INFORMATION REPORT

June 13, 2003 SECY-03-0097

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0097 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 6, 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:

R. Torres, OEDO
June 13, 2003 SECY-03-0097

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0097 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 6, 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:

R. Torres, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\Week606.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

RTorres:paa WMDean

06/ 13 /03 06/13 /03
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JUNE 6, 2003

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: R. Torres, OEDO by E-mail: rjt@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 3 OPA 9

RES * IP *

NSIR 5 SECY 10

OGC * Region I 11

ADM 6 Region II 12

CIO 7 Region III 13

CFO * Region IV 14

HR 8 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA 15

OE *

*No input this week
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Public Meeting to Discuss the Davis-Besse Lessons Learned Task Force Action Plan

On June 4, 2003, representatives from NRC’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Office

of Nuclear Regulatory Research met with representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute,

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, and Electric Power Research Institute to discuss the

Davis-Besse Lessons Learned Task Force Action Plan. The industry identified areas of interest

for further interaction with the staff in the areas that include operating experience, boric acid

control programs, and inspection programs. Attendees at this public meeting included

representatives from the Union of Concerned Scientists, Greenpeace, and the news media.

Bottom Mounted Instrumentation Penetration Leakage

On June 5, 2003 the staff met with South Texas Project (STP) to discuss the current status of

the bottom mounted instrumentation penetration leakage issue. STP discussed that volumetric

(ultrasonic) examinations have been completed on 57 of 58 penetrations. Those examinations

detected axial cracks in 2 penetration tubes which provide leakage paths in the penetrations

where boron deposits had been observed. No cracks were found in the other 55 penetrations. 

STP plans to perform additional tests and analysis to gather more information to help identify

the potential root cause of the cracks. STP plans to have a preliminary root cause report

available by mid-July. STP continues to make preparations to perform half-nozzle repairs on

the 2 penetrations which are cracked.

Draft 10 CFR Part 52 Construction Inspection Program

The NRC issued the "Draft 10 CFR Part 52 Construction Inspection Program Framework

Document" dated May 30, 2003. This document describes the proposed inspection process for

facilities constructed under the 10 CFR Part 52 process.

Early Site Permits

On June 2, 2003, the New Reactor Licensing Project Office (NRLPO) issued letters to Exelon

Generating Company, Entergy Operations, Incorporated, and Dominion Generation related to

guidance on the evaluation of alternative energy sources in preparation of their early site permit

(ESP) applications. The Commission has determined that an ESP applicant need not include

an assessment of alternative energy sources in its environmental report. The NRC’s position

will be articulated in the upcoming proposed rulemaking on 10 CFR Part 52, expected to be

published in the Federal Register later this summer. NRLPO issued the letters to inform the

applicants of this development so that they could make an informed decision as to whether to

include consideration of alternate energy sources in their ESP applications.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Meetings with Russian Federation Gosatomnadzor

On May 19-23, 2003, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) staff

sponsored a meeting in Moscow attended by the Department of Energy (DOE), the European

Union, and the Russian Federation Gosatomnadzor (GAN). The purpose of the meeting was to

review GAN’s proposed resolution of comments on Federal draft regulatory documents being

developed to support the Russian Federation plutonium disposition program. GAN

representatives presented the technical and licensing basis for the proposed resolution of

technical comments previously received from other participants. The discussion resulted in

agreement on changes in Federal GAN regulatory documents. A consensus on future actions,

including ways to improve the Russian Federation regulatory document development process,

was also accomplished. DOE provides funding for the development of the Russian Federal

regulations.

