INFORMATION REPORT

May 1, 2003 SECY-03-0066

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0066 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 25, 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:

C. Glenn, OEDO
May 1, 2003 SECY-03-0066

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-03-0066 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING APRIL 25, 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:

C. Glenn, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\ML031210830.wpd

OEDO AO/OEDO

CJGlenn WMDean

04/30/03 05/01/03
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING ___________, 2003

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: C. Glenn, OEDO by E-mail: CJG1@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
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

South Texas Project, Unit 1 Reactor Pressure Vessel Boron Residue

On April 12, 2003, South Texas Plant Unit 1 was in cold shutdown and preparing to restart from

its current refueling outage. While performing a routine inspection of the reactor coolant

system and associated systems as part of the boric acid control program, the licensee found

what appeared to be small amounts of boric acid residue on two bottom mounted

instrumentation penetrations on the reactor pressure vessel. The licensee informed the staff of

its findings and preliminary investigation results in a letter dated April 24, 2003. The preliminary

results indicate primary reactor coolant as the likely source of the residue. The licensee has

committed to an effort that includes the following elements: 1) investigation of the root cause;

2) determination of the extent of the condition; 3) identification and implementation of effective

corrective actions; and 4) briefing the staff prior to restarting the unit. 

Fire Protection Issues Management Working Group

On April 18, 2003, NRC staff met with representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and

industry to continue discussions on fire protection issues. The meeting was held at NEI

headquarters and addressed the following items: industry incentives to adopt National Fire

Protection Association Standard NFPA 805, inspection and enforcement policy during NFPA

805 transition period, NEI NFPA 805 implementation guide table-top exercise, NEI guidance for

post-fire safe shutdown analysis, NRC fire protection improvement plan, license renewal interim

staff guidance, NRC assessment of triennial inspections, and protocol for resolving emerging

fire protection issues. The next working group meeting is planned for early June.

NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2003-07 (RIS), Issuance of Regulations Revising Filing

Requirements for Advance Notification of the Shipment of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Special

Nuclear Material

On April 23, 2003, the NRC issued Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2003-07. This RIS

informs addresses of the publication of a final rule which revises the advance notification

requirements for the shipment of spent nuclear fuel and special nuclear material in 10 CFR

70.20b, 71.97, 73.26, 73.27, 73.67, 73.71, 73.72, 73.73, and 73.74.

Staff Conducts Public Scoping Meetings on the Quad Cities and Dresden Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statements for License Renewal

On Tuesday, April 8, 2003, the staff conducted two public scoping meetings in Moline, IL, and

on Thursday, April 10, 2003, the staff conducted two public scoping meetings in Morris, IL. The

purpose of the meetings was to solicit comments from the public on the scope of the

supplemental environmental impact statements (SEISs) being prepared as part of the review of

the license renewal application submitted by Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Exelon) on

January 3, 2003. The SEISs will be plant-specific supplements to the "Generic Environmental

Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants" (NUREG-1437).
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE A

Approximately 120 people attended the meetings in Moline and approximately 90 people

attended the meetings in Morris. Attendees included representatives of the NRC staff, Exelon,

local governments, members of the public and local news media. Of the individuals who spoke

at the meetings, most provided comments in general support of license renewal for Quad Cities

and Dresden. There was some opposition as well, in particular, regarding the proposal by

Exelon that the Quad Cities plant be valued at zero dollars for tax purposes. This would result

in a substantial reduction in revenues for local taxing authorities. The scoping period ends on

May 12, 2003.

The staff and its contractors (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National

Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) had

recently visited both sites to gather additional information on the environmental aspects of the

license renewal applications. The teams considered the full scope of environmental issues,

including aquatic and terrestrial ecology, land use, human health, socioeconomics, etc., and the

licensee’s process for identifying new and significant information on the Category 1 issues

identified in NUREG-1437.

