAY
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
|
Notification Date: 07/31/2008
Notification Time: 10:57 [ET]
Event Date: 07/28/2008
Event Time: 07:00 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 07/31/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
|
Person (Organization):
NEIL O'KEEFE (R4)
MICHELE BURGESS (FSME)
|
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - BROKEN SHUTTER ON FIXED GAUGE
The state provided the following information via fax:
"The shutter on an Ohmart fixed gauge, (Model SH-F2, serial number 1404CG), containing 1000 mCi of Cs-137 needed to be closed for maintenance to be performed on other equipment. When maintenance personnel tried to close the shutter, the shutter would not move to the closed position. Maintenance personnel tried to force the shutter closed and one of the screws for the operating handle broke. The shutter still would not close. The licensee removed the gauge from service, shielded the device, and had the device repaired by an authorized licensee."
Utah event number: UT080001 |
| General Information or Other |
Event Number: 44378 |
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: KAISER FOUNDATION HOSPITAL - SAN JOSE
Region: 4
City: SAN JOSE State: CA
County:
License #: 2625-43
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MARK GOTTLIEB
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD
|
Notification Date: 07/31/2008
Notification Time: 18:11 [ET]
Event Date: 04/01/2008
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 07/31/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
|
Person (Organization):
NEIL O'KEEFE (R4)
KEVIN HSUEH (FSME)
ILTAB VIA E-MAIL ()
MEXICO VIA FAX ()
|
|
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.
|
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF LESS THAN CAT 3 LEVEL Gd-153 SOURCES
"The licensee disposed of an ADAC camera in April 2008 and inadvertently failed to remove the 2 Gd-153 sources, isotope products serial numbers E2-886 and E2-890, which contained 250 mCi (9.25 GBq) each as of May 2007. The Gd sources were contained within lead shielding in the device. The sources in their shielding do not present a hazard. Currently, each of the unshielded sources would present a hazard with an exposure rate of about 124 mr/hr at one foot. Currently, the sources have decayed to around 67 mCi (134 mCi total). As of 7/31/2008, the licensee has not been successful in locating the sources.
"According to the licensee, Norcal, a company that performs installation and removal of medical devices, removed the ADAC Vantage camera, and disposed of it sometime in April 2008 to a Waste Transfer Station, Waste Management, in San Leandro.
"Waste Management was contacted and provided the names of the 2 metal recycling companies they would have used to recycle the metal. DC Metals and ALCO metals were both contacted and stated that they do not have any such device at their facility. They indicated if they had received it, the gamma camera would have been recycled to scrap metal very quickly.
"The RSO stated that she just learned of this incident after their consultant had asked them last week for information regarding the disposition of the two 250 mCi Gd- 153 sources. After checking, they learned the sources had not been removed and were missing. The licensee is investigating to try and determine the location of the missing two Gd-153 sources."
Per report, the discovery date of this event was 7/24/2008.
California Report #073008.
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.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Power Reactor |
Event Number: 44384 |
Facility: BYRON
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: STEVE GODBY
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD
|
Notification Date: 08/04/2008
Notification Time: 22:00 [ET]
Event Date: 08/04/2008
Event Time: 18:45 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 08/05/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
|
Person (Organization):
DAVID HILLS (R3)
|
| Unit |
SCRAM Code |
RX CRIT |
Initial PWR |
Initial RX Mode |
Current PWR |
Current RX Mode |
| 1 |
N |
Y |
100 |
Power Operation |
100 |
Power Operation |
Event Text
LOSS OF 84 OF 94 EMERGENCY SIRENS DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER
"At approximately 1830, a severe thunderstorm moved through Ogle County. At 1845, 84 of 94 emergency sirens for Byron Station became inoperable. There is currently no estimated time of repair due to the severe number of power outages."
Sirens affected provide coverage for Ogle County (population ~52,000) and a small portion of Winnebago County (population ~296,000). These are utility owned sirens. These sirens are not shared with other sites. In the event of a need for the sirens, a contingency plan using a "route alert" by the state will be implemented.
There are no off-site power or grid concerns.
The NRC Resident Inspector was notified by the licensee. No other state or local government agencies have been notified by the licensee.
* * * UPDATE ON 8/5/08 AT 0321 FROM GODBY TO SNYDER * * *
Troubleshooting and restoration activities continue for the emergency sirens. Presently 73 of 94 sirens remain inoperable.
Notified R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 0645 ON 8/5/2008 FROM STEVE GODBY TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
At this time, 44 of the sirens are still inoperable. The licensee estimates that all sirens will be operable by 1800 CDT today.
The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 0902 EDT ON 8/5/2008 FROM GREG BALESTRIERI TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
At 0755 CDT, 55 sirens were inoperable. The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 1258 EDT ON 8/5/2008 FROM GREG BALESTRIERI TO S. SANDIN * * *
At 1155 CDT, 48 sirens were inoperable. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 1713 EDT ON 8/5/2008 FROM GREG BALESTRIERI TO S. SANDIN * * *
At 1500 CDT, 46 sirens were inoperable. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 1933 EDT ON 8/5/2008 FROM JIM LYNDE TO S. SANDIN * * *
Six (6) more sirens have been returned to service. Forty (40) sirens remain inoperable. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills).
* * * UPDATE AT 2255 EDT ON 8/5/2008 FROM JIM LYNDE TO J. KOZAL * * *
Seven (7) more sirens have been returned to service. Thirty-three (33) sirens remain inoperable. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
Notified the R3DO (Hills). |
| Power Reactor |
Event Number: 44385 |
Facility: PALISADES
Region: 3 State: MI
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE
NRC Notified By: BARB DOTSON
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
|
Notification Date: 08/05/2008
Notification Time: 22:27 [ET]
Event Date: 08/05/2008
Event Time: 20:29 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/05/2008
|
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS
|
Person (Organization):
DAVID HILLS (R3)
|
| Unit |
SCRAM Code |
RX CRIT |
Initial PWR |
Initial RX Mode |
Current PWR |
Current RX Mode |
| 1 |
N |
Y |
96 |
Power Operation |
0 |
Hot Standby |
Event Text
TECH SPEC REQUIRED SHUTDOWN DUE TO EXCESSIVE UNIDENTIFIED LEAKAGE
"On August 5, 2008, a planned shutdown was in progress to repair a control rod drive mechanism due to excessive leakage (within Tech Spec identified leakage limits). During the shutdown, the site experienced excessive unidentified leakage of approximately four gallons per minute for short periods following charging pump starts, due to leakage past the letdown relief valve. [this first occurred at 1629] As a result of the plant shutdown, and not being in a steady state condition, PCS leakage is unable to be definitively determined. Limiting Condition of Operation 3.4.13 was entered at 1629 hrs. The plant was in Mode 3 at 1955 hrs. The Tech Spec requirement is to restore leakage to within limits within 4 hours. If not within limits within 4 hours, be in Mode 3 within 6 hours (August 6, 2008 at 0229 hours) and be in Mode 5 within 36 hours (August 7, 2008 at 0829 hrs). This event is being reported as a 4-hour non-emergency report in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(i), Tech Spec required shutdown."
The licensee will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. |
|
