Event Notification Report for January 5, 2000

                    U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                              Operations Center

                              Event Reports For
                           01/04/2000 - 01/05/2000

                              ** EVENT NUMBERS **

36513  36559  36560  36561  

!!!!!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED  !!!!!!!
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   36513       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  WISCONSIN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY     |NOTIFICATION DATE: 12/15/1999|
|LICENSEE:  K-RAY                                |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:54[EST]|
|    CITY:  KENOSHA                  REGION:  3  |EVENT DATE:        12/15/1999|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  WI |EVENT TIME:             [CST]|
|LICENSE#:  48-16729-01           AGREEMENT:  N  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  01/04/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |GARY SHEAR           R3      |
|                                                |KEVIN RAMSEY (FAX)           |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  KJELL JOHANSEN               |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  FANGIE JONES                 |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|CDEG 21.21(c)(3)(i)      DEFECTS/NONCOMPLIANCE  |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| K-RAY 706P SOURCE HOLDER DEVELOPED CRACK                                     |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee discovered a crack, about 2-3 inches in length, in the K-Ray    |
| 706P source holder, possibly in a weld.  The gauge, containing a 10-mCi      |
| Cs-137 source, is in a radioactive labeled room under a coal pipe at the     |
| Pleasant Prairie Plant, and it has been wrapped with plastic and labeled     |
| with radioactive stickers.  K-Ray has been notified and will replace the     |
| gauge before the end of the year.  A 30-day written report will follow.      |
|                                                                              |
| (Call the NRC operations officer for a contact telephone number.)            |
|                                                                              |
| *** RETRACTION ON 01/03/00 AT 1707ET FROM KJELL JOHANSEN TAKEN BY MACKINNON  |
| ***                                                                          |
|                                                                              |
| The licensee is retracting this report because the crack in the K-RAY 706P   |
| does not meet the definition of  Substantial Safety Hazard found in 10 CFR   |
| 21.3. Per  10 CFR 21.3 Substantial Safety Hazard "means a loss of safety     |
| function to the extent that there is a major reduction in the degree of      |
| protection provided to public health and safety for any facility or activity |
| licensed, other than for export, etc."  The contact radiation level on the   |
| cracked K-RAY 706P was the same level as the K-RAY 706P without a crack,     |
| 1.5mrem/hr.  A 30 day report will be filed.   R3DO (MADERA) notified.        |
| Facsimile sent to Kevin Ramsey (NMSS)                                        |
|                                                                              |
| *** UPDATE ON 1/4/00 @ 1100 BY JOHANSEN TO GOULD ***                         |
|                                                                              |
| Equipment model number was incorrect.  The correct model number is 7062P     |
| instead of 706P.                                                             |
|                                                                              |
| Notified Reg 3 RDO(Madera) and NMSS(Ramsey)                                  |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   36559       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH           |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/04/2000|
|LICENSEE:  TERRA-MAR, INC.                      |NOTIFICATION TIME: 09:10[EST]|
|    CITY:  FORT WORTH               REGION:  4  |EVENT DATE:        12/30/1999|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  TX |EVENT TIME:        04:00[CST]|
|LICENSE#:                        AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  01/04/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |CHARLES CAIN         R4      |
|                                                |DON COOL                     |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  JAMES OGDEN                  |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  FANGIE JONES                 |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|NAGR                     AGREEMENT STATE        |                             |
|BAB1 20.2201(a)(1)(i)    LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X  |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE                                |
|                                                                              |
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received from the Texas       |
| Department of Health:                                                        |
|                                                                              |
| "Troxler Model 3411-B, Serial # 10518, stolen December 30, 1999, between 4   |
| and 4:30 p.m. along with a company pickup truck (1995, White Isuzu Pup with  |
| markings Terra-Mar, Inc. on both doors, License Plate # SL9314). Reported by |
| Texas Licensee: Terra-Mar, Inc., 2402 Gravel Drive, Fort Worth, Texas        |
| 76118-6935. Gauge includes two radioactive sources: 1)  Am-241:Be,  40       |
| millicuries, Serial # 46-1940; and 2)  C-137, 8.4 millicuries, Serial #      |
| 40-7844. Completed work Thursday and departed worksite at Carlswell Naval    |
| Reserve Base, Texas Army National Guard, Fuel Hanger site and departed.      |
| Truck and operator have not been seen since. Suspected by firm that the      |
| primary theft was for the vehicle for the holiday weekend. A new operator    |
| /technician is the primary suspect in the theft of both the gauge and        |
| vehicle. Neither truck nor gauge have been located. The theft has been       |
| reported to Fort Worth Police Department (Report # 00006249) and the Texas   |
| Department of Public Safety. A copy of the report is not yet available."     |
|                                                                              |
| (Call the NRC Operations Center for a contact telephone number and           |
| address.)                                                                    |
|                                                                              |
| *** UPDATE ON 01/04/00 AT 1705 ET FROM JAMES OGDEN TAKEN BY MACKINNON ***    |
|                                                                              |
| The Troxler Model 3411-B, Serial # 10518, stolen December 30, 1999, from     |
| Fort Worth, Texas , has been recovered today (January 4, 2000) and appears   |
| to be intact.  The gauge is currently being leak tested by the licensee.     |
|                                                                              |
| NRC R4DO (Chuck Cain) and NMSS EO (  John Hickey) notified.                  |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|General Information or Other                     |Event Number:   36560       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| REP ORG:  WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH      |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/04/2000|
|LICENSEE:  INSPECTION SERVICE INC.              |NOTIFICATION TIME: 10:40[EST]|
|    CITY:  PASCO                    REGION:  4  |EVENT DATE:        12/19/1999|
|  COUNTY:                            STATE:  WA |EVENT TIME:             [PST]|
|LICENSE#:  WN-IR064-1            AGREEMENT:  Y  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  01/04/2000|
|  DOCKET:                                       |+----------------------------+
|                                                |PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|                                                |CHARLES CAIN         R4      |
|                                                |BRIAN SMITH          NMSS    |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  TERRY FRAZEE                 |                             |
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  FANGIE JONES                 |                             |
+------------------------------------------------+                             |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |                             |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|NAGR                     AGREEMENT STATE        |                             |
|IBBF 30.50(b)(2)(ii)     EQUIP DISABLED/FAILS   |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

