INFORMATION REPORT

May 8, 2003 SECY-03-0072

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0072 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 2, 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:

S. Morris, OEDO
May 8, 2003 SECY-03-0072

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0072 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING MAY 2, 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:

S. Morris, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: 

C:\WIR\ML031290399.wpd.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

SAMorris WMDean

05/08/03 05/08/03
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MAY 2, 2003

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: S. Morris, OEDO by E-mail: SAM1@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 18

NSIR 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO *

SB/CR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Agency Action Review Meeting

The Agency Action Review Meeting (AARM) was held in Annapolis, MD on April 22-23, 2003. 

Discussion topics included four reactor plants as well as one material licensee. Additional

topics included the results of the Industry Trends Program and the ROP Self-Assessment

Program. The Commission will be briefed on the results of the AARM on May 15, 2003.

Senior Risk Analyst (SRA) Counterpart Meeting

The SRA Counterpart meeting was held at One White Flint on April 22-24, 2003. All regions

were represented and there was participation by other risk analysts from NRR and RES. The

primary topics discussed included Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) model

development and needed improvements, an update from the Division of Systems Safety and

Analysis (DSSA) on numerous risk assessment initiatives, and a discussion of SRA roles and

responsibilities for input into an initiative to improve the SRA training program. Also discussed

was the challenge that SRAs face when assessing external event contribution for licensee

performance deficiencies in the significance determination process. Commissioner McGaffigan

attended the meeting and offered his support for risk-informed regulatory activities. The

Commissioner also expressed his personal view on the need for continued improvement of

licensee probabilistic risk assessment models and for SRA involvement in Nuclear Security and

Incident Response (NSIR) activities involving the establishment and review of plant target sets.

South Texas Project Unit 1-NRC Meeting With STP Nuclear Operating Company

On May 1, 2003, the STP Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC), licensee for South Texas 

Project (STP) Units 1 and 2, met with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff at the

NRC Headquarters. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the NRC regarding STPNOC’s

efforts to address the issues arising from April 12, 2003, discovery of indications of leakage

from the STP Unit 1 bottom-mounted instrument penetrations 1 and 46. 

The STPNOC discussed information pertinent to the fabrication of bottom-mounted instrument

penetrations, results from both visual examination of penetrations and chemical analysis of

residue found at the two penetrations, and some potential causal mechanisms. The licensee

discussed its plans for further non-destructive examination (NDE) to help determine the type of

flaws, causes of the flaws, and options for repair of the condition. The licensee provided a nonproprietary schedule of milestone of activities. The core will be offloaded by mid-May. NDE

and analysis will be completed by late May. Design approval relief request will be submitted to

NRC for review by early June. Repairs will commence in mid-June. Final breaker closure is

envisaged by STPNOC for late-summer.

The licensee’s presentation was well received by the NRC staff, and there was significant public

participation at the end of the meeting. The licensee has proposed the next meeting to discuss

the penetrations leakage issue for the week of May 26, 2003. The staff and STPNOC will hold

weekly conference calls to discuss current status and updated information.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Transportation Brochure

NRC has distributed a brochure (NUREG/BR-0292) entitled "Safety of Spent Fuel

Transportation." The brochure was developed with technical assistance from Sandia National

Laboratories and provides basic information on spent fuel transportation and the role NRC

plays in regulating its safety. The 16-page, full-color brochure is intended for public meetings

and general inquiries on spent fuel shipments.

National Academy of Sciences Radioactive Material Transportation Study

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced the membership of the Transportation

of Radioactive Waste Committee for a 20-day public comment period. The NAS Board of

Radioactive Waste Management will convene the first meeting of the committee to study the

societal risks of transportation, with a special focus on spent fuel transportation, on May 16,

2003. NRC has been asked to participate, along with other Federal agencies sponsoring the

study.

NRC/DOE Quarterly Management and Quality Assurance Meetings

On April 29-30, 2003, NRC staff held its quarterly management and quality assurance meetings

for the Yucca Mountain Project with the Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Office of Civilian

Radioactive Waste Management staff in Las Vegas, Nevada. The staff requested that DOE

respond to NRC's continuing concerns on quality assurance within 30 days.

Management Counterpart Meeting on Materials Programs

During April 29 - May 1, 2003, management from the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear

Safety attended a management meeting with their Regional counterparts. The meeting, hosted

by Region I, included a discussion of more than 30 topics relative to technical and

administrative issues of mutual interest concerning licensing and inspection programs for

materials licensees.

Issuance of Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility Revised Draft Safety Evaluation Report

On April 30, 2003, the staff issued its revised draft Safety Evaluation Report (DSER), which

documents the staff’s review of a revised construction authorization request (CAR) submitted to

NRC on October 31, 2002, by the applicant Duke Cogema Stone & Webster (DCS). The CAR

pertains to a proposed Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) that DCS plans to 

construct on the Department of Energy’s Savannah River site.

