Headquarters Daily Report DECEMBER 04, 1996 *************************************************************************** REPORT NEGATIVE NO INPUT ATTACHED INPUT RECEIVED RECEIVED HEADQUARTERS û REGION I û REGION II û REGION III û REGION IV û PRIORITY ATTENTION REQUIRED MORNING REPORT - REGION II DEC. 04, 1996 Licensee/Facility: Notification: General Electric Co. MR Number: 2-96-0118 General Electirc Co. Date: 12/04/96 Wilmington,North Carolina Dockets: 00701113 License No: SNM-1097 Subject: URANIUM MATERIAL ACCUMULATION IN PROCESS EQUIPMENT Discussion: On December 3, 1996, the licensee reported to the NRC Operations Center loss of some criticality controls in connection with its calciner process. The loss resulted in the accumulation of material, containing uranium enriched to 4.9 percent uranium-235, in the annular section of a calciner. The calciner converts ammonium diuranate (ADU) to uranium oxide by heating it to about 800 degrees F as the material moves down the inside of a rotating, heated tube and then reacting with hydrogen gas. The tube is a nominal 10 inches inside diameter by 26 feet long. The annular section is between the rotating tube and heat shield within the calciner. On November 30, 1996, an operator noticed smoke around the Line 3 calciner and reported it to the control room. The control room operator also observed the calciner temperature profile was higher than normal. As a result of these conditions, the licensee halted the calciner process on Line 3. After allowing cooling sufficient to examine the calciner, the licensee opened the calciner heat shield and outer casing on December 3, 1996. A visible accumulation of material was observed in the bottom of the casing. Approximately 38-39 kilograms of material was removed and placed into criticality safe storage containers. The material is being analyzed for moisture and uranium content. The cause of the material accumulation in annulus was a crack about 3/8-1/2" wide running around the circumference of the tube. The crack was approximately three feet from the tube end. The breakage of the tube represented a loss of one criticality safety control (for geometry) on the calciner process. Another control to stop material accumulation outside the tube when the tube breaks was a switch which detects slow movement or stoppage of the tube. The switch is designated as an Active Engineered Control AEC) and shuts down the flow of ADU and process gases to the calciner when activated. The switch did not activate in this case, since the tube continued to rotate after the break. On December 3, 1996, the licensee established an investigation team and halted the use of all similar calciners until the integrity of the tubes and the adequacy of the AEC to detect loss of function are evaluated. Regional Action: On December 3, 1996, Region II and NMSS established a special inspection team to review the licensee's nuclear criticality safety analysis and evaluation of the incident. The team is lead by the Fuel Facilities Branch Chief in Region II. REGION II MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 DEC. 04, 1996 MR Number: 2-96-0118 (cont.) Contact: G. L. TROUP (404)331-5566 _ REGION III MORNING REPORT PAGE 2 DECEMBER 4, 1996 Licensee/Facility: Notification: MR Number: 3-96-0122 Advance Medical Systems, Inc. Date: 12/03/96 Cleveland,Ohio Dockets: 03016055 License No: 34-19089-01 Subject: DISPOSAL OF COBALT-60 SOURCES FROM ADVANCE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC. Discussion: On Dec. 3, 1996, ChemNuclear Systems, Inc. (CNSI) shipped (via truck) approximately 24,400 curies of cobalt-60 from Advanced Medical Systems (AMS) Cleveland, Ohio facility to Barnwell S.C., for disposal. The cobalt-60 is in the form of bulk sources (pellets contained in screw-top containers) and sealed sources. The sources are packaged in a lead/steel cylindrical liner, which is contained inside a CNSI 1-13G type B shipping cask. The truck is expected to arrive at Barnwell on Dec. 4, 1996. NRC inspectors from Region III (Chicago) were on site when the sources were packaged and shipped. The inspectors performed confirmatory exposure rate and smear surveys of the cask and truck before the truck left the site. The survey results were far below applicable NRC and DOT limits. Later this week, an additional 23,700 curies of cobalt-60 will be shipped from AMS facility to Barnwell. This will leave AMS with a cobalt-60 inventory of approximately 5000 curies, made up of bulk and sealed sources, and approximately 40 curies of packaged wastes. Regional Action: Region III inspectors will continue to be on site when the sources are packaged and shipped. Contact: MICHAEL F. WEBER (630)829-9825 JOHN R. MADERA (630)829-9834 _ REGION III MORNING REPORT PAGE 3 DECEMBER 4, 1996 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Commonwealth Edison Co. MR Number: 3-96-0123 Braidwood 1 Date: 12/04/96 Braceville,Illinois SIR/RI VIA TELECON AND PC Dockets: 50-456 PWR/W-4-LP Subject: STARTUP FOLLOWING PLANNED OUTAGE Discussion: ON 12/03/96, THE REACTOR WAS MADE CRITICAL AT 0435 AND AS OF 0700 WAS AT 12 PERCENT POWER. THE UNIT WAS SYNCHRONIZED TO THE GRID AT 1205. THE REACTOR WAS SHUTDOWN ON 10/12/96 FOR A PLANNED MIDCYCLE OUTAGE PRIMARILY FOR TESTING AND REPAIRING OF STEAM GENERATOR TUBES. Regional Action: THE SHUTDOWN AND OUTAGE ACTIVITIES WERE MONITORED BY THE RESIDENT INSPECTORS. THE STEAM GENERATOR TUBE INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS WERE MONITORED BY A REGIONAL SPECIALIST. THE STARTUP AND POWER ASCENSION WERE MONITORED BY THE RESIDENT INSPECTORS. Contact: R. D. LANKSBURY (630)829-9631 T. M. TONGUE (630)829-9613 _ REGION IV MORNING REPORT PAGE 4 DECEMBER 4, 1996 Licensee/Facility: Notification: Omaha Public Power District MR Number: 4-96-0125 Ft Calhoun 1 Date: 12/04/96 Fort Calhoun,Nebraska Phone Call to Regional Office Dockets: 50-285 PWR/CE Subject: RESIGNATION OF DIVISION MANAGER - NUCLEAR OPERATIONS Discussion: Effective December 13, 1996, Mr. T. L. Patterson will resign as the Division Manager - Nuclear Operations for Omaha Public Power District. No replacement has yet been named. Regional Action: Information purposes only. Contact: W. D. Johnson (817)860-8148 _