U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 11/03/97 - 11/04/97 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** 33204 33205 33206 33207 +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 33204 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: GENERAL ATOMICS |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/03/97 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:52 [ET]| |COMMENTS: TRIGA FUEL FABRICATION |EVENT DATE: 11/03/97 | | HEU FUEL R&D |EVENT TIME: 11:30[PST]| | LEU FABRICATION |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/03/97 | | CITY: SAN DIEGO REGION: 4 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: SAN DIEGO STATE: CA |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: SNM-696 AGREEMENT: Y |PHIL HARRELL RDO | | DOCKET: 07000734 |MARGARET FEDERLINE EO | +------------------------------------------------+JOSEPH GIITTER IRD | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: KEITH ASMUSSEN | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |NINF INFORMATION ONLY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A SMALL FIRE OCCURRED DURING REMOVAL OF STEEL PLATES IN A DECOMMISSIONED | | HOT CELL. | | | | AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 PST ON 11/3/97, A PORTION OF AN ELEPHANT TRUNK USED | | FOR TEMPORARY VENTILATION WAS IGNITED BY A SPARK FROM A CUTTING TORCH BEING | | USED TO REMOVE STEEL PLATE IN THE BUILDING #23 DECOMMISSIONED HOT CELL. THE | | FIRE WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE WATCH BEFORE THE LOCAL FIRE | | DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE WITHIN 5 MINUTES. ONE WORKER WAS | | TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT AND OBSERVATION OF SMOKE | | INHALATION. THIS WORKER ALARMED A PORTAL MONITORING SYSTEM DURING REMOVAL | | FROM THE AREA AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE ONE DISCRETE RADIOACTIVE PARTICLE IN | | HIS HAIR (MEASURED 300,000 DPM USING A GAS FILLED PROPORTIONAL METER), | | WHICH WAS REMOVED PRIOR TO TRANSPORT. THE INSTALLED HEPA FILTER IN THE HOT | | CELL WHERE THE FIRE OCCURRED CONTINUED TO OPERATE REMOVING SMOKE. THERE | | WAS NO RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL OFFSITE. | | | | THE LICENSEE IS PREPARING A STATEMENT AFTER RECEIVING MEDIA INQUIRIES FROM | | FOUR TV STATIONS AND VARIOUS TELEPHONE CALLS. AN NRC REGION 4 INSPECTOR | | (CHUCK HOOKER) WAS ONSITE AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT. THE LICENSEE NOTIFIED | | THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY AUTHORITIES. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |POWER REACTOR | |EVENT NUMBER: 33205 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: SOUTH TEXAS REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/03/97 | |UNIT: [1] [2] [ ] STATE: TX |NOTIFICATION TIME: 19:03 [ET]| |RX TYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 11/03/97 | +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 17:29[CST]| |NRC NOTIFIED BY: GREG JANAK |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/03/97 | |HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+ NOTIFICATIONS | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE +-----------------------------+ |10 CFR SECTION: |PHIL HARRELL RDO | |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 | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ | 1 | N Y 100 POWER OPERATION | 100 POWER OPERATION | | 2 | N Y 100 POWER OPERATION | 100 POWER OPERATION | | | | | +-----+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | ATWS BLOCKING SETPOINTS SET NONCONSERVATIVELY | | | | "THE INTERLOCK SETPOINT FOR ATWS MITIGATING SYSTEM ACTUATION CIRCUITRY | | (AMSAC) HAS BEEN BASED ON 40% TURBINE IMPULSE PRESSURE. THIS IS OUTSIDE | | THE DESIGN BASIS OF 40% REACTOR THERMAL POWER. | | | | "THIS IS REPORTABLE UNDER 10CFR50.72(b)(1)(ii)(B). AMSAC IS OPERABLE AT | | THIS POWER LEVEL. PLANS ARE TO REDUCE