INFORMATION REPORT

May 12, 2005 SECY-05-0083

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0083 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 6, 2005”

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

Office of Information Services G

Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources I

Small Business and 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:

T. Kim, OEDO
May 12, 2005 SECY-05-0083

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0083 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 6, 2005”

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

Office of Information Services G

Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources I

Small Business and 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:

T. Kim, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week506.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TKim:paa WMDean

05/11/05 05/13/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MAY 6, 2005

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: T. Kim, OEDO by E-mail: tjk3@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 OIP *

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I *

ADM 10 Region II 21

OIS 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV *

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Public Meeting between NRC and Exelon on Planned Resumption of Extended Power Uprate

(EPU) Operation at Quad Cities Units 1 and 2

On May 4, 2005, Region III and NRR staff held the subject public meeting with Exelon

Generation Company representatives at the NRC headquarters offices in Rockville, MD. 

Exelon plans to replace the steam dryer in Quad Cities, Unit 2, in May 2005, and return the unit

to EPU operation. Exelon plans similar activities for Unit 1 soon thereafter. The NRC staff

noted that several tasks remain to be completed before installation of the replacement steam

dryers and prior to returning to EPU operation. 

Risk Management Technical Specifications (RMTS) Initiative 1: Modified End States for

Combustion Engineering Plants, and RMTS Initiative 7: Limiting Condition for Operation 3.0.8

Inoperability of Snubbers

On May 4, 2005, the subject proposed Consolidated Line Item Improvement Process (CLIIP)

technical specifications (TS) changes were published in the Federal Register. The first Federal

Register Notice (70 FR 23238) requested public comment on a model safety evaluation and

no-significant-hazards-consideration determination statement for RMTS, Initiative 1, also

identified as Technical Specification Task Force (TSTF)-422. The second Federal Register

Notice (70 FR 23252) will make available to licensees for adoption, a model license amendment

package, including a safety evaluation and no-significant-hazards-consideration determination

statement, for RMTS, Initiative 7, also identified as TSTF-372. These two CLIIP TS changes

are two of the RMTS initiatives being developed to enhance safety through the incorporation of

risk assessment and management techniques in technical specifications.

Temporary Instruction to Verify the Operational Readiness of Offsite Power Systems

On May 2, 2005, NRR issued Temporary Instruction 2515/163, ”Operational Readiness of

Offsite Power,” to the Regional offices. The purpose of this Temporary Instruction is to provide

inspection guidance for verification of the readiness on the part of the nuclear power plant

licensees to cope with operational challenges by potential power outage events during the

summer of 2005. 

Construction Inspection Program Workshop

On May 4 - 5, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted a public

workshop at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Headquarters to support the continuing

development of the Construction Inspection Program. The public workshop was attended by 50

people from the NRC, the industry and the public.
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Public Meeting to Discuss License Renewal Application for Palisades Nuclear Plant

On April 28, 2005, the staff conducted the subject public meeting in South Haven, Michigan. 

The staff presented information regarding the license renewal review process and invited public

participation. Prior to the meeting, the staff placed advertisements in local newspapers and

issued a press release announcing the meeting. Approximately 30 members of the public

attended. The staff addressed questions from the audience regarding radiological releases;

security practices; general plant operations; spent fuel storage installation; NRC oversight

responsibilities; and the tentative schedule for the license renewal environmental review public

meetings. 
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

NRC Staff Observation Audit of Joseph Oat Corporation Quality Assurance Program

On April 26-28, 2005, staff from the Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety, Region IV,

and the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses observed a Department of Energy

(DOE) contractor audit of the Joseph Oat Corporation (JOC). JOC has been contracted to

fabricate the first full-scale 21-Pressurized-Water Reactor Uncanistered Fuel Waste Package

prototype for the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository. The purpose of this audit was to

evaluate the effectiveness of the JOC quality assurance (QA) program as written in the JOC

QA Manual, Revision 18, and associated implementing procedures for the fabrication and

assembly of the full-scale prototype waste package. The audit team will issue an audit report

within the next few weeks.
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Final Report on Good Practices for Human Reliability Analysis Published

