U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 05/19/98 - 05/20/98 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** 34258 34259 34260 34261 34262 34263 +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |OTHER NUCLEAR MATERIAL | |EVENT NUMBER: 34258 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |LICENSEE: U.S. ARMY (ACALA) |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | | CITY: FORT IRWIN REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:02 [ET]| | COUNTY: SAN BERNARDINO STATE: CA |EVENT DATE: 05/18/98 | |LICENSE#: 12-00722-03 AGREEMENT: Y |EVENT TIME: 20:00[PDT]| | DOCKET: |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | | +-----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION| | |MONTE PHILLIPS, REG3 RDO | | |FRED COMBS, NMSS EO | +------------------------------------------------+JOHN PELLET, REG4 RDO | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: JEFF HAVENNE |DOE,HHS,FEMA,USDA, FAX | |HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON |EPA, DOT (VIA NRC) FAX | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i) LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | DURING AN INVENTORY CHECK PERFORMED ON 05/18/98, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A | | CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTOR CONTAINING 250 MICROCURIES OF AMERICIUM-241 WAS | | MISSING. | | | | A UNITED STATES ARMY UNIT WAS ON MANEUVERS AT FORT IRWIN, CALIFORNIA. AFTER | | MANEUVERS DURING AN INVENTORY CHECK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AN M43A1 | | (CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTOR) CONTAINING 250 MICROCURIES OF AMERICIUM-241 WAS | | MISSING. THE CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTOR WAS PROBABLY LOST ON THE TRAINING | | GROUNDS OF FORT IRWIN. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 34259 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 11:31 [ET]| |COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 05/18/98 | | 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 11:42[EDT]| | BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | | CITY: PIKETON REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: PIKE STATE: OH |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: GDP-2 AGREEMENT: N |MONTE PHILLIPS RDO | | DOCKET: 0707002 |FRED COMBS, NMSS EO | +------------------------------------------------+ | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: KURT SISLER | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |OCBC 76.120(c)(2)(iii) REDUNDANT EQUIP INOP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | FAILURE TO HAVE REDUNDANT EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AND OPERABLE TO PERFORM THE | | REQUIRED SAFETY FUNCTION OF WARNING PERSONNEL (24-HOUR REPORT) | | | | THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS A PORTION OF A FACSIMILE RECEIVED FROM PORTSMOUTH: | | | | "AT 1142 ON MAY 18, 1998, AFTER RESPONDING TO A BUILDING EVACUATION FROM A | | 'SEE & FLEE,' THE BUILDING EVACUATION HORNS WERE DEENERGIZED TO ALLOW | | MAINTENANCE TO REPLACE THE BROKEN GLASS ON THE TRIP ALARM AND ALLOW | | PERSONNEL TO REENTER THE BUILDING. AT THIS POINT, THE ELECTRIC AUDIBILITY | | PORTION OF THE CRITICALITY ACCIDENT ALARM SYSTEM (CAAS) WAS INOPERABLE FOR | | PROVIDING CRITICALITY WARNING FOR THE 12-RAD AREA SPECIFIED IN THE | | [TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENT]. VISUAL ALARMS EXTERNAL TO THE | | BUILDING AND LOCAL NITROGEN CLUSTER ALARMS WERE STILL OPERABLE. SINCE | | THERE WAS NO REDUNDANT EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE AND OPERABLE TO PERFORM THE | | REQUIRED SAFETY FUNCTION OF WARNING PERSONNEL, THIS EVENT IS REPORTABLE | | UNDER [10] CFR 76.120(c)(2)(iii)." | | | | "THERE