INFORMATION REPORT

November 1, 2004 SECY-04-0202

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0202 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING OCTOBER 22, 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. Mitchell, OEDO
November 1, 2004 SECY-04-0202

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0202 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING OCTOBER 22, 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. Mitchell, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WeekO22.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

MMitchell:paa WMDean

11/01/04 11/ 01/04
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 22, 2004

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: M. Mitchell OEDO by E-mail: mam4@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 3 OPA 10

RES 5 OIP 11

NSIR * SECY 12

OGC * Region I 13

ADM 7 Region II 14

CIO 8 Region III *

CFO * Region IV *

HR 9 OEDO *

SBCR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Public Meeting on Fire Protection in Region II Office

On October 13-15, 2004, the Division of Systems Safety and Analysis (DSSA) and the Office of

Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) held a public meeting at the Region II office in Atlanta,

Georgia. The topics discussed were 10 CFR 50.48(c), the risk-informed fire protection rule that

uses National Fire Protection Association Standard 805, the closure path for post-fire

safe-shutdown circuit analysis and regulatory tools. Public attendees participated in the

discussions and provided feedback on the staff's presentations. The staff has allowed 30 days

from the date of the meeting for the participants to provide written feedback on the meeting

topics.

Regulatory Issue Summary 2004-16: Use of Later Editions and Addenda to American Society

of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Section XI for Repair/Replacement Activities

On October 19, 2004, the staff issued the subject Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) to all

nuclear power reactors. This RIS is intended to clarify the requirements in 10 CFR 55a(g) and

the use of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code Case –389-1, "Alternative

Rules for Repairs, Replacements, or Modifications- Section XI, Division 1," when applying the

rules of later editions and addenda of ASME Code Section XI, "Rules for Inservice Inspection of

Nuclear Plant Components." Licensees who wish to use provisions of subsequent editions and

addenda of the ASME Code Section XI for activities, including repair/replacement activities

(e.g., Code Case –389-1), must obtain prior NRC review and approval as required by 10 CFR

50.55a(g)(4)(iv). This RIS requires obtained no actions or written response. 

Meeting on Quad Cities Replacement Steam Dryer Instrumentation

On October 19, 2004, representatives from the Division of Engineering, its consultants from the

Argonne National Laboratory, and Region III staff met with representatives from Exelon to

discuss the design of the replacement steam dryer for Quad Cities Unit 1 and the

instrumentation testing planned after installation of the replacement dryer. The replacement

dryer incorporates several enhanced design features to improve steam flow around the dryer,

which are expected to significantly reduce its susceptibility to flow induced vibration loadings. 

The Quad Cities Unit 1 replacement dryer completely replaces the existing dryer and is

scheduled to be installed in March 2005. The Unit 2 steam dryer is scheduled to be replaced in

May 2005. Data obtained from instrumentation installed on the new dryers will be used to

benchmark an analytical model being developed by Exelon and the scale model testing being

performed by General Electric. Exelon is planning to replace the steam dryers in accordance

with 10 CFR 50.59. 
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Public Meeting on Louisiana Energy Services Draft Environmental Impact Statement

On October 14, 2004, staff from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

conducted a public meeting in Eunice, New Mexico, to receive comments on the NRC’s Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed National Enrichment Facility. 

Approximately 150 people attended the public meeting, many of whom provided comments in

support of the project. Public comments included: the need to consider Lea County’s 40-year

water resources plan; disposition of depleted uranium tails; decommissioning funding, and

positive socioeconomic impacts. The Final EIS is scheduled to be released in June 2005.

Meeting with Russian Federation on Mixed-Oxide Fuel (MOX) Program

On October 11-14, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards

participated in a U.S./Russian Federation bilateral meeting at the headquarters of the Nuclear,

Industrial, and Environmental Regulatory Authority (Rostekhnadzor) in Moscow, Russia. The

purpose of the meeting was to discuss the status of the surplus weapons-grade plutonium

disposition program. During the meeting, representatives of Rostekhnadzor briefed the U.S.

representatives (from the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Agency, and the

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)) on the status of their development of a regulatory

infrastructure for the project. They also provided a status report on the construction of their

MOX fuel fabrication facility. The NRC representatives provided an update on the status of

licensing the U.S. facility. All participants agreed on the need to continue the meetings and

began planning for workshops, requested by the Russian Federation, on construction

inspection/quality assurance, media training, and inspector communications training.

