INFORMATION REPORT

June 14, 2005 SECY-05-0105

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0105 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 3, 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

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

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

T. Kim, OEDO
June 14, 2005 SECY-05-0105

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0105 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JUNE 3, 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

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

*No input this week.

/RA/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

T. Kim, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week603.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TJKim:paa WMDean

06/14/05 06/15/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JUNE 3, 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 20

ADM 10 Region II *

OIS 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE *

*No input this week
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Vermont Yankee - Meeting with Vermont Public Service Board (PSB)

On May 27, 2005, NRR and Region I staff participated in a meeting with the Vermont PSB in

Montpelier, Vermont. The meeting was held in response to a request from the PSB in its letter

to Chairman Diaz dated March 18, 2005. The purpose of the meeting was for the NRC staff to

provide information to the PSB regarding: (1) the results of the engineering inspection

performed at Vermont Yankee in August 2004; (2) the status for resolution of the issues

identified during the inspection; and (3) the status of the Vermont Yankee extended power

uprate (EPU) review. Entergy, the Vermont Department of Public Service, and the New

England Coalition, also participated in the meeting. Approximately 40 members of the public,

including several members of the media, were in attendance. 

Technical Exchange Meeting Between the NRC and Taiwan Atomic Energy Council

On May 31, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management (DIPM) staff participated in

a Bilateral Technical Exchange Meeting between the NRC and visitors from the Taiwan Atomic

Energy Council. DIPM staff presented an overview of the Reactor Oversight Process

framework followed by a more detailed discussion of the development and implementation of

the process including inspection, significance determination, assessment, and enforcement. 

NRC Information Notice (IN) 2005-14: Fire Protection [Inspection] Findings on Loss of Seal

Cooling to Westinghouse Reactor Coolant Pumps

On July 1, 2005, the NRC issued the subject IN to inform addressees about recent inspection

findings on post-fire procedural requirements related to loss of cooling to reactor coolant pump

seals. The IN requires no specific action nor written response; however, licensees are

expected to review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider taking actions,

as appropriate.
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Yucca Mountain Repository - Public Meeting

On June 1, 2005, NRC and the Department of Energy held a technical exchange on pre-closure

interaction plans and aircraft hazards analysis for the proposed Yucca Mountain Repository. 

The technical exchange was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. NRC Headquarters and Center for

Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses staff participated by video conference. The meeting was

open to the public.
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Documentation of PARCS Code Modifications for ACR-700 Spatial Kinetics

On May 26, 2005, Information Systems Laboratories and Purdue University, under an NRC

contract, issued a report documenting how the PARCS [Purdue Advanced Reactor Cores

Simulator] code was modified to enable spatial reactor kinetics analysis of the Advanced

CANDU [CANada Deuterium Uranium] Reactor, ACR-700. This is the first of two final reports

that document and preserve the PARCS capabilities developed for analyzing ACR-700. The

other report, to be completed in September 2005, will demonstrate and document the coupling

of the new PARCS code models with the ACR-700 system thermal hydraulic models added to

the TRACE [TRAC (Transient Reactor Analysis Code) RELAP (Reactor Excursion and Leak

Analysis Program) Advanced Computational Engine] code. While motivated by specific needs

to support an eventual ACR-700 design certification review, the recent improvements to the

NRC audit analysis codes provide more versatile and rigorous analysis capabilities that will

prove broadly applicable to various nuclear systems. For example, the new physics treatments

added to PARCS offer added rigor to the analysis of existing U.S. reactors with evolving core

designs for extended fuel burnup, uprated power, and mixed oxide fueling.

Workshop on Steam Generator Maintenance

On May 24-27, 2005, RES staff attended a workshop on “Steam Generator Secondary Side

Lead/sulfur-induced Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)” at Argonne National Laboratory. 

Participants represented industry, regulators, manufacturers, and academia, from the United

States, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands. The purpose

of the workshop was to discuss domestic and international research on lead- or sulfur-induced

SCC and to determine the current state of knowledge. Discussions focused on the effect of

lead or sulfur to enhance or initiate cracking of Alloy 600 and especially Alloy 690. 