WAS NO LOSS OF HAZARDOUS/RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL[, AND THERE WERE NO] | | RADIOACTIVE/RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION EXPOSURE[S] AS A RESULT OF THIS | | EVENT." | | | | PORTSMOUTH PERSONNEL NOTIFIED THE SITE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REPRESENTATIVE | | AND PLAN TO NOTIFY THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |POWER REACTOR | |EVENT NUMBER: 34260 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: SEQUOYAH REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | |UNIT: [1] [ ] [ ] STATE: TN |NOTIFICATION TIME: 13:43 [ET]| |RX TYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 05/19/98 | +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 10:42[EDT]| |NRC NOTIFIED BY: DAN CHAPMAN |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | |HQ OPS OFFICER: LEIGH TROCINE +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+ NOTIFICATIONS | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE +-----------------------------+ |10 CFR SECTION: |MILTON SHYMLOCK RDO | |ARPS 50.72(b)(2)(ii) RPS ACTUATION | | |AESF 50.72(b)(2)(ii) ESF ACTUATION | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+--------------+--+--------+-----------------+ |UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ | 1 | A/R Y 100 POWER OPERATION | 0 HOT STANDBY | | | | | | | | | +-----+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | AUTOMATIC REACTOR TRIP ON LOW-LOW STEAM GENERATOR LEVEL DUE TO THE LOSS OF | | THE OF A VITAL INSTRUMENT BOARD DURING MAINTENANCE | | | | AT 1042, THE UNIT 1 REACTOR TRIPPED FROM 100% POWER. THIS OCCURRED DURING | | THE CALIBRATION OF THE METERS FOR THE 1A1-1 480-VOLT SHUTDOWN BOARD WHEN | | POWER WAS BEING SWITCHED FROM THE NORMAL TO THE ALTERNATE FEEDER. THE | | ALTERNATE FEEDER BREAKER FOR THE 1A1-A 480-VOLT SHUTDOWN BOARD FAILED TO | | CARRY THE CURRENT FOLLOWING THE TRANSFER FROM THE NORMAL TO ALTERNATE | | FEEDER. FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF POWER TO THE 1A1-A 480-VOLT SHUTDOWN BOARD, | | 120-VOLT A.C. VITAL INSTRUMENT POWER BOARD 1-I FAILED. AS A RESULT OF THE | | INSTRUMENT POWER LOSS, STEAM GENERATOR LEVEL CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE | | REACTOR AUTOMATICALLY TRIPPED ON LOW-LOW STEAM GENERATOR WATER LEVEL. THE | | EVENT WAS TERMINATED USING PROCEDURES E.0 AND ES0.1, AND THE PROCEDURE | | 0-GO-12 IS CURRENTLY IN USE. | | | | SPURIOUS CONTAINMENT VENTILATION AND CONTROL ROOM ISOLATIONS OCCURRED DUE | | TO THE LOSS OF INSTRUMENT POWER. AUXILIARY FEEDWATER AUTOMATICALLY STARTED | | AS DESIGNED, AND ALL RODS FULLY INSERTED AS A RESULT OF THE REACTOR TRIP. | | NONE OF THE SAFETY RELIEF VALVES LIFTED; HOWEVER, THE POWER-OPERATED RELIEF | | VALVES WERE USED TO CONTROL REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM TEMPERATURE BECAUSE | | POWER WAS LOST TO THE STEAM DUMP VALVES. NORMAL LETDOWN WAS ALSO LOST DUE | | TO THE INSTRUMENT FAILURE. THE DUMP VALVES AND NORMAL LETDOWN HAVE SINCE | | BEEN PLACED BACK IN SERVICE. IN ADDITION, POWER WAS LOST TO THE FOLLOWING | | INSTRUMENTS (AMONG OTHERS): ONE CHANNEL OF PRESSURIZER LEVEL, ONE CHANNEL | | OF PRESSURIZER PRESSURE, ONE CHANNEL STEAM GENERATOR PRESSURE, CONTROL | | POWER TO ONE OF THE FEEDWATER REGULATING VALVES, AND THE MAIN FEEDWATER | | PUMP CONTROLLER. DURING THIS TRANSIENT, REACTOR COOLANT TEMPERATURE | | DECREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 540øF, AND THE LICENSEE STARTED BORATING THE | | UNIT WHEN TEMPERATURE DECREASED TO 540øF. THE LICENSEE STATED THAT THE | | TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION COOLDOWN RATES WERE NOT EXCEEDED. THE LOWEST STEAM | | GENERATOR LEVEL WAS GREATER THAN 60% WIDE RANGE (0% NARROW