INFORMATION REPORT

Eebruary 3, 2005 SECY-05-0027

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0027 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 21, 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 3, 2005 SECY-05-0027

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0027 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JANUARY 21, 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\Week121.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TKim:paa WMDean

02/03/05 02/03/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JANUARY 21, 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 * SECY 19

OGC * Region I *

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 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Meeting with Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) on Analysis of Safety Benefit of Redefinition

of Large-Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) under 10 CFR 50.46a

On January 13, 2005, staff members from the Offices of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

and Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) met with representatives of the WOG Large-Break

LOCA Redefinition Subcommittee to discuss proposed analyses to demonstrate the safety

benefit of the redefined LOCA under the proposed 10 CFR 50.46a rule. WOG agreed to a set

of calculations that would investigate the effects of varying emergency core cooling operating

characteristics, such as the start time for the emergency diesel generators, and thus help

quantify the safety benefits to be gained by the proposed changes in the requirements of 10

CFR 50.46. WOG indicated that the results of the calculations will be reported to the NRC in

May 2005.

Breakup of Dominion/Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Alliance

On January 14, 2005, Dominion announced that it had terminated its alliance with Atomic

Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), regarding the possible construction of an ACR-700 reactor

design, opting instead for a General Electric (GE) design. Dominion stated that the GE design

will most likely be the Economic and Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR). Dominion

also stated that although it is only just starting the design certification process, the ESBWR

uses light water reactor technology which is familiar to the NRC, and so is expected to be

easier to license.

AECL stated that it would begin focusing on developing its 1200-MWt ACR design, while

continuing to pursue licensing the 750-MWt ACR-700. AECL will continue to work on licensing

its designs in Canada, and still hopes to find a market for its larger reactor in markets such as

Canada, United States, China, and United Kingdom. AECL stated that it would continue to

pursue pre-application review activities for ACR-700. Pre-application reviews are normally

conducted in preparation for submittal of a design certification application. AECL is currently

scheduled to submit a design certification application for the ACR-700 in December 2005.
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Meeting of the Ad Hoc Task Group on Long-Term Safety Criteria

On January 11-13, 2005, staff from the Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety

attended a meeting of an ad hoc task group on long-term safety criteria. The Nuclear Energy

Agency’s (NEA’s) Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) established this task

group to prepare a topical session on “long-term protection criteria and attending regulation” for

RWMC’s 38th Meeting in March 2005. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosted this

task group meeting which was attended by representatives from eight countries - Belgium,

Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States -

as well as NEA staff and contractors. 

Pre-Application Meeting with DOE

On January 13, 2005, Spent Fuel Project Office staff met with the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration to discuss the design of the Model No. EA-3100

transportation package, which is a new package for the shipment of high enriched uranium. 

The Model ES-3100 is being designed to replace the U.S. Department of Transportation

Specification 6-M package, which will no longer be authorized for use after October 1, 2008. 

DOE, however, plans to eliminate use of the 6-M package by January 2006. It plans to submit

the Model ES-3100 Safety Analysis Report to NRC for review and approval in March 2005. 
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) Users Group Annual

Meeting

On January 14, 2005, a representative from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

participated in the annual EPRI HRA Users Group meeting. The meeting was attended by

representatives from EPRI and nuclear power utilities and included discussions on the

treatment of HRA dependencies, application of HRA to shutdown and fire events, and selection

of appropriate HRA modeling methods. Additionally, the RES representative presented an

overview of recent initiatives in the HRA area. The Users Group members expressed interest in

participating in future joint NRC/industry workshops and assisting the NRC in populating the

Human Event Repository and Analysis (HERA) database with industry operating experience

data. 

RES Management Meeting with Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)

On January 11-12, 2005, senior management and staff from RES met with management and

staff from SNL to discuss key research program status, challenges, and milestones. The SNL

staff presented an overview for each of the NRC-funded research programs and provided a tour

of several test facilities. A primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the value of the SNL

research programs and products in addressing nuclear safety issues.

RES Management Meeting with Los Alamos National laboratory (LANL)

On January 13, 2005, senior management and staff from RES met with management and staff

from LANL to discuss research conducted at the University of New Mexico for PWR sump

debris testing in support of Generic Safety Issue 191, “Assessment of Debris Accumulation on

Pressurized-Water Reactor Sump Performance.” The LANL staff presented an overview of the

NRC-funded research programs and provided a tour of the testing facilities.
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Sander C. Perle, ICN Worldwide Dosimetry; Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-20-25)

On January 14, 2005, the NRC published the subject document in the Federal Register (70 FR

2577). The petitioner had requested that the NRC amend its regulations to require that any

dosimeter, without exception, that is used to report dose of record and demonstrate compliance

with the dose limits specified in the Commission’s regulations be processed and evaluated by a

dosimetry processor holding accreditation from the National Voluntary Accreditation Program of

the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The petitioner also requested that the

definition for individual monitoring devices (individual monitoring equipment) be revised to

include “electronic dosimeters, optically stimulated dosimeters” as examples of certain devices. 

The petition was denied because there is insufficient evidence that the petition solves a

regulatory problem or improves health and safety and, therefore, the increase in burden to

licensees that would result if the petition were granted is not justified.
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

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

January 14, through January 19, 2005:

Allegation, RIII-03-A-0073 and OI investigation, final reports FOIA/PA-2005-0102

Technical Interface Agreements (TIA) for all Regions FOIA/PA-2005-0103

St. Lucie, Unit 1, all communications re: violations, inspection reports,

radiological surveys; and Ft. Pierce Sewage Treatment Plant, all

documents re: disposal and/or removal of sludge, 1976-1985

FOIA/PA-2005-0104

FOIA/PA-2005-0020, all documents released under this FOIA FOIA/PA-2005-0105
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Arrivals

John K. Buehler Sr. Management Analyst OIG

Julie A. Chambers Student IT Specialist (Co-Op) OCIO

Sally Hardy IT Specialist (INET) OCIO

Daniel L. Livermore Reactor Inspector R-IV

Lawrence McDade Administrative Judge (Legal) ASLBP

Raymond Mullikin Consultant R-IV

Kha Nguyen IT Specialist OCIO

Michael Reichard Health Physicist R-I

John P. Reynoso Reactor Inspector R-IV

Dereje B. Tessema Sr. Project Manager OCIO

Departures

Zvi Band Student IT Trainee RES

Jeffrey Hardy General Engineer (NSPDP) NRR

Crystal Johnson Secretary (OA) NMSS

Adam Kalkman Student Clerk R-III

Amanda M. Nerret Student Administrative Clerk NSIR

Jeffrey E. Seifried Student Engineer (Co-Op) NMSS

Meghan Ann Slattery Student Clerk NSIR
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Media Interest

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

The President’s recess appointment of two new NRC Commissioners.

NRC’s review of Vermont Yankee’s uprate request.

Security at nuclear power plants.

A scheduled Atomic Safety Licensing Board hearing on a proposed uranium enrichment plant in

New Mexico.

Other OPA Items:

OPA staff assisted at a public meeting in Piketon, Ohio, regarding a proposed centrifuge plant.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-011 NRC’s Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Elects New Chairman,

Vice-Chairman and Member-at-Large (1/19)

05-012 NRC Cancels Public Meeting Scheduled for Jan. 19 in Mineral, Va., Due to

Local Weather Conditions (1/19)

05-013 NRC Commissioner Jaczko Takes Oath of Office; Commissioner Lyons

Swearing-In Set for Next Week (1/21)

Regions:

IV-05-003 NRC to Meet with Nebraska Public Power District to Discuss Performance

Improvement Actions at Cooper Nuclear Station (1/19)
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM-SECY-04-0233 1/18/05 Proposed Rulemaking–Post-Fire Operator

Manual Actions (RIN 3150 AH-54)

Commission Voting

Record on 04-0233

1/18/05 (same)

Information Paper

1. SECY-05-0018 1/19/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

January 7, 2005

Memoranda

1. SRM-M050118 1/18/05 Affirmation Session: (1) SECY-05-0004 -

System Energy Resources Inc. (Early Site

Permit for Grand Gulf Nuclear Site) Docket

No. 52-0009 Appeal by NAACP-Claiborne

Co. Mississippi Branch, Nuclear Info.

Service, Public Citizen & Mississippi

Chapter of Sierra Club from LBP-04-19; (2)

SECY-05-0011 - Louisiana Energy Services,

L.P. (National Enrichment Facility) DOE

“Plausible Strategy for Disposal” – Status of

Depleted Uranium as Low-Level Waste

2. SRM-M050119 1/19/05 Affirmation Session: I. SECY-05-0012 -

Proposed Order Resolving Public Citizen’s

Request for Hearing on the Commission’s

July 2, 2004, Spent Fuel Security Order

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (2/10-12/2005) Meeting Notice.

2. Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities - Final

Rule.
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

H. B. Robinson - Senior NRC Management Visit

On January 18, 2004, the Regional Administrator visited the H. B. Robinson Nuclear Plant for a

site tour with the resident inspectors and met with licensee management. Later on the same

day, the Regional Administrator attended an Operator Licensing Certificate Presentation

ceremony for the recently qualified plant operators. 

Georgia Institute of Technology Students Visit to Region II Offices

On January 20, 2005, representatives from the Georgia Institute of Technology Student

Chapter of the American Nuclear Society visited the Region II Office and met with Region II

staff to learn about the NRC and to explore employment opportunities.
January 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

South Texas Project (STP) Meeting

On January 18, 2005, the Region IV Director, Division of Reactor Safety, and other members of

the Region IV staff, held a meeting with STP Nuclear Operating Company representatives to

discuss implementation of a risk-informed technical specification initiative. The meeting was

open to attendance by members of the general public.
January 21, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending January 21, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 3

OCA CONTACT DATE &

 PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Madden 01/26/05

SD-366

9:30 Markup Vote on Nomination of Samuel W.

Bodman for Secretary of Energy

Senators Energy a

Keeling 01/26/05

SD-342

10:00 DHS Outlook for Department of Homeland

Security

Senators Homeland Affairs

Shane/Keeling

Tentativefor March

TBD Chairman Diaz, DOE,

Utility CEO, Union rep.

DOE’s NP 2010 Program Senators 

Energy a