INFORMATION REPORT

December 15, 2003 SECY-03-0212

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0212 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 5, 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:

M. Markley, OEDO
December 15, 2003 SECY-03-0212

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0212 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 5, 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:

M. Markley, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WeekD05.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MMarkley:paa WMDean

12/15/03 12/17/03
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 5, 2003

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: M. Markley, OEDO by E-mail: mtm@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 *

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
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Quad Cities Unit 1 - Completion of Steam Dryer Repair Outage

During the steam dryer outage that began on November 12, 2003, Exelon inspected, repaired,

and modified the steam dryer, repaired damaged electromatic relief valve actuators and

modified their supports. The licensee installed additional vibration and monitoring equipment

on piping and components to help in the analysis of the effects of extended power uprate (EPU)

operation. In its lost parts analysis and operability evaluation for the missing piece of the steam

dryer, Exelon determined that the missing piece was most likely broken into at least three

pieces by the ‘B’ recirculation pump impeller and then swept into the bottom head region of the

reactor vessel. Exelon’s evaluation concluded that it was safe to operate without retrieving the

missing pieces until the next refueling outage by which time a decision will be made to either

locate and retrieve the pieces or evaluate continued operation without retrieval.

Quad Cities Unit 1 was brought on-line on November 30, 2003, and returned to pre-EPU full

power on December 1, 2003. Exelon is currently limiting power to pre-EPU full power while

they develop a power ascension and test program to gather and analyze data up to EPU power. 

Licensee activities continue to be monitored closely by NRC Region III and the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR).

Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Unit 2 (VEGP-2) - Issuance of Exigent Amendment

On December 3, 2003, the Division of Licensing Project Management issued an exigent

Technical Specifications amendment to VEGP-2. The amendment extended the surveillance

interval for conducting the Train B Memories Test (31-day staggered test) portion of the

Actuation Logic Test for nuclear instrumentation, safety injection, and feedwater isolation to the

next refueling outage at the end of operating Cycle 10 (Spring 2004) or the next VEGP-2

shutdown to Mode 5, whichever comes first. This action is related to Notice of Enforcement

Discretion 03-6-004 that NRR granted, with Region II concurrence, on November 4, 2003.

Dominion Generation - Meeting with NRC Staff

On December 3, 2003, the Division of Licensing Project Management staff met with licensing

representatives from Dominion Generation at Dominion Headquarters near Richmond, VA. The

purpose of the meeting was to review current licensing process issues including 

communications, correspondence quality, combined licensing submittals, expectations for riskinformed submittals, handling of sensitive documents, generic communications, Generic Letter

(GL) 91-18 on operability determinations and the resolution of degraded and nonconforming

conditions, Notices of Enforcement Discretion, and the Technical Specification Authority File

review process. The licensee expressed concern regarding the lack of guidance on handling of

sensitive documents and insufficient follow-up communications on submittals made in response

to generic communications. The staff responded to these concerns and discussed follow-up

actions and processes.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Presentation to Hungarian Regulators Regarding Reliable Handling of Heavy

On December 3, 2003, Division of Systems Safety and Analysis staff presented information

regarding reliable handling of heavy loads to members of the Hungarian Atomic Energy Agency

(HAEA). This was one of several presentations the Office of International Programs scheduled

with the HAEA representatives during the week of December 1, 2003. Discussions also

included technical exchanges on approaches to damaged fuel recovery at Hungarian nuclear

power plants.

Meeting with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Regarding Risk-informed Inservice Inspection

Programs

On December 2, 2003, the NRC staff held a public meeting with representatives of the Nuclear

Energy Institute, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Westinghouse Owners Group

(WOG), and other interested stakeholders at NRC headquarters to discuss the characteristics

of “living programs” for risk-informed inservice inspection (ISI) programs. Industry

representatives described the risk-informed ISI living program philosophy and NEI's proposed

guidance to maintain risk-informed ISI programs. The guidance is expected to address

expedited, periodic, and ten-year evaluations. The ten-year evaluations will accompany the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code ten-year

interval updates. Two types of evaluations are envisioned, screening reviews and program

updates, depending on the amount of new information that has been accumulated. A final draft

of NEI's guidance document is expected to be available by the end of January 2004. NEI plans

to offer the document to the NRC for comment but does not plan to request formal review and

endorsement. 