In April 2005, RES published the final version of NUREG-1792, "Good Practices for

Implementing Human Reliability Analysis (HRA)." This final NUREG report describes those

processes, analytical tasks, and judgments that would be expected in an HRA (considering the

state-of-the-art) in order for the results to support risk-informed decisions. These good

practices were developed as part of the NRC's activities to address probabilistic risk

assessment (PRA) quality issues and support the implementation of Regulatory Guide (RG)

1.200, "An Approach for Determining the Technical Adequacy of Probabilistic Risk Assessment

Results for Risk-Informed Activities." Although the HRA good practices were developed in the

context of a risk assessment for nuclear power plant full power operations, some elements of

the report may be applicable to other modes of plant operation or nuclear materials

applications. A copy of the publically available report can be obtained through the Agencywide

Documents and Access Management System (ADAMS) at ML051160213 or at the NRC's

website (www.nrc.gov).
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Preliminary Notifications

PNO-I-05-019A, Craig Testing Laboratories, Inc. - UPDATE TO MISSING PORTABLE

MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE.
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Contract Award 

On May 5, 2005, a competitive small business delivery order DR-03-05-030 was awarded to

Information Systems Laboratories, Inc., under the General Service Administration's Federal

Supply Schedule. The order is for construction inspection program sample selection

methodology for the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. The total estimated cost is

$101,399.00. The period of performance is for five months.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NUHOMS® -24PT4 Revision, Amendment;

Confirmation of Effective Date (AH50 - Part 72)

On May 3, 2005, a document was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 22781) that

confirms the May 16, 2005, effective date of a direct final rule that revises the list of approved

spent fuel storage casks to include the NUHOMS® -24PT4 (Amendment 1) cask system.
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

30th Anniversary Brochure Honoring NRC Charter Employees

The Publishing and Distribution Services Branch staff designed and produced a brochure that

will be distributed at the NRC’s 30th Anniversary Ceremony on May 11, 2005, at which time

NRC will honor employees who have been with the Agency since it was known as the Atomic

Energy Commission. 

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of

April 29 through May 5, 2005:

Materials License Tracking System database FOIA/PA-2005-0220

OIG Report 05-16D FOIA/PA-2005-0221

Time cards for NRR/DLPM Project Managers, 1-2-2001 to present;

project manager logs

FOIA/PA-2005-0222

Radiation exposure on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0223

License 37-01893-01, docket 03003013, last 2 inspections &

authorized medical physicist, radiation safety officer for Regions I & III

FOIA/PA-2005-0224

Referral - (Dept. Of Energy) records on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0225
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Arrival

James Creed Consultant NSIR

Retirements

Kenneth M. Jenison Senior Project Engineer R-I

Bertel R. Johnson, Jr Special Assistant NMSS

Wayne D. Lanning Director, Division of Reactor Safety R-I

James J. Lazevnick Senior Electrical Engineer NRR

Elaine L. McNeil Safeguards Licensing Assistant NSIR

Departures

Sharon Evans Secretary (OA) NRR

Linda Moore Secretary Secretary (OA) R-II
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) received significant media inquiries on the following:

Three Mile Island’s emergency preparedness exercise.

Requests by two decommissioning plants to send demolition debris to a landfill in Texas.

The industry’s interest in new reactors and the NRC’s licensing process.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA staff assisted at several public end-of-cycle meetings and the Three Mile Island exercise.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-075 NRC Finds No Significant Environmental Impacts from Extended Operation of

Cook Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2 (5/3)

05-076 NRC Seeks Public Input on Grand Gulf Early Site Permit Environmental Impacts;

Meeting to be Held June 28 (5/5)

05-077 NRC Announces New Director of Enforcement (5/5)

Regions:

I-05-026 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Indian Point Nuclear Power

Plants (5/3)

I-05-027 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Oyster Creek Nuclear Power

Plant (5/5)

II-05-025 NRC to Meet With TVA Officials to Discuss Safety Performance at Browns Ferry

Nuclear Power Plant (5/5)

