INFORMATION REPORT

August 28, 2002 SECY-02-0159

For: The Commissioners

From: John W. Craig, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-02-0159 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING AUGUST 23, 2002

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B

Nuclear Regulatory Research C

Nuclear Security and Incident Response D

General Counsel E*

Administration F

Chief Information Officer G

Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources I

Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State and Tribal Programs L

Public Affairs M*

International Programs N*

Office of the Secretary O

Region I P

Region II P

Region III P*

Region IV P

Executive Director for Operations Q*

Congressional Affairs R

*No input this week.

/RA/

John W. Craig

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

M. Layton, OEDO
August 28, 2002 SECY-02-0159

For: The Commissioners

From: John W. Craig, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-02-0159 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING AUGUST 23, 2002

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B

Nuclear Regulatory Research C

Nuclear Security and Incident Response D

General Counsel E*

Administration F

Chief Information Officer G

Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources I

Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State and Tribal Programs L

Public Affairs M*

International Programs N*

Office of the Secretary O

Region I P

Region II P

Region III P*

Region IV P

Executive Director for Operations Q*

Congressional Affairs R*

*No input this week.

/RA/

John W. Craig

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

M. Layton, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WEEK823.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MLayton:paa JWCraig

08/ /02 08/ /02
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 23, 2002

The Weekly Information Report is compiled by the Office of the EDO and includes highlights of

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: M. Layton, OEDO by E-mail: mcl@nrc.gov. 

Use GO TO (Ctrl+Home) to advance to the page number for a specific Office.

PgDn and PgUp can also be used to advance through the text.

OFFICE Page OFFICE Page

NRR 2 STP 17

NMSS 4 OPA *

RES 8 IP *

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

NEI Letter on Control Room Habitability Assessment Guidance

In a letter of August 19, 2002, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) provided their thoughts

regarding a revision to NEI 99-03, “Control Room Habitability Assessment Guidance” to

incorporate resolution to issues identified during the July and August NRC meetings on control

room habitability. While the staff is moving forward to complete the related regulatory guides

on schedule, we are reviewing the NEI proposal and its potential impact on these regulatory

guides. Staff plans to meet with NEI during the week of September 9 to discuss their proposal.

Manual Actions for Fire Protection of Redundant Trains

On August 22, 2002, the NRC Executive Team (ET) approved the staff's proposal to develop a

rulemaking plan to amend the regulations to permit use of feasible and safe manual actions for

III.G.2 areas. The staff’s proposed approach would allow licensees to take credit for manual

actions as an alternative to the physical fire barriers or separation required by 10 CFR 50,

Appendix R III.G.2. for redundant safe shutdown trains in the same fire area without prior NRC

staff review and approval. 

Meeting with Framatome ANP to discuss the SWR-1000

On August 15, 2002, members of the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Nuclear

Regulatory Research met with Framatome ANP to discuss their pre-application review for the

SWR-1000. The SWR-1000 is a 1000 MWe boiling water reactor with passive safety features. 

In a letter dated May 31, 2002, Framatome ANP indicated that it intends to submit a design

certification application for the SWR-1000 by the end of 2005. The purpose of this meeting was

for Framatome ANP to provide the staff with an overview of the design, discuss the analysis

methods and codes they plan to use, and the test program to support the application. 

Framatome ANP intends to rely on a combination of tests already performed and to schedule

tests in the near future to characterize component and/or system performance, to assess

interactions between components, and to obtain data for computer code qualification. The staff

and Framatome ANP agreed that frequent interactions during the code and testing

development work prior to the design certification application would be mutually beneficial. 
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Training on the Revised 10 CFR Part 35

On August 21-22, 2002, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety staff and a subject

matter expert from Region II provided training on the Revised 10 CFR Part 35. The training

was performed in the Region III office. Over 50 people representing Region III, two Agreement

States, two States in the process of becoming Agreement States, and master material

licensees attended the training. This was the fourth of five training sessions directed toward

inspection and licensing and Headquarters staffs. The final training session will be in Region II

on August 26-27, 2002.

