Event Notification Report for February 1, 2007

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
01/31/2007 - 02/01/2007

** EVENT NUMBERS **


43129 43130 43136

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General Information or Other Event Number: 43129
Rep Org: MISSISSIPPI DIV OF RAD HEALTH
Licensee: AQUATERRA ENGINEERING
Region: 4
City: RIDGELAND State: MS
County: MADISON
License #: MS-724-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BOBBY SMITH
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON
Notification Date: 01/29/2007
Notification Time: 12:31 [ET]
Event Date: 01/26/2007
Event Time: 12:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2007
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
CLAUDE JOHNSON (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
ILTAB (e-mailed)) ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

MISSISSIPPI AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER DENSITY GAUGE

Following Agreement State Report was received via e-mail

"Description of Incident: DRH received notification on 1-28-07 from Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) about a Troxler Model 3411 M/D gauge, Serial # 9533, that had been reported stolen. The gauge belonged to Aquaterra Engineering. The RSO was contacted and he stated that the gauge had been locked in a tool box. The tool box was not big enough to put the shipping container in it also, so the shipping container was in the bed of the truck. The RSO stated that the lock was cut on the tool box allowing the gauge to be removed. He also stated that the gauge's source rod was locked. Issued press release on 1-29-07.

"Date of Incident: Sometime between 1-26-07 and 1-28-07

"Isotope(s): Cesium-137, 8 millicuries; & Americium-241:Be, 40 millicuries.

"Describe clean-up actions taken by DRH: None required.

"List any other actions required of DRH: Licensee will be required to send a written report of stolen gauge within 30 days.

"List any actions taken to notify NRC, other Agreement States: Notified Meridian, MS, Police Department. Notified Lauderdale County Emergency Management. Notified NRC by E-mail. Notified Alabama Radiation Control by phone. Mississippi Department of Health issued press release.

"Case Closed: No

"Record of incident in RAM files: Yes

"Enforcement action taken: Investigation ongoing."

Incident No. MS 07001


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.

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General Information or Other Event Number: 43130
Rep Org: ARIZONA RADIATION REGULATORY AGENCY
Licensee: MRM CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Region: 4
City: PHOENIX State: AZ
County:
License #: AZ 7-512
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: AUBREY V. GODWIN
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON
Notification Date: 01/29/2007
Notification Time: 17:05 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2007
Event Time: 04:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2007
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
CLAUDE JOHNSON (R4)
GARY JANOSKO (NMSS)
ILTAB (e-mail) ()
MEXICO (E-mailed) ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

ARIZONA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN CPN DENSITY GAUGE

Following Agreement State Report was received via facsimile

"At approximately 9:00 AM January 29, 2007, the Agency was informed that the Licensee had a Nuclear Density Gauge stolen from the back of a pickup truck, while the user was at his residence. The missing gauge is a CPN Model MC-3 gauge, SN 8853. The theft occurred between 4 - 6:15 AM on January 29, 2007. The gauge contains 8 mCi (millicuries) of Cesium-137 and 40 mCi (millicuries) Am:Be-241.

"The Phoenix PD is investigating and issued report number 2007-701-92664.

"The Licensee is offering a $500.00 reward for the recovery of the source. A press release is to be made by the licensee.

"The Agency continues to investigate.

"First Notice: 07-001"

The states of CA, NV, CO, UT , NM, and U.S. NRC , FBI and Mexico are being notified of this event.

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.

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Power Reactor Event Number: 43136
Facility: FARLEY
Region: 2 State: AL
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: JAMES HUTTO
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT
Notification Date: 02/01/2007
Notification Time: 00:36 [ET]
Event Date: 01/31/2007
Event Time: 18:45 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/01/2007
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) - POT UNCNTRL RAD REL
Person (Organization):
MIKE ERNSTES (R2)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
2 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

PENETRATION RECIRCULATION FILTRATION SYSTEM OVERLOAD

"Due to a procedure based line-up of the Penetration Recirculation Filtration (PRF) system, it has been discovered that the system is placed in a configuration that could prevent it from performing its safety function. The PRF System filters airborne radioactive particulates from the area of the fuel pool following a fuel handling accident or ECCS pump rooms and penetration area of the Auxiliary Building following a loss of coolant accident (LOCA). The PRF system is a standby system that upon a receipt of an actuating Engineering Safety Feature Actuation System signal or upon receipt of a high radiation signal or a low air flow signal from the normal spent fuel pool room ventilation system will start the PRF fans and discharge the ventilation air stream through the system's filters.

"The standard operating procedure for the PRF system directs the control room staff to place the system in a 'full recirculation' mode of operation following a design bases LOCA if the system can maintain a proper vacuum inside the PRF boundary. The 'full recirculation' mode of operation isolates the Recirculation fan discharge to the atmosphere and fully opens the Recirculation fan recirculation damper. This mode of operation is only an additional defense in depth measure and is not credited in the accident analysis. In this mode of operation, it has been discovered that a degraded PRF boundary which allows in leakage into the boundary which is less than the maximum allowable operational limits, could place the system in a configuration that might cause the Exhaust fan to trip. The trip is caused by an overload condition at the supply breaker due to the increased flow of the Exhaust fan to the atmosphere. With the Recirculation fan discharge isolated to the atmosphere and the Exhaust fan inoperable, the PRF system may not establish an adequate vacuum in the PRF boundary during a Post LOCA accident, thus not meeting its design function.

"This condition was discovered on Unit 1, A train PRF system. Since the systems are similar between Units 1 and 2, and the procedure guidance is exactly the same for the 'full recirculation' mode of operation, this condition has the potential to affect both units, both trains of PRF.

"Corrective actions have been completed to eliminate this mode of operation from the procedure guidance given to the control room staff for operation. A major contributor to the in leakage into the PRF boundary on Unit 1 has also been repaired which reduced the running load on the Exhaust fan for that train. With the procedure guidance removed, the system should not be placed in a 'full recirculation' mode of operation, thus eliminating the potential for a failure of the designed safety function of the system."

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

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