Event Notification Report for July 22, 1999
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
07/21/1999 - 07/22/1999
** EVENT NUMBERS **
35941 35942 35943 35944
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|Fuel Cycle Facility |Event Number: 35941 |
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| FACILITY: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/21/1999|
| RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 08:54[EDT]|
| COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 07/20/1999|
| 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 14:30[CDT]|
| BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/21/1999|
| CITY: PADUCAH REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+
| COUNTY: McCRACKEN STATE: KY |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|LICENSE#: GDP-1 AGREEMENT: Y |PATRICK HILAND R3 |
| DOCKET: 0707001 |DON COOL NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: KEVIN BEASLEY | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: DICK JOLLIFFE | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | |
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| | |
| | |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| NRC BULLETIN 91-01, 24 HOUR REPORT - |
| |
| At 1430 CDT on 07/20/99, the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that |
| during calibration of C-335 air plant moisture meter, air was added to C-335 |
| Unit 3 Cell 7 without independently verifying that the enrichment was less |
| than 1.0 weight percent U-235, in violation of NCSA GEN 10-01. Independent |
| assay verification is required if the air moisture content exceeds 1300 ppm |
| or if the moisture meter is inoperable. With the moisture meter out of |
| service, dry air was added to C-335 Unit 3 Cell 7, which had an assay of |
| 1.01 weight percent U-235. The cell was thought to be less than 1.0 weight |
| percent U-235. However, a previously completed independent assay |
| verification was not referenced. Moisture content was less than 1300 ppm |
| prior to removing the meter from service. After placing the moisture meter |
| back in service, it was determined that the dry air never exceeded 1300 ppm |
| while the meter was out of service. During the period of time that the |
| meter was out of service, the air equipment was operated in a steady state |
| condition with no manipulations performed and no abnormal or unusual process |
| conditions observed. |
| |
| SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENT: |
| Double contingency was not maintained since the independent verification of |
| assay was not performed. Independent verification of assay is required to |
| preclude exposure of an unsafe mass deposit with the enrichment greater than |
| 1.0 weight percent U-235 to wet air. Removal of the moisture meter requires |
| that the system not be pressured with air or independent verification of |
| assay less than 1.0 weight percent U-235 prior to applying air. However, a |
| criticality was not possible because the moisture content did not exceed |
| 1300 ppm. |
| |
| POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO OF HOW CRITICALITY |
| COULD OCCUR): |
| In order for a criticality to be possible, a deposit of unsafe mass would |
| have to be present. This deposit would then have to be exposed to |
| sufficient air with a moisture content exceeding 1300 ppm to moderate the |
| deposit. |
| |
| CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION, GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION, ETC.): |
| Two controls on assay. |
| |
| ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE PROCESS |
| LIMIT AND % WORST CASE CRITICAL MASS): |
| Enrichment of 1.01 weight percent U-235 as determined by Independent Assay |
| Verification. |
| |
| NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND DESCRIPTION |
| OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES: |
| Double contingency for this scenario is established by implementing two |
| controls of assay. |
| |
| The first leg of the double contingency is based on verification that the |
| assay of the equipment that the air is being applied to is less than 1.0 |
| weight percent U-235. It was believed the cell assay was less than 1.0 |
| weight percent U-235. However, verification of assay was not performed. It |
| was later determined that the cell assay exceeded 1.0 weight percent U-235. |
| Therefore, the control was violated. |
| |
| The second leg of double contingency is based on the independent |
| verification that the assay of the equipment that the air is being applied |
| to is less than 1.0 weight percent U-235. However, the Independent |
| verification of assay was not performed. Therefore, this control was |
| violated. |
| |
| Since double contingency was based on two controls on assay, a loss of one |
| or both controls would result in a loss of double contingency. In this |
| instance, both controls were violated and double contingency was not |
| maintained. |
| |
| CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEMS AND WHEN EACH WAS IMPLEMENTED: |
| The moisture meter was returned to service following calibration. |
| |
| This event is being categorized as a 24 hour event in accordance with Safely |
| Analysis Report Table 6.9-1, Criteria A.4.a and NRC Bulletin 91-01, |
| Supplement 1. |
| |
| The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event. |
| |
| PGDP Problem Report No. ATR-99-4250, PGDP Event Report No. PAD-1999-053. |
| Responsible Division: Operations. |
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 35942 |
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| REP ORG: H. C. NUTTING COMPANY |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/21/1999|
|LICENSEE: H. C. NUTTING COMPANY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:44[EDT]|