II-05-026 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment at St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant

(5/5)

II-05-027 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment at Turkey Point Nuclear Power

Plant (5/5)

III-05-021 NRC Proposes $60,000 Fine Against Exelon Generation Co. for Radiation Safety

Violation at LaSalle Nuclear Plant (5/4)

III-05-022 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Duane Arnold Nuclear Power

Plant (5/5)
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

IV-05-016 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant

(5/6)

IV-05-017 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant (5/6)

IV-05-018 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessment for Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant

(5/6)
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-05-0035 2/16/05 Report to Congress on Abnormal

Occurrences: Fiscal Year 2004

SRM-05-0035 3/29/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0035

3/29/05 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-05-0077 5/3/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

April 22, 2005

Memoranda

1. M050420B 5/3/05 Staff Requirements - Briefing of Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Programs, Performance, and Plans

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated April 27, 2005, responds to letter

regarding the article published in The Washington Times on March 12, 2005. 

2. Letter to Congress, dated April 27, 2005, responds for request for documents and

information relating to NRC’s compliance with Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

3. Letter to Congress, dated April 27, 2005, provides a summary of actions taken in response

to recommendations contained in various GAO reports that address NRC activities.

4. Letter to Congress, dated April 27, 2005, provides NRC’s “Report to Congress on Abnormal

Occurrences: Fiscal Year (FY) 2004.”

5. Letter to Don Arbuckle, OMB, dated April 26, 2005, provides NRC’s FY 2005 Regulatory

Plan.

6. Letter to Michael Chertoff, DHS, dated April 25, 2005, informs that the NRC has fully

implemented the National Response Plan.

7. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated April 22, 2005, provides response

concerning a proposal to install a waterborne barrier device at the Millstone NPP.
May 6, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

Commissioner Lyons Visit to Region II Offices and Fuel Facilities

On May 3, 2005, Commissioner Lyons visited Region II offices and met with Regional staff and

discussed Agency issues and priorities. On the following day, the Commissioner visited the

Westinghouse fuel facility in Columbia, South Carolina for a site tour and a meeting with

licensee management. On May 5, 2005, he also visited the Nuclear Fuel Services

Incorporation’s fuel facility in Erwin, TN, for a site tour and a meeting with licensee

management.
May 6, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 6, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 18

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling May 10

2359RHOB

3:00 TBA FY 2006 Homeland Security

Appropriations

Reps LewAppropria

Shane May 11

2247RHOB

2:00 NARA, DOJ, & GAO

Newspaper Association ofAmerica and president,Cox Newspapers; Centerfor Democracy andTechnology; & TheHeritage Foundation

Information Policy in the 21stCentury: A Review of the Freedom ofInformation Act

Reps PlaGovernmand AccoGovernm

Madden May 11

2167 RHOB

2:00 Transportation Department;

DHS; Department of MotorVehicles, Commonwealthof Virginia; C.R. EnglandInc.; and InternationalBrotherhood of Teamsters

Hearing on hazardous materialsendorsement background checks

Reps PetHighwaysTransport

Madden May 12

2362BRHOB

2:00 TBA Markup Draft Bill - FY 2006 Budget Reps Hob

Energy aAppropria

Shane May 12

2154 RHOB

10:00 TBA Markup to consider pending

business

Reps DavGovernm
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 18

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

May 6, 2005 

Keeling May 17

S-407CapitolCLOSED

9:30 NRC Security of Nuclear Facilities Senators 

Clean Air

Nuclear SEnvironm

Shane May 17

2154 RHOB

2:00 TBA Markup to consider pending

business

Reps PorFederal WOrganizaGovernm

Shane Tentative

May 24 or26TBA

TBA NRC Legislative Oversight Senators 

Clean Air

Nuclear SEnvironm

Combs TBA

SD-366

TBA DOE, NRC Status of Yucca Mountain Senators 

Energy a

Combs April 13

2247RHOBPostponed

10:00 TBA Yucca Mountain Project: Digging for

the Truth

Reps PorFederal WOrganizaGovernm