INFORMATION REPORT

November 14, 2002 SECY-02-0201

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0201 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING NOVEMBER 8, 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
November 14, 2002 SECY-02-0201

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-02-0201 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING NOVEMBER 8, 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\WEEKN08.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MLayton:paa JWCraig

11/13/02 11/15/02
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 8, 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 *

NMSS 4 OPA 17

RES * IP *

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR * OEDO *

SB/CR 12 OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1

On November 1, 2002, the sale of Seabrook Station, Unit No. 1 was completed by North

Atlantic Energy Service Corporation to FPL Energy Seabrook, the new owner and licensee. 

The Conforming Amendment to the Facility Operating License was issued November 1, 2002. 

FPL Energy Seabrook acquired 88.3% ownership of Seabrook, with the remaining ownership

retained by three of the non-selling owners. Mr. Mark E. Warner has assumed the position of

Seabrook Site Vice President, replacing Mr. Ted Feigenbaum.

North Anna Power Station, Unit 2

In support of the NRC’s efforts to oversee the replacement of the North Anna, Unit 2, reactor

vessel head, the NRC staff will be conducting a technical exchange visit with the French

regulatory agency and the vendor (Framatome ANP) that fabricated the replacement head. 

The replacement head was fabricated to the 1993 Edition of the French RCC-M Code. The

purpose of the technical exchange visit is for the NRC staff to gain an understanding of French

regulatory programs and the design, fabrication, and quality assurance controls that were used

in the manufacturing of the replacement vessel head. In preparation for this technical

exchange visit, the NRC staff has forwarded a list of discussion areas and questions to the

French regulator. The trip to France is schedule to occur between November 18 and 27, 2002. 

Also, the NRC staff is reviewing the 1993 Edition of the French RCC-M Code and the owner’s 

requirements under the ASME code (Westinghouse specifications) to which the existing head

was designed and fabricated.

Oconee Nuclear Station, Unit 2

The pre-repair non-destructive examination has been completed on all control rod drive

mechanism (CRDM) nozzles. Of the 15 CRDM nozzles that are being repaired, weld repairs

have been completed on 9 nozzles. Post-weld machining has been completed on 8 of those 9

nozzles. All the repairs are expected to be completed by November 12, 2002.

During a conference call on November 5, 2002, the NRC staff learned that the licensee

performed a visual inspection of the lower head and found no evidence of leakage. 

A tube from the B steam generator (SG) that contained an axial flaw failed its insitu pressure

test at 3900 psig. The acceptance criteria is 4300 psig, which is 3 times the normal delta-p. 

The 3900 psig is well above the delta-p that would be experienced during the most severe

accident or transient, which is approximately 2900 psig. The licensee is planning to plug the

failed tube and preventively plug 30 additional tubes as corrective actions. An NRC inspector

will be onsite by November 6, 2002, to perform the baseline in-service inspection SG procedure

and will review the activities associated with the failed tube. 
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

Watts Bar & Sequoyah - Tritium Production Program

The NRC staff held a meeting with the public on October 30, 2002, in Dayton, Tennessee, to

explain the results of the NRC’s safety evaluations of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA’s)

license amendment requests for Watts Bar and Sequoyah and to answer questions. Members

of the NRC’s Division of Licensing Project Management, Office of General Counsel, and Plant

Systems Branch participated. Approximately 50 members of the public attended the meeting

including representatives of TVA, and the Department of Energy (DOE). Also, there was media

coverage.

The NRC project manager for Watts Bar presented the following information on the Tritium

Production Program:

- background

- a description of TVA’s Watts Bar and Sequoyah license amendment requests to irradiate

tritium-producing burnable absorber rods

- NRC's safety evaluations of TVA's requests

- NRC's Environmental Assessments

The Sequoyah project manager then discussed changes to the Watts Bar and Sequoyah plant

licenses.

Members of the public were given opportunities to ask questions and provide comments after

each of the presentations. Most of the people commenting voiced strong opposition to DOE’s

planned use of the TVA reactors to produce tritium.

Hemyc Fire Barrier Public Meeting

On October 31, 2002, Plant Systems Branch (SPLB) conducted a public meeting with

stakeholders regarding the draft fire test plan for the Hemyc and MT fire barrier materials. 

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and a number of utilities were represented. Comments were

received and will be considered for incorporation in the test plan. Meeting minutes will be

issued by the project manager. SPLB will now proceed with the transfer of responsibility to the

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research for conducting the actual tests.