                                   EVENT TEXT                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA AUTO-LOCKING          |
| MECHANISM FAILED                                                             |
|                                                                              |
| THIS EVENT WAS E-MAILED TO THE HEADQUARTERS OPERATION CENTER                 |
|                                                                              |
| "This is notification of an event in Washington state as reported to the WA  |
| Department of Health, Division of Radiation Protection.                      |
|                                                                              |
| STATUS: new                                                                  |
|                                                                              |
| Licensee: Inspection Service Inc.                                            |
| City and state: Kennewick, WA                                                |
| License number: WN-IR064-1                                                   |
| Type of license: Industrial Radiography                                      |
|                                                                              |
| Date of event: December 19, 1999                                             |
| Location of Event: Pasco, WA                                                 |
| ABSTRACT: The auto-locking mechanism malfunctioned on an INC model IR 100    |
| industrial radiography camera containing approximately 25 Curies of Ir-192.  |
| The malfunction was detected during the radiographer's survey of the         |
| circumference of the camera following the completion of a shot when          |
| approximately 500 mRem per hour was noted at the exit port of the camera.    |
|                                                                              |
| Upon cranking in the source, the radiographer had observed the "plunger"     |
| drop into position indicating the source had been fully retracted and the    |
| auto-locking mechanism engaged.  Upon reaching the camera the radiographer   |
| key-locked the camera while initiating the required circumference survey.    |
| Once locked, the key could not be moved to unlock the camera.  The           |
| radiographer discovered that the source was not fully shielded and was not   |
| locked in place.  The camera could not be unlocked to crank the source the   |
| extra one eighth turn needed to fully shield the source although it could be |
| cranked out.  The manufacturer was contacted and a procedure obtained for    |
| by-passing the locking mechanism.  The licensee was told by the manufacturer |
| that this type of event is 'extremely rare but it does happen'.              |
|                                                                              |
| Using the procedure supplied by the manufacturer, the licensee was able to   |
| remove the locking assembly, free the key lock, re-set the auto-lock,        |
| re-assemble the mechanism and retract the source into its fully shielded     |
| position.  No unusual exposures were received by any personnel involved      |
| during this event or the successful completion of this operation.            |
|                                                                              |
| What is the notification or reporting criteria involved? Equipment           |
| malfunction: inability to retract source to fully shielded position and      |
| secure it in this position.                                                  |
|                                                                              |
| Activity and isotope(s) involved: 25 curies of Ir-192                        |
| Overexposures? NONE                                                          |
|                                                                              |
| Device (HDR, etc.) Mfg., Model; computer code: I.N.C. model IR 100, serial   |
| number 4495"                                                                 |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Power Reactor                                    |Event Number:   36561       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FACILITY: BRUNSWICK                REGION:  2  |NOTIFICATION DATE: 01/04/2000|
|    UNIT:  [1] [2] []                STATE:  NC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 14:34[EST]|
|   RXTYPE: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4                    |EVENT DATE:        01/04/2000|
+------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME:        12:50[EST]|
| NRC NOTIFIED BY:  DAVE JESTER                  |LAST UPDATE DATE:  01/04/2000|
|  HQ OPS OFFICER:  JOHN MacKINNON               +-----------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------+PERSON          ORGANIZATION |
|EMERGENCY CLASS:          N/A                   |THOMAS DECKER        R2      |
|10 CFR SECTION:                                 |                             |
|AESS 50.72(b)(1)(v)      EMERGENCY SIREN INOP   |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
|                                                |                             |
+-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+
|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                                   
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| EMERGENCY OFFSITE SIRENS INOPERABLE                                          |
|                                                                              |
| On 01/03/00 at 0557 ET twelve emergency notification sirens were inoperable  |
| due to a loss of power to the sirens.  Power was restored to all of the      |
| sirens by 0714 ET on 01/03/00.  This item was not identified until 01/04/00  |
| at 1250 ET when the licensee performed  a printout of their emergency        |
| offsite sirens status at the EOF.  The power loss was due to an insulator    |
| breakdown on a transformer on the CP&L system.                               |
|                                                                              |
| Other means of warning the public were available.                            |
|                                                                              |
| The NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this event by the licensee.       |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+


Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021