On May 26-30, 2003, NMSS staff conducted a seminar for GAN in Moscow on nuclear criticality

safety as it relates to the U.S. Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). Criticality-related

regulations and guidance documents, results of technical discussions with the MFFF applicant,

and the staff’s criticality safety conclusions contained in the staff’s draft Safety Evaluation

Reports were discussed in detail with GAN. This seminar was the first in a series that the staff

intends to conduct for GAN on MFFF-related subjects. DOE requested that NRC conduct these

seminars to convey information about the staff’s review of the domestic MFFF to GAN, since

GAN has adopted the design of the domestic MFFF for the Russian MFFF. DOE paid for all

costs associated with the review of the Russian regulations and the criticality safety seminar,

through a reimbursable agreement with NRC.

Meeting with Westinghouse Regarding Transport Package for Fresh Fuel Assemblies

On June 3, 2003, Spent Fuel Project Office staff met with Westinghouse Electric Company to

discuss the design of the Model No. Traveller transport package. The Traveller is being

designed to transport unirradiated pressurized water reactor fuel assemblies. The meeting was

held to discuss the criticality analysis performed for the package and the full- scale drop and fire

tests that will be performed. Westinghouse plans to submit an application for package approval

to NRC in September 2003.

Staff Attends Meeting of Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects

On June 2, 2003, an NRC onsite representative for the Yucca Mountain Project attended a

public meeting of the Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects held in Las Vegas. This is a

quarterly meeting whereby the staff of the Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects provides an

update on its activities to the Commission. Topics covered included a review of the State’s

legal actions against the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and

NRC; a review of the State's comments on the Spent Fuel Project Office’s proposed package

performance study; and an update on the status of the State's sponsored technical research
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

and technical review of repository issues. Representatives from the affected units of

Government and the public were also invited to provide updates and comments.

French Official Completes Rotation to the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses

Antoine Claisse, a member of the staff of the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear

Safety (IRSN) recently completed a 1-year staff exchange at the Center for Nuclear Waste

Regulatory Analyses (hereafter, the Center). Although the proposed repository site at Yucca

Mountain, Nevada, and the Bure site being investigated in France are quite different, similarities

in the conduct of pre-licensing consultations with the repository implementer (ANDRA in

France) allowed both the U.S. and French programs to garner significant benefits from the

exchange.

Meeting of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Protective Action Guide (PAG)

Working Group

On June 5, 2003, an NMSS representative attended a meeting of the PAG Working Group at

EPA’s offices in Washington, D.C. The meeting was attended by representatives of different

Federal Agencies and state entities. The majority of the meeting was focused upon a review of

the comments received on a draft chapter on water PAG’s, and the acceptance, modification,

and rejection of the comments for the next draft. Modifications included efforts to simplify the

presentation, make the document more useable for responders, clarifying the relationship of the

derived recovery levels to the PAG dose criteria, and removal of inflammatory statements

regarding radiation risk. There was also a brief discussion of the current efforts within EPA for

the long term recovery chapter of PAG’s. 
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Orders for Panoramic and Underwater Irradiators

On June 5, 2003, the staff issued Orders to licensees who currently possess, or have plans in

the near term to possess, greater than 10,000 Curies of byproduct material in the form of

sealed sources in either panoramic irradiators that have dry or wet storage of sealed sources,

or in underwater irradiators in which both the source and the product being irradiated are under

water. These Orders implement the Commission’s direction for Compensatory Measures,

which provide reasonable assurance that public heath and safety and the common defense and

security will be adequately protected in the current threat environment. These requirements will

remain in effect until the Commission determines otherwise.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-IV-03-029, Phoenix Baptist Hospital & Medical Center - MEDICAL

MISADMINISTRATION.

2. PNO-I-03-017, Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD - DRIVE MECHANISM

MALFUNCTION OF AN INTRAVASCULAR BRACHYTHERAPY DEVICE DURING

PATIENT TREATMENT.