| CITY: HARRISON REGION: 3 |EVENT DATE: 07/21/1999|
| COUNTY: STATE: OH |EVENT TIME: 08:00[EDT]|
|LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/21/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |PATRICK HILAND R3 |
| |JOHN HICKEY NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: HAROLD WIDENER | |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER | |
+------------------------------------------------+ |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| STOLEN NUCLEAR MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE |
| |
| The licensee reported the theft of a Humbolt model 5001 nuclear moisture |
| density gauge. The gauge contains 40 mCi of Am-241 and 8 mCi of Cs-137. |
| The theft occurred overnight at the residence of one of the company's |
| employees in Harrison, OH. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office was |
| notified of this event. |
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|Power Reactor |Event Number: 35943 |
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| FACILITY: INDIAN POINT REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/21/1999|
| UNIT: [2] [] [] STATE: NY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:48[EDT]|
| RXTYPE: [2] W-4-LP,[3] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 07/21/1999|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 18:00[EDT]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: MIKE VASELY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/21/1999|
| HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A |JAMES NOGGLE R1 |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AOUT 50.72(b)(1)(ii)(B) OUTSIDE DESIGN BASIS | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|2 N Y 99 Power Operation |99 Power Operation |
| | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| OUTSIDE DESIGN BASIS - SILICONE SEALANT NOT PROPERLY APPLIED TO SOME |
| EQUIPMENT |
| |
| During an engineering inspection of the condition of the sealant used to |
| satisfy environmental qualification requirements, several components were |
| found to have seal conditions that did not meet the Con Edison design |
| specifications. In each case it is believed that the degraded condition |
| identified will not prevent the associated equipment from performing its |
| intended safety functions and operability determinations are being completed |
| to document these conclusions. The specific problems identified are as |
| follows: |
| |
| - MSIV limit switches |
| - Auxiliary feedwater flow indication |
| - Motor driven auxiliary feedwater pumps recirculation valves |
| - City water backup solenoid valves and limit switches to motor driven |
| auxiliary feedwater pumps. |
| |
| An inspection plan is being developed to determine the extent of this |
| condition. |
| |
| The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspector. |
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|Other Nuclear Material |Event Number: 35944 |
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| REP ORG: IDAHO NAT ENGR & ENVIRONMENTAL LAB |NOTIFICATION DATE: 07/21/1999|
|LICENSEE: IDAHO NAT ENGR & ENVIRONMENTAL LAB |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:17[EDT]|
| CITY: Idaho Falls REGION: 4 |EVENT DATE: 07/21/1999|
| COUNTY: STATE: ID |EVENT TIME: 19:55[MDT]|
|LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |LAST UPDATE DATE: 07/22/1999|
| DOCKET: |+----------------------------+
| |PERSON ORGANIZATION |
| |ELMO COLLINS R4 |
| |LARRY CAMPER NMSS |
+------------------------------------------------+FRANK CONGEL IRO |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOE GARCIA |CHARLIE BAGWELL FEMA |
| HQ OPS OFFICER: DOUG WEAVER |BILL BEECHER PAO |
+------------------------------------------------+DOE (fax) |
|EMERGENCY CLASS: ALE | |
|10 CFR SECTION: | |
|AAEC 50.72 (a) (1) (I) EMERGENCY DECLARED | |
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EVENT TEXT
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| ALERT DECLARED DUE TO A BRUSH FIRE ON SITE PROPERTY |
| |
| The licensee declared an ALERT due to a brush fire that has burned onto the |
| Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) site |
| property. No radioactive material is currently threatened by the fire. The |
| use of some communications towers has been interrupted because the fire |
| burned a telephone pole connecting the towers to the facility. |
| |
| The licensee notified the state of Idaho and local county officials, DOE and |
| the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. |
| |
| * * * UPDATE AT 0047 ON 07/22/99 FROM ED BROWN TO JOLLIFFE * * * |
| |
| The brush fire has burned to within 11 miles of the nearest site building. |
| The wind is presently blowing from 320� (Southeast, away from site |
| buildings) at 4 MPH. The outside temperature is 65�F. The fire is being |
| fought by the Bureau of Land Management. There is no threat to site |
| facilities. |
| |
| * * * UPDATE AT 0137 ON 07/22/99 FROM ED BROWN TO JOLLIFFE * * * |
| |
| The wind is now blowing from 224� (Northeast, away from site buildings). |
| |
| * * * UPDATE AT 0211 ON 07/22/99 FROM ED BROWN TO JOLLIFFE * * * |
| |
| At 2347 MDT on 07/21/99, the licensee terminated the ALERT. The fire is now |
| under control and there is now no ongoing fire on INEEL site property. |
| |
| The licensee notified the state of Idaho and local county officials, DOE and |
| the Fort Hall Indian Reservation of the termination of the ALERT. |
| |
| The NRC Operations Officer notified R4DO Collins, NMSS EO Camper, IRO |
| Congel, FEMA Bagwell, PAO Beecher, DOE (fax), USDA (fax), HHS (fax) and EPA |
| (NRC) (fax) of the termination of the ALERT. |
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Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021