Operator Licensing Meeting with Industry Focus Group

On November 25, 2003,the Division of Inspection Program Management staff and

representatives from the Operator Licensing Branch Chief from each NRC Regional Office, held

a public meeting with the Industry Focus Group on operator licensing. The industry requested

the meeting to review issues related to Draft Revision 9 of NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing

Examination Standards for Power Reactors," before the public comment period closes on

December 31, 2003. The major discussion topics included the "shelf life" of the generic

fundamentals examination, Senior Reactor Operation (SRO) written examination sample plan,

limits on repeating walk-through test materials on successive examinations, and criteria for

grading the simulator operating test.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Drop-in Visit by the Vice President of Envirocare

On December 4, 2003, the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards (FCSS), Office of

State and Tribal Programs staffs met with the Senior Vice President, Envirocare of Utah, Inc. 

Discussions focused on withdrawal of Envirocare’s application to accept high-radium activity

byproduct material from the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fernald, Ohio, facility at the

Envirocare disposal facility in Clive, Utah. Envirocare explained that because of recent publicity

on the application, the Utah Legislative Waste Task Force recommended that the Governor and

the Legislature approve any increase in the level of radioactivity of material accepted by

Envirocare. Envirocare agreed to follow the Task Force recommendation, which would have

resulted in an early 2005 date as the soonest that Envirocare could begin to accept the waste. 

Envirocare noted that DOE considered this date too late for the initiation of Fernald waste

shipments. Consequently, Envirocare withdrew its application.

Public Meeting on Mallinkrodt Site Decommissioning Plan

On December 2, 2003, NRC staff conducted a public meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, to provide

members of the public an opportunity to comment on the Mallinckrodt, Inc. Phase 2

decommissioning plan. The meeting was attended by approximately 25 members of the public,

including representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers, and local television and radio stations. Most public comments were related to the

possible health effects caused by living next to, or working at, the Mallinckrodt facility, when the

plant was producing weapons-grade material for the Manhattan Engineering District and later

the Atomic Energy Commission from 1942 to 1960. Few questions and comments dealt

explicitly with Phase 2 decommissioning issues. Participants expressed views concerning

release of the Mallinckrodt site for unrestricted use even the 25 mrem/yr release criteria is met. 

The staff plans to reconcile public comments, including those identified during this meeting,

during its review of the decommissioning plan.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Implementing Agreement on Thermal-Hydraulic Code Applications and Maintenance between

the NRC and the Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (CNEN) of Brazil (Brazilian Nuclear

Energy Commission)

On November 21, 2003, the Executive Director for Operations (EDO) signed an Implementing

Agreement between the NRC and CNEN. On November 25, 2003, the proposed agreement

was forwarded to CNEN for counter-signature. This Implementing Agreement defines the

terms and conditions by which the CNEN will continue their participation in the cooperative

research program with the NRC in the Thermal-Hydraulic Code Applications and Maintenance

Program (CAMP) on the basis of mutual benefit and reasonable equity and reciprocity. The

work performed and exchanged under this Implementing Agreement is expected to enhance

the quality of the reactor safety codes through the expansion of the international user

community, and through their subsequent applications and feedback. These codes are used by

the NRC for auditing calculations as part of the licensing review process for applications such

as power uprates, emerging safety issues, and for advanced reactor design reviews. CNEN will

also provide a cash contribution each year to the CAMP program. If approved, the

Implementing Agreement will remain in effect for a period of five years.

Agreement between the NRC and Statens Karnkraftinspektion, The Swedish Nuclear Power

Inspectorate (SKI) Concerning Participation in the UANRC Program of Severe Accident

Research

On November 25, 2003, the EDO signed a international agreement between the NRC and SKI. 

This Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the NRC and SKI will continue their

cooperation in the area of severe accident research on the basis of mutual benefit and

reasonable equity and reciprocity. The work performed under this Agreement will contribute to

verifying the accuracy of the NRC’s severe accident codes. The work will also enhance the

quality of our reactor safety codes through the expansion of the international user community. 

These codes are used by the NRC to evaluate potential risk and vulnerability scenarios for

severe accidents and address regulatory licensing issues for operating plants. SKI will also

provide a cash contribution each year for the duration of this Agreement. If approved, this

Agreement will remain in force for a period of three years.