THE INTERLOCK SETPOINT TO 30% | | TURBINE IMPULSE PRESSURE, WHICH WILL ARM AMSAC PRIOR TO 40% POWER." | | | | THE LICENSEE IS PROCESSING THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK TO READJUST THE INTERLOCK | | SETPOINT. HOWEVER, SHOULD EITHER UNIT REDUCE POWER TO LESS THAN 40% PRIOR | | TO COMPLETION OF THE PAPERWORK WHICH IS EXPECTED TO TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS, | | THE INTERLOCK SETPOINT WILL BE READJUSTED AS AN INTERIM CORRECTIVE ACTION. | | THIS CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED BY THE LICENSEE IN A REVIEW OF INDUSTRY | | EVENTS (SEE EVENT #33132). | | | | THE LICENSEE WILL INFORM THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 33206 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/03/97 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:29 [ET]| |COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 11/03/97 | | 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 20:56[EST]| | BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/03/97 | | CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |MIKE JORDAN RDO | | DOCKET: 0707002 |MARGARET FEDERLINE EO | +------------------------------------------------+JOSEPH GIITTER IRD | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: JOHN JORDAN | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: STEVE SANDIN | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 4-HOUR NRC BULLETIN 91-01 REPORT INVOLVING LOSS OF TWO CRITICALITY CONTROL | | PARAMETERS DURING CELL MAINTENANCE. | | | | "AT 2056 HOURS, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1997, IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE PORTS | | NUCLEAR SAFETY MANAGER THAN AN INCIDENT DISCOVERED IN THE X-333 PROCESS | | BUILDING CONSTITUTED A FOUR-HOUR REPORTABLE EVENT. | | | | "THE EVENT WAS INITIALLY DISCOVERED AT 0100 HOURS, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, | | 1997, WHEN CASCADE OPERATIONS PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THE EVEN SIDE | | RECIRCULATING COOLING WATER (RCW) CONDENSER DRAIN VALVE WAS CLOSED ON CELL | | 33-8-9 FOLLOWING MAINTENANCE ON THE RCW CONDENSER. THIS DISCOVERY | | CONSTITUTED A VIOLATION OF NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY APPROVAL (NCSA) | | #NCSA-0333_015.A01, CONTINGENCY EVENT A/B.6.b.1. THIS EVENT RESULTED IN | | THE LOSS OF BOTH CONTROL A & CONTROL B AS NOTED: | | | | CONTROL A: PROTECTION FROM RCW INLEAKAGE INTO THE CASCADE SHALL BE ASSURED | | BY MAINTAINING THE COOLANT PRESSURE ABOVE THE UF6 AND RCW PRESSURES. | | | | CONTROL B: WHEN A CELL IS SHUTDOWN (MOTOR TURNED OFF) AND THE R-114 | | REMOVED, THE RCW SUPPLY TO THE AFFECTED CELL SHALL BE VALVED OFF, THE | | CONDENSER DRAINED AND DRAIN VALVE LEFT OPEN. THE RCW SHALL REMAIN VALVED | | OFF UNTIL THE R-114 IS RETURNED TO THE SYSTEM. | | | | THESE CONTROLS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF RCW INTO THE | | URANIUM ENRICHMENT CASCADE. THE PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THIS EVENT BY | | THE NUCLEAR CRITICALITY STAFF WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT A REPORTABLE EVENT; | | HOWEVER, FOLLOWING FURTHER EVALUATION ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, IT WAS | | DETERMINED THAT LOSS OF TWO CONTROLS WERE INVOLVED, AND RESULTED IN THIS | | 4-HOUR REPORT. AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERY, THE RCW DRAIN LINE WAS OPENED, | | AND RESIDUAL RCW WAS DRAINED FROM THE CONDENSER. THIS ACTION COUPLED WITH | | THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE COOLANT (R-114) SYSTEM WAS INTACT, AND THAT THE CELL | | REMAINED AT A URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (UF6)-NEGATIVE WITH NO KNOWN URANYL | | FLUORIDE (UO2F2) DEPOSIT PRESENT RESTORED THE CELL CONTINGENCY COMPLIANCE. | | | | "THERE WAS NO RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OR RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION | | EXPOSURES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT. | | | | "THIS EVENT IS BEING REPORTED PER NUCLEAR REGULATORY EVENT REPORTING | | PROCEDURE UE2-RA-RE1030, APPENDIX D, CRITERIA A, PARAGRAPH 4.b." | | | | CORRECTIVE ACTION INCLUDES PLACING CELL TREATMENT ACTIVITIES ON HOLD | | PENDING NCSA REVIEW AND INSPECTING OTHER OFFLINE CELLS FOR CLOSED RCW | | CONDENSER DRAIN VALVES. | | | | THE LICENSEE INFORMED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 33207 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 11/04/97 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 05:27 [ET]| |COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 11/04/97 | | 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 01:30[EST]| | BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 11/04/97 | | CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |MIKE JORDAN RDO | | DOCKET: 0707002 | | +------------------------------------------------+JOSEPH GIITTER IRD | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: STEVE MAY | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FOUR HOUR NRCB 91-01 REPORT INVOLVING LOSS OF TWO CRITICALITY CONTROL | | PARAMETERS | | | | "AT 0130 TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 1997, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT AN INCIDENT | | DISCOVERED IN THE X-333 AND X-330 PROCESS BUILDINGS CONSTITUTED A 4-HOUR | | REPORTABLE EVENT. THIS EVENT IS DUE TO CASCADE OPERATIONS PERSONNEL | | DISCOVERING 14 CELLS WITH DRAIN VALVES CLOSED ON THE RCW [RECIRCULATING | | COOLING WATER] CONDENSER. ONE CELL, 29-5-8, IS A PEH (PLANNED EXPEDITIOUS | | HANDLING) CELL. THE DRAIN VALVE ON 29-58-8 WAS OPENED AND THE RESIDUAL RCW | | DRAINED. THIS DISCOVERY CONSTITUTED A VIOLATION OF THE NUCLEAR CRITICALITY | | SAFETY APPROVAL (NCSA) NCSA-0333_015.A01 AND NCSA-0030_005.A01. THIS EVENT | | RESULTED IN A LOSS OF BOTH CONTROL A AND CONTROL B AS NOTED [IN] THIS | | REPORT. THESE CONTROLS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF RCW | | INTO THE URANIUM ENRICHMENT CASCADE. THERE WAS NO RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS | | MATERIALS OR RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT. THIS | | EVENT IS BEING REPORTED PER NUCLEAR REGULATORY EVENT REPORTING PROCEDURE | | UE2-RA-RE1030, APPENDIX D, CRITERIA A, PARAGRAPH 4.b. | | | | SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE: RCW COULD ENTER THE R-114 COOLANT SYSTEM AND | | ULTIMATELY ALLOW MODERATOR TO ENTER THE UF6 SYSTEM. CONDENSER TUBE LEAKS | | AND R-114 COOLER TUBE LEAKS WOULD HAVE TO SIMULTANEOUS BE PRESENT FOR THIS | | FAILURE MODE TO OCCUR. | | | | POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED: THE RCW CONDENSER MUST REMAIN | | DRAINED TO PREVENT MODERATOR (RCW) FROM POSSIBLY ENTERING THE UF6 SYSTEM. | | | | CONTROLLED PARAMETERS: | | CONDITION A - PROTECTION FROM RCW INLEAKAGE INTO THE CASCADE SHALL BE | | ASSURED BY MAINTAINING THE COOLANT PRESSURE ABOVE BOTH THE UF6 AND RCW | | PRESSURES. | | CONDITION B - WHEN A CELL IS SHUTDOWN (MOTOR TURNED OFF) AND THE R-114 | | REMOVED, THE RCW SUPPLY TO THE AFFECTED CELL SHALL BE VALVED OFF, THE | | CONDENSER DRAINED, AND THE DRAIN VALVE LEFT OPEN. THE RCW SHALL REMAIN | | VALVED OFF UNTIL THE R-114 IS RETURNED TO THE SYSTEM. | | | | NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROLS: THIS EVENT INVOLVED THE LOSS OF | | CONTROL FOR BOTH CONTROL A & B ABOVE. | | | | CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THE RCS DRAIN VALVES WILL BE OPENED, AND THE RESIDUAL | | RCW DRAINED FROM THE CONDENSER. ALL CELL TREATMENT ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN | | PLACED ON HOLD PENDING NCSA REVIEW. ALL OTHER OFFLINE CELLS ARE BEING | | INSPECTED FOR CLOSED RCW CONDENSER DRAIN VALVES." | | | | THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR HAS BEEN INFORMED. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+