NRC Information Notice 2002-32, Electromigration on Semiconductor Integrated Circuits dated

October 31, 2002

The NRC is issuing this information notice to inform addressees of a failure mechanism

identified in semiconductor components at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station Unit

5 of the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.. The failure mechanism has been attributed to

electromigration. It is expected that recipients will review the information for applicability to their

facilities and consider actions, as appropriate.

Exelon License Renewal Application for Peach Bottom Units 2 and 3

On October 30, 2002, the staff presented the results of its evaluation of the Peach Bottom

license renewal application (LRA) to the Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). 
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE A

The staff’s safety evaluation report (SER), which was issued September 13, 2002, contained 15

open items. The ACRS was provided copies of the LRA and the SER before the presentation. 

The staff’s presentations provided discussions of their review, the license renewal inspections,

and explanations of the open items and how they were resolved or what issues prevented

resolution.

Reactor Oversight Process

On October 30-31, 2002, a combined Mitigating System Performance Index (MSPI)/Reactor

Oversight Process (ROP) Working Group public meeting was held at NRC headquarters. 

During this meeting, the industry working group and the NRC staff members discussed the

status of the MSPI pilot program, MSPI implementation issues, and threshold bench marking

progress. The key ROP issues discussed included: update on the status of proposed changes

to the PWR/BWR shutdown, emergency preparedness, fire protection, and radiation protection

significance determination processes; self assessment initiatives; industry trends update; and

frequently asked questions. The next MSPI/ROP Working Group meeting is scheduled for

December 11-12, 2002.

On November 1, 2002, the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and the Office of Nuclear

Regulatory Research staff briefed the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

Subcommittee for Reliability, PRA, and Plant Operations on the Industry Trends Program and

development efforts for the new Initiating Events Performance Index (IEPI). The briefing

included an overview of the current process for monitoring industry trends, current industry

indicators, communications with stakeholders, and the approach for the development of the

IEPI. 
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Revised Mixed-Oxide Construction Authorization Request

By letter dated October 31, 2002, Duke Cogema Stone & Webster submitted its revised

Construction Authorization Request (CAR) for the Mixed-Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility

that it wants to construct on the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Savannah River Site. NRC

staff has begun its review of the revised CAR and plans to complete a revised Draft Safety

Evaluation Report by April 2003.

Issuance of a 10 CFR Part 71 Certificate of Compliance for the NAC International’s Universal

Transport Cask Package

On October 31, 2002, NRC issued a 10 CFR Part 71 Certificate of Compliance to NAC

International for the Model No. Universal Transport Cask Package (UMS). The UMS is a

dual-purpose storage and transportation system for boiling-water reactor and pressurized-water

reactor spent nuclear fuel. Additionally, the UMS was approved for transportation of Maine

Yankee site-specific, spent nuclear fuel contents and Greater-than-Class-C-Waste.

Staff Presents Papers at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting

On October 27-30, 2002, staff from the Division of Waste Management (DWM), the Risk Task

Group, and the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (hereafter, the Center) attended

and presented papers at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Denver,

Colorado. Over 6500 geoscientists attended the conference. Approximately 70 papers were

given on topics related to Yucca Mountain. Staff presentations (titles abbreviated) on Yucca

Mountain included: (1) Evaluating radiological risks from proposed seismotectonic hazards; (2)

NRC's regulations for long-term safety of geologic disposal; (3) Moisture observations in sealed

tunnels; and (4) Using risk information to determine the need for additional geochemical

information. NRC staff organized a special session titled "Characterizing Geochemical

Processes: When is there sufficient information?" Eleven papers were presented, including

four from DWM and Center staffs, related to Yucca Mountain, uranium mill tailings, and

geographic information systems.

Public Meeting on EPA-NRC Memorandum of Understanding on Contaminated Sites

On November 5, 2002, staff from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

hosted a public meeting, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on the

EPA-NRC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Consultation and Finality on

Decommissioning and Decontamination of Contaminated Sites.” The meeting started with a

poster presentation. NMSS and EPA staff then gave brief presentations on the MOU. The

remainder of the meeting consisted of questions from the various stakeholders who attended

the meeting or participated via tele-conference and answers from a joint NRC-EPA panel. The

meeting was well-attended by approximately 100 people. Participants included: members of

the public, representatives of States and State organizations, public interest groups, licensees,
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE B

representatives of nuclear organizations, staffs from the Army Corps of Engineers and the

Department of Energy, NRC and EPA staffs, and media representatives.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) Tabletop Exercise

The Division of Incident Response Operations staff participated with Department of Energy

(DOE) representatives in the initial planning meeting for the Radiological Dispersal Device

(RDD) Tabletop Exercise, at DOE Headquarters (HQ) on November 7, 2002. This exercise is a

follow-on to the exercise conducted in September 2002 and will be conducted in January 2003,

at NRC and participants will include NRC HQ management and staff, NRC Regional office

representatives, and representatives from other Federal agencies. 