Public Meeting on Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI) Pilot Program

On December 3, 2003, a public meeting was held to discuss technical and implementation

issues with the MSPI pilot. The RES and NRR staff discussed preliminary results regarding

MSPI probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) adequacy, as well as comparisons between MSPI

predicted results and those from the current Reactor Oversight Process (ROP). Discussions

included differences between the licensees’ plant PRA models and the SPAR models and

potential impacts on MSPI results. Discussions also included bench marking of MSPI results,

Significance Determination Process (SDP) findings, and current ROP Safety System

Unavailability for component failures captured in the MSPI Pilot. The meeting was attended by

participants from the NRC Regional Offices, industry organizations including Nuclear Energy
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE C

Institute and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, the news media, the Union of

Concerned Scientists, and pilot plant licensees. 

The proposed MSPI would monitor the performance of six mitigating systems based on their

ability to perform risk-significant functions. The index, which approximates the change in core

damage frequency, is comprised of two elements - system unavailability and system reliability. 

Plant-specific PRA models will be used to calculate the contribution of component failures and

maintenance unavailability to the index. 
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-I-03-033, Albert Einstein Heathcare Network, - POTENTIAL MEDICAL EVENT AT

ALBERT EINSTEIN HEALTHCARE NETWORK.

2. PNO-IV-03-050, Crow Butte Resources, Inc. - MEDICAL TREATMENT OF A

CONTAMINATED INDIVIDUAL AT A MEDICAL FACILITY.

3. PNO-IV-03-049, Swedish Medical Center - MEDICAL MISADMINISTRATION

INVOLVING INTRAVASCULAR BRACHYTHERAPY.

4. PNO-III-03-044, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - MEDICAL EVENT INVOLVING

AN INTRAVASCULAR BRACHYTHERAPY PROCEDURE. 
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Nuclear Energy Institute; Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-50-74)

A document denying a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Nuclear Energy Institute was

published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2003 (68 FR 67811). The petitioner

requested that the NRC amend its regulations governing emergency core cooling systems. 

The petitioner’s suggested amendment would have allowed licensees the optional use of the

1994 American Nuclear Society heat decay standard and the use of any future NRC-approved

revisions to that standard without additional rulemaking. The NRC is denying the petition

because the regulations already include provisions for the use of best-estimate evaluation

models by NRC licensees.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

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

November 28 through December 4, 2003:

Criticality Accident Alarm System (Eberline detectors & signal alarms)

performance tests as part of BLEU Project for Nuclear Fuel Services

Inc.

FOIA/PA-2004-0064

Nuclear Materials Events Database (NMED) FOIA/PA-2004-0065

Radiation Exposure Information Report System FOIA/PA-2004-0066

NUREG-1150 FOIA/PA-2004-0067

Nuclear exports, China, 1984-1991, Referral by Department of State FOIA/PA-2004-0068

10 CFR 40 Appendix A FOIA/PA-2004-0069
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Arrivals

Dariele Taswell Secretary (OA) HR/SPAC

James Downs Fire Protection Engineer NRR

Robert Radlinski Fire Protection Engineer NRR

James Hickey Project Engineer RII

Retirement

Tommy Larry Bell Sr. Project Manager HR

Janette E. Copeland Information Management Analyst OCIO
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Media Interest

A New York Times report on NRC’s proposed changes to fire protection rules at power plants

was picked up by several newspapers around the country.

Widespread interest in the General Accounting Office (GAO) report that found owners of nearly

one-third of the nation’s commercial power reactors are not setting aside enough money to pay

for the plant’s cleanup after the end of their useful life. 

Rising costs and a sluggish stock market have left Detroit Edison Co. with a $9 million shortfall

for continuing decommissioning activities at its dormant Fermi I nuclear plant in Michigan.