Certificate of Compliance for the NAC-LWT Transport Package

On August 15, 2002, the Spent Fuel Project Office issued a revised Certificate of Compliance

for the NAC-LWT package. The revision increased the U-235 gram content for low-enriched

uranium Materials Test Reactor type research-reactor fuel. This was a high-priority review that

supported the Department of Energy’s foreign research-reactor fuel-return program. 
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

NRC Staff Assignment at U.K.'s Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII)

Plans have been finalized for a representative from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

to be assigned to NII between September 3 and December 13, 2002. The purpose of this

assignment is to learn about regulatory challenges (technical safety issues and regulatory

practices) in using graphite as structural component and as moderator in gas-cooled reactors. 

The work plan includes a mix of interactions with industry and academic technical experts in

U.K., the regulatory personnel at NII, observer-status inspection trips with NII inspectors to

licensee plants, active interactions with researchers at University of Manchester, participation at

the IAEA meeting on graphite properties database, participation at the 3rd International

Graphite Specialists meeting at Parma, Ohio, and safety assessment training conducted by the

Nuclear Safety Directory (NSD) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The technical information gathered from this assignment will be used to (a) develop

recommendations for regulatory positions (b) input for codes and standards development, and

(c) provide basis for development of research programs to address gaps. The outcome of this

assignment will support infrastructure development for the advanced reactor reviews, while

advancing international cooperative research.
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Meeting with Stakeholders on Interim Compensatory Measures for the Transportation of Large

Quantities of Radioactive Material

On August 20, 2002, staff from the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, Division

of Nuclear Security, held a closed meeting with stakeholders (licensees, shipping companies,

the Nuclear Energy Institute, States, and Federal agencies) to discuss proposed Interim

Compensatory Measures (ICMs) for the transportation of large quantities of radioactive

material. 

Sandia National Laboratory Seminar on Radiological Dispersal Device Consequences

On August 20, 2002, representatives of Sandia National Laboratory presented a seminar on

consequence modeling for radiological dispersal devices (RDDs). Sandia has conducted a

large number of experiments to determine release fractions and respirable fractions that could

result from an RDD. The results of their research have been incorporated into a consequence

calculation code. The NRC Operations Center will be obtaining this code and training

responders in its use.

Remote Sensing Laboratory on Geographical Information System (GIS) Capability Upgrade

On August 21, 2002, a representative of the Remote Sensing Laboratory (Las Vegas, NV)

visited the NRC Operations Center to discuss the upgrading of the GIS capability for response

to a radiological emergency. Technological improvements in recent years will permit the NRC

Operations Center to have greater GIS capabilities.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-II-02-024B, Virginia Electric and Power Company, TENTATIVE LABOR

AGREEMENT TO END STRIKE AT NORTH ANNA AND SURRY.

2. PNO-IV-02-041, Geotechnical Testing Services, Yuma, AZ., STOLEN PORTABLE

GAUGE

3. PNO-IV-02-042, URS Corporation, Seattle, WA., STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE

4. PNO-II-02-031, Southern Nuclear Operating Co., Farley Unit 1, Ashford, AL., FIRE AND

TRIP OF THE 1C SERVICE WATER PUMP 

5. PNO-I-02-015, Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs Medical Group, Northport, NY, REPORT OF

POSSIBLE TELETHERAPY MISADMINISTRATION AND/OR SAFETY EQUIPMENT

FAILURE
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Contract Award

On August 22, 2002, an order was awarded to PEC Solutions, Inc., a small business, using

competitive procedures under CISSCO-II Blanket Purchase Agreement No. NRC-01-183. The

Contractor shall design and deliver a digital data management system that enables the Atomic

Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP) to establish and operate a courtroom with digital

information retrieval, utilization, and display capabilities to support licensing proceedings for the

high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The total value of the order

over the 3-year period of performance is $1,464,213 for the software design and delivery under

Task 1, with an optional Task 2 for audio-visual component development valued at $355,640,

and an optional Task 3 for integration of the software with the audio-visual components valued

at $1,006,778. Both optional tasks will be available for exercise during the second year of the

order.