Top Officials (TOPOFF) 2 Exercise Planning Meeting

Division of Incident Response Operations (DIRO) participated in a Federal interagency planning

meeting for the Top-Officials 2 (TOPOFF2) exercise on November 7, 2002. This meeting was

the latest in the series of multi-agency planning sessions for TOPOFF2, the second

Congressionally-mandated, national-level exercise involving weapons of mass destruction. 

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-IV-02-064, Kumar and Associates, Inc. - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.

2. PNO-IV-02-065, American Testing Services, Inc. - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.

3. PNO-IV-02-064A, Kumar and Associates, Inc. - UPDATE: STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE

FOUND.

4. PNO-IV-02-066, All Tech Corporation - MISSING PORTABLE GAUGES RECOVERED.

5. PNO-I-02-020, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station - UNUSUAL EVENT DUE TO A

HYDROGEN GAS IGNITION IN THE OFF-GAS SYSTEM (#39348).

6. PNO-IV-02-067, Harrington Geotechnical Engineering - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending November 8, 2002

NRC Public Document Room Address Change and Corrections to Information Collection

Provisions (10 CFR Chapter I)

A final rule that amends the NRC’s regulations to reflect the current address for the Public

Document Room and to correct the listings of approved information collection requirements in

several 10 CFR Parts was published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2002 (67 FR

67096). The final rule became effective on November 4, 2002.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

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

November 1 through November 7, 2002:

Investigation Report, RIV, named company and named individuals (FOIA/PA-2003-0047)

Scioto Lab Complex, Marion Engineering Depot and/or Scioto Ordinance Plant, Marion, OH, all

documents (FOIA/PA-2003-0048)

Risk numbers, pre-calculated for operating power plants, Region II (FOIA/PA-02003-0049)

Site assessment, Saw Mill River and Grasslands Roads, Elmsford, Westchester Co., NY,

10523 (FOIA/PA-2003-0050)

IMPAC listing - State of Washington (FOIA/PA-2003-0051)

Stolen radioactive substances, Suffolk Co., Long Island, NY, 1996 (FOIA/PA-2003-0052)

Agreement between U.S. Enrichment Corp. (USEC) and Starmet CMI supporting “Submittal of

Revised Uranium Management Plan and Decommissioning Funding Program Description” and

modified agreement (FOIA/PA-2003-0053)

Nuclear threat message, NRC Classification Guide, referral by Department of Justice

(FOIA/PA-2003-0054)

Nuclear threat message, NRC Classification Guide, referral by Department of Justice

(FOIA/PA-2003-0055)
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Small Business & Civil Rights

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

White House Launches New Strategy for Contracting with Small Businesses

On October 30, 2002, the Office of Small Business and Civil Rights staff attended a White

House meeting at which a new strategy for increasing federal contracting opportunities for small

businesses was unveiled. Presenters included the Director of the Office of Management and

Budget, and the Administrators of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the Small

Business Administration. As part of the President’s Small Business Agenda, the plan aims to

reduce the growing practice of consolidating, or “bundling”, smaller contracts into larger ones

that may exclude small business participation. The goal of the strategy is to hold agencies

accountable for minimizing bundling, and mitigating the effects of bundling on small

businesses. The strategy also enhances the role of agency Small Business Offices in

reviewing proposed acquisitions and in monitoring contractor compliance with small business

subcontracting plans.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Media Interest

NRC’s recent “yellow finding” regarding security efforts at the Vermont Yankee plant generated

some media coverage.

There was substantial interest in recent public meetings on a license renewal request by the

Ginna nuclear facility in New York. 

Attention continues in the NRC’s upcoming public meetings on the Davis-Besse nuclear reactor

vessel head damage.

The Journal News in New York is preparing an article on the challenges posed by the

decommissioning of nuclear facilities and related spent fuel storage.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

02-129 NRC Proposes Alternative Fire Protection Rule

02-130 NRC To Develop Proposed Regulation on Control Of Slightly Radioactive

Solid Materials

Regions:

II-02-048 NRC Staff To Hold Meeting With DCS On November 12 To Discuss

Construction Plans For Mixed Oxide Fuel Facility

III-02-060 NRC Oversight Panel To Hold Two Meetings On Davis-Besse Reactor

Vessel Head Damage in Oak Harbor, Ohio

III-02-061 NRC Staff Proposes $60,000 Fine Against U.S. Enrichment Corp. For

Failing To Protect Classified Information At Paducah Plant 

IV-02-046 NRC Staff To Hold Public Meeting To Discuss Inspection Of Fort Calhoun

Plant’s License Renewal Program 
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Memoranda

1. SRM-M021031B 1107/02 Staff Requirements - Briefing on EEO

Program (SECY-02-0182)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to William F. Troxler, Jr., Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc., dated November 1,

2002, concerns security measures for stolen radioactive sources in gauges. 

