PNO-III-99-034, on 990702,all Criticality Accident Alarms Adminstratively Declared Inoperable.Certficatee Issued Press Release.Certificatee Remains in Alert Pending Resolution of Operability Issue.Senior Inspector Responded to Site

PNO-III-99-034:on 990702,all Criticality Accident Alarms Adminstratively Declared Inoperable.Certficatee Issued Press Release.Certificatee Remains in Alert Pending Resolution of Operability Issue.Senior Inspector Responded to Site

ML20209B722
Person / Time
Site:	Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Issue date:	07/02/1999
From:	Hartland D, Hiland P NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III)
To:
References
PNO-III-99-034, PNO-III-99-34, NUDOCS 9907070416
Download: ML20209B722 (1)

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l July 2, 1999

'PRELISINARYNOTIFICATIONOFEVENTORUNUSUALOCCURRENCEPNOIII-99-034 -

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.  !

Facility Licensee Emergency Classification U.S. Enrichment Corporation Notification of Unusual Event  ;

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Alert Portsmouth.0hio Site Area Emergency l Dockets: 07007002 General Emergency X Not Applicable 1

Subject:

All Criticality Accident Alarms Administratively Declared Inoperable

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On July 2.1999, at 12:40 a.m., Eastern time, the certificatee declared an " Alert" and activated the Emergency Operations Center as required by their emergency- preparedness implementing procedures after declaring the entire site's Criticality Accident Alarm System (CAAS) inoperable. The CAAS was declared inoperable after engineering plant staff, during a l review of calculations, discovered that the detectors were not being l calibrated to the 5 mrad /hr setpoint required by the Technical Safety Requirements (TSRs). The engineers determined that the detectors may be set at a value as high as 8.57 mrad /hr. The certificatee immediately initiated the actions required by the TSRs for the inoperable CAAS.

including discontinuation of specific fissile operations and restricted access to areas containing fissile material.  ;

There is no release of radiation at the facility, and the detectors would l alarm if neutron dose rates were in excess of 9 mrad /hr. '

The certificatee issued a press release.

The certificatee remains in the " Alert" pending resolution of the operability issue. The certificatee is evaluating several options at this time including enforcement discretion.

The Senior Resident Inspector responded to the site and will monitor the certificatee's actions.

The State of Ohio has been notified of the event.

Region III received initial notification of this occurrence by telephone call from the certificatee at 12:50 a.m. on July 2.1999. The information presented herein has been discussed with the certificatee, and is current as of 10:30 a.m. CDT on July 2, 1999.

Contact:

P. Hiland D. Hartland (630)829-9603 '(614)289-3353 I

9907070416 990702 E If$99-034 PDR b L