INFORMATION REPORT

February 7, 2005 SECY-05-0028

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0028 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 28, 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

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:

T. Kim, OEDO
February 7, 2005 SECY-05-0028

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0028 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 28, 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

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:

T. Kim, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\Week128.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TKim:paa WMDean

02/07/05 02/09/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JANUARY 28, 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 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 24

OE *

*No input this week
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Public Meeting to Discuss Comments on Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1139

On January 26, 2005, staff held a public meeting with representatives of the Nuclear Energy

Institute (NEI), nuclear power plant licensees, and other interested stakeholders to discuss

NRC staff’s responses to the public comments received on Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1139,

“Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection for Existing Light-Water Nuclear Power

Plants.” Key points discussed included transitioning unapproved deviations, acceptance criteria

for recovery actions and multiple spurious actuations, risk evaluations for plant changes,

enforcement discretion, and scope of the license amendment request submittal and the staff’s

review. Action items were agreed among the key participants which, when completed, will

support the issuance of the final regulatory guide and NEI guidance document NEI 04-02,

“Guidance for Implementing a Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Program

Under 10 CFR 50.48(c).” Duke Power noted that they are preparing a draft letter of intent to

transition all of their nuclear units to a new licensing basis in accordance with 10 CFR 50.48(c),

with Oconee being the first to begin the transition in July of this year. 

Public Meetings on Mitigating System Performance Indicator (MSPI) and Reactor Oversight

Process (ROP)

On January 26, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted the monthly

public meeting on the MSPI. The staff led a discussion on additional comments on the MSPI

Probabilistic Risk Assessment Staff/Industry Task Group Report, and industry representatives

led a discussion on the logistics and detailed agenda format for the upcoming February 9-10,

2005, MSPI Workshop at Dana Point, California. The February 2005 MSPI public meeting will

not be held due to the workshop.

On January 27, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted the monthly

public meeting on the ROP. The staff led a discussion on industry concerns with the draft

Maintenance Rule Significance Determination Process. Industry and staff provided an update

on the scrams with loss of normal heat removal and reactor coolant system leakage

Performance Indicator (PI) improvement initiatives. Meeting participants focused the remainder

of the meeting on a discussion of open and new PI frequently asked questions (FAQs). 

Public Meeting with Exelon on Steam Dryer Analysis for Quad Cities

On January 25-26, 2005, staff, including representatives from the Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, and Region III, and the staff’s

consultants met with Exelon at its Warrenville, IL, office to discuss the steam dryer replacement

at Quad Cities. The licensee presented its analyses and scale model testing used to predict

loads on the dryers. The staff indicated that, while the licensee had performed significant work,

additional effort is needed to finalize and validate the licensee’s analysis methods. Another

meeting on this issue is planned in late February or early March 2005.
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Public Scoping Meeting on USEC Inc.'s Proposed American Centrifuge Plant

On January 18, 2005, staff from the Division of Waste Management and Environmental

Protection and the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards conducted a public meeting in

Piketon, Ohio, to take public comments on the scope of NRC's environmental review for the

United States Enrichment Corporation Inc.,'s (USEC’s) proposed American Centrifuge Plant, to

be located at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon. Approximately 150

people attended the meeting. The public comments included such topics as the need for the

proposed facility, disposition of depleted uranium tails, decommissioning funding, and

transportation. The Scoping Summary Report is scheduled to be released in April 2005 and the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to be released in July 2005.

Model NAC-LWT Cask Authorized for Transport of Tritium-Producing Burnable Absorber Rods

On January 25, 2005, NRC issued an amendment to Certificate of Compliance No. 9225, for

the Model No. NAC-LWT cask, to authorize transport of irradiated tritium-producing burnable

absorber rods. The cask is a steel- and lead-shielded truck cask that was designed to transport

commercial spent fuel. The certificate amendment supports the Department of Energy's

program to produce tritium in commercial light-water reactors.
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Letter of Agreement Between NRC and OECD Regarding the Exchange of Operating

Experience Concerning Computer-Based Systems Important to Safety (COMPSIS) Project

On January 24, 2005, the NRC’s Executive Director for Operations (EDO) signed the subject 

Letter of Agreement between the NRC and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD). This Letter of Agreement will contribute to the NRC’s knowledge of

computer-based systems by providing a database of events involving failures of software-based

instrumentation, controls, and components. The NRC will use this database to quantify digital

instrumentation and control system failures in probabilistic risk assessments and risk-informed

initiatives. 

Implementing Agreement Between NRC and Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization

(JNES) in the Area of Seismic Engineering Research

On January 25, 2005, the EDO signed the subject international agreement between the NRC

and the JNES. This Implementing Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the

NRC and JNES will continue their cooperation in the area of seismic engineering research and 

contribute to expanding the NRC’s data and knowledge base in the area of seismic testing and

analysis. The scope of this cooperative program includes seismic analyses of various

structures, systems, and components for which JNES will perform the seismic tests and will

provide test results data to the NRC. NRC will utilize the knowledge gained from the programs

on ultimate strength piping tests and seismic capacity of degraded piping and components to

(1) assess the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code rules for piping, (2)

enable the NRC to reduce the uncertainties associated with seismic probabilistic risk

assessment (PRA) seismic margin assessments, (3) implement risk-informed regulations, and

(4) assess the impact of aging of structures and components.

Meeting with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Materials Reliability Program (MRP) on

Corrosion of Reactor Pressure Boundary Materials in Boric Acid Solutions

On January 18, 2005, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) staff held the subject 

public meeting, at which the ANL and MRP representatives presented summaries of their

respective programs on the corrosion of reactor structural materials in simulated pressurizedwater reactor coolant of various concentrations and at various temperatures and exposure

durations. A key finding was discussed regarding how high ratios of lithium and boron markedly

reduce corrosion rates. The data generated by both programs will be included in the upcoming

revision of the EPRI Boric Acid Corrosion Guidebook, scheduled for completion in 2007. The

results of the two programs will aid in shaping future regulatory actions regarding inspection of

pressure boundary materials exposed to boric acid solutions. 

Public Meeting on Data Entry Software for the Mitigating Systems Performance Index

On January 24, 2005, RES staff held a public meeting to discuss proposed changes to the

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Data Entry (CDE) software. The
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

CDE software is used to consolidate equipment performance data entry for various data

reporting programs and will be used to support data reporting for the Mitigating Systems

Performance Index (MSPI). Meeting participants included representatives from the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), the nuclear industry, INPO, Idaho National Engineering and

Environmental Laboratory, and the news media. The discussion topics included CDE software

functional requirements; application of the CDE software to the NRC's standardized plant

analysis risk (SPAR) models and the MSPI; control of data and documents; classification of

component failures; and updating of industry average component failure rates. As a result of

the meeting, the INPO and industry representatives agreed to provide further guidance and

controls for the CDE process. The CDE software will be updated in stages with an initial update

scheduled for release in April 2005. 

Presentation on Updated Parameter Estimates for the SPAR Models

On January 25, 2005, staff members from both RES and the Idaho National Engineering and

Environmental Laboratory presented an overview of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations'

(INPO’s) Equipment Performance and Information Exchange (EPIX) System and its application

to the NRC's SPAR models to the NRC's SPAR Model Users Group. The presentation included

discussions on statistical methods used to estimate equipment reliability parameters and their

associated uncertainty distributions. In general, it was noted that the quality of data entered

into EPIX by licensees has improved and recent EPIX data indicates improvements in system

and component reliability. Updates to EPIX data will be reflected in the NRC's SPAR models,

which support the Reactor Oversight Process and the Industry Trends Program.
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Preliminary Notification

PNO-III-05-001, Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant - MANUAL SCRAM DUE TO UNIDENTIFIED

LEAKAGE IN DRYWELL.
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities (AH00-Part 50)

On January 26, 2005, a final rule amending the emergency planning regulations for the

domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities was published in the Federal Register 

(70 FR 3591). The final rule amends the current regulations concerning NRC approval of

licensee changes to Emergency Action Levels and clarifies exercise requirements for colocated licensees. The final rule becomes effective April 26, 2005.

Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-20-22)

On January 27, 2005, the NRC published the subject document in the Federal Register (70 FR

3898) in response to a petition for rulemaking (PRM-20-22) submitted by the Northeast Ohio

Regional Sewer District. The petitioner had requested that the NRC amend its regulations to

(1) require all licensees provide at least 24 hours advance notice to the appropriate sewage

treatment plant before releasing radioactive material into a sanitary sewer system and (2)

exempt radioactive materials entering the sanitary waste stream from requirements regarding

NRC approval for incineration. The NRC has determined that current regulations concerning

the discharge of licensed material and approval for disposal by incineration are adequate and

necessary to ensure the protection of public health and safety. 
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

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

January 20, through January 27, 2005:

Solicitation RS-ADM-03-161, date of award, contract, contract

number, estimated overall value

FOIA/PA-2005-0106

Depleted uranium munitions at Indian Island NAVMAG Port Hadlock,

WA, copy of permit for storage

FOIA/PA-2005-0107

NRC Topical Reports since 1985 (with the exception of NEI/NUMARC

Reports) that have been approved with SER date, reports rejected or

withdrawn & date

FOIA/PA-2005-0108

NRC’s intranet, print out of home page, pages 1 click into site, and

pages 2 clicks into site 

FOIA/PA-2005-0109

OIG audit of NRC’s Management of Import/Export Authorizations,

OIG-04-A-19

FOIA/PA-2005-0110

NUREG/BR-0150, “Response Technical Manual,” and revisions FOIA/PA-2005-0111

Contracts with public relations firms, media consulting firms,

advertising agency, etc. for the purpose of promoting NRC

FOIA/PA-2005-0112

Allegation RIV-2004-A-0055 FOIA/PA-2005-0113

Employment records, 1998, from Berwick Nuclear Power facility, PA;

“body count,” and psychological evaluation

FOIA/PA-2005-0114

Millstone, requests for additional information, input from CT State

officials, and others, for the draft Environmental Impact Statement,

information that there were no impacts of radiation exposure, and

refurbishment

FOIA/PA-2005-0115

IBM Corp. Distribution Center, 180 Kost Road, Mechanicsburg, PA

17055, license to utilize or store radioactive materials, license no.’s

37-23773-01 & 37-23773-902E

FOIA/PA-2005-0116

Westinghouse and/or Westinghouse Owners Group, topical report

submitted 12-10-04, transmittal letter, and any attachments

FOIA/PA-2005-0117

Records on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0118

Chairman and Commissoner’s offices, e-mails correspondence

between the White house from 1-1-03 to present

FOIA/PA-2005-0119

Records on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0120
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Arrivals

Debra K. Bower Secretary (OA) HR

Ronald Harrington General Engineer (NSPDP) NRR

Departures

George Anderson Administrative Judge ASLBP

Suzanne Wolfe Receptionist R-I
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Media Interest

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

The appointment and swearing in of two new NRC Commissioners.

The NRC Chairman’s visit to Browns Ferry and the licensee’s efforts to bring Unit 1 back on

line.

A declaration of an alert at the Fermi nuclear plant in Michigan due to a non-radioactive leak

within the plant.

The final environmental impact statement for a proposed mixed oxide (MOX) production facility.

Prospects for new nuclear reactors to be built in the future.

Evidentiary hearings scheduled for early February on a proposed uranium enrichment plant in

New Mexico.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-014 NRC Calls for Public Comment on Decommissioning Plans for VA’s Omaha

Medical Facility Reactor (1/24)

05-015 NRC Commissioner Lyons Takes Oath of Office Jan. 25 (1/26) 

05-016 NRC Reschedules Public Meeting on Environmental Impacts of Proposed

North Anna Early Site Permit for Feb. 17 (1/28)

05-017 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet Feb. 10-11 in

Rockville, Maryland (1/28)

Regions:

I-05-005 Company Agrees to Additional Corrective Actions at Puerto Rico Irradiation

Facility Under Alternate Dispute Resolution Settlement (1/26)

IV-05-004 NRC Assigns New Resident Inspector to Grand Gulf Nuclear Station (1/28)
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Visits by Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Commission (JNES) and Korean Institute of Nuclear

Safety (KINS) Representatives

On January 24, 2005, Mr. Tanda Haruo and Mr. Saito Shigeyuki of JNES visited NRC

headquarters offices and met with staff to discuss the NRC’s licensing and inspection

processes for the high level waste repository program. On the following day, the JNES

delegation, accompanied by NRC staff, visited the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory

Analyses for a series of presentations on the Yucca Mountain waste repository project.

On January 24-25, 2005, Dr. Suk Won Kim, of the KINS visited NRC headquarters offices and

met with staff to discuss the NRC’s reactor inspection program.
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-04-0077 12/22/04 Fiscal Year 2005 and 2006 Action Plan for

the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste

SRM on 04-0077 1/19/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 04-0077

1/19/05 (same)

2. SECY-05-0005 1/6/05 Options for Research Effectiveness Review

Board

3. SECY-05-0020 1/19/05 Final Rule: Medical Use of Byproduct

Material - Recognition of Specialty Boards

(RIN 3150-AH19)

Information Paper

1. SECY-05-0006 1/7/05 Second Status Paper on the Staff’s

Proposed Regulatory Structure for New

Plant Licensing and Update on Policy

Issues Related to New Plant Licensing

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and

Procedures, notice of meeting (02/09/05).

2. Denial of petition for rulemaking: Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; 10 CFR Part 20,

Docket No. PRM-20-22.

3. First Case Management Order (Regarding Preparation of Privilege Logs), in the Matter of

U.S. Department of Energy (High Level Waste Repository: Pre-Application Matters), Docket

No. PAPO-00, ASLBP No. 04-829-01-PAPO, NEV-01, January 24, 2005.

4. Notice of Reconstitution, Safety Light Corporation, Docket Nos. 30-5980 and 30-5982,

ASLBP No. 04-833-07-MLA. 

5. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic

Phenomena, notice of meeting (02/15/05). 
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Heritage Minerals Decommissioning Status Update

On January 20, 2005, an inspection was conducted at the Heritage Minerals property in

Lakehurst, New Jersey. The Heritage Minerals property is a complex decommissioning site

needing remediation for removal of residual thorium and uranium contamination in stockpiled

soil and in identified soil pockets on the grounds. On January 20, the licensee completed final

decommissioning activities by shipping the stockpiled material, and completing excavation of

the pockets. Region I obtained split soil samples with the licensee of the excavated pockets

and the ground underneath the stockpile. Earlier samples of the pockets had been obtained in

December 2004, but licensee analysis identified contamination in excess of the release limits in

several pockets, prompting further remediation. All NRC samples were sent to the Oak Ridge

Institute for Science and Education for gamma spectroscopy analysis. The NRC inspectors

also conducted a gamma radiation survey of the site boundary, and identified no areas

requiring further remediation. Upon confirmation that the pockets are below NRC release limits

(10 pci/g [pico-curies per gram] total thorium and 10 pci/g total uranium), and that there is no

licensable material in the soil under the stockpile, termination of the license may commence.

Calvert Cliffs - Congressional Visit

On January 24, 2005, U.S. Representatives Dave Hobson of Ohio and Thomas Latham of

Iowa, accompanied by senior NRC management, including Executive Director for Operations,

Chief Financial Officer, and Director- Region I Division of Reactor Projects, visited the Calvert

Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Maryland. The licensee management provided a tour of

the site including the dry cask storage facility and various areas within the plant’s protected

area. 
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

NRC’s Chairman and Executive Director for Operation Visit to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant

On January 27, 2005, the Regional Administrator accompanied the Chairman and the Executive

Director for Operations to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant for a site tour and meetings with the

plant personnel to assess the progress of the licensee’s recovery activities for Unit 1, which had

been shutdown since 1985. 

Federal Interagency Conference

On January 24, 2005, the Regional State Liaison Officer and Incident Response Coordinator,

along with other staff members from the headquarters offices, participated in a Federal

Interagency Conference at the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in Las Vegas, NV. 

The purpose of this conference was to discuss agency-specific emergency preparedness

programs and real-time response to radiological events. Other attendees included

representatives from the Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and

Environmental Protection Agency. 
January 28, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

Public Meeting with Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) Representatives

On January 25, 2005, the Regional Administrator held a public meeting with NPPD

management in Brownville, Nebraska, to discuss the results of NRC’s most recent inspection of

the actions completed by the NPPD at the Cooper Nuclear Station in response to the 

January 30, 2003, Confirmatory Action Letter. At the meeting, NRC informed the licensee that

the Confirmatory Action Letter will be closed. 
January 28, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 28, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 4

 OCACONTACT

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Shane 02/03/05

SD-366

10:00 Energy Information Admin.,

Intl Energy Agency, andothers

Global Energy Trends and TheirImpact on U.S. Energy Needs

Senators Energy a

Shane 02/10/05

R-2123

9:30 EDO, DOE, and others Energy Policy Act of 2005 Represen

Energy a

Shane/Keeling

03/15/05SD-366

TBD Chairman Diaz, DOE,

Utility CEO, Union rep.

DOE’s NP 2010 Program Senators 

Energy a