Event Notification Requirements (Parts 72 and 73)

A proposed rule that would amend the event notification requirements applicable to an

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation and to a Monitored Retrievable Storage installation

and safeguards event notification requirements for certain facilities of these types was

published in the Federal Register on August 22, 2002 (67 FR 54360). The proposed changes

are intended to align these requirements with recent changes to power reactor event notification

requirements. The comment period for this action closes November 5, 2002.
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the period of

August 16, 2002 through August 22, 2002:

MLTS, Colorado companies licensed to handle, store, or distribute radioactive material

(FOIA/PA-2002-0378)

MLTS, list of RO/SRO licenses from 1996 to present (FOIA/PA-2002-0379)

Nuclear power program of India, 1985 to present, Referral by Dept. of State (FOIA/PA-2002-

0380)

Nuclear power program of India, 1985 to present, Referral by Dept. of State (FOIA/PA-2002-

0381)

Sylvania Corning Nuclear Corp. (SYLCOR), contract issued by AEC to produce uranium fuel,

between 1952 and 1966; nuclear materials licenses SM-57 and SM-82, issued to SYLCOR,

Sylvania Electric, or Corning (FOIA/PA-2002-0382)

IMPAC listing (FOIA/PA-2002-0383)

FOIA Request FOIA/PA-2002-0353 (FOIA/PA-2002-0384)

Baltimore tunnel fire of 7-18-01, all reports, correspondence, etc. of NRC staff and/or its

contractors that discuss the temperature and duration of the fire (FOIA/PA-2002-0385)

ERDA and Washington Public Power System (WPPSS), contracts and leases, AT(45-1)-2416

and AT(45-1)-2269 (FOIA/PA-2002-0386)
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Arrivals

COLE, Shelly LEGAL INTERN OGC

DIXON, John REACTOR ENGINEER RIV

ELLIS, Renee OFFICE AUTOMATION ASSISTANT NRR

GEORGE, Teri SECRETARY RII

JONES, David PROJECT ENGINEER RII

LEE, Chia-Ling SECRETARY RES

MARSHFIELD, Mark RESIDENT INSPECTOR RI

McCARVER, Samuel REACTOR INSPECTOR RI

QUINONES-GONZALEZ, Jose NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NRR

SMITH, Crystal SECRETARY (0A) SPAC HR/CSU

ROSALES BUSH, Cindy INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SPECIALIST OIP

WILLIAMS, Herman RECORDS MANAGEMENT TECHNICIAN RIV

ZIGH, Abdel REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER RES

Departures

BAKHSH, Sarah* STUDENT ENGINEER RIII

ENGEL, Debra SENIOR ATTORNEY OGC

FU, Jennifer STUDENT IT SPECIALIST OCIO

HARDESTY, Kelly REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER RES

IJAZ, Sairah STUDENT IT SPECIALIST OCIO

JOYCE, Regina IT SPECIALIST NMSS

KLEIN, Gabriel STUDENT ENGINEER NRR

KLETT, Audrey STUDENT ENGINEER RIII

LANYI, David RESIDENT INSPECTOR RII

O'NEIL, Martin** ATTORNEY OGC

REITER, Michael STUDENT CLERK OI/RIII
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE I

SMITH, Katherine STUDENT ENGINEER RI

STEVENS, Matthew*** STUDENT SOCIAL SCIENTIST OIP

SULLIVAN, Margaret STUDENT CLERK RIII

WOLCHANSKY, Jennifer STUDENT ENGINEER NMSS

WU, Michelle STUDENT CLERK HR

*Effective 8/26/02

**Effective 8/19/02

***Effective 7/26/02
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE L

Office of State and Tribal Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Meeting with National Environmental Policy Act Task Force

On August 23, 2002, staff from the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the General

Counsel, Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, and State and Tribal Programs met with the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Task Force Members. The NEPA Task Force

includes members from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and

U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The purpose of the NEPA Task Force is to seek ways to

improve and modernize NEPA analyses and documentation and foster improved coordination

among all levels of government and the public. In addition, the Task Force is soliciting

examples of effective NEPA implementation practices to develop a publication of case studies

including examples of best practices (see 67 FR 45510). 

The discussion was focused on the following areas: (1) information management and security;

(2) interagency collaboration; (3) programmatic analyses; (4) adaptive management and

monitoring; (5) developing categorical exclusions; and (6) structuring and documenting

environmental assessments. 

The Task Force will forward additional requests of information to STP for coordination of

responses.
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Media Interest

There was media interest in the public meetings held in Region III for problems and repairs at

the Davis-Besse nuclear plant.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

02-092 NRC Announces the Availability of License Renewal Application for R.E.

Ginna Nuclear Power Plant

02-093 NRC Amending Rules on How Licensees, Applicants and Members of Public

May Submit Documents Electronically

02-094 NRC Orders Enhanced Security for Enriched Uranium Fuel Fabricators

02-095 NRC Develops Threat Advisory and Protective Measures System Based on

Office of Homeland Security Color-Coded System

Regions:

I-02-052 Pre-Hearing Conference Scheduled on IP2 License Amendment Request

I-02-053 NRC Staff to Meet with Exelon to Discuss Two Preliminary Inspection

Findings at Peach Bottom

I-02-054 NRC Issues Finding of Low to Moderate Safety Significance To Calvert Cliffs

Nuclear Power Plant

I-02-055 Pre-hearing Conference on IP2 License Amendment Is Canceled 
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM on 01-0112 08/20/02 National Materials Program: Transmittal of

the Final Working Group Report Presenting

Options for a National Materials Program

Voting Record on 01-

0112

08/20/02 (same)

2. SECY-02-0107 6/18/02 Addendum to SECY-02-0074: "National

Materials Program: Pilot Projects"

SRM on 02-0107 08/20/02 (same)

Voting Record on 02-

0107

08/20/02 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-02-0155 8/15/02 SECY-02-0155 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending August 9, 2002

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. ACRS Subcommittee on Fire Protection - Notice of Meeting.

2. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena - Notice of Meeting.

3. ACRS Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment - Notice of Meeting.

4. ACNW Meeting on Planning and Procedures - Notice of Meeting.

5. ACRS Meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Factors - Notice of Meeting.

6. ACRS Meeting of Subcommittee on Plant Operations - Notice of Meeting.

7. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures - Notice of Meeting.

8. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards - Meeting Notice.
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Maine Yankee Fuel Transfer to ISFSI

On August 24, 2002, Maine Yankee, with assistance from its contractor NAC International,

completed the transfer of the first spent fuel canisters for storage at the Independent Spent

Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). Maine Yankee is using NAC International's NAC UMS

Transportable Storage Canister (TSC). After loading the TSC with spent fuel, a shield lid is

welded on, the canister is pressure tested, dewatered, and vacuum dried, the canister is backfilled with helium, the vent and drain ports are sealed, the canister is leak tested, and a

structural lid is welded onto the canister. The TSC is then placed into a vertical concrete cask

(VCC) and transferred to a concrete pad for storage at the ISFSI. The transfer of the remaining

canisters of spent fuel to the ISFSI is expected to take approximately one year.
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Florida Power and Light Company - St. Lucie and Turkey Point Site Visits

On August 19-20, 2002, the Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, accompanied by

the Regional Administrator, visited the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant in Jensen Beach, FL and the

Turkey Point Nuclear Plant in Florida City, FL. The visit include a tour of the material condition

of the nuclear facility, discussion of current issues, and feed back on the reactor oversight

program with licensee management and the NRC, resident inspectors.

Region II Meetings with Licensing and Plant Managers

On August 21, 2002, the Regional Administrator and regional managers participated in a

counterpart meeting with Licensing Managers from all the Region II nuclear power plants. On

August 23, 2002, the Director, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, accompanied by the

Regional Administrator, participated in a meeting of all the plant managers from the nuclear

facilities in Region II. The purpose of both these meetings was to discuss current NRC issues,

answer questions about the regional reactor inspection and operator licensing programs, and

discuss recent activities in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research.

Tennessee Valley Authority - Open Public Meeting On Sequoyah ISFSI Construction

On August 20, 2002, representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) were in the

Region II office to attend an open public meeting to discuss the Sequoyah Independent Spent

Fuel Storage Installation construction schedule.

Combined Federal Campaign Leadership Kickoff

On August 20, 2002, the Director, Division of Resource Management and Administration,

participated in the Combined Federal Campaign Leadership Kickoff meeting for the Atlanta

area Campaign. The meeting included a talk on giving by the Founder of the Chick Fil-A

restaurant corporation.

Southern Nuclear Operating Company - Unusual Event

On August 21, 2002, the licensee reported a Notice of Unusual Event at the Unit 1 Farley

reactor facility, based on an arc flash and flame on a service water pump motor. The Event is

described further in a Preliminary Notification (PNO-II-02-031). Region II on site inspectors

responded to the Event and followed the licensee’s response actions. The fire was terminated

upon tripping of the pump breaker and the licensee terminated the Notice. Region II notified

the State of Alabama of the Notice and Preliminary Notification.

Duke Energy Corporation - McGuire Nuclear Reactor Site

On August 19-20, 2002, three members of the French regulatory agency visited the McGuire

site accompanied by a manager from the regional office. The visit included a tour of the facility
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

and discussions with licensee managers and NRC resident inspectors in areas such as

radiation protection, outage preparations, ALARA planning, and the role of the resident

inspector in observing the adequacy of the licensee's radiation protection program.

On August 22, 2002, the licensee reported a Notice of Unusual Event for the Unit 2 reactor

facility, based on a fire in the hydrogen cooling system for the main generator. The fire was

generated when a plug on the cooling system piping, located near the system dryer in the

turbine building, was released after being tightened by a technician. The fire was extinguished

after several minutes by actions of onsite responders. Licensee reactor operators manually

tripped the reactor unit. Region II resident inspectors responded to the Event and followed up

on the licensee’s corrective actions. Further details of the Event are in a Preliminary

Notification (PNO-II-02-032). 
August 23, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 23, 2002

Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant (Decommissioning) Sacramento Municipal Utility District,

Docket 72-11;50-312

COMPLETION OF TRANSFER OF SPENT FUEL TO DRY STORAGE: On August 21, 2002,

the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power Plant placed the last of its spent fuel assemblies into dry

storage in their Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The reactor was

shutdown in June 1989 and is currently undergoing decommissioning. The ISFSI is a facility

adjacent to the Rancho Seco reactor site and consists of 21 NUHOMS® concrete horizontal

storage modules. In April 2001, Rancho Seco began the process of loading spent fuel into

casks for storage at the ISFSI. All spent fuel assemblies have been removed from wet storage

in the reactor’s spent fuel pool and are now in dry storage in stainless steel canisters loaded

into concrete vaults. 

Omaha Public Power District Management Visit to Region IV Office

On August 21, 2002, Fort Calhoun Management visited the Region IV Offices to introduce

several new managers and discuss general plant issues with the Regional Administrator. The

issues discussed included 2001/2002 successes, current initiatives, 2002 refueling outage and

performance goals.

Cooper 95003 Exit

On August 22, 2002, NRC Region IV conducted a public exit meeting with the Nebraska Public

Power District President and Cooper Nuclear Station staff to discuss the results of the 95003

supplemental inspection. The meeting was attended by approximately 80 people including one

television station and five newspaper and radio people. In addition, five Nebraska Public Power

District Board members attended the meeting.