3. PNO-I-03-018, St. Barnabas Medical Center - POTENTIAL MEDICAL EVENT AT 

ST. BARNABAS MEDICAL CENTER.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Event Notification Requirements (Parts 72 and 73)

A final rule that amends 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 June 5, 2003 (68 FR 33611). The changes conform these requirements with

recent changes to power reactor event notification requirements. The final rule becomes

effective October 3, 2003.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the period of May 30 through

June 5, 2003:

Diversified Scientific Services, Kingston, TN, license records and

inspection reports, 1999-2003

FOIA/PA-2003-0299

Davis Besse inspection plan for safety culture assessment, press

release No. III-03-029, dated 4-7-03

FOIA/PA-2003-0300

Correspondence and related documents from 1-1997 through 5-2003,

between NRC and named U.S. Senators

FOIA/PA-2003-0301

Nuclear facilities in Orange and Seminole Counties, FL, near specific

named sites (LYNX Light Rail Project)

FOIA/PA-2003-0302

Diamond Match Co. (Diamond Brands, Inc.), West Peru, Maine, use

of radioactive materials, license

FOIA/PA-2003-0303

NRC response to 4-24-03 memorandum for HR Directors from OPM,

re: Collection of Information Regarding Employees with Law

Enforcement Duties

FOIA/PA-2003-0304

OIG Case 03-30B, report only FOIA/PA-2003-0305

Salem Nuclear Power Plant, drawings, photographs, maintenance

manuals and/or descriptions of airlock door and hand wheel leading

to containment unit

FOIA/PA-2003-0306

Amchitka Island, Alaska, radiation exposure on named individual,

1960’s and 1970’s, studies and analysis

FOIA/PA-2003-0307

OI Report 1-2002-005, RI-2002-A-0006, exhibits and transcripts FOIA/PA-2003-0308
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Arrivals

CONSAUL, Ryan STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) NRR

GHOSH, Suchandra T. STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) ACRS

HEATH, Maurice NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NRR

HENRY, Patricia A. STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) NRR

KERSKE, David STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) NMSS

NGUYEN, Kim-Lien STUDENT IT SPECIALIST (Summer) OCIO

PAIGE, Jason C. STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) NRR

PICHUMANI, Raman *CONSULTANT NRR

Retirements

KENNEALLY, Roger SR. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER RES

*Actual EOD date was 06/03/03 and not 05/27/03 as reported.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Media Interest

Commissioner Merrifield taped an interview with the CBS Sunday Morning program on nuclear

security, with an emphasis on the Indian Point facility in New York. The piece is scheduled to

air on the morning of June 8th. 

Several Ohio newspapers, including The Cleveland Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal,

reported that FirstEnergy officials believe the idled Davis-Besse nuclear power plant will be

ready to start making electricity by early to mid-August.

Brian Sheron of NRR was interviewed by the British journal New Scientist about safety issues

facing the aging nuclear reactor industry, including the Davis-Besse and South Texas Project

facilities.

A number of media outlets, including The New York Times and Reuters, covered an NRC

meeting on leaks at the bottom of the reactor vessel at the South Texas Project.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

03-073 NRC Staff Approves Transfer of Operating Licenses For Diablo Canyon

(6/3)

03-074 NRC To Hold Public Meetings On Updating Generic Environmental Impact

Statement For License Renewal (6/3)

03-075 NRC Amends Event Notification Regulations (6/5)

Regions:

II-03-033 NRC Staff Seeks Public Input On Robinson Draft Environmental Report For

License Renewal (6/6)

III-03-042 NRC To Discuss Significance Of Safety System Issue At Point Beach (6/4)
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-01-0072 4/25/01 Draft Rulemaking Plan: Distribution of

Source Material to Exempt Persons and to

General Licensees and Revision of 10 CFR

40.22 General License

SRM on SECY-01-0072 6/5/03 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on SECY-01-

0072

6/5/03 (same)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman James C. Greenwood, dated May 30, 2003, concerns lessons

learned following the discovery of degradation of the reactor pressure vessel head at the

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station.

2. Letter to Senator Harry Reid, dated May 30, 2003, concerns the State of Nevada’s recent

“Petition to Establish Procedures” for the Yucca Mountain licensing hearing.