Observing First DOE Expert Elicitation Workshop on the Probability of Volcanism

On October 12-14, 2004, staff of the Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety and the

Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) attended the first of four expert

elicitation workshops held by the Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractor, Geomatrix, as

part of its Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment Update. The purpose of this new expert

elicitation is to update an earlier Yucca Mountain Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment

(PVHA) conducted in 1995-96. The goals of the first workshop were to review the project

ground rules, expert roles, and expert elicitation process; identify key issues that will need to be

addressed by the experts during the course of the project; review available data and identify

datasets that will be used by the experts in their assessments; and to train all the experts in

elicitation processes for expressing uncertainties. Because DOE elected to close this workshop

to public observation, NRC and CNWRA staff attended as observers only and did not

participate. 

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board Meeting

On October 13-14, 2004, Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff participated in a meeting of the

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The major topics of the
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

meeting were the status of DOE’s Yucca Mountain Transportation activities, including security,

routing, and state funding under Section 180(c) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. NRC staff

gave presentations on the NRC’s role in shipments to Yucca Mountain, and on the physical

testing of spent fuel casks (which included videos of two recent drop tests conducted in

Horstwalde, Germany). Other participants in the meeting were DOE, Sandia National

Laboratory, the Western Interstate Energy Board, the Council of Government’s Midwestern

Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee, the Indiana Emergency Management Agency,

Private Fuel Storage LLC, and Governor Olene Walker of Utah.

Nuclear Fuel Services Part 71 Application for Champion Transport Package Design

On October 19, 2004, Spent Fuel Project Office staff met with Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., to

discuss significant technical issues identified by the staff during the review of the Safety

Analysis Report for the Champion transportation package, which was submitted to NRC in

August 2004. The staff presented its primary concerns regarding the design, and responded to

a number of questions from the applicant. Based on these concerns, the staff has stopped

technical review of the application. The applicant indicated that they will inform NRC, in

approximately two weeks, whether they will withdraw the application. 

Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes

On October 13-14, 2004, the Fall Meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of

Isotopes (ACMUI) was held at NRC Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The agenda for the

Fall Meeting included presentations and discussion on topics including: radioimmunotherapy

and microsphere therapy; radiation safety aspects of I-125 therapeutic seeds used as markers

in breast cancer tumors; staff findings and followup to the ACMUI Report on NRC Method of

Dose Reconstruction; and update to medical event criteria definition. In addition, the ACMUI

discussed proposed changes to the draft final 10 CFR Part 35 training and experience

rulemaking in order to develop the Committee’s consensus comments on the proposed rule for

the NRC staff. The NRC’s Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research proposed changes to the

Abnormal Occurrences criteria for medical events for ACMUI discussion and comment. The

Spring meeting of the ACMUI was tentatively scheduled for April 11-13, 2005.
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

NRC-DOE Workshop on the Graphite Reactor Severe Accident Code (GRSAC)

On October 14-15, 2004, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) conducted activities

to complete the NRC's final commitments under a cooperative agreement with the U.S.

Department of Energy by holding a user training workshop on the Graphite Reactor Severe

Accident Code. The workshop supported transfer and preservation of technology-specific

knowledge and analysis capabilities for future high temperature gas reactor (HTGR) designs.

National Academy of Science (NAS) Meeting on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering

On October 19, 2004, RES staff participated in a meeting of the Committee on Geological and

Geotechnical Engineering of the National Academies of Science (NAS). The meeting focused

on the formation of a new NAS Panel to address the performance of surface and subsurface

engineered barriers for waste management and decommissioning facilities. The NAS study will

provide technical information and recommendations that may assist in the licensing reviews of

engineered systems including environmental and dose assessments within a risk-informed

context. Federal Government sponsors include the NRC, the Environmental Protection Agency,

and the National Science Foundation.