2. Letter to Ralph E. Beedle, Nuclear Energy Institute, dated October 30, 2002, concerns

issues for Commission consideration as it reviews a proposed rule that would permit

nuclear power reactor licensees to adopt voluntarily a set of alternative fire protection

requirements. 

3. Letter to Kay Coles James, Office of Personnel Management, dated October 30, 2002,

expresses support for any appropriate legislative or regulatory actions that can be

undertaken to alleviate the pay compression affecting members of the Senior Executive

Service and other senior-level Federal employees. 

4. Letter to Peter Skinner, State of New York, dated October 30, 2002, concerns comment

regarding the cavity in the Davis-Besse reactor pressure vessel head caused by boric

acid corrosion. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste Meeting on Planning and Procedures - Notice of

Meeting.

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee on Reactor Safeguards

Subcommittee Meeting on Future Plant Designs - Notice of Meeting.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Region I Senior Management Site Visit to Three Mile Island

On November 4-5, 2002, the Regional Administrator, Deputy Regional Administrator and

members of the staff toured Three Mile Island and met with resident inspectors and selected

AmerGen managers, as part of the Region’s routine program of site visits, per NRC Inspection

Manual Chapter 0102.

Meetings with Officials from Maine and Maine Yankee

On November 4, 2002, members of Region I management and staff met with officials of Maine

Yankee (MY) at the site to gain an up-to-date perspective on the licensee’s implementation of

security arrangements relative to Interim Compensatory Measures, and to talk to some

members of the Security Organization relative to their concerns regarding scheduling of

overtime and other issues. Within the last few weeks, MY has had training sessions with the

staff in order to address these issues. MY has initiated corrective actions in an effort to

improve the management of overtime and reduce the high turn over. The Region I group also

met with representatives of the Maine State Police and with the Governor’s Nuclear Safety

Advisor in Augusta, ME to discuss security at MY. 

Maine IMPEP Review

From October 29 through November 1, 2002, representatives from NRC Regions I and IV,

Office of State and Tribal Programs, and the State of North Carolina conducted an Integrated

Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) review of the Maine Agreement State

program. The review included an evaluation of the State’s performance with respect to

inspection, licensing, staffing, incidents, allegations and compatibility with NRC regulations. In

the next 30 days, the review team will prepare a draft report summarizing the IMPEP findings.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Special Strategic Plan Senior Leadership Group Meeting

On November 4, 2002, the Regional Administrator participated in the Special Strategic Plan

Senior Leadership Group meeting in Headquarters. The Group continued to review the

Agency’s Strategic Plan and discuss potential areas for revision.

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations Chief Executive Officer’s Conference (INPO/CEO)

On November 7-8, 2002, the Regional Administrator accompanied Chairman Meserve,

Commissioner Dicus and Commissioner Diaz to the INPO/CEO’s Conference, held in Marietta,

Georgia.

Nuclear Energy Institute/Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NEI/NRC) Licensing Forum

On November 6-7, 2002, the Deputy Regional Administrator participated as a speaker in two

sessions of the NEI/NRC Licensing Forum in Washington, D.C. The first session was in

support of the Chairman of the Committee to Review Generic Requirements (CRGR) and other

CRGR members in obtaining feedback from industry on the backfit process. The second

session was to present challenges and lessons learned in management oversight of the reactor

inspection process. This session was presented in conjunction with the Associate Director for

Inspection and Programs, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation.
November 8, 2002 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

Regional Administrator Toured Grand Gulf Station

On November 2, 2002, the Regional Administrator visited the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. 

During the visit, he received a security briefing and toured the plant with the resident inspectors. 

Following the tour, the Regional Administrator met with the site Vice President and the General

Manager. 

License Renewal Scoping and Screening Inspection at the Fort Calhoun Station

On November 4, 2002, representatives of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and

Region IV initiated the License Renewal Scoping and Screening Inspection for the Fort Calhoun

Station. This inspection will determine whether there is a reasonable assurance that the

Omaha Public Power District’s scoping and screening processes have identified all of the

structures, systems, and components for which an aging management review is required

consistent with the requirements of the License Renewal Rule. 
November 8, 2002 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending November 8, 2002

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 73

OCA

Contact

DATE

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PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Combs Tentative TBD Dr. Paperiello, DOE, DOD,

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