05000397/LER-2005-006
| Columbia Generating Station | |
| Event date: | |
|---|---|
| Report date: | |
| Initial Reporting | |
| 3972005006R00 - NRC Website | |
At approximately 1205 on October 18, 2005, with Columbia Generating Station (Columbia) in mode 1, an Energy Northwest nuclear security officer who was operating an x-ray machine detected an unloaded handgun and 20 rounds of ammunition in the backpack of an Energy Northwest employee at Columbia's Protected Area (PA) access control point (ref: Event Notification#42060). In response to this event, the handgun was immediately controlled and the individual's unescorted access to the PA was suspended. Following fitness for duty tetting, the individual left-the owner controlled-area � enforcement (Benton County Sheriffs Deputy) responded to the event. This event meets the criteria specified in 10 CFR 10 CFR 73, Appendix G, paragraph 1(d), as this was an attempted introduction of contraband into Columbia's PA. This report is made pursuant to the requirement of 10 CFR 10 CFR 73.71(a)(4) for a 60-day follow-up written report.
Regulatory Guide 5.62, revision 1, (November 1987) section 3.2 instructs licensees to use NRC Form 366 when submitting these reports and describes the report content that is sufficient for NRC analysis and evaluation. Because this event does not involve a security system failure or a threat related incident, only items 1 through 14 in section 3.2 of the Regulatory Guide are germane to this issue and are addressed below:
Date and Time of Event October 18, 2005 at 1205 PDT.
Location of Actual or Threatened Event -----The-evenfiqcctmed-inlhe -search-area-ofeolumbia':s-Protected Area PA)---� access control point.
Plant Operatinq Phase At the time of this event, Columbia was in mode 1 operating at full power.
Safety Systems Threatened, directly or indirectly Because the event did not result in an actual introductiOn of contraband into the protected area, no safety systems were threatened.
Type of Security Force onsite Energy Northwest maintains a proprietary security force.
NRC FORM 366A U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (1-2001) Columbia Generating Station 05000397 Number and type of personnel involved Three Energy Northwest Nuclear Security Officers (NSOs) were involved. One NSO with the handgun and ammunition and two on-duty NSOs performing searches.
Method of discovery of incident The contraband was detected as the NSOs backpack was processed through the x-ray machine in the protected area access control point during the routine inspection process.
Procedural errors involved This action was a violation of an Energy Northwest policy. There were no procedural errors involved.
Immediate actions taken in response to event Upon discovery of the contraband, on-duty NSOs immediately took control of the handgun and ammunition while the employee was segregated and searched. A local law enforcement official (Benton County Sheriffs Deputy) was summoned to the scene. The individual's unescorted access to the PA was inactivated.
Following fitness for duty testing, the individual left the owner controlled area.
The handgun and ammunition was returned to the individual after the individual exited the owner controlled area.
=—Corrective-acti-ons-taken -or planned—:- The employee received disciplinary action and security department personnel were briefed on the event. The individual's unescorted access to the PA has been reactivated subsequent to fitness for duty testing.
Local, State, or Federal law enforcement agencies contacted The local law enforcement agency (BentOn Coun Sheriff) was contacted and responded to the event as this was a violatiOn of nton County Ordinance #225 that prohibits unauthorized weapons in Columbia's'exclusion area. The Sheriffs Deputy authorized Energy Northwest security to maintain custody of the firearm.