NRC Conducts Annual Agency Action Review Meeting (AARM)

On April 22-23, 2003, the NRC conducted its annual AARM in Annapolis, MD. This meeting,

which is attended by many of the agency’s senior managers, provides an opportunity to review

industry trends, evaluate the status of the reactor oversight process (ROP), and discuss

performance of individual nuclear facilities warranting senior management attention.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Nuclear Fuel Services Meeting on Management Measures

On April 18, 2003, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff met with Nuclear Fuel

Services (NFS) licensing staff to discuss proposed management measures for Items Relied on

for Safety (IROFS). This meeting was part of the review of the Blended Low-Enriched Uranium

Uranyl Nitrate Building license amendment application. One member of the public, a reporter

from McGraw-Hill, was present at the meeting. NFS submitted its management measures

commitments, dated April 16, 2003, in response to an NRC request for additional information

dated March 26, 2003. These measures are intended to address the requirements in

10 CFR 70.62(d) that licensees establish management measures to ensure that engineered

and administrative controls identified as IROFS are designed, implemented, and maintained --

and to ensure they are available and reliable to perform their function when needed.

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safety Subcommittee Briefing on Mixed Oxide

On April 21, 2003, the staff discussed its technical review for construction of the mixed-oxide

fuel fabrication facility with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safety Subcommittee on

Reactor Fuels. Presentations were also made by the applicant, Duke Cogema Stone &

Webster (DCS). In particular, the staff made presentations in the areas of nuclear criticality

safety, chemical safety, fire protection, and confinement ventilation, that addressed six issues

that are unresolved in the staff’s revised draft Safety Evaluation Report (SER), which is

scheduled to be issued on April 30, 2003. Those issues are: (1) the adequacy of the DCS

criticality validation report, (2) red-oil explosions, (3) hydroxylamine nitrate explosions, (4)

adequacy of fire barriers, (5) soot-loading evaluations, and (6) high-efficiency particulate air

filter efficiency. 
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Public Meeting to Discuss the Performance Indicator for Reactor Scrams with Loss of Normal

Heat Removal

On April 10, 2003, staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) and the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) participated in a public meeting to discuss improvements to

the “Scrams with Loss of Normal Heat Removal” Performance Indicator (PI) of the Reactor

Oversight Process (ROP). 

Discussions between the staff and industry focused on whether certain scrams could be

included in the “loss of normal heat removal” category and whether the current definition for the

PI is still appropriate given its emphasis on the ability to restore main feedwater, when plant

operational procedures often call for the isolation of main feedwater and the start of auxiliary

feedwater. Participants concluded the meeting with an outline on how to proceed with making

potential changes to the PI and its implementation guidance. A continuation of this meeting will

occur during the next monthly meeting of the ROP Working Group, currently scheduled for 

May 1, 2003. 
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

National Response Team Preparedness Committee Meeting

On April 23, 2003, the Division of Incident Response Operations staff attended the National

Response Team Preparedness Committee meeting in Alexandria, VA. The meeting included a

discussion of the Committee’s work reconciling the various response plans and the Department

of Homeland Security’s (DHS's) plans to release the National Response Plan and National

Incident Management System. DHS intends to publish the National Response Plan Concept

document on May 3, 2003. While this is a one month delay from the originally proposed date in

the applicable Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-5), DHS does not plan on

delaying any of their other release dates.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-IV-03-022, STP Nuclear Operating Company - REACTOR VESSEL BOTTOM

HEAD PENETRATION LEAKAGE.

2. PNO-I-03-010, Griffin Pipe Products Company - CESIUM 137 SOURCE FOUND AT

PIPE MANUFACTURING FACILITY.

3. PNO-I-03-011, Hartford Hospital - POTENTIAL MEDICAL EVENT AT HARTFORD

HOSPITAL.

4. PNO-III-03-021, D.C. Cook 1 and 2 - DUAL UNIT SHUTDOWN RESULTING FROM

FISH INTRUSION.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Medical Use of Byproduct Material: Clarifying and Minor Amendments (Part 35)

A direct final rule that amends the regulations pertaining to the medical use of byproduct

material was published in the Federal Register on April 21, 2003 (68 FR 19321). The direct

final rule clarifies certain definitions, notification requirements, and recordkeeping requirements. 

The direct final rule also allows training in ophthalmic treatment to be conducted in eye clinics

or private practices in addition to medical institutions. The direct final rule becomes effective

July 7, 2003.

The companion proposed rule for this direct final rule was published in the Federal Register on

April 21, 2003 (68 FR 19466). The comment period for this action closes May 21, 2003.

