PNO-III-97-004, on 970124,truck Carrying Four U Hexafluoride Cylinders in Accident Occurred.Truck Transporting Cylinders from Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant to Siemens Power Corp in Richland,Washington

PNO-III-97-004:on 970124,truck Carrying Four U Hexafluoride Cylinders in Accident Occurred.Truck Transporting Cylinders from Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant to Siemens Power Corp in Richland,Washington

ML20133P587
Person / Time
Site:	Framatome ANP Richland
Issue date:	01/24/1997
From:	Cox C, Shear G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-97-004, PNO-III-97-4, NUDOCS 9701270029
Download: ML20133P587 (2)

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! January 24, 1997 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-III-97-004 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE .

safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially

received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region III staff (Lisle, Illinois) on this date.

l Facility Licensee Emergency Classification >

U.S. ENRICHMENT CORPORATION SIEMENS POWER Notification of Unusual Event

! CORPORATION Alert

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Site Area Emergency t Piketon,0hio General Emergency i License No: SNM-1227 X Not Applicable l

Subject:

TRUCK CARRYING FOUR URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE CYLINDERS IN ACCIDENT r

On January 24. 1997, a flat bed trailer transporting four 2.5 ton solid uranium hexafluoride cylinders in protective overpacks, was involved in an accident on Interstate 80 in Scott County near Walcott, Iowa. The  :

. accident occurred at approximately 7:00 a.m. CST during a snow and ice

storm. The truck was transporting the cylinders from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant to Siemens Power Corporation in Richland,

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Washington. All four uranium hexafluoride cylinders and their overpacks

remained intact and no injuries were reported.

3- The Scott County Hazard Materials Team responded to the accident site and i conducted radiological surveys. There were no observed releases of t

material and surveys indicated a maximum radiation level of 1

! micro-Sievert (0.1 millirem) 3er hour, normal levels for such shipments.

A crane was utilized to uprig1t the trailer and the trailer with the four cylinders and overpacks was secured in a locked fenced area in the vicinity. Representatives of the United States Enrichment Corporation and 2 Siemens Power Corporation are discussing whether to complete the shipment

- to Siemens or return it to Portsmouth.

The )lant is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy until Marc 1 3, 1997.. The NRC has resident inspectors at the Portsmouth facility in preparation for NRC assuming regulatory jurisdiction over the site.

Siemens Power Corporation is an NRC licensee located in Richland.

Washington.

The State of Iowa, the NRC Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards and NRC Region IV (Arlington, Texas) have been informed. The  ;

information in this preliminary notification has been reviewed with the Department of Energy and Siemens Power Corp > ration.

9701270029 970104  ?

PDR I&E PNO-III-97-OO4 PDR ,

tE34 270002 of l

PN397004 JANUARY 24, 1997 PAGE 2 There has been media interest in this event.

NRC Region III (Chicago) was notified of this event at 10:00 a.m. (CST) on January 24. 1997. This information is current as of 2:30 p.m. (CST) on January 24, 1997. Region III will continue to monitor this event.

Contact:

GARY SHEAR CHARLES C0X (630)829-9876 (614)289-3353