Event Notification Report for November 08, 2024

AGREEMENT STATE - DAMAGED S-TUBE

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

"New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection conducted a routine inspection of Sky Testing Services, Inc. (Radioactive Materials License No. C5409) and discovered that a Delta 880 Camera (serial number D6138) had been taken out of service due to a worn s-tube. The camera had been sent to QSA for resourcing on July 25, 2024. As part of the routine servicing/resourcing the leak test for the Ir-192 and depleted uranium (DU) were below 0.001 microcurie, thereby indicating that the source was not leaking. QSA performed a borescopic exam to discover that the s-tube was worn out and the DU shield was exposed. As a result, the camera had been removed from service in accordance with 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 34.27. This appears to meet the reportability criteria in 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2) and (c), in addition to 34.101 (equivalent to 12 [New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR)] 38.34(h)(3)). Even though the DU was not found to be leaking, the s-tube was worn and retained by the manufacturer during routine quality checks/resourcing.

"Prior to discovery of this worn s-tube, the device appears to have operated as intended but posed vulnerability to potential failure from what is believed to be routine wear and tear. As a result, no unplanned exposures directly resulted from this worn s-tube prior to its discovery during routine servicing.

"NYSDOH did request corrective actions from this event to confirm if this s-tube will be replaced or if the camera will be removed from service indefinitely. Additionally, NYSDOH informed the facility of the reporting criteria required to address in these corrective actions. It does not appear that the licensee was aware of the reporting requirement.

"It is unclear if this event truly meets the reportability under 10 CFR 30.50, however, NYSDOH wants to report this as a precautionary measure.

"NYSDOH is closely monitoring this event and has assigned NYSDOH Incident No. 1505. More information will be provided to Nuclear Material Events Database (NMED) once available."

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION

The following is a summary of information provided by the licensee via phone:

At 1118 EST, on 11/6/24, a small brush fire occurred within the owner controlled area. The fire started when a lawn mower passed by a pile of dry leaves that had built up for a couple of weeks. Security contacted Windham County emergency dispatcher for fire department support. Vermont Yankee personnel managed to put the fire out prior to the fire department arriving onsite. Due to the offsite notification to local law enforcement and fire department, Vermont Yankee is reporting this event under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi) and 10 CFR 72.75(b)(2).

Vermont Yankee will also notify the State of Vermont and NRC Region 1.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST STATIC ELIMINATOR

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

"On November 1, 2024, the Department was notified by the licensee that it discovered it had a missing general licensed device during an inventory verification exercise. The device, which is a P2042 static eliminator, has not been accounted for as of December 4, 2023. This discovery was made by the EHS technician. The technician conducted an internal exercise to verify the inventory of these devices and discovered that there was a missing device. The technician contacted the device manufacturer who advised the licensee to contact the Department. The device contains a 5 millicurie (original activity - around October 2023) polonium-210 sealed source. The licensee stated the device did not pose a risk of exposure to any individual. The licensee searched for the device, but was unable to locate it. The licensee has since made several administrative controls to avoid such a situation in future."

Texas Incident Number: 10139
Texas NMED Number: TX240040

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 RADIOACTIVE LIQUID

The following information was received from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email.

"The Agency was contacted on 10/23/24, to advise of the loss of a syringe containing 7.5 mCi of liquid Tb-161. The loss occurred at Siemens Medical Solutions (RML #1130-02) in Hoffman Estates, IL. Reportedly, the week of 10/16/24, a [Siemens Medical Solutions] technician placed the syringe inside a blue syringe shield for future testing. On Friday, 10/18/24, the supplier of the syringe shields (Hot Shots NM, LLC) conducted a routine collection of used shields. Despite it being properly labeled, it is suspected that Hot Shots' courier collected the syringe shield containing the Tb-161. After the investigation, it is believed the syringe was transported back to the Hot Shots' Loves Park, IL, facility where it was discarded into their Tc-99m decay-in-storage bin.

"There was no indication of attempted theft or diversion."

Additional Involved Party:
Hot Shots NM, LLC
Loves Park, IL 61111
Illinois License Number: IL-01874-01

Illinois Item Number: IL240026

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

MANUAL REACTOR SCRAM

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone and email:

"On November 10, 2024, at 0337 CST, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (GGNS) was operating in mode 1 at 100 percent power when a manual scram was initiated due to degrading main condenser vacuum. The cause of the degrading main condenser vacuum is not known at this time and is being investigated. All control rods fully inserted and there were no complications. Reactor pressure was initially maintained with main turbine bypass valves. Reactor water level was initially maintained with main feedwater and condensate.

"At 0457, operators transitioned pressure control to safety relief valves and began using reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC) to maintain reactor water level. This was performed using plant procedures due to degrading vacuum. GGNS is currently in mode 3. Reactor level is being maintained with RCIC and pressure is being maintained using the safety relief valves.

"The manual reactor protection system (RPS) actuation is being reported in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(iv)(B) and the RCIC actuation is being reported in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A).

"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector was notified."

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

At the time of the notification, main steam isolation valves had shut on low vacuum.

* * * UPDATE ON 11/10/24 AT 1236 CST FROM MELISSA LIMBECK TO KERBY SCALES * * *

The following update was provided by the licensee via phone and email:

"This update is being made to report the following occurrences which took place after the scram reported in event number 57418.

"On November 10, 2024, at 0545 CST, a group 1 containment isolation signal resulted in the closure of all MSIVs. The signal was due to continued degradation of condenser vacuum post-trip. At 0620, an automatic RPS actuation occurred when reactor water level lowered to level 3. This RPS actuation occurred with all control rods fully inserted. Reactor water level lowered following closure of an open safety relief valve and was recovered to within the established band.

"The events are being reported as specified system actuations in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A).

"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been informed of the update."

Notified R4DO (Dixon)

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION

The following is summary of information provided by the licensee via phone and email:

On November 11, 2024, at 1510 EST, site personnel identified what appeared to be water bubbling up from the pavement adjacent to the sanitary lift station 'C' outside of the facility industrial area. Less than 100 gallons of non-radiological sanitary water ran to a catch basin connected to permitted outfall number 007. Visual inspection did not identify any odor or indication of flow at outfall number 007 discharge. By 1530, the lift station pumps had been secured, sources of influent to the lift station were removed from service, and efforts were underway to pump the tank.

At 1611, an offsite notification was made to the Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division in accordance with Section B of the station's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit No. 0003557. The event was associated with leakage from underground sewage system piping from a non-radiological underground tank and lift station.

The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified.