INFORMATION REPORT

January 15, 2004 SECY-04-0004

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0004 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 9, 2004

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 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:

M. Markley, OEDO
January 15, 2004 SECY-04-0004

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0004 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 9, 2004

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 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:

M. Markley, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\Week109.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MMarkley:paa WMDean

01/15/04 01/15/04
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JANUARY 9, 2004

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 3 STP *

NMSS 4 OPA 17

RES 8 OIP 18

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SBCR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Petition on North Anna Early Site Permit (ESP) Application Proceeding

On January 5, 2004, NRC received a petition dated January 2, 2004, from three organizations

requesting to intervene in the North Anna early site permit (ESP) application proceeding. In

accordance with 10 CFR Part 52, a hearing is mandatory for an ESP, and a petition to intervene

is a first step in admitting parties as litigants in that hearing. The organizations cited in the

petition, which represent 17 individuals who live within 50 miles of the proposed ESP site, are

the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Nuclear Information and Resource Service,

and Public Citizen. The petition asserts eight aspects that the petitioners believe are within the

scope of the proceeding. In accordance with the hearing process set forth in 10 CFR Part 2, a

Licensing Board appointed by the Commission will determine whether the petitioners have

standing (individuals cited in the petition are affected by the proposed action). They will also

determine whether at least one aspect cited in the petition is within the scope of the proceeding. 

Petitioners determined to have standing must subsequently submit admissible contentions to be

admitted to the proceeding as interveners. The Office of the General Counsel, with support as

needed from the NRC staff, will develop the NRC’s response to the petition. The NRC’s

response will discuss whether the petitioners have standing and if the aspects asserted in the

petition are within the scope of the proceeding.

License Renewal Application for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 and 3

On January 6, 2004, the staff received a license renewal application from the Tennessee Valley

Authority (TVA) requesting to extend the operating licenses for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant,

Units 1, 2, and 3 for an additional 20 years beyond their current 40-year terms, pursuant to 10

CFR Parts 51 and 54. The Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3 are boiling water reactors designed

by General Electric with current operating licenses that expire at midnight on December 20,

2013; June 28, 2014; and July 2, 2016, respectively. Unit 1 has been in an extended shutdown,

and the licensee plans to pursue restart during the NRC staff’s review of the license renewal

application. TVA indicated that it plans to submit license amendment requests to upgrade the

current licensing basis for Unit 1 as part of the restart effort and to submit license amendment

requests for a 15 to 20 percent power uprate at all three units. 
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Staff Review of the U.S. Enrichment Corporation’s American Centrifuge Lead Cascade

License Application

On February 11, 2003, the U.S. Enrichment Corporation submitted an application for the

American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility (Lead Cascade). The Lead Cascade is a test and

demonstration facility that will be located at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon,

Ohio. The staff has completed its safety and safeguards review of the Lead Cascade license

application and is currently documenting its findings in a Safety Evaluation Report (SER). An

Environmental Assessment (EA) has been completed and has been provided to the State of

Ohio for comment. The staff expects to issue its licensing decision, SER, and EA for the Lead

Cascade by the end of January 2004. 
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Meeting of the Joint Action Group on Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion Research and

Development Plan (JAG/ATD R&DP). 

On January 6-7, 2003, a member of the RES staff attended a meeting of the JAG/ATD R&DP. 

The JAG/ATD R&DP is organized by the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology and

is comprised of representatives from seven Federal departments and agencies, some having

multiple representatives. The group is expected to prepare a report on research and

development needs in the area of atmospheric transport and dispersion by the end of March

2004.
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-IV-04-001, Vulcan Chemicals - LOST FIXED GAUGE.

2. PNO-IV-03-052A, ShopKo Stores - LOST TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS - CORRECTED COPY.
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending January 9, 2004

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: Standardized NUHOMS® -24P, -52B, -61BT,

-24PHB, and -32PT, Revision (AH26 - Part 72)

On January 7, 2004, a final rule that revises the Standardized NUHOMS® -24P, -52B, and

61BT cask system listing in the list of approved spent fuel storage casks was published in the

Federal Register (69 FR 849). This action (Amendment 5) adds another dry shielded canister

to the authorized contents of the cask system. The direct final rule became effective January 7,

2004.

Proposed Revision to 10 CFR 50.55a, Codes and Standards

On January 7, 2004, a proposed revision to 10 CFR 50.55a, Codes and Standards, was

published in the Federal Register (69 FR 879) to incorporate by reference recent editions and

addenda of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

and the Code for the Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants. The proposed

revisions would provide updated rules for constructing and inspecting components and testing

pumps and valves in light-water cooled nuclear power plants. The comment period for this

action closes March 22, 2004.
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

MCI Reinstated as Federal Government Contractor

On January 7, 2004, General Services Administration (GSA) Suspension and Debarment

Official removed WorldCom from the Excluded Parties Listing System (EPLS) after finding that

the telecommunications company had made sufficient management and oversight changes. 

This action allows GSA to issue an extension to MCI to continue to provide services under the

Federal Telephone System (FTS) 2001 contract until the replacement contract is in place.

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

January 2 through January 8, 2004:

Allegation RIV-2003-A-0080, all correspondence FOIA/PA-2004-0083

Nuclear Material Events Database, all available years FOIA/PA-2004-0084

Allegation RIV-96-A-0286 including all correspondence between

named individual and NRC

FOIA/PA-2004-0085

RTG SNAP-7E, RTG TRACS-25A, AEC license No. 08-11817-13 and

DOT permits 6169 and 5651, re: transportation certification and

restrictions

FOIA/PA-2004-0086

Computer virus or intrusion at a nuclear plant, all documents detailing

instances

FOIA/PA-2004-0087

Palo Verde, 5 allegations for 2003 and findings FOIA/PA-2004-0088

Site assessment, Atrium at Chesterfield, 16305 Swingley Ridge Rd.,

Chesterfield, MO 630917

FOIA/PA-2004-0089
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Arrivals

Paul B. Abramson Deputy Associate Chief Administrative Judge ASLBP

Shaun Anderson Student Engineer (Co-op) NRR

Marc Brooks Security Specialist NSIR

Michael Loyd Cain Project Engineer R-II

Miriam Cohen Director, Program Management, Policy Development

and Analysis Staff

NSIR

Partick Coughlin Security Specialist NSIR

Michael Junge Reliability & Risk Engineer RES

Ray Kellar Health Physicist R-IV

Jason Piotter Structural Engineer NMSS

Mark Speck Project Engineer R-II

Andrew Welkie IT Specialist ASLBP

Dane A. Woodard Personnel Security Specialist ADM

Retirement

Hai-Boh Wang Operations Engineer (Mechanical) NRR

Departures

Theodric Anderson Security Specialist NSIR

Waldermar DelValle Nuclear Safety Intern R-II

David A. Martin Student Clerk R-III
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Media Interest

Reports that nuclear engineers were deployed undercover in four major U.S. cities over the

New Year’s holiday looking for signs of a radiological dispersal device (RDD) or “dirty bomb,” as

the nation remained on Orange-level alert status. Late in the week, the alert was lowered to

Yellow.

Safeguards Information about security at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in the 1990s appears

to have been improperly released in the public domain.

A shipment of highly enriched uranium from Russia was delivered mistakenly to the wrong fuel

cycle facility in the United States. There was no apparent threat to public safety or security.

The licensee of Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ohio requested a delay in the NRC’s restart

inspection after some employees neglected proper procedures during restart preparations. 

Dow-Jones News Services is comparing the French and U.S. approaches to reactor vessel

head degradation.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

04-001 NRC Announces the Availability of License Renewal Application for Browns

Ferry Nuclear Power Plant (1/8)

Regions:

II-04-002 Oral Argument on Duke’s Application to Use Mixed Oxide Nuclear Fuel

Scheduled for January 15 in Charlotte (1/8)

III-04-002 NRC Staff to Discuss an Apparent Violation Associated with Emergency

Classifications at Point Beach (1/9)

III-04-003 NRC Staff Seeks Input on Dresden Draft Environmental Report for License

Renewal (1/9)

IV-04-001 NRC Staff to Meet with Energy Northwest to Discuss Columbia Generating

Station Issues (1/5)

IV-04-002 NRC Proposes $6,000 Fine for Cooperheat-MQS, Inc., of Houston, Texas

(1/6)
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Visit by South Africa Provincial Delegation

On January 7, 2004, Premier (Governor) Marthinus van Schalkwyk of Western Cape Province,

South Africa headed a Provincial delegation that met with Commissioners McGaffigan and

Merrifield. Discussions were related to emergency planning and the results of NRC’s

pre-licensing review of the pebble-bed moderated reactor (PBMR).
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

1. SECY-03-0222 12/29/03 SECY-03-0222 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending December 19, 2003

2. SECY-03-0219 12/22/03 Termination of Rulemaking to Add M5

Cladding to 10 CFR 50.46, “Acceptance

Criteria for Emergency Core Cooling

Systems for Light-Water Nuclear Power

Reactors” (WITS 200300060)

3. SECY-03-0220 12/23/03 Litigation Report - 2003 - 03

4. SECY-03-0221 12/22/03 Annual Report on Feedback From

Licensees Regarding the Impact of NRC’s

Activities on Licensees’ Operations

Memoranda

1. M040108 1/8/04 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: I.

SECY-03-0224 - Sequoyah Fuels Corp.

(Gore, Oklahoma Site); State of Oklahoma’s

Petition for Review of LBP-03-25

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. U.S. Army Jefferson Proving Ground Site - Notice of Reconstitution.

2. System Energy Resources, Inc. Notice of Hearing and Opportunity to Petition for Leave to

Intervene Early Site Permit for the Grand Gulf ESP Site.

3. Joint Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittees on Materials and Metallurgy and on ThermalHydraulic Phenomena.
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

IPEC Utility Workers Union Contract Expiration Update

A strike by operators, maintenance workers, and radiation protection workers at Indian Point

Unit 3 is still possible when the current contract expires on January 17, 2004. Region I

continues to monitor licensee preparations and is prepared to respond as needed in

accordance with NRC procedures. Inspectors have reviewed licensee contingency plans,

including those for licensed operator staffing, emergency preparedness, and security staffing. 

Entergy and the Union representative continued negotiating in meetings twice this week. Daily

negotiating sessions are planned beginning on Saturday, January 10. News reports stated the

union conducted meetings this week to explain picket line rules and organize picket schedules

in preparation for possible job action. Region I is coordinating a “watch bill” to provide 24-hour

coverage if required. Should a strike take place, the DRP Branch 2 Chief and a DRS Security

Inspector will go to the site to observe the licensee’s implementation of contingency plans.

Haddam Neck Decommissioning Activity

On January 6, 2004, the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) from the Haddam Neck Plant arrived at

the Chem-Nuclear low level radioactive waste disposal site in Barnwell, SC and was placed in a

disposal trench at the site. Region I inspected the shipment preparations of the 820 ton

package prior to release from the facility in Connecticut on December 18, 2003, and monitored

its progress through to receipt at Barnwell.
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Honeywell International, Inc.

On January 6, 2004, the Director, Division of Fuel Facility Inspection, participated in a public

exit meeting at Honeywell International, Inc. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the

findings from the NRC’s Augmented Inspection Team that was established to inspect and

assess the Honeywell uranium hexafluoride (UF6) offsite release of December 22, 2003. 

Following the presentation of findings by the AIT, the meeting was opened to public

comments/questions. Approximately 120 people attended the 2-hour meeting. The majority of

the comments were related to the off-site response and the coordination between the licensee

and the off-site responders. The licensee acknowledged that off-site response and

coordination could be improved and noted that Honeywell had held a recent meeting to initiate

improvements. Both Region II staff and the licensee confirmed that Honeywell would not restart

operations until NRC is satisfied with Honeywell’s corrective actions. 
January 9, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 9, 2004

Structural Inspection at Diablo Canyon Power Plant

During the week of January 5, 2004, a specialist from the regional office performed a followup

inspection at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in response to the December 22, 2003,

earthquake. The 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck the San Simeon Fault 35 miles northwest of

the plant. Prompt followup conducted by the licensee and NRC did not identify any damage to

the facility. The specialist inspector’s findings confirmed that there was no apparent damage to

the facility. Other aspects of the inspection, including a review of the licensee’s response

procedures and an NRC-required special report, are ongoing.