Semantic search
| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 56326 | 30 January 2023 15:30:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Concurrent Report - News Release | Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) experienced a "condition upset" for which they issued a news release. Following are details from the news release provided by the licensee via email: NFS Experiences Condition Upset On January 30, 2023, at 1030 EST, Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. experienced a condition upset during routine inventory activities. Local ambulance services were contacted as a precautionary measure to ensure proper response to employees affected by the upset. Two employees were transported for further evaluation, while three were evaluated onsite and released. No impact to the facilities, the public, or the environment occurred. This report is being made per the requirements of 10CFR70 Appendix A (c).
Following are details from an updated news release provided by the licensee via email: NFS Experiences Minor Chemical Reaction On January 30, 2023, at 1030 EST, Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. experienced a minor chemical reaction during routine inventory activities in a contained area of the plant. Five employees were exposed to fumes. Two employees were transported by ambulance to the Unicoi County Hospital for further evaluation, and have been released. Three were evaluated on site and released. They were wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Out of an abundance of caution, NFS activated its emergency response organization (ERO) at the beginning of the event to ensure appropriate response was initiated as details were gathered. The ERO is comprised of representatives from across the site. NFS was not evacuated, and no impact to the facilities, the public, or the environment occurred. Notified Fuels Group, R2DO (Miller), and NMSS Events Notification via email. | ||
| ENS 55218 | 27 April 2021 21:30:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Concurrent Report - Immediate Report to the Texas Department of State Health Services | Low level waste shipment bound for WCS ((Waste Control Specialists)), Andrews, Texas was involved in a minor traffic accident. The trailer sustained light damage to the rear of the trailer. No damage to the shipment contents was identified during visual inspection. Driver was released by the officer working the accident. Accident occurred near Dallas, Texas. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | ||
| ENS 53573 | 29 August 2018 04:00:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Concurrent Report for an Offsite Notification Made to the State of Tennessee | This is a concurrent report of a 24-hour report that was made to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) regarding an unauthorized storm water discharge. As permitted by the State of Tennessee, emulsified vegetable oil was being injected into ground water wells located on the North Site of NFS property. At approximately 11:00 (EDT), Environmental Safety was notified of a cloudy oil substance that was observed in the west storm water ditch. Injections were immediately ceased and immediate corrective actions were implemented. Oil absorbent pads and socks were deployed and samples were collected. Before noon on 8/29/2018, the cloudy substance was observed at the discharge of the storm water ditch into Martins Creek. Because of the discoloration observed at the entrance to Martins Creek, this event required a 24-hour notification to TDEC (made at 16:15 on. 8/29/18) and a five day written report will be submitted. Analysis of the grab samples indicated no radioactive material release. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | ||
| ENS 53384 | 4 May 2018 15:45:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Concurrent Report for an Offsite Notification Made to the State of Tennessee | This is a concurrent report of a 24-hour report that was made to the state of Tennessee regarding a break in the main fire water loop due to construction activities. The fire loop is fed by city water. The fire water pipe break was isolated by closing isolation valves upstream of the break. A portion of the water and dirt from the excavation flowed into a nearby storm water drainage system. This drainage system has a storm gate which was closed prior to the event to contain the dirt and water. The dirt is still contained in the storm water system located within the protected area of NFS. The dirt is currently being removed from the storm water system. The storm gate will remain closed until the dirt removal activity has been completed. Potential health and safety consequences to the workers, the public and the environment: "There are no actual safety consequences to workers, the public, or the environment. The potential consequence was a slightly elevated but less than the 10 CFR 20 Table 2 limits of contaminated liquid effluent from a construction accident. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. Fire watches have been established for the areas affected by the fire loop break. No criticality controls were affected by this event. | ||
| ENS 47578 | 9 January 2012 16:55:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Report to Offsite Government Agencies and Press Release Due to a Chemical Spill Onsite | The licensee reported that approximately 300 gallons of nitric acid spilled in the bulk chemical storage outdoor area from a storage tank. The nitric acid spilled into a dike that surrounds the tank. The leak was isolated and it is believed that no acid breached the dike and entered the environment. Due to fumes from the acid, the licensee shut down production activities and evacuated non-essential personnel from nearby buildings. The licensee is currently remediating the spill and evaluating when to permit personnel normal access to the onsite areas that were evacuated. This event did not involve any radiological material and did not meet emergency declaration criteria. There was no offsite impact from this event. Site security was maintained throughout. No injuries have been reported. The cause of the spill is still being investigated. This event is being reported to the NRC Operations Center as a "Concurrent Report" because the licensee has notified state, county, and local authorities and will be making a press release. The licensee has also notified the NRC Resident Inspector and Region 2 (Pelchat). | ||
| ENS 45601 | 31 December 2009 10:17:00 | Part 70 App A (C) | Temporarily Suspend Certain Process Areas | A press release is being issued by NFS (Nuclear Fuels Services). NFS is implementing organizational, facility and management changes that will ensure an even more stringent level of safety controls and processes at the facility. During the implementation, NFS will temporarily stand down certain process areas. NFS developed these changes following consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to ensure that the highest levels of safety commitment, culture and compliance are in place for licensed operational processes. NFS is making these specific changes following a recent NRC review. Suspended operations include production operations, the Commercial Development Line and the down blending facility. These facilities will be brought back on line pending a third-party review and NRC review of the safety improvement implementations. Other areas of the plant will continue to operate. | ||
| ENS 44890 | 4 March 2009 19:40:00 | Part 70 App A (C) 10 CFR 70.74 APP. A | Glovebox Overflow Drains May Be Inadequate to Perform Their Safety Function | Many gloveboxes in the processing areas are equipped with overflow drains to prevent solution from exceeding an unsafe depth. These overflow drains are sized to accommodate the credible flow rates into the associated gloveboxes. During the generation of set-point analyses for overflow drains in a new process area, questions arose regarding how the drain discharge flow rates are calculated. To resolve these questions, NFS performed field tests using a glovebox on 2/26/2009 and 2/27/2009. Initial results of these tests indicated that the discharge flow rates are sensitive to drain weir height and glovebox floor flatness. This caused NFS to question the ability of the drains to perform their intended function. NFS, therefore, generated a plant-wide list of all potentially affected gloveboxes and suspended operations in them on 2/27/2009. Uranium-bearing materials were removed from the gloveboxes and all of the affected gloveboxes were tagged out of service. Engineering evaluations of the affected gloveboxes were performed and proceeded through 3/4/2009. As a result of Engineering evaluations, it was determined that in some instances a single drain alone was not capable of maintaining a solution depth to within design parameters in some localized areas within the glovebox. Modifications are being made to the drains to restore their functionality. There were no actual or potential safety consequences to the public or the environment. The potential criticality consequences to the workers were low due to the conservatisms included in the analyses. The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
The licensee will issue a press release to summarize the results of NRC Special Inspection Report No. 2009-007. The licensee will inform the NRC Resident Inspector. Notified R2DO (Ernstes), NMSS (Bjorkman) and Fuels Grp via email. |