ENS Event | |
|---|---|
23:45 Jul 15, 2009 | |
| Title | Loss of Criticality Safety Controls for Material Found in an Unexpected Location |
| Event Description | On July 15, 2009 at 1945 B&W Nuclear Operations Group in Lynchburg, Va. activated [its] Emergency Operations Center due to an issue in [the] Uranium Recovery facility. A Do-All Saw used for sectioning of fuel components was found to have a collection of cutting fluid with an unknown amount of HEU in an unfavorable geometry. The volume is estimated at 54 liters. All IROFS [Items Relied On For Safety] have been lost. A criticality is not considered imminent. The situation with the equipment is stable.
There were no radiological concerns with this event. There was no immediate risk or threat to the safety of workers or the public as a result of this event. The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.
The licensee terminated its ALERT at 0035 EDT on 7/16/09 after "mass control" was re-established for the HEU material in the saw cutting fluid. The mass control determination was based on sampling and analysis of the fluid which provided an HEU mass assay indicating that there was significantly less than a critical mass of material present. The licensee stated that the fluid will be removed in a controlled manner later today. The NRC Resident Inspector is onsite and has been notified. NRC Region 2 and HQ management informed via monitoring team. R2DO(O'Donohue), DHS(Doyle), FEMA(Kuzia), DOE(Parsons), USDA(Timmons), and HHS(Miller) notified. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| B&W Nuclear Operating Group, Inc. Lynchburg, Virginia (NRC Region 2) | |
| License number: | SNM-42 |
| Reporting | |
| Emergency class: | Alert |
| 10 CFR 70.32(i) | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+-3.45 h-0.144 days <br />-0.0205 weeks <br />-0.00473 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Barry Cole 20:18 Jul 15, 2009 |
| NRC Officer: | Mark Abramovitz |
| Last Updated: | Jul 15, 2009 |
| 45207 - NRC Website | |
B&W Nuclear Operating Group, Inc. with 10 CFR 70.32(i) | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 467252011-04-05T15:49:0005 April 2011 15:49:00
[Table view]Part 70 App A (C), 10 CFR 70.32(i) Alert Declared Due to Acid Leak Greater than the 40 Cfr Limit ENS 452072009-07-15T23:45:00015 July 2009 23:45:00 10 CFR 70.32(i) Loss of Criticality Safety Controls for Material Found in an Unexpected Location 2011-04-05T15:49:00 | |