INFORMATION REPORT

March 9, 2006 SECY-06-0054

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

MARCH 3, 2006

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

Office of Information Services 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

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S*

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
March 9, 2006 SECY-06-0054

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

MARCH 3, 2006

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

Office of Information Services 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

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S*

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week303.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

LRakovan:paa WMDean

03/ /06 03/ /06
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MARCH 3, 2006

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: L. Rakovan, OEDO by E-mail: ljr2@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 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I *

ADM 10 Region II 21

OIS 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE * ACRS/ACNW *

*No input this week
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

NRR/Industry Senior Management Meeting on Materials Degradation Issues

On February 22, 2006, members of NRR senior management met with senior management

representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Electric Power Research Institute, and the

Materials Reliability Program (MRP) in a public meeting at NRC Headquarters to discuss

materials degradation issues in pressurized water reactor (PWR) facilities. Industry

representatives presented details of a reorganization of the MRP made in late 2005 and

discussed plans for existing and future materials degradation projects. MRP identified key

issues for 2006 that include implementing MRP-139, an industry report on the inspection of

Alloy 82/182 butt welds in the primary coolant system of pressurized water reactors (PWRs),

completing the PWR Issue Management Tables, and supporting the NRC rulemaking for

revised requirements on pressurized thermal shock (10 CFR 50.61). During the meeting, MRP

representatives affirmed their willingness to assist in the development of a new code case

regarding primary system piping butt-weld inspections, which the NRC requested that ASME

develop, including resolution of concerns over access to proprietary information that will be

needed to establish the technical basis for the new code case.

Risk Management Technical Specifications Meeting

The staff met with the Nuclear Energy Institute and industry representatives on February 28,

2006, to discuss the Risk Management Guidance (RMG) document for Risk Management

Technical Specifications (RMTS) Initiative 4b, Risk-Informed Completion Times. RMTS

Initiative 4b will permit licensees to establish risk-based technical specification completion times

when equipment is out of service. The use of on-line risk tools is a significant change from the

current deterministic license amendment process for these changes. The RMG document is

the critical path item for completing the reviews of the pilot plant applications from South Texas

Project and Fort Calhoun Station. Pilot plant representatives at the meeting expressed a strong

desire to complete this effort this year in order to obtain pilot plant license amendments. Final

details are being discussed, such as how to treat probabilistic risk assessment functionality with

technical specification inoperability. 

Vermont Yankee Public Information Session on License Renewal Review Process

On March 1, 2006, the staff conducted a public information session in Brattleboro, Vermont. 

The session was conducted following the receipt of the license renewal application for the

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station to provide information on the license renewal process

and opportunities for public involvement. 

Issuance of the Draft Safety Evaluation Report (SER) with Open Items Concerning the License

Renewal Application for Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2

On March 3, 2006, the staff issued the draft SER concerning the license renewal application for

Nine Mile Point, Units 1 and 2, which contained one open item and no confirmatory items. A
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE A

public meeting is scheduled for April 5, 2006, to discuss the draft SER with the Advisory

Committee on Reactor Safeguards. 

Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2006-02, “Good Practices for Licensee Performance During

the Emergency Preparedness Component of Force-on-force Exercises”

On February 23, 2006, the staff issued the subject RIS which informs licensees of good

practices identified based on staff observations of licensees’ emergency preparedness

performance during force-on-force exercises.

RIS 2006-03, "Guidance on Requesting an Exemption from Biennial Emergency Preparedness

Exercise Requirements”

On February 24, 2006, the staff issued the subject RIS which provides guidance to licensees

for requesting an exemption from the requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal

Regulations (10 CFR) Part 50, Appendix E, to hold a biennial emergency preparedness

exercise.

Vermont Yankee Extended Power Uprate (EPU)

On March 2, 2006, NRC approved a 20 percent extended power uprate (EPU) for Vermont

Yankee, which increases its maximum steady state reactor core power level from 1593

megawatts-thermal (MWt) to 1912 MWt. The EPU is subject to a license condition in the areas

of minimum critical power ratio, transient testing, and potential adverse flow effects. It is

expected that the licensee will soon start to incrementally increase the Vermont Yankee power

output and perform the test program necessary to achieve the new power level. This EPU is in

response to the licensee's application dated September 10, 2003.

The additional energy requirements for the EPU are met by an increase in bundle enrichment,

an increase in the reload batch size, and/or changes in fuel loading pattern to maintain the

desired plant operating cycle length. Other changes to support the EPU were made to balanceof-plant equipment, including a new high-pressure turbine, new feedwater heaters and

refurbishment of the electrical generator. 

Vermont Yankee is the first boiling water reactor (BWR) EPU application to undergo NRC staff

review using Review Standard RS-001 and it matches the largest BWR percentage-uprate to

date (Clinton also received a 20 percent uprate in 2001). In addition, the staff made

presentations on the EPU to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) subcommittee on November 15 and 16, 2005 (in Vermont) and on November 29 and 30, 2005 (in

Rockville), and to the ACRS full-committee on December 7, 2005 (in Rockville). In its letter

dated January 4, 2006, the ACRS recommended to the Commission to approve this EPU.
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Haddam Neck License Termination Process

On February 24, 2006, NRC staff approved the second of five anticipated releases of land from

the Haddam Neck site license as part of the license termination process. Haddam Neck is

located in Meriden, CT. This release included 14 survey units in the outlying areas of the site. 

The next phase will be submitted for release later this year.

Meeting with USEC Inc. (USEC) on Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS)

On February 24, 2006, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards met with

USEC to discuss USEC’s incorporation of NCS accident sequences in its Integrated Safety

Analysis (ISA) Summary for the American Centrifuge Plant (ACP), proposed to be built and

operated in Piketon, OH. During the meeting, USEC discussed its revised method for

determining the credibility of NCS accident sequences and its draft changes to the ACP’s ISA

Summary.
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Meeting with Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) (Pty) Ltd

From February 28 through March 2, 2006, NRC staff met with representatives from the PBMR

(Pty) Ltd. to discuss the plant layout and systems of the PBMR reactor design. The purpose of

the meeting was to familiarize NRC staff with the PBMR design, in support of future white

papers that will be submitted to NRC for pre-application review in May 2006. During the

meeting, the NRC staff expressed interest in detailed information on several key systems, such

as the fuel handling system. PBMR (Pty) stated that many of the issues brought up by the staff

will be addressed during the second set of familiarization sessions on the safety design and

analysis and plant operations and events scheduled for March 15-16, 2006.
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Preliminary Notifications

PNO-I-06-004, Philadelphia Fire Department - IDENTIFICATION OF TROXLER DENSITY

GAUGE CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Contract Awards

On February 21, 2006, a competitive contract no. NRC-38-06-383 was awarded to

Management Systems, Inc. The contractor shall provide, as needed, current, state-of-the-art

training using proven methods to provide NRC staff with the knowledge and skills to effectively

evaluate the adequacy of root cause investigations conducted by others. The total estimated

cost is $1,567,010, including all options. The period of performance is five years, including four

one-year option periods.

On February 28, 2006, a non-competitive 8(a) contract no. NRC-10-06-396 was awarded to

Bankers Business Management Services, Inc. (BBMS). The contractor shall provide NRC

Headquarters On-Site Mail Support Services. The total estimated cost is $1,328,071, including

all options. The period of performance is four years and nine months, including four one-year

option periods. 
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of

February 24, 2006 through March 2, 2006:

OI case 1-2003-011 FOIA/PA-2006-0124

NRC’s FY2007 Information Technology (IT) Budget submission,

Exhibit 52, long-term plans, IT-related Exhibit 300s

FOIA/PA-2006-0125

Hiring records & qualifications of named NRC employees relating to

license issued to Ecology Service Inc.

FOIA/PA-2006-0126

License 37-30724-01MD, Eisenhower Business Center, 1351

Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17111, license or documentation of

the expiration date of the permit

FOIA/PA-2006-0127

Turkey Point Inspection Report 2005-10, October 7, 2005 FOIA/PA-2006-0128

Work activities of the staff of the Organization Effectiveness Branch,

NRR, from January 1, 2005 through July 2, 2005, using criteria

described

FOIA/PA-2006-0129
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Arrival

ARMIJO, JOSEPH S. MEMBER ACRS

DHIR, NEHA S. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST ADM

FULLER, MICHAEL L. PROJECT MANAGER (WIR) NMSS

GALLAGHER, DIANE T. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR OI/R-I

MCCOPPIN, MICHAEL D. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SPECIALIST NSIR

MCHALE, JOHN J. REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER NRR

PALOTAY, JOSHUA A. HEALTH PHYSICIST (NSPDP) STP

PERKINS, LESLIE T. PROJECT MANAGER NRR

STEIN, STEVEN R. CONSULTANT NSIR

WEBB, JAMES HEALTH PHYSICIST NMSS

Retirements

SHAW, PEGGY R. MANAGEMENT ANALYST R-II

VERNON, DENNIS L. SENIOR SECURITY SPECIALIST NSIR

Departures

CLOYD, TARA M. SECRETARY (OA) RES
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Media Interest

The OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

Vermont Yankee power uprate approval and license renewal application.

Tritium leaks at Exelon plants and Palo Verde.

Oyster Creek license renewal hearing and process.

Design Basis Threat rulemaking.

Millstone whistleblower’s security concerns.

Followup on Susquehanna’s 3/2 ALERT.

Other Public Affairs Items:

Press Releases

Headquarters:

06-031 NRC Posts Comments and Responses from the 2005 Emergency

Preparedness Public Meeting (3/1)

06-032 NRC Staff Approves Power Uprate for Vermont Yankee (3/2)

06-033 NRC Issues Annual Assessments for Nation’s Nuclear Plants (3/3)

Regions:

I-06-010 NRC Updates Public on License Renewal Process at Vermont

Yankee (3/1)

I-06-011 NRC to Hold March 8th Public Meeting in Plymouth, Mass., on

License Renewal Application for Pilgrim Nuclear Plant (3/1)

I-06-012 NRC Tracking ‘Alert’ at Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant (3/2)

III-06-006 NRC to Meet with Nuclear Management Co. To Discuss Safety

Significance Issue at Prairie Island Plant (2/27)

III-06-007 NRC Issues Draft Environmental Report for Palisades License

Renewal, Announces April 5 Public Meeting (3/3)
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

1. SECY-06-0031 02/09/06 Annual Report on Court Litigation (Calendar

Year 2005)

2. SECY-06-0032 02/09/06 Semiannual Report on Status of Staff

Information Technology/Information

Management and Business Process

Activities in Preparation for the High-Level

Waste Repository Proceedings

Memoranda

1. M060227 02/27/06 SRM-Affirmation Session: SECY-06-0037 -

Hydro Resources, Inc. (P.O. Box 777,

Crownpoint, NM 87313) (In Situ Leach

Mining Operation)

2. M060215 02/28/06 SRM-Briefing on OCFO Programs,

Performance, and Plans

3. M060215 Revised 03/01/06 Revised SRM-Briefing on OCFO Programs,

Performance, and Plans

4. M060202B 03/02/06 Briefing on Sensitive Unclassified NonSafeguards Information (SUNSI) Policy

(COMSECY-05-0054)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Billie Pirner Garde, Clifford & Garde Law Office, dated February 23, 2006,

responds to concerns about the position that the nuclear industry continues to take

opposition to the NRC staff’s attempts to improve NRC oversight of licensee safety

culture.

2. Letter to Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr, Governor of Maryland, dated February 20, 2006, requests

that a State Liaison Officer to act as the primary liaison to NRC be appointed.

3. Letter to Congressman Joe Barton, dated February 20, 2006, responds to questions

regarding preparations the NRC has taken for the review of license applications for new

reactors.
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE O

4. Letter to Director General Andre-Claude Lacoste, Nuclear Safety and Radiation

Protection, dated, February 19, 2006, responds to request for a paper for publication in

the ASN’s bimonthly journal.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), Subcommittee Meeting on

Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena, notice of meeting (3/14/06).

2. ACRS, Subcommittee Meeting on Power Uprates, notice of meeting (3/15-16/06).

3. Request for a License to Import Radioactive Waste - Eastern Technologies, Inc.

4. Withdrawal of proposed rule Fire Protection Program - Post-Fire Operator Manual

Actions, 10 CFR Part 50, RIN 3150 AH54.

5. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW), Meeting on Planning and Procedures,

notice of meeting (3/24/06).
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Management Meeting with Tennessee Valley Authority

On February 28, 2006, Region II management met with representatives from the Tennessee

Valley Authority (TVA) to discuss strategic objectives and initiatives of the TVA nuclear

organization.

NRC Management Visits Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

On March 3, 2006, regional management, accompanied by the Director, Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation, visited the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant for a site tour and meeting with

licensee management. 
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE P

Region III (RIII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Community Informational Meeting on Braidwood Tritium Contamination

On February 28, 2006, Region III staff participated in an community informational meeting on

the Braidwood groundwater tritium contamination at the Exelon offsite training facility near

Braidwood. Also participating were representatives of Exelon Generating Co. and the Illinois

Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Department

of Public Health, and the Will County Health Department. The purpose of the meeting was to

answer the public’s questions about the tritium contamination from the Braidwood plant and

how it affects the safety of drinking water in the area.

Regulatory Conference on Prairie Island Emergency Preparedness Issue

On March 1, 2006, the Region III staff conducted a Regulatory Conference with representatives

of Nuclear Management Company to discuss the safety significance of the plant’s nonconservative emergency classification process at the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Station. 

NRC inspectors determined that the Prairie Island staff established a non-conservative

emergency classification in the plant’s Emergency Plan that, under certain flooding conditions,

could result in the plant’s failure to declare a Site Area Emergency. The NRC staff has

completed a preliminary assessment of the problem and concluded that it is of “low to

moderate” safety significance. 
March 3, 2006 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

Deputy Executive Director for Reactor and Preparedness Programs Visits Palo Verde

On March 2, 2006, the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor and Preparedness Programs

visited the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, accompanied by the Regional Administrator. 

He toured the facility and discussed plant performance and other current issues with the

resident staff and licensee management. 
March 3, 2006 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending March 3, 2006

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 8

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Decker 02/28/06

SD-192

10:00 Michael Chertoff, DHS FY 2007 Appropriations: Homeland

Security

Senators Homeland Appropria

Combs 03/01/06

SD-628

2:30 EPA, DOE, Nuclear Waste

Safety Board

Status of Yucca Mountain licenseapplication and radiation standards

Senators Environm

Combs 03/01/06

2212 RHOB

4:30 Linton Brooks-National

Nuclear SecurityAdministration, James Rispoli-AssistantSecretary of Energy forEnvironmental Mgmt

FY 2007 Budget-DOE’s AtomicEnergy Defense Activities

Reps. EvStrategic Armed Se

Decker 03/02/06

2200 RHOB

2:00 Nonproliferation Policy

Education Center, HeritageFoundation

Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Reps. Ro

Decker 03/02/06

SD-124

2:30 Clay Sell, DOE Global Nuclear Energy Plan and on

the future for nuclear power

Senators Energy aAppropria
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 8

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

March 3, 2006 

Combs 03/07/06

SR-232A

2:45 Linton Brooks-National

Nuclear SecurityAdministration,Joseph Rispoli-AssistantSecretary fo Energy forEnvironmental Mgmt.

FY 2007 Budget - Nuclear Weaponsand Environmental Cleanup

Senators Strategic Armed Se

Decker 03/08/06

2362BRHOB

10:00 DOE Department of Energy-Overview Reps. Ho

Energy aAppropria

Shane 03/09/06

SD-628

9:30 NRC NRC Oversight Senators 

Clean Air

 and NuEnvironm

Decker 03/09/06

2362BRHOB

10:00 DOE Department of EnergyEnvironmental Management Reps. Ho

Energy aAppropria

Combs 03/14/06

Tentative

TBA DOE Status of Yucca Mountain license

application

Senators Energy a

Combs 03/15/06

2362BRHOB

10:00 DOE Department of Energy - Nuclear

Waste Disposal

Reps. HoEnergy aAppropria

Shane 03/16/06

TBD

TBD TBD FISMA Reps. Da

Governm
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 8

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

March 3, 2006 

Combs 03/23/06

Las Vegas,NV

10:00 NRC, GAO, DOE/OCRWM,

DOE/IG, Bechtel

Yucca Mountain Project: PersistentManagement and Quality Assurance

Reps. PoFederal WOrganizaGovernm

Combs 03/28/06 or

03/30/06TBD

TBD NRC, GAO, DOE/NNSA,

DHS/Customs and BorderProtection

GAO findings with regard tocounterfeiting an NRC license andgeneral availability of exemptquantity radioactive sources

Senators PermaneInvestigatHomeland  Affairs

Keeling 04/04/06

2247 RHOB

2:00 NRC, GAO, NEI, Exelon,

Connecticut AttorneyGeneral, POGO

NRC efforts to define the DBT andset protective standards for theNuclear Power Industry

Reps. ShNational Sand InternGovernm