South Africa
 INES 2 |
Both low head safety injection motors declared inoperable because of insufficient motor cooling water flow |
The event involved the unavailability of both low head safety injection (LHSI) motors for an extended period for certain accident scenarios that went undetected by all the present processes currently in use for surveillance, maintenance and testing.
On 2005-12-05 both LHSI motors were declared inoperable because of reduced motor cooling water flow. An Operating Technical Specification Limiting Condition of Operation required the unit to be taken from a plant state of Intermediate Shutdown Residual Heat Removal system conditioned to Cold Shutdown within 24 hours.
INES 1 |
Loss of 185 MBq of I-131 in type A packaging |
A consignment of 185 MBq of I-131 in Type A packaging, produced by the South African Atomic Energy Corporation, was delivered to Johannesburg International Airport on 10 September 1999, for transportation to Cape Town. The package was not delivered by 13 September, and has not been able to be located to date.
Justification of the Rating:
Since the lost source does not have the potential to cause prompt adverse health effects, its loss is rated at Level 1, the minimum prescribed by Section C3.3 of the addendum to the INES User's Manual, which replaces Section IV-5.1.2.
INES 2 |
Loss of 7 TBq of Mo-99 in B(U) packaging |
A routine consignment of 7 Tbq of Mo-99 in Type B(U) packaging, produced by the South African Atomic Energy Corporation, was delivered to Johannesburg International Airport on 2 March 1999, for transportation to Israel. The package could not be found by the carrier later on the same day. The carrier has instituted a worldwide search, and the local police service has been informed.
Justification of the rating:
INES 2 |
Loss of 4 TBq of Mo-99 in B(U) Packaging |
A routine consignment of 4 TBq of Mo-99 in Type B(U) packaging, produced by the South African Atomic Energy Corporation was delivered to Johannesburg International Airport on 22 April 1998, for transportation to Buenos Aires. The package could not be found during the carrier's warehouse check on 23 April. The matter was reported to the local police service, and a "trace" process was instituted on flights which might have carried the consignment erroneously.
INES 2 |
Loss of 4 TBq of Mo-99 in B(U) packaging |
A routine consignment of 4TBq of Mo-99 in Type B(U) packaging, produced by the South African Atomic Energy Corporation was delivered to Johannesburg International airport on 22 April 1998, for transportation to Buenos Aires. The package could not be found during the carrier's warehouse check on 23 April. The matter was reported to the local police service, and a "trace" process was instituted on flights which might have carried the consignment erroneously.
INES 2 |
Workers receive dose exceeding statutory annual dose limit |
During a routine filter change, in the refuelling water storage and cooling system, three workers received whole body radiation doses of 50, 90 and 105 milli-Sieverts. The statutory annual whole body dose limit is 50 milli-Sieverts.
INES 2 |
Uncontrolled entry into room under reactor vessel during refuelling outage |
During the scheduled refuelling outage on unit 2, a worker received an external whole body dose of 32 milli-Sieverts (3.2 rem) during entry into a normally locked room inside the reactor containment building. The worker had a key to another room nearby, but mistakenly opened the wrong door. On entering the room he realised his mistake and exited.
The use of the key, and entry into the room were not performed according to existing authorised procedures.
The whole body dose received by the worker was within the annual legal limit of 50 milli-Sieverts (5 rem) for a radiation worker.