Federal approval for Southern California Edison to begin transporting a decommissioned

reactor vessel from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station by barge around South America to

a disposal site in South Carolina.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

03-157 NRC Advisory Panel to Meet December 9 in Las Vegas on Licensing Support

Network for High-Level Waste Repository (12/1)

03-158 NRC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rule Changes to Specialty Medical

Board Certification Criteria (12/4)

03-159 NRC Renews Licenses for Catawba and McGuire Nuclear Power Plants for an

Additional 20 Years (12/5)

Regions:

I-03-072 Prehearing Conference Scheduled for December 11 in Case of Bucks County,

Pa., Irradiator (12/4)

II-03-049 NRC to Hold Public Meeting on Farley Nuclear Station License Renewal (12/4)

III-03-071 NRC To Discuss Safety Significance Of Delay In Declaring An Emergency At

Perry (12/3)

I-03-073 NRC Appoints New Resident Inspector at the Susquehanna Steam Electric

Station (12/5)

I-03-074 New NRC Senior Resident Inspector Assigned to Three Mile Island Nuclear

Plant (12/5)

II-03-050 NRC Assigns New Senior Resident Inspector at Turkey Point Nuclear Power

Plant (12/5)
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM-SECY-03-0200 12/3/03 Renewal of Full-Power Operating Licenses

for McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2,

and Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2

Commission Voting

Record on 03-0200

12/3/03 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-03-0207 12/03/03 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

November 21, 2003

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congress, dated November 25, 2003, provides the September report on the

status of NRC’s licensing and regulatory duties and information on the status of the

Davis-Besse NPP.

2. Letter to Congressman Eliot L. Engel, dated November 24, 2003, responds to request for

NRC to thoroughly review the petition filed by the Union of Concerned Scientists and

Riverkeeper, Inc.

3. Letter to Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey, dated November 24, 2003, responds to

request for NRC to thoroughly review the petition filed by the Union of Concerned

Scientists and Riverkeeper, Inc.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. NEI Denial of Petition for Rulemaking.

2. Part 35 - Medical Use of Byproduct Material - Recognition of Specialty Boards.

3. Call for Nominations for Position of Interventional Cardiology Physician.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Indian Point Utility Workers’ Union Strike Vote

On December 4, 2003, the Local 1-2 Utility Workers Union of America at Indian Point voted in

favor of a strike, should the union and Entergy, the Indian Point licensee, not agree on a new

contract for the Unit 3 union workers. The current contract for the Unit 3 workers expires on 

January 17, 2004. The Unit 2 union contract ends in June 2004. Both Unit 2 and 3 union

workers participated in the strike vote and 367 of 396 votes (93 percent) favored the walkout. 

Entergy has been developing a strike contingency plan and the Region I staff will review it when

finalized. Region I also is developing a contingency plan for coverage of the licensee’s

operations, including initial 24-hour inspector coverage, should a strike occur.

Commissioner Merrifield Visit to Puerto Rico

Region I Director, Nuclear Materials Safety and an Atlanta-based Branch Chief accompanied

Commissioner Merrifield and his Technical Assistant on a visit to Puerto Rico during the week

of December 1, 2003. The Commissioner met with the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Health

and with representatives of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Association. Commissioner

Merrifield toured the decommissioned BONUS reactor and museum and visited a nuclear

pharmacy in San Juan, an irradiator and associated medical equipment production facility in

Aibonito, and the Navy’s former bombing range on the island of Vieques.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Chairman Diaz Visits BWX Technologies, Inc. Facility

On December 2, 2003, Region II security staff supported the Office of Nuclear Security and

Incident Response (NSIR) activities at BWX Technologies in Lynchburg, Virginia. During the

week, the Regional Administrator accompanied NRC Chairman during tours of the site and

review of related NSIR activities. 

Annual Emergency Preparedness Conference

On December 3-5, 2003, the State Liaison Officer participated in the Annual Emergency

Preparedness Conference, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA,

Regions I, II, and III, in Williamsburg, VA. Attendees included State and local government

officials, other Federal department and agency representatives, and utility representatives.
December 5, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 5, 2003

Meeting with San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors

On December 1, 2003, the Region IV Deputy Regional Administrator and other members of the

staff met with members of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. On December 2,

2003, they met with the editorial board of the San Luis Obispo Tribune News. The purpose of

these meetings was to discuss regulatory matters involving the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. 

Outreach Planning Conference with State and County Emergency Managers

On December 1-4, 2003, Region IV held an Outreach Training and Planning Conference in

Mesa, Arizona, with emergency managers from state and counties in Region IV and nuclear

power plant emergency planners. The conference was supported by participants from the NRC

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, Federal Emergency Management Agency,

Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Homeland Security.