ENS 57191
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
15:00 Jun 25, 2024 | |
| Title | Technical Specification Reportable Occurrence |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the licensee via phone and email:
In accordance with Technical Specification (TS) 6.7.2.1, a report is required to be made within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> by telephone, confirmed by digital submission or fax to the NRC Operations Center if requested, and followed by a report in writing to the NRC, Document Control Desk, Washington, D.C. within 14 days that describes the circumstances associated with eight different specifications, one of which, (h), is abnormal and significant degradation in reactor fuel, cladding, or coolant boundary. At approximately 0900 MDT this morning, abnormal and significant degradation in reactor cladding was observed on fuel element 681E, an aluminum-clad element being inspected for removal from service. The degradation was in the form of an L-shaped hole, approximately 0.25 inches long in the upper section of the fuel element body approximately one inch from the top edge, where the upper aluminum pin and upper graphite section meet internally. It is unknown how long this damage has existed, as there is no visual record of any of this fuel since first inspected in 2003 at the VA Omaha TRIGA reactor before USGS took possession. At that point, it did not have this damage. According to the records, it was dropped during handling in 2003 when it was being unloaded from the shipping cask here at the GSTR [Geological Survey TRIGA Reactor], but no record of further inspection appears to exist. Therefore, this element may have been in the operating core for as long as 18 years in this condition, as USGS was first licensed to use it in 2006. The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance: No fission products were detected in the primary, pool, or on an air particulate detector. The damaged element remains in its storage location in the pool with no other mitigating measures planned in the near term.
The following is a summary of information provided by the licensee via phone and email: After continued fuel inspections, four additional damaged fuel elements were identified (Fuel Element 3007, Fuel Element 5952, Fuel Follower Control Rod 5767, and Fuel Follower Control Rod 5768). The damaged elements will be moved to dry storage and will not be considered for further use. The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance: Inspections are approximately one third complete. Notified NRR PM (Boyle), NPR Event Coordinator (Waugh), and USGS PM (Sutherland). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| U. S. Geological Survey (Usgs) Denver, Colorado (NRC Region 0) | |
| License number: | R-113 |
| Reporting | |
| Non | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+1.95 h0.0813 days <br />0.0116 weeks <br />0.00267 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Johnathan Wallick 16:57 Jun 25, 2024 |
| NRC Officer: | Sam Colvard |
| Last Updated: | Jul 3, 2024 |
| 57191 - NRC Website | |
U. S. Geological Survey (Usgs) with Non | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 571912024-06-25T15:00:00025 June 2024 15:00:00
[Table view]Non Technical Specification Reportable Occurrence 2024-06-25T15:00:00 | |