3. Letter to Lauren Whitley, NC WARN, dated May 30, 2003, responds to an invitation for

NRC to participate in the meeting “A Citizen’s Hearing on Nuclear Risk Reduction.”

4. Letter to Leo Bobek, TRTR, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, dated May 28, 2003,

responds to invitation to speak at the TRTR annual conference.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste Notice of Meeting on Planning and Procedures.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Site Visit to Maine Yankee by Commissioner Merrifield

On May 30, 2003, Commissioner Merrifield, accompanied by members of his staff, and the

Region I Deputy Regional Administrator and other Region I staff, visited the Maine Yankee

Atomic Power Company (Maine Yankee) site. The Commissioner toured the decommissioning

reactor facility and the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation and met with a number of

Maine Yankee senior managers. Following the site tour, the Commissioner and his staff met

separately with the Governor’s State Nuclear Safety Advisor and the Director of Friends of the

Coast, a concerned citizens’ group, to discuss issues regarding spent fuel storage.

Region I Senior Management Site Visit to Seabrook Station

On June 4 - 5, 2003, the Region I Regional Administrator and members of the Region I staff

toured Seabrook Station and met with the resident inspectors and selected FPL Energy

managers. The visit was part of the Region's program of site visits. 

Region I Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Advisory Committee

The Philadelphia Federal Executive Board recognized the Region I EEO Advisory Committee

with an award for outstanding achievements, contributions, and effectiveness in promoting

equal employment opportunity and diversity programs.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS)

On June 6, 2003, the Director, Division of Reactor Projects, attended the inspection exit

meeting, open to the public, for the readiness review inspection of the new NFS Uranyl Nitrate

Storage Building. This building is the first of three new facilities for the downblending of high

enriched uranium to low enriched uranium and conversion to uranium powder.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region III

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

NRC Davis-Besse Oversight Panel Public Meetings

On June 3, 2003, the NRC Davis-Besse Oversight Panel held two meetings at the Camp Perry

Ohio National Guard facility in Oak Harbor, Ohio. The first meeting was between the panel and

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. officials to discuss the status of activities at the Davis-Besse

plant in response to the reactor vessel head degradation. The second meeting was an evening

public session to review NRC activities involving Davis-Besse and to respond to questions and

concerns from the public.

Regulatory Conference on Preliminary Red Finding at Point Beach

On June 6, 2003, members of the Region III staff met with Nuclear Management Company

officials in the Region III Office for a regulatory conference on a preliminary determination of

high safety significance (“red”) for an inspection finding at the Point Beach Nuclear Power

Station. NRC inspectors determined that the auxiliary feedwater system might fail to function

under certain abnormal conditions. Normal plant operations were not affected by the problem,

which was initially discovered by plant personnel in October 2002. The licensee intends to

submit supplemental information in about two weeks to be used by the NRC staff in reaching its

final safety significance determination.
June 6, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

Chairman Diaz Visit to the San Onofre Generating Station

On June 4, 2003, the Chairman Diaz visited the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, at the

licensee’s invitation, and met with licensee management. During the visit, the Chairman heard

a licensee presentation on plant security, emergency planning, and the use of risk, and toured

the facility. 

South Texas Project

On June 3, 2003, Region IV held a public meeting with the South Texas Project Nuclear

Operating Company. The purpose was to discuss the most recent comprehensive cultural

assessment performed at the South Texas Project as required by the Confirmatory Order of

June 9, 1998. An inspection will be conducted on site next week to confirm the completion of

the requirements of the Order. 
June 6, 2003 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 6, 2003

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 17

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 06/10/03

2318 RHOB

10:00 DOE (Gail Marcus), NEI,

Universities

University Nuclear Science andEngineering Programs 

Reps. BigEnergyScience C

Gerke 06/12/03

TBAPostponed

A.M. NRC Commission and

Others

Davis-Besse Reps. Gre

Oversight Energy an