International Common-Cause Failure Data Exchange Project

On October 12-14, 2004, RES staff participated in the 20th International Common-Cause Failure

Data Exchange (ICDE) Steering Group Meeting. The Steering Group discussed future activities

for the upcoming three year agreement period including updating the common-cause failure

(CCF) event data for the six components currently in the ICDE database, updating CCF

analyses and insights for several components with emphasis on inspection and maintenance

applications, and adding several new components for data collection. Data and information

collected from this project is used to improve the NRC’s Simplified Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR)

models and support the agency’s CCF database which provides failure data to the staff and

other stakeholders. The next meeting is scheduled for June 21-23, 2005.

Release of Joint Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)/NRC Fire Risk Methodology Report

On October 18, 2004, NUREG/CR-6850, "EPRI/NRC-RES Fire PRA Methodology for Nuclear

Power Facilities," was publically released for a 60-day comment period. This report, which was

a cooperative effort between RES and EPRI, describes state-of-the-art-methods, tools, and

data for assessing the risk of nuclear power plant fires. This work supports a revision to the fire

protection significance determination process, development of the American Nuclear Society

fire risk probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) quality standard, and implementation of the

risk-informed, performance-based fire protection rule that endorses NFPA standard NFPA-805. 

While the primary objective of this joint program was to consolidate existing information from

EPRI and RES fire research programs, the newly documented methods represent a significant

advancement over previously documented methods.
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Earthquake Strong-Motion Arrays

On October 14-15, 2004, RES staff participated in an international workshop on site selection,

installation, and operation of geotechnical strong-motion arrays. Strong-motion arrays are used

to collect seismic data that are useful for siting decisions for nuclear facilities. The workshop

was convened to inventory the current strong-motion geotechnical arrays and to identify gaps in

strong-motion geotechnical monitoring needed to address the broad issues of geotechnical

design and to set priorities for addressing them. At the workshop, sponsored by the

Consortium of Organization for Strong-Motion Observation Systems, an RES staff member

presented an invited technical paper describing NRC’s involvement in the Hualien [Taiwan]

large-scale seismic test program from 1993-2002. Other participants from Japan, Taiwan, and

Europe presented papers on seismic recording stations and strong-motion arrays and recent

work in their perspective countries. The goal of the workshop was to make strong-motion array

data and networks known and easily accessible to all parties, which will be useful to NRC staff

and contractors.
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending October 22, 2004

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC-MPC, Amendment 4, Revision; Confirmation

of Effective Date (AH50 - Part 72)

On October 20, 2004 (69 FR 61592), a document was published in the Federal Register that

confirms the October 27, 2004, effective date of a direct final rule. This direct final rule revises

the NAC International Universal Multi-Purpose Canister (NAC-MPC) (Amendment 4) cask

system entry in the list of approved spent fuel storage casks. 
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

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

October 15 through October 21, 2004:

Three Mile Island security alert 10-17-01, all records since previous

request (2002-0023)

FOIA/PA-2005-0020

Florida Power and Light, 10 CFR 2.206 petition, copy of transcript

record during the intervention with NRC Performance Review Board

(PRB)

FOIA/PA-2005-0021

Contract proposal to conduct training, “Safety Aspects of Industrial

Radiography”; and Solicitation HR-01-285

FOIA/PA-2005-0022

Office of Investigation (OI) Report of allegation RIII-01-A-0193 FOIA/PA-2005-0023
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Departures

B. John Garrick Member ACRS/ACNW

George M. Hornberger Member ACRS/ACNW
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Media Interest

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

Information on the agency Web site that could conceivably be of use to terrorists.

Oral arguments in a pre-hearing session for the Vermont Yankee uprate request.

Other Public Affairs Items of Interest:

OPA staff provided support at the oral arguments in the Vermont Yankee uprate petition.

Press Releases

Regions:

I-04-048 New Location Announced for Oral Arguments on Petitions Seeking

Hearings on Proposed Vermont Yankee Power Uprate (10/19)

II-04-053 NRC to Meet with Framatome Nuclear Fuel Plant Officials October 28 to

Discuss Facility Safety Performance (10/18)

III-04-047 NRC Staff to Meet Oct. 28 with FirstEnergy Officials to Review

Performance Improvement Activities at Perry Nuclear Plant (10/19)

IV-04-043 NRC Staff to Meet with Energy Northwest to Discuss Columbia Generating

Station Issues (10/21)
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Visits NRC to Discuss Force-on-Force Exercises

On October 18, 2004, Office of Nuclear Safety and Incident Response (NSIR) staff briefed

three members of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regarding the

development and conduct of NRC's force-on-force exercise program. The CNSC plans to

begin conducting force-on-force exercises at their licensee sites in 2005.

