Report to Congress on Abnormal Occurrences - Fiscal Year 2010 (NUREG-0090, Volume 33)

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: June 2011
Date Published: June 2011

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

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Abstract

Section 208 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-438) defines an "abnormal occurrence" (AO) as an unscheduled incident or event that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) determines to be significant from the standpoint of public health or safety. The Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-66) requires that NRC report AOs to Congress annually.

This report describes eight events that NRC identified as AOs during Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 based on the criteria defined in Appendix A to this report. One event involved radiation exposure to an embryo/fetus. The other seven events occurred at NRC-licensed or regulated medical institutions and are medical events as defined in Title 10, Part 35, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 35).

In addition, this report describes seven events that Agreement States identified as AOs during FY 2010 based on the criteria in Appendix A to this report. Agreement States are those States that have entered into formal agreements with NRC, pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act (AEA), to regulate certain quantities of byproduct, source, and special nuclear material at facilities located within their borders. Currently, there are 37 Agreement States. Two Agreement State-licensed events involved radiation exposure to an embryo/fetus. The other five Agreement State-licensed events were medical events as defined in 10 CFR Part 35.

Appendix A to this report presents NRC's criteria for selecting AOs as well as the guidelines for selecting "Other Events-of Interest." Appendix B, "Updates of Previously Reported Abnormal Occurrences," provides updated information for two events reported in the FY 2009 "Report to Congress on Abnormal Occurrences." These were medical events at the Gamma Knife Center of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care System in San Diego, California. During FY 2010, four items were identified as meeting the guidelines for inclusion in Appendix C, "Other Events of Interest." Three of these events occurred at nuclear power plants and the other event occurred at a nuclear fuel cycle facility. Appendix D, "Glossary," contains a glossary of terms used throughout this report. Appendix E, "Conversion Table," presents commonly used conversions when calculating doses.