RANGE). THERE | | WERE NO SAFETY INJECTIONS AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT. THE LICENSEE STATED | | THAT ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONED AS REQUIRED AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS | | UNUSUAL OR NOT UNDERSTOOD. | | | | THE UNIT IS CURRENTLY STABLE IN MODE 3. PRESSURIZER HEATERS AND SPRAYS, | | NORMAL LETDOWN AND CHARGING, AND THE REACTOR COOLANT PUMPS ARE CURRENTLY | | BEING USED FOR PRIMARY PRESSURE, INVENTORY, AND TRANSPORT CONTROL. THE | | MOTOR-DRIVEN AUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMPS ARE SUPPLYING WATER TO THE STEAM | | GENERATORS, AND SECONDARY STEAM IS BEING DUMPED TO THE CONDENSER VIA THE | | STEAM DUMP VALVES. OFFSITE POWER IS AVAILABLE, AND THE EMERGENCY DIESEL | | GENERATORS ARE OPERABLE IF NEEDED. | | | | THE LICENSEE NOTIFIED THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 34261 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES INC. |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION |NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:57 [ET]| |COMMENTS: HEU CONVERSION & SCRAP RECOVERY |EVENT DATE: 05/19/98 | | NAVAL REACTOR FUEL CYCLE |EVENT TIME: 10:00[EDT]| | LEU SCRAP RECOVERY |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | | CITY: ERWIN REGION: 2 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: UNICOI STATE: TN |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: SNM-124 AGREEMENT: Y |MILTON SHYMLOCK RDO | | DOCKET: 07000143 |FRED COMBS, NMSS EO | +------------------------------------------------+ | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: COLMAN WOODHALL | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |NBNL RESPONSE-BULLETIN | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | NRC BULLETIN 91-01 24-HOUR REPORT | | | | THE LICENSEE REPORTED THAT DURING SEVERAL BRIEF PERIODS FROM 1000 UNTIL | | 2000 ON 05/14/98, THE LID OF A LIQUID WASTE TANK WAS LEFT UNSECURED WHILE | | UNATTENDED. DUE TO A MISINTERPRETATION OF THE TERM "IMMEDIATE TANK AREA," | | TWO OPERATORS LEFT THE LID TO WASTE DISCHARGE TANK T3 IN BUILDING 233 | | UNSECURED WHILE THEY USED A NEARBY TELEPHONE TO VERIFY INFORMATION PRIOR TO | | DISCHARGING WASTE. THE TANK CONTAINED LESS THAN 50g OF URANIUM, ENRICHED TO | | 33% BY WEIGHT U-235, IN THE CHEMICAL FORM OF DILUTE URANYL NITRATE | | SOLUTION. THIS CONDITION WAS OBSERVED BY AN NRC INSPECTOR ONSITE. | | | | THE CONTROLLED PARAMETER IN THIS TANK IS MASS, AS MEASURED BY | | CONCENTRATION. THE TANK HAS A PROCESS LIMIT OF 350g U-235. THE LICENSEE | | POSTULATED THAT FOR A CRITICALITY TO OCCUR, AN INDIVIDUAL WOULD HAVE TO | | BRING AT LEAST 700g OF U-235 (AS CONCENTRATED HEU) TO THE TANK AREA AND ADD | | IT TO THE TANK THROUGH THE UNSECURED LID. | | | | THE LICENSEE HAS REINSTRUCTED OPERATORS TO LOCK THE TANK LIDS AT ALL TIMES | | WHEN THEY ARE NOT PRESENT IN THE TANK AREA. THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR HAS | | BEEN INFORMED. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |GENERAL INFORMATION or OTHER | |EVENT NUMBER: 34262 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |LICENSEE: VALCOR ENGINEERING CORPORATION |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | | CITY: SPRINGFIELD REGION: 1 |NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:59 [ET]| | COUNTY: STATE: NJ |EVENT DATE: 05/19/98 | |LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: N |EVENT TIME: 00:00[EDT]| | DOCKET: |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | | +-----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION| | |GENE KELLY RDO | | | | +------------------------------------------------+VERN HODGE NRR | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: JIMMY SHIEH | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |CDEG 21.21(c)(3)(i) DEFECTS/NONCOMPLIANCE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 10 CFR PART 21 REPORT | | | | FOLLOWING 6 TO 18 MONTHS OF CONTINUOUS ENERGIZED SERVICE, THREE VALCOR | | MODEL V70900-65-11 AIR PILOT VALVES FAILED TO STROKE CLOSED IMMEDIATELY | | UPON DEENERGIZATION WHEN INSTALLED IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SYSTEMS. DELAYS IN | | CLOSING HAVE RANGED FROM ONE TO FIVE MINUTES. DESPITE BEST EFFORTS, THE | | VENDOR REPORTED THAT CLOSING DELAYS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLICATED OUTSIDE OF THE | | PLANT SYSTEMS. | | | | THE VENDOR REPORTED THAT A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF THE DELAYED CLOSING IS THE | | POSSIBLE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL TO THE EFFECTS OF RESIDUAL | | MAGNETISM. DELAYED CLOSING MAY OCCUR WHEN THE AIR GAP BETWEEN THE PLUNGER | | AND THE STOP BECOMES TOO SMALL OR IF THE PLUNGER MAKES CONTACT WITH THE | | STOP. EXTENDED PERIODS OF CONTINUOUSLY ENERGIZED SERVICE AND SUBSEQUENT | | COMPRESSION SETTING OF THE O-RING SEAT MAY INDUCE THE SMALL AIR GAP | | CONDITION. AS A RESULT OF THE SMALL AIR GAP, THE VALVE MAY THEN BE SUBJECT | | TO RESIDUAL MAGNETISM FORCES, WHICH TEND TO PREVENT CLOSURE OF THE VALVE | | UPON DEENERGIZATION. OPENING OPERATION OF THE VALVE IS NOT AFFECTED. | | | | THE V70900-65-11 IS AN AC POWERED VERSION AND IS THE ONLY VERSION OF THE | | V70900-65 AIR PILOT SERIES SUBJECT TO THIS EFFECT. ONLY 46 UNITS OF THIS | | PARTICULAR MODEL HAVE BEEN DELIVERED, ALL TO THE SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC | | STATION. ALL OF THE UNITS HAVE BEEN, OR ARE SCHEDULED TO BE, MODIFIED BY | | VALCOR TO ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR RESIDUAL MAGNETISM EFFECTS. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |FUEL CYCLE FACILITY | |EVENT NUMBER: 34263 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/19/98 | | RXTYPE: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY |NOTIFICATION TIME: 22:51 [ET]| |COMMENTS: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER |EVENT DATE: 05/19/98 | | 6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE |EVENT TIME: 09:23[CDT]| | BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200 |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/19/98 | | CITY: PADUCAH REGION: 3 +-----------------------------+ | COUNTY: McCRACKEN STATE: KY |PERSON ORGANIZATION| |LICENSE#: GDP-1 AGREEMENT: Y |MONTE PHILLIPS RDO | | DOCKET: 0707001 |CHARLEY HAUGHNEY EO | +------------------------------------------------+ | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: MATT MAURER | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: BOB STRANSKY | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |OCBA 76.120(c)(2)(i) ACCID MT EQUIP FAILS | | |NLCO TECH SPEC LCO A/S | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | CRITICALITY ACCIDENT ALARM INOPERABLE DUE TO POWER FAILURE | | | | AT 0923, A PORTABLE DIESEL GENERATOR, WHICH WAS PROVIDING TEMPORARY POWER | | TO THE C-746-Q1 CRITICALITY ACCIDENT ALARM SYSTEM (CAAS) CLUSTER AND | | OUTSIDE WARNING BEACONS, TRIPPED DURING REFUELING. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS | | DETECTED BY THE ACTUATION OF A CAAS TROUBLE ALARM. THE C-746-Q1 CAAS | | CLUSTER WAS DECLARED INOPERABLE AT 0925, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE | | LCO ACTIONS WAS INITIATED. THE PORTABLE GENERATOR WAS RESTARTED AT 0928. | | THE C-746-Q1 CAAS CLUSTER HAS BEEN FULLY RESTORED AND NORMAL BUILDING POWER | | HAS BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE. | | | | THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR HAS BEEN INFORMED. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+