Office of International Programs (OIP) Public Meeting

On October 19, 2004, OIP held a public meeting at NRC Headquarters, in Rockville, Maryland,

to provide information on the Proposed Rule, "Export and Import of Nuclear Equipment and

Radioactive Materials: Security Policies." The meeting was attended by representatives of the

industry, the press and was open for participation by audioteleconference phone-in lines. 
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

SECY-04-0178 10/01/04 Regulatory Solution for 10 CFR Part 71 Change

Authority for Dual-Purpose Package Certificate

Holders

Information Papers

SECY-04-0188 10/18/04 SECY-04-0188 Weekly Information Report - Week

Ending October 8, 2004

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Representative Christopher Shays, dated October 14, 2004, concerns the

September 14, 2004, oversight hearing to examine the NRC’s security enhancements for

nuclear power facilities.

2. Letter to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, dated October 8, 2004, responds to letter

concerning the Indian Point Energy Center.

Federal Register Notices Issued

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

Procedures, notice of meeting (11/03/04). 

2. Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to preside over proceeding: 

Yankee Atomic Electric Company, Yankee Nuclear Power Station, Franklin County, MA

(Operating License Amendment) - Docket No. 50-29-OLA, ASLBP No. 04-831-01-OLA. 

3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Safeguards and

Security, notice of meeting (11/03/04). 

4. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Meeting of the Subcommittee on Plant

License Renewal, notice of meeting (11/03/04). 

5. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, meeting notice (11/4-6/04). 
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Management Changes in Exelon Mid-Atlantic Operations

On October 19, 2004, the following personnel changes were announced by Exelon: 

(1) Ed Eilola, the current Operations Director at Peach Bottom, has been selected as the Site

Engineering Director at Three Mile Island, (2) Dave Lewis, the Director of Work Management at

Limerick, has been selected to replace Mr. Eilola, and (3) Tom Dougherty, the Manager of

Nuclear Oversight at Limerick, has been selected to replace Mr. Lewis. The vacant Site

Engineering Director position at Three Mile Island was created when Len Clewett was selected

as the Operations Director at Three Mile Island. 

Mid-Atlantic States Radiation Program Meeting

On October 20-21, 2004, Region I Regional State Agreements Officers attended the annual

meeting of the Mid-Atlantic States in Port Deposit, Maryland. The meeting was attended by

representatives from nearly all local Agreement and non-Agreement States as well as several

federal agencies. Topics of discussion, among others, included pool irradiator source

replenishment, site decommissioning, domestic preparedness, and a radiography accident

case-study. 

Commissioner Merrifield’s visit to Troxler Electronics Laboratories

On October 20, 2004, Commissioner Merrifield visited the Troxler Electronics Laboratory

located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Troxler is the largest manufacturer of

portable nuclear density gauges in the country and is licensed by the North Carolina

Department of Environmental & Natural Resources’ Radiation Protection Section. The

Commissioner toured the licensee’s manufacturing, research and service operations and

discussed security and licensing issues with the Company President and Radiation Safety

Officer. The Regional State Agreements Officer and the Radioactive Materials Supervisor for

North Carolina’ Agreement State Program also accompanied the Commissioner during his visit.
October 22, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 22, 2004

Westinghouse Electric Company - Management Meeting

On October 21, 2004, the Regional Administrator and Director, Division of Fuel Facility

Inspection, visited the Westinghouse Electric Company for a site tour and a management

meeting.

Carolina Power and Light Company - Brunswick and Harris Nuclear Plants

On October 18-20, 2004, the Deputy Regional Administrator accompanied

Commissioner Merrifield to the Brunswick Nuclear Plant and Shearon B. Harris Nuclear Plant

for site tours and meetings with licensee management, licensee staff and the resident

inspectors.