In the revised DSER, the NRC staff concludes that DCS has not met all the applicable

requirements pertaining to construction of the proposed MFFF. Based on the staff’s review of

the revised CAR and supporting information provided by the applicant, the staff finds that,

because of the open items discussed in the revised DSER, DCS has not met the Baseline
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Design Criteria set forth in 10 CFR 70.64(a). Further, until the open items are closed, the staff

cannot conclude, pursuant to 10 CFR 70.23(b), that the design bases of the principal

structures, systems, and components identified by the applicant will provide reasonable

assurance of protection against natural phenomena and the consequences of potential

accidents.

U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Inc. Stops Funding on SILEX

On April 30, 2003, the U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Inc. (USEC) announced that it is ending its

funding for research and development (R&D) of the SILEX laser-based uranium enrichment

process. USEC had been funding R&D on the SILEX process since 1996, when the company

signed an agreement with SILEX Systems Limited in Australia. This leaves gas centrifuge as

the only alternative within USEC’s advanced enrichment program.

Design Basis Threat Orders for Category 1 Fuel Cycle Facilities

On April 29, 2003, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards issued Orders

modifying the licenses of Category I fuel cycle facilities, effective immediately. Orders were

issued to Nuclear Fuel Services, Erwin, Tennessee, and BWX Technologies, Lynchburg,

Virginia.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Agreement on Thermal-Hydraulic Code Applications and Maintenance between the USNRC

and the TÜV Süddeutschland Bau und Betrieb Gmbh Energie und Technologie of Germany

On April 29, 2003, the Executive Director for Operations signed the international agreement

between the USNRC and the TÜV relating to cooperation in the Thermal-Hydraulic Code

Applications and Maintenance Program (CAMP). The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

(RES) forwarded this Agreement on April 30, 2003, to Germany for counter-signature.

This Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the USNRC and the TÜV

Süddeutschland Bau und Betrieb GmbH Energie und Technologie of Germany, formerly known

as TUEV Bayern-Sachsen, will continue cooperation in the area of CAMP and related research

on the basis of mutual benefit and reasonable equity and reciprocity. This cooperation will

contribute to the NRC goal of increasing effectiveness by expanding our data and knowledge

base for thermal hydraulic analysis and increasing efficiency by leveraging NRC funds and

through a TÜV monetary contribution to the USNRC program. The work performed and

exchanged under this Agreement also contributes to NRC’s goal of maintaining safety by

enhancing 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. This Agreement will enter into force upon signature of both parties and will remain in

effect for a period of five years. 

Release of the Beta Version of the TRAC/RELAP Advanced Computational Engine (TRACE,

formerly TRAC-M) Thermal-Hydraulic System Analysis Code

Over the last several years, RES has actively pursued a program of code consolidation and

modernization for its reactor safety thermal-hydraulic analysis codes. The culmination of this

program will be the initial public release of the TRACE (formerly called TRAC-M) code at the

end of calendar year 2003. An important milestone in this effort is the release of a beta version

of this software to CAMP members on April 30, 2003.

TRACE is a two-phase, two-fluid thermal-hydraulic reactor systems analysis code. The TRACE

acronym stands for TRAC/RELAP Advanced Computational Engine, reflecting its ability to run

both RELAP5 and TRAC legacy input models. It includes a three-dimensional kinetics module

called PARCS for performing advanced analysis of coupled core thermal-hydraulic/kinetics

problems and has recently been linked to CONTAIN, providing the capability to perform

integrated reactor analysis at levels of efficiency and accuracy not previously possible. Recent

and planned improvements to the code will also give TRACE the ability to model advanced

reactor types such as ESBWR and ACR 700.

RES is now using TRACE to perform confirmatory analysis for AP1000, address various other

safety issues and plans to use it in future ESBWR and ACR 700-related applications.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE C

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

During an April 30, 2003 public meeting to discuss technical and implementation issues with the

MSPI pilot, staff from RES and NRR presented the status and most recent findings of the

research program and pilot issues. The meeting was attended by participants from Regions,

industry representatives (NEI, INPO), and pilot plant licensees. 

The purpose of the MSPI is to monitor the performance of six 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. 

In the presentation, the staff discussed the status of research into the key technical issues. 

The successful effort thus far to enhance the Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) models

for the twenty pilot plants in the program was described. Possible solutions to remaining open

items, as well as the proposed timeline to complete development and implement the MSPI,

were discussed. 
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-I-03-012, Hospital of St. Raphael - POTENTIAL MEDICAL EVENT AT HOSPITAL

OF ST. RAPHAEL.

2. PNO-I-03-013, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. - REACTOR TRIP FROM

100 PERCENT POWER DUE TO A TURBINE TRIP - MEDIA AND PUBLIC INTEREST.

3. PNO-I-03-014, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. - UNUSUAL EVENT DECLARED DUE

TO FIRE IN THE MAIN TURBINE.

4. PNO-II-03-007, Delta Consulting Engineers, Inc. - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.

5. PNO-11-03-007A, Delta Consulting Engineers, Inc. - UPDATE TO STOLEN PORTABLE

GAUGE.

6. PNO-II-03-008, U.S. Army - MISSING TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS.

7. PNO-III-03-022, Perry - ALERT DECLARED DUE TO A HIGH RADIATION ALARM IN

THE FUEL HANDLING BUILDING.

8. PNO-III-03-023, Republic Engineered Products, LLC - POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE

TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

9. PNO-III-03-023, Republic Engineered Products, LLC - POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE

TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

10. PNO-IV-03-023A, Entergy Operations, Inc. - SHUTDOWN OF GREATER THAN 72

HOURS (UPDATE).

11. PNO-IV-03-024, Sioux Valley Hospital - POTENTIAL EXPOSURE IN EXCESS OF

REGULATORY LIMITS.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending May 2, 2003

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: FuelSolutions; Confirmation of Effective Date (Part

72)

A document confirming the effective date of May 7, 2003, for a direct final rule that revised the

FuelSolutions cask system listing within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks was

published in the Federal Register on May 1, 2003 (68 FR 23183).

Contract Award

As a result of a competitive acquisition, a cost plus fixed fee contract was awarded to Applied

Programming Technology, Inc. of Bloomsburg, PA on April 23, 2003. The purpose of this

contract is to maintain and modify the Symbolic Nuclear Analysis Package (SNAP) code

consistent with the current code design and general coding practices. The contract period

includes a base year and two 12-month option years and is valued at $875,065. The

streamlining process included the synopsis waiver for technical assistance and research

projects and incorporated simplified evaluation criteria.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

NRC’s First Information Quality Correction Request Received

On April 30, 2003, Craig Reed, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Novoste Corporation, filed by email

via the NRC web site, an information quality correction request. This is the first such request

received by the NRC. He seeks to have reference to Novoste Corporation removed from a

Draft Abnormal Occurrence Report attached to SECY-03-0036. He said reference to the

Novoste device may lead to errors in interpretation of NRC findings by Congress and the public. 

NRC will process the request in accordance with its Information Quality Handbook procedures.

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

April 25 through May 1, 2003:

OI Report, Rosemount Inc., NY, October 1991 FOIA/PA-2003-0264

Choicepoint Inc., all records relating to transactions, communications

and contracts, January 2001 to present

FOIA/PA-2003-0265

Rokkasho Aomori, Japan, modeling and simulation of damage and

casualties from accidents and/or attacks on nuclear facilities (MOX

fuel fabrication plant, uranium enrichment plants, etc.)

FOIA/PA-2003-0266

Atomic Energy Commission Contract No. AT(30-3)-220 FOIA/PA-2003-0267

Operation CrossRoads Atomic Bomb Test, list of all non-target ships FOIA/PA-2003-0268

EDSA Micro Corporation, all records FOIA/PA-2003-0269

Operation Technology, Inc., all records FOIA/PA-2003-0270

All records related to named individual FOIA/PA-2003-0271
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Arrivals

CHERNOFF, Margaret PROJECT MANAGER NRR

EBAUGH, Anthony STUDENT ENGINEER (CO-OP) NMSS

ENGLISH, Lance INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST NSIR

GIGLIO, Nick STUDENT ENGINEER (Summer) RII

HENDERSON, Erica SUMMER CLERK NRR

HICKOK, Roy * REACTOR TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTOR HR

KREX, Hollie** SECRETARY (OA) RII

LEE, Brian NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN NRR

ORLIKOWSKI, Robert RESIDENT INSPECTOR RIII

TINDELL, Brian NUCLEAR SAFETY INTERN RIV

Retirements

BARR, Kenneth SR. MATERIALS ANALYST RII

BELL, Julia SECRETARY (OA) RII

EDWARDS, Robert HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST HR

LEAGUE, Karen HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM LEADER RIV

PLITT, Nellie REFERENCE LIBRARIAN CIO

Departures

KRAUS, Kelly CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR OIG

* Attending orientation on 05/12/03

**Reporting 05/08/03
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Media Interest

Orders on the NRC’s revised Design Basis Threat and security guard training and fatigue were

carried in headlines during the week, with more extensive coverage in regional newspapers and

broadcast media.

Concerns over the apparent reactor vessel bottom leak at South Texas continued to receive

coverage, including a piece in The New York Times. Projected delays in Davis-Besse’s restart

also were reported. The Inspector General’s report on NRC oversight of Indian Point was

detailed in The (New York) Journal-News. Passage of FEMA’s May 2 deadline for local

governments to submit information on emergency planning near IP was also noted.

Western media reported on NRC’s concerns over DOE’s quality assurance for its Yucca

Mountain project. South Carolina’s distribution of potassium iodide to residents near nuclear

plants received coverage throughout the Southeast.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

03-051 NRC to Hold Public Meeting May 1 on Reactor Vessel Penetration

Leakage at South Texas Project (4/28)

03-052 NRC Approves Changes to the Design Basis Threat and Issues Order for

Category 1 Fuel Cycle Facilities (4/29)

03-053 NRC Approves Changes to the Design Basis Threat and Issues Orders for

Nuclear Power Plants to Further Enhance Security (4/29)

03-054 NRC Issues Revised Draft Safety Evaluation Report on Proposed MOX

Facility in South Carolina (5/2)

Regions:

III-03-038 NRC Oversight Panel to Hold Two Meetings on Davis-Besse Reactor

(4/30)

III-03-039 NRC Oversight Panel to Meet with FirstEnergy in Lisle, Illinois, to Discuss

Resolution of Engineering Design Issues at Davis-Besse (5/1)
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-03-0012 3/10/03 Fitness-for-Duty Enhancements to Address

Concerns Regarding Fatigue of Nuclear

Facility Security Force Personnel - Draft

Order and Compensatory Measures for

Power Reactor Licensees

SRM-COMSECY-03-

0012

3/31/03 (same)

Commission Voting

Record-COMSECY-03-

0012

3/31/03 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-03-0054 04/10/03 Replacement of North Anna, Unit 2, Reactor

Pressure Vessel Head with a Head

Manufactured to French Standards

2. SECY-03-0065 4/24/03 SECY-03-0065 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending April 18, 2003

3. SECY-03-0057 4/17/03 FY 2002 Results of the Industry Trends

Program for Operating Power Reactors and

Status of Ongoing Development

4. SECY-03-0062 4/21/03 Reactor Oversight Process SelfAssessment for Calendar Year 2002

5. SECY-03-0066 5/1/03 SECY-03-0066 Weekly Information Report -

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Memoranda

1. SRM-M030411A 4/28/03 Staff Requirements - Meeting with Advisory

Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS)

2. SRM-M030429 4/29/03 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: I.

SECY-03-0040 - Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc.

(Erwin, Tennessee)
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Sander C. Perie, ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service, Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking

(PRM-02-25).

2. ASLBP Notice of Hearing - Advanced Medical Imaging and Nuclear Services.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Tennessee Valley Authority - Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Visit

On April 30, 2003, the Deputy Regional Administrator toured the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant in

Soddy-Daisy, TN and met with licensee management and resident inspectors. The tour

included the licensee’s activities for closure of the Unit 2 containment liner and concrete

structure, which was removed for earlier movement of steam generators.

Duke Energy Corporation Management Meeting 

On April 29, 2003, representatives from Duke Energy Corporation were in the Regional Office

to attend a management meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss oversight

structure, equipment reliability, human performance, and security at the McGuire Nuclear

Station.

Tennessee Valley Authority Browns Ferry Manual Chapter Review Meeting 

On April 29, 2003, representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority were in the Regional Office

to attend a Manual Chapter Review meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the

licensee comments to the Draft Browns Ferry Unit 1 Recovery Manual Chapter they received on

March 11, 2003.

Duke Energy Corporation - Oconee Special Inspection

On May 2, 2003, a Special Inspection Team completed its review and exited with the licensee

on the results of the inspection to follow up on repetitive failures and problems with the opening

of manually operated valves in the atmospheric dump valve flow path in Unit 3 of the Oconee

nuclear power plant. These valves are important to safe response to certain postulated events

at the plant. The Team’s findings will be issued in a special inspection report within the next

thirty days.
May 2, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region III

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

Special Team Inspection Completed at Quad Cities 2

The special inspection team reviewing a relief valve failure at the Quad Cities Nuclear Power

Station, Unit 2, completed the inspection and met April 29, 2003, with plant officials to discuss

their preliminary findings. The power-operated relief valve opened unexpectedly on April 16

and would not close, leading to a reactor shutdown. (Reference: PNO-III-03-20 and 20A) The

valve has been replaced. The inspection team plans to issue its report in 30 to 45 days. 
May 2, 2003 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending May 2, 2003

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 13

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 05/15/03

SD-406

 TBA Markup Draft Legislation, “To Promote

Chemical, Nuclear and WaterInfrastructure Security“

Senators Environm