| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
10/19/2007 - 10/22/2007 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43650 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Region: 1
City: CAMBRIDGE State: MA
County:
License #: 44-0002
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GALLAGHER
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 09/18/2007
Notification Time: 14:30 [ET]
Event Date: 08/30/2007
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/19/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
PAUL KROHN (R1)
GREG MORELL (FSME)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - 23 MISSING TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS
Harvard University was replacing and recycling old exit signs. When workers arrived to remove the old exit signs and reprocess them, the signs could not be found. The licensee believes the exit signs may have went along with some old light bulbs that were being recycled. The licensee inspected the recycling chamber and found it free of contamination. Each sign originally contained 7.5 curies of Tritium. Decayed activity as of today is 93 curies. They initiated their investigation on August 30, 2007, and the investigation is on-going.
* * * UPDATE FROM R. GALLAGHER TO P. SNYDER AT 1021 0N 10/19/07 * * *
Harvard University has taken / is taking the following corrective actions:
"1). Training sessions provided to Harvard University recycling program staff [identification of H3 signs and new requirements to send all such signs to the Radiation Protection Office (RPO) for processing].
"2). Revision made to EXIT Sign Fact Sheet, which focused on requirements for building managers and requires transfer of any removed radioactive signs to the RPO for reclamation.
"3). Additional EXIT sign training provided to facility directors, facility managers, compliance officers, and the real estate program to heighten awareness of radioactive EXIT signs and proper recycling."
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has concluded their investigation of this matter and considers the corrective actions taken by the licensee to be acceptable.
Notified R1DO (R. Bellamy) and FSME EO (G. Morell).
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.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 43728 | Facility: BWX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: HEU FABRICATION & SCRAP
Region: 2
City: LYNCHBURG State: VA
County: CAMPBELL
License #: SNM-42
Agreement: N
Docket: 070-27
NRC Notified By: BARRY COLE
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 10/17/2007
Notification Time: 13:53 [ET]
Event Date: 10/16/2007
Event Time: 22:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/17/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
PART 70 APP A (c) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION/NEWS REL
| Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2)
GREG MORELL (FSME)
J. PAULEY (DOE)
J. CREWS (EPA)
P. SHAFOVALOFF (USDA)
M. DALZIEL (HHS)
D. SULIVAN (FEMA)
FUELS OUO (EMAIL) ()
| Event Text REPORTABLE QUANTITY OF WASTE ACID RELEASED ONSITE
"A second-shift Waste Treatment operator discovered acidic wastewater (a mixture of nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid and water) discharging from a sump on the Bay 5A Pickle Acid Scrubber pad at approximately 10:30 PM on 10/16/2007. The acidic wastewater ran downhill onto the roadway to the north and eventually onto a concrete pad near the bottom of the hill. By the time of the discovery, or very shortly thereafter, the overflow stopped. The operator notified area supervision and verified that all valves and pumps at the Waste Treatment facility were functioning normally and wastewater was being received in the equalization tanks.
"Estimates on 10/17/2007 by Environmental Engineering of the amount of flow discharged to the line versus the amount received at Waste Treatment, combined with visual observation of the spill area, suggest that approximately 275 gallons of acidic wastewater were released from the trench, of this amount, approximately 25 gallons potentially reached uncovered surfaces adjacent to the road (gravel/grass). This was deemed to be a Reportable Quantity of a hazardous substance and appropriate notifications were made to the National Response Center (Notification #851841), the EPA Region 11 Consent Order Coordinator and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
"The spill area was neutralized with soda ash and thoroughly rinsed. The small gravel/grass areas that may have been impacted are being assessed for additional remediation as necessary."
BWXT will notify the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Fuel Cycle Facility | Event Number: 43732 | Facility: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: LEU CONVERSION (UF6 to UO2)
COMMERCIAL LWR FUEL
Region: 2
City: COLUMBIA State: SC
County: RICHLAND
License #: SNM-1107
Agreement: Y
Docket: 07001151
NRC Notified By: MARC ROSSER
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 10/19/2007
Notification Time: 15:21 [ET]
Event Date: 10/17/2007
Event Time: 18:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/19/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
PART 70 APP A (c) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION/NEWS REL
| Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2)
MICHAEL TSCHILTZ (FSME)
| Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE REQUIREMENTS NOT BEING PROPERLY MET
On October 17, 2007 at 1830, a regularly scheduled shipment of four UF6 cylinders from URENCO in Almelo, Netherlands did not have tamper proof seals on the outer overpack. This is a violation of the Certificate of Compliance for the package shipping requirements. The shipment was prevented from entering the site and is currently in a secure location under guard view and video surveillance at the site's entry control point. The licensee made a courtesy call to the Richland County Emergency Agency, and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The licensee also intends to formally notify the DOT of this event. The licensee is in contact with the manufacturer of the shipment and is working to resolve the issue.
The licensee has notified NRC Region 2 Fuel Cycle Branch personnel. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 43735 | Facility: BYRON
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DARRELL JOHNSON`
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON | Notification Date: 10/19/2007
Notification Time: 19:55 [ET]
Event Date: 10/19/2007
Event Time: 18:30 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/19/2007 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(i) - PLANT S/D REQD BY TS
| Person (Organization):
KENNETH RIEMER (R3)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 75 | Power Operation | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 75 | Power Operation | Event Text TECH SPEC REQUIRED SHUTDOWN DUE TO ULTIMATE HEAT SINK INOPERABILITY
"lnitiated Unit 1 and Unit 2 plant shutdown due to inoperability of ultimate heat sink system. The inoperability is due to structural integrity failure of ASME Class 3 piping through wall leakage of the 0C Essential Service Water riser piping of the mechanical draft cooling tower."
Licensee is in Technical Specification 3.7.9 which requires the units be in Mode 3 in 6 hours and Mode 5 in 36 hours.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |