WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT

April 17, 2003 SECY-03-0056

For: The Commissioners

From: William M. Dean, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-03-0056 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 11, 2003

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/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

C. Glenn, OEDO
April 11, 2003 SECY-03-0056

For: The Commissioners

From: William M. Dean, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: SECY-03-0056 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 11, 2003

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/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

C. Glenn, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WEEK411.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

CJGlenn WMDean

04/17/03 04/17/03
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING APRIL 11, 2003

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: C. Glenn, OEDO by E-mail: CJG1@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 *

NMSS 4 OPA 17

RES 8 IP 18

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM * Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

AP1000

On April 3, 2003, representatives from the NRC and Westinghouse Electric Company held a

public meeting at the Westinghouse Energy Center in Monroeville, Pennsylvania to discuss

structural and seismic requests for additional information for the AP1000. Also, from April 2-6,

2003, representatives from NRC and Westinghouse held a closed meeting for the purpose of

conducting a structural and seismic audit. As a result of the meeting, the NRC staff and its

contractors obtained an understanding of the process used by Westinghouse to perform

structural design calculations for the shield building, auxiliary building, and containment. One

issue was identified with the level of completion of the containment design that will require

management consultation.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - Management Change

Entergy has announced that Mr. Chuck Dugger is leaving his position as Vice President,

Operations at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to work as Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI’s) Vice

President, Operations in Washington, D.C. In his new position, Mr. Dugger will work as a

loaned executive in the Nuclear Generation Operations branch of NEI for the next 18 to 24

months. Mr. Dugger’s reassignment is effective as of April 1, 2003. Entergy has not

announced plans to fill Mr. Dugger’s position at Pilgrim.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Meeting with National Academy of Sciences’ Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Committee

On April 8, 2003, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) met with the National

Academy of Sciences’ Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Committee to discuss NRC’s process for

review and approval of amendments to the TRUPACT-II transportation package. In particular,

the committee was interested in the gas-generated contents for TRUPACT-II, the bases for

their approval, and methods used to assure compliance.

Issuance of Amendment to TRUPACT-II Transportation Package

On April 9, 2003, SFPO issued an amendment, to the TRUPACT-II transportation package, that

approved shipments of waste with greater than trace quantities of beryllium. The TRUPACT-II

package is used to transport waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.

Completion of Staff Review of Licensee Responses to Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation Interim Safeguards and Security Compensatory Measures

On April 9, 2003, NRC staff completed its review of the responses to the orders issued to

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation licensees regarding Interim Safeguards and

Security Compensatory Measures. These orders were issued on October 16, 2002. The staff

found that all licensees were responsive to the requirements of the Order.

NRC to Issue a Federal Register Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing Concerning the

U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Inc.’s, License Application

On April 3, 2003, the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards forwarded to the Division of

Administrative Services a notice of opportunity to request a hearing for publication in the

Federal Register. The notice deals with the U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Inc.’s application

dated February 11, 2003, for a license for the American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility (Lead

Cascade). The Lead Cascade, which is to be located at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion

Plant in Piketon, Ohio, will possess up to 250 kilograms of uranium hexafluoride, and will

consist of up to 240 operating, full-scale centrifuge machines. Since the Lead Cascade is

considered to be a test facility and not a commercial production facility, the proceeding for the

application will fall within the scope of Subpart L, “Informal Hearing Procedures for

Adjudications in Materials and Operator Licensing Proceedings,” of 10 CFR Part 2.

Staff Participation in Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols

Workgroup Meeting

On March 31 - April 4, 2003, the Division of Waste Management staff participated in a MultiAgency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols (MARLAP) workgroup meeting that

was held at the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory of the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA), Montgomery, Alabama. Representatives of EPA, NRC, the

Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Technology, and the Food and Drug Administration attended this meeting. The purpose of

MARLAP is to provide a framework and guidance on radioanalytical laboratory data, using a

performance-based approach, to meet a project’s or a program’s data requirements needs. 

The workgroup reviewed the final versions of the MARLAP Chapters, based on public

comments and EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) feedback. The MARLAP workgroup will

finalize its responses to public comments and will address the SAB recommendations in the

next few months. The workgroup plans to complete and publish a MARLAP manual document

by the end of 2003.

Observation of the Department of Energy’s Quality Assurance Audit of Bechtel SAIC

Company’s Data Integrity

On March 17-27, 2003, staff from the Division of Waste Management observed the Department

of Energy’s (DOE’s), Office of Quality Assurance, performance-based audit of Bechtel SAIC

Company in Las Vegas, Nevada. The audit team focused on data integrity relating to technical

products supporting the Yucca Mountain Project license application. The audit team also

evaluated the critical process steps, required to control technical product input, that assures the

quality of data. The audit team determined that the audit was limited in scope, because of the

small number of technical products available for evaluation, and was limited in its determination

of the overall adequacy, appropriateness, and suitability of the supporting data. As a result of

this audit, DOE may conduct another audit, regarding data integrity, when a broader sample of

technical products is completed. NRC observers agreed with the findings of the audit team

and, based on those audit findings, potential issues were identified.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

National Radiological Emergency Preparedness Conference

The Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response/Division of Incident Response

Operations (NSIR/DIRO) staff attended the annual National Radiological Emergency

Preparedness Conference the week of March 31, 2003. NSIR/DIRO made a presentation on

current activities within NSIR which included Operation Center activities, activities underway

due to the increased terrorist threat level, and interactions with the Department of Homeland

Security (DHS), including implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 5. 

NSIR/DIRO staff also participated on a panel with representatives from the Department of

Energy and DHS on agency interactions with DHS. 

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-III-03-017, Deaconess Hospital - MEDICAL EVENT INVOLVING IODINE-131.

2. PNO-II-03-005, R&L Carriers, Inc. - TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT INVOLVING

RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL.

3. PNO-IV-03-021, Pacific Gas and Electric - DIABLO CANYON UNIT 2 PLANT

SHUTDOWN TO EXCEED 72 HOURS.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIA/PA) Requests received during the period of

April 4 through April 10, 2003:

Contract NRC3398180, Ruland Associates FOIA/PA-2003-0239

NTEU-represented bargaining unit employees, specific information FOIA/PA-2003-0240

FY2004 IT budget submission in response to OMB Circular A-11,

Exhibit 53, 300B (Capital Asset Plan & Justification) & most recent

long-range IT plans

FOIA/PA-2003-0241

Contract NRC3301189, Document Processing Support Services,

copy of awarded contract, winning proposal & original request for

proposal

FOIA/PA-2003-0242

Contract NRC3398180, Computer Facility Support, copy of awarded

contract, winning proposal & original request for proposal

FOIA/PA-2003-0243

IG investigation on named individual FOIA/PA-2003-0244
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Arrivals

MORRIS, James PROJECT MANAGER NMSS

Retirements

None

Departures

None
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Media Interest

The Wall Street Journal profiled the new chairman, Nils Diaz, with an emphasis on the

completion of additional milestones in enhancing security requirements for nuclear power

plants. Follow-up coverage on the security measures appeared in several publications.

Significant media coverage continues of end-of-cycle meetings at nuclear plants nationwide,

especially in local print and television outlets.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ call for wide potassium iodide distribution received

considerable play, and prompted reaction from state emergency agencies and coverage of

NRC’s policy.

The troubled Davis-Besse nuclear facility in Ohio remains in the local news, as the NRC

dispatches a team of experts to evaluate the processes used by its owners to assess the plant’s

safety culture. An Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation staff member was interviewed on

Davis-Besse by Chemical & Engineering News.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

03-044 Chairman Diaz Continues Focus On Nuclear Security

03-045 NRC Develops Model Application For Reactor Startup Modifications

Based On Use Of Risk Insights

03-046 NRC Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste to Meet April 22-23 in

Rockville, Maryland

Regions:

I-03-028 Note to Editors: NRC Meeting on Indian Point Performance

Postponed Due to Inclement Weather

I-03-029 NRC Assigns New Resident Inspector to Calvert Cliffs

I-03-030 NRC to Discuss Annual Performance Assessment of Nine Mile

Point Nuclear Power Plant

I-3-031 NRC Withdraws Civil Penalty Against Pa.-Based Medical Firm;

Terminates Company’s License

II-03-027 NRC to Meet with Progress Energy Officials to Discuss Safety

Performance at Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

II-03-028 NRC Staff Proposes $3,000 Civil Penalty Against West Virginia

Company for Violations of NRC Radiation Safety Requirements

II-03-029 NRC Staff to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference April 16

with Steel of West Virginia in Huntington

III-03-028 NRC Decides a Prior “Red” is Not an “Old Design” Issue and

Issues a Preliminary “Red” Finding for Feedwater System Problems

III-03-029 NRC Dispatches a Team of Experts to Evaluate FirstEnergy’s

Tools for Assessing Safety Culture at Davis-Besse

III-03-030 NRC to Meet with Officials from American Electric Power Company

to Discuss Safety Performance at D.C. Cook

III-03-031 NRC to Meet with Officials from Nuclear Management Company to

Discuss Safety Performance at Palisades

III-03-032 NRC to Meet with Officials from Exelon Generation Company to

Discuss Safety Performance at Braidwood

III-03-033 NRC Staff to Hold Three Meetings April 15 on Davis-Besse

IV-03-017 NRC to Meet with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to Discuss

Performance of Diablo Canyon

IV-03-018 NRC to Meet with Entergy Operations, Inc. to Discuss Performance

of Grand Gulf

IV-03-019 NRC to Meet with Energy Northwest to Discuss Performance of

Columbia Generating Station 
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Meeting with Representatives from the Ukraine

On April 9, staff from the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and the Office of

International Programs (OIP) met with representatives of the State Nuclear Regulatory

Committee of Ukraine (SNRCU, NRC’s regulatory counterpart in Ukraine). Topics discussed

focused on Web technology, including Web content management and revision control,

regulatory business processes, computer infrastructure, database management and interfaces,

Web search engines, Web-based database query formats, and ADAMS Web interface issues. 

These discussions were requested by the SNRCU staff as part of their efforts to develop an

effective SNRCU website.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

1. SECY-03-0041 3/21/03 Litigation Report - 2003 - 01

2. SECY-03-0044 3/21/03 Update of the Risk-Informed Regulation

Implementation Plan

3. SECY-03-0051 4/4/03 SECY-03-0051 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending March 28, 2003

4. SECY-03-0053 4/10/03 SECY-03-0053 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending April 4, 2003

Memoranda

1. M030327B 4/11/03 Briefing on Status of RES Programs,

Performance, and Plans

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Wenonah Hauter, Public Citizen, dated April 3, 2003, concerns NRC’s review of

the “white papers” submitted by Louisiana Energy Services (LES).

2. Letter to Congress (Sen. Reid & Sen. Ensign), dated April 4 2003, concerns comments

on NUREG-1768, NRC Package Performance Study Test Protocols. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. ASLBP Establishment of Board - Advanced Medical Imaging and Nuclear Services -

Order Imposing Civil Monetary Penalty - Notice.

2. Notice of Reconstitution of ASLBP - Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company.

3. Revised 141st Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste - Notice of Meeting.

4. Availability of Official Records - Final Rule.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Indian Point

Due to inclement weather, the Annual Assessment Meeting with Entergy, scheduled for April 7,

was postponed. The meeting has been rescheduled for April 28, 2003.

The Region I Regional Administrator, the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) Project

Director, and other NRC management and staff visited the Indian Point site visit on April 7. 

Plant walkdowns were conducted on both Unit 2 (operating) and Unit 3 (shut down for a

refueling outage). NRC personnel observed aspects of the reactor vessel head inspection that

was ongoing inside Unit 3 containment. The management site visit included discussions with

site engineering, maintenance, operations, and security personnel.

Pre-decisional Enforcement Conference

On April 10, 2003, Region I held a predecisional enforcement conference with Testwell

Laboratories, a New York licensee, to discuss apparent violations identified while the licensee

was under NRC jurisdiction. The apparent violations included deliberately conducting

radiography without the presence of a certified radiographer and failure to file for reciprocity. A

predecisional enforcement conference was also conducted with the individual who committed

the apparently deliberate violations. Enforcement action is under consideration.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. - Fuel Facility Plant Tour and Licensee Performance Review

On April 8, 2003, the Regional Administrator, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards, and the Region II Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, toured the

licensee’s facility, and met with the NRC resident inspector. On April 9, 2003, they conducted a

Licensee Performance Review meeting with representatives of Nuclear Fuel Services in Erwin,

Tennessee, near the fuel facility plant. Several members of the public and media were in

attendance at the meeting.

Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Annual Assessment Meetings

During the week of April 7 - 11, 2003, the Regional Office conducted the NRC, ROP Annual

Assessment Meetings for the St. Lucie, Hatch, and Sequoyah nuclear plants. The meetings

were held at or near the nuclear plants and were open to the public. 

Panoramic Irradiator Industry Workshop on Safeguards Information

On April 9, 2003, approximately 30 licensee, State, and NRC (Region II and Headquarters)

personnel participated in a Panoramic Irradiator Industry Workshop. The purpose of the

workshop was to discuss how the irradiator licensees will handle safeguards type information.

Transportation Accident in Tennessee

On April 10, 2003, a trailer containing five uranium hexafluroide containers in overpacks turned

over after the tractor jackknifed causing minor damage to one overpack. The accident was on

Interstate Highway 40, West of Knoxville, TN. Individuals in the Region II and Region III Offices

monitored the State and local response to the accident. The NRC Senior Resident and

Resident Inspectors from the Watts Bar nuclear plant, as well as State and Department of

Energy survey teams, responded to the accident scene. The responders found no radioactive

contamination leakage from the containers; and the containers were safely removed from the

accident site and transported to a secure area.

Ojos Hospital

On April 9, 2003, the licensee’s health physics consultant made a report to the NRC Operations

Center of medical events involving approximately 36 patients. The patients had been given a

medical radiation dose in excess of the prescribed dose with a Strontium 90 applicator. The

licensee’s consultant attributed the event to an inadequate implementation of the correct

calibration of the Strontium 90 radiation strength. The licensee has discontinued the use of the

device until further notice and is following up on the events. Region II issued a Preliminary

Notification of the events, will conduct a special, follow-up inspection, and will request an NRC

medical consultant to assist in the review of the events.
April 11, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 11, 2003

Cooper Nuclear Station End-of-Cycle Assessment Meeting

On April 8, 2003, the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs, and the Region IV

Regional Administrator, met with senior managers from Nebraska Public Power District to

discuss the results of the NRC’s annual assessment of performance of Cooper Nuclear Station. 

Cooper Nuclear Station is in the Multiple/Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column of the

Action Matrix. Other Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) annual assessment meetings were

conducted this week at Comanche Peak, Arkansas Nuclear One, and River Bend.

Nevada Integrated Material Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) Exit Meeting

The Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety and the Director, Office of State Programs 

attended an IMPEP exit meeting conducted by the NRC IMPEP Team with Nevada State

representatives in Reno, Nevada, on April 10, 2003.