Releasing Part of a Power Reactor Site or Facility for Unrestricted Use Before the NRC

Approves the License Termination Plan (Parts 2, 20, and 50)

A final rule that standardizes the process for allowing a power reactor licensee to release part of

its facility or site for unrestricted use before the NRC approves the license termination plan was

published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2003 (68 FR 19711). The final rule identifies the

criteria and regulatory framework that a licensee uses to request approval for a partial site

release and provides additional assurance that residual radioactivity would meet the criteria for

license termination. The final rule becomes effective May 23, 2003 except for the provisions of

§50.75(g)(4) which become effective November 18, 2003. 
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

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

April 18 through April 24, 2003:

MLTS, companies that use radioactive isotopes FOIA/PA-2003-0258

MLTS, all active and retired facilities FOIA/PA-2003-0259

Contract for the operation and maintenance of NRC headquarters

facilities in Rockville, MD; incumbent contract

FOIA/PA-2003-0260

MLTS, PA and WV FOIA/PA-2003-0261

Northwestern Univ (IL) labs licensed to use nuclear and radioactive

material; recent log of FOIA requests

FOIA/PA-2003-0262

U.S. Navy license for depleted uranium, specific records referenced

in previously released records

FOIA/PA-2003-0263
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE H

Chief Financial Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

e-Payroll Update

In compliance with the government-wide e-payroll initiative, the Office of Chief Financial Officer

and the Office of Human Resources are migrating from the current Human Resources/Payroll

system, HRMS, to the Department of Interior’s National Business Center (DOI/NBC) Federal

Personnel and Payroll System, FPPS. NRC has begun working with DOI/NBC on conversion to

the new system with the target to complete conversion this Fall. The NRC staff impact will be

minimal during this initial conversion since we will continue to use the current Time & Labor

system for entering time. Employees will be gaining access to the Employee Express System

which allows employees to process standard payroll forms, and view and print their Earnings &

Leave Statements from the Internet. Briefings will be provided on the new self-service system

to all employees by early Fall. 
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Arrivals

*EGLI, Richard REACTOR TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTOR HR

TOKAR, Michael CONSULTANT NMSS

Retirements

None

Departures

None

*EOD, 04/21/03 and Orientation 04/28/03
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Media Interest

Discovery of leaking from the bottom of the South Texas 1 nuclear reactor dominated news

coverage early in the week, with articles in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, as

well as various news services nationwide.

Media outlets, including Associated Press, covered an alert declared at the D.C. Cook nuclear

facility in Michigan because of an influx of fish in the plant’s cooling water system. Both units of

the plant were taken off-line. 

Significant media coverage resulted from Westchester County’s plans to hire a consultant to

study the feasibility and impact of shutting down New York’s Indian Point nuclear power plant

and replacing it with an alternative energy source. Articles appeared in The New York Times

and elsewhere.

Utah’s appeal for the NRC to reject a scaled-down version of Private Fuel Storage’s proposed

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation on the Goshute Indian reservation generated

coverage in several Western newspapers. 

Press Releases

Headquarters:

03-048 NRC Issues Final Rule Allowing Parts of Reactor Sites to be

Released for Unrestricted Use

03-049 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet May 8 -

9 in Rockville, Maryland

03-050 NRC Appoints Bruce Mallett, Loren Plisco To Senior Regional

Management Positions 

Regions:

I-03-033 NRC Proposes $3,000 Fine for York, Pa., Medical Facility

I-03-034 Note to Editors: NRC Meeting on Indian Point Performance

Rescheduled to April 28

I-03-035 NRC to Meet with PSEG to Discuss Annual Assessments of Hope

Creek and Salem Nuclear Power Plants

III-03-035 NRC to Discuss Performance at Honeywell

III-03-036 NRC Dispatches Inspectors To Review Cook Nuclear Plant

Shutdown
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE M

III-03-037 NRC Proposes $12,000 Fine Against St. Louis Firm For Deliberate

Violation of Radiation Protection Requirements 

IV-03-020 NRC Staff to Hold Public Meeting to Discuss Augmented

Inspection of Schlumberger Technology Corporation
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Meetings with Francois Roussely, Chairman, Electricite de France (EdF)

On April 14, Francois Roussely, Chairman, Electricite de France (EdF), met with Chairman Diaz

and Commissioners Dicus and McGaffigan. Topics that were discussed included reactor life

extension, reactor decommissioning funding, and licensing of new reactors in the U.S. 

Chairman Roussely explained the importance to EdF of constructing a European Pressurized

Reactor (EPR) in the near term.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-03-0036 03/07/03 Report to Congress on Abnormal

Occurrences for Fiscal Year 2002

SRM on SECY-03-0036 03/27/03 (same)

Commission Voting Record

on SECY-03-0036

03/27/03 (same)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to T. Pearce O’Kelley, Organization of Agreement States, dated April 18, 2003,

concerns the 2002 Organization of Agreement States Meeting and Invitation extended to

NRC Commissioners to participate in the OAS annual meeting.

2. Letter to Bill Lockyer, State of California, dated April 15, 2003, concerns the independent

spent fuel storage installation proposed to be constructed on the site of the Diablo

Canyon NPP.

3. Letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, dated April 15, 2003, concerns the independent spent

fuel storage installation proposed to be constructed on the site of the Diablo Canyon

NPP.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Training Managers Conference

On April 21-22, 2003, the Region II Operator Licensing staff hosted a Training Managers

Conference. Attendees included managers from nuclear power plant licensees in Region II. 

The theme of the conference was "Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Examination Process." 

Presentations were focused on the pilot program using the Draft Revision 9 of the Examination

Standards, NUREG-1021, and lessons learned were shared with the facility licensees staff.

Visit to Region II Office

On April 25, 2003, the Director and Deputy Director, Division Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I

visited the Region II office to discuss the NRC materials program with managers and staff.

Steel of West Virginia, Inc (SWVA) Enforcement Action

On April 24, 2003, Region II issued a Severity Level III enforcement action to the licensee for 

violations of NRC requirements related to the melting of shielding for and unauthorized removal

of a gauge, containing 500 millicuries of Cesium-137. The NRC proposed no Civil Penalty for

these violations due to the licensee’s prompt and complete corrective actions.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region III

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

Special Inspection of D.C. Cook Fish Intrusion

On April 25, 2003, Region III began a special inspection of the circumstances surrounding

damage to the traveling screens from a large fish intrusion. The screens protect the intake for

both units at the D.C. Cook Nuclear Power Station, operated by American Electric Power Co.

near Bridgman, Michigan. Both reactors were shut down on April 24, 2003, because of the

effects of the influx of alewives, a small fish that is the predominant species in Lake Michigan. 

Fish debris entered the emergency service water system, affecting flow to safety-related

components including the emergency diesel generators. 

Predecisional Enforcement Conference - Dresden Unit 3

On April 23, 2003, members of the Region III and NRC Headquarters staffs met in the regional

office with representatives of Exelon Generation Company for a predecisional enforcement

conference to discuss apparent violations of the NRC requirement to provide complete and

accurate information. The issue is related to a telephone conference call on September 27,

2001, concerning the technical adequacy of an operability evaluation involving a damaged pipe

support that was discovered on July 19, 2001, in the Unit 3 High Pressure Coolant Injection

System. The meeting was closed to public attendance.
April 25, 2003 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

South Texas Project (STP) Bottom Mounted Instrumentation (BMI) Alloy 600 Penetration

Leakage

Region IV, the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and the Office of Nuclear

Regulatory Research (RES) held two teleconferences with STP on the BMI penetration leakage

issue on Unit 1. The calls were conducted on Tuesday and Thursday, April 22 and 24,

respectively. The licensee provided the NRC with a preliminary timeline for the evaluation of

the condition of the lower vessel head and the potential examination and repair methods. The

licensee plans to demonstrate the non-destructive examination (NDE) methodologies prior to

commencing NDE of the BMI penetrations. A public meeting has been scheduled in

Headquarters on May 1, 2003, to provide more detailed information in response to questions

raised during the teleconferences.

Predecisional Enforcement Conferences (PEC) with two former employees of Schlumberger

Technology Corporation

The Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety and other members of the Region IV staff

conducted PECs on April 24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and on April 25 in Bismarck, North

Dakota, with former employees of Schlumberger Technology Corporation. The purpose of the

individual conferences was to discuss potential willful violations associated with the use of well

logging sources when the individuals were employed by Schlumberger Technology Corporation.
April 25, 2003 

Office of Congressional Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending April 25, 2003

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 12

OCA

Contact

DATE

&

PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Keeling 05/01/03

SD-406

 9:30 Markup Draft Nuclear Security Legislation Senators 

Environm

Keeling 05/15/03

SD-406Tentative

 9:30 NRC Nuclear Security Senators 

Clean Air NucleaEnvironm