Presentations covered plant experience, experimental corrosion studies, surface films and

compounds, electron microscopy at crack tips, and theory and mechanisms. A key point of the

meeting was that preliminary research has shown Alloy 690 can crack in possible steam

generator crevice environments. Finally, there were discussions about what future research is

needed to determine the mechanism for lead- or sulfate-induced SCC and possible remedial

actions. This activity is supported by the staff’s steam generator action plan. Future lead- and

sulfur-induced SCC research will be monitored in order to proactively comprehend the potential

for steam generator materials, especially Alloy 690, to crack. 
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Contract Awards

On May 24, 2005, Delivery Order No. DR-33-05-349 was awarded under the General Services

Administration's Multiple Award Schedule, to Northrop Grumman Information Technology, Inc.,

for maintenance of the NRC’s Electronic Information Exchange System. Total award amount is

$323,010.00, for a six-month period.

On May 25, 2005, a competitive Delivery Order No. DR-38-05-369, was awarded to Systems

Integration & Development, Inc., a small disadvantaged business under the General Service

Administration's Federal Supply Schedule. The contractor will perform web application support

services for the Intranet application development and systems maintenance program currently

in operation at the NRC’s Technical Training Center. The total estimated cost is $299,941.84. 

The period of performance is three years, including two one-year option periods.

Revision to 10 CFR Part 10 (AH69)

On May 31, 2005, NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register (70 FR 30896) that

amended its regulations concerning eligibility for access to restricted data or national security

information or an employment clearance. The changes made were editorial in nature to reflect

a recent NRC reorganization. The final rule became effective May 31, 2005.

Broadening Scope of Access Authorization and Facility Security Clearance Regulations (AH52 -

Parts 25 and 95)

On June 2, 2005, NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register (70 FR 32224) that

expands the scope of the regulations applicable to persons who may require access to

classified information in connection with licensing and regulatory activities under the regulations

that govern the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in geologic repositories. The final rule

also expands the scope of the regulations applicable to procedures for obtaining facility security

clearances to include persons who may need to use, process, store, reproduce, transmit,

transport, or handle NRC classified information in connection with these activities. The final

rule becomes effective July 5, 2005.
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

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

May 27 through June 2, 2005:

Gulf Nuclear, 202 Medical Center Blvd., Webster, TX, radioactive

cleanup of site, & information relating to radiation exposure to

workers & public

FOIA/PA-2005-0246

List of nuclear power plants sold in the last 10 years FOIA/PA-2005-0247

NRC employees, name, duty position, office, hire date, facility name

& address

FOIA/PA-2005-0248

Vacancy announcement, HR/WPIM 2005-0002, position description,

SF-52 requesting the posting, sanitized certificates of eligibles,

written request to make additional selection, position description of

each selectee, performance plan of each selectee

FOIA/PA-2005-0249

Allegation NRR-2004-A-0046, all records FOIA/PA-2005-0250

Records on named individual from 1-1-1980 through 12-31-1988,

employment records, certifications, dosimetry records, etc.

FOIA/PA-2005-0251
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Arrivals

Patricia Coleman Site Secretary (OA) R-IV

Alina M. Dukes Secretary (OA) OGC

Ashley H. Prange Management Analyst ASLBP

Robert C. Randall IT Specialist OIS

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

Nicholas Trikouros Administrative Judge ASLBP

Richard Wardwell Administrative Judge (Technical) ASLBP

Brittney Washington Clerk (Summer) ADM

Eric J. Whitaker Clerk (Summer) ADM

Retirements

Henry A. Bailey Sr. Reactor Engineer NSIR

Paul E. Bird Director, Human Resources HR

Suzanne C. Black Dir, Div of Systems Safety & Analysis NRR

Frank J. Congel Director, Office of Enforcement OE

Jean M. Garland