ENS 41723
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
22:40 May 20, 2005 | |
| Title | Deviation from Integrated Safety Analysis, and a 24 Hour Notification - Bulletin 91-01 Criticality Control |
| Event Description | Facility
Westinghouse Electric Company, Commercial Fuel Fabrication Facility, Columbia, SC, low enriched PWR fuel fabricator for commercial light water reactors. Time and Date of Event May 20, 2005, 1840 hours0.0213 days <br />0.511 hours <br />0.00304 weeks <br />7.0012e-4 months <br />. Reason for Notification During a routine filter change-out in a HVAC recirculation filter housing, maintenance mechanics detected an excessive amount of material buildup on the filters and contacted the ventilation engineer. Human performance training at the plant has engendered a heightened awareness for process upsets or unusual conditions in all plant personnel. The ventilation engineer examined the filter housing beneath the filter array and discovered a minor build up of powder in the corners of the housing. This caused him to contact the Nuclear Criticality Safety function. The ventilation engineer and the NCS engineer had samples pulled from the powder and filters to confirm the absence of uranium. The system was believed to serve hoods where entrainment of uranium was not credible, i.e. hoods that contained only sintered pellets, not powder in any form. The samples from the filters returned results in a range from 3.5 to 50 weight percent uranium (average 19 weight percent). This notification [Deviation from Integrated Safety Analysis] is made in accordance with Appendix A [(b)(5)(i)] to Part 70 - Reportable Safety Events. Events to be reported to the NRC Operations Center, (b) within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> of discovery, (5) An occurrence of an event or process deviation that was considered in the Integrated Safety Analysis and : (i) Was dismissed due to its likelihood. As Found Condition The samples from the filters returned results in a range from 3.5 to 50 weight percent uranium (average of all samples for filters was 19 weight percent). An approximate mass of material mass held up in the filters is 119 kg. Based on the average weight percent uranium, the mass of uranium held up in the filters was 22.6 kg, which is less than a critical mass for spherical fully reflected UO2 and water system. The system was already shut down for filter replacement. Summary of Activity The entire functional area that the system serves was shut down immediately. A team of process experts, system experts, NCS specialists, maintenance personnel, and management was immediately formed to determine the source of the uranium in the system. Conclusions At no time was the health or safety to any employee or member of the public in jeopardy. No exposure to hazardous material was involved. The Incident Review Committee (IRC) has determined that this is a safety significant incident in accordance with governing procedures. A causal analysis will be performed. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Westinghouse Electric Corporation Columbia, South Carolina (NRC Region 2) | |
| License number: | SNM-1107 |
| Reporting | |
| Part 70 App A (B)(5) Response | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+19.98 h0.833 days <br />0.119 weeks <br />0.0274 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Owen Connelly 18:39 May 21, 2005 |
| NRC Officer: | John Knoke |
| Last Updated: | May 21, 2005 |
| 41723 - NRC Website | |
Westinghouse Electric Corporation with Response, Part 70 App A (B)(5) | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 419332005-08-19T19:30:00019 August 2005 19:30:00
[Table view]Response Nrc Bulletin 91-01 Violation of Criticality Spacing Requirements ENS 417232005-05-20T22:40:00020 May 2005 22:40:00 Response, Part 70 App A (B)(5) Deviation from Integrated Safety Analysis, and a 24 Hour Notification - Bulletin 91-01 Criticality Control ENS 414182005-02-17T17:00:00017 February 2005 17:00:00 Response, Part 70 App A (B)(1) 24 Hour 91-01 Response Bulletin and Part 70 App a Unanalyzed Condition ENS 413722005-02-04T14:00:0004 February 2005 14:00:00 Response 24-Hour Notification-Bulletin 91-01 Criticality Control ENS 409852004-08-24T14:05:00024 August 2004 14:05:00 Response 24 Hour 91-01 Response Bulletin ENS 408882004-07-21T13:00:00021 July 2004 13:00:00 Response 4-Hour 91-01 Nrc Bulletin Notification Due to Adu in Non-Favorable Geometry Nitrogen Accumulator Tank ENS 408552004-07-07T21:00:0007 July 2004 21:00:00 Response Nrc Bulletin 91-01 - 4 Hour Report ENS 407932004-06-04T22:00:0004 June 2004 22:00:00 Response Licensee Reported a 4 Hour 91-01 Response Bulletin ENS 405672004-03-04T20:00:0004 March 2004 20:00:00 Response 24-Hour Notification - Bulletin 91-01 Criticality Control ENS 404402004-01-12T20:45:00012 January 2004 20:45:00 Response 24 Hour Notification Bulletin 91-01 Criticality Control ENS 402552003-10-16T19:30:00016 October 2003 19:30:00 Response 24 Hour Bulletin 91-01 Notification from Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Facility ENS 402462003-10-14T11:30:00014 October 2003 11:30:00 Response 24-Hour Nrc 91-01 Bulletin Report Involving Improper Mass Control ENS 401522003-09-12T14:32:00012 September 2003 14:32:00 Response Improper Scanning of Lead Rods for the Product Engineering Laboratory 2005-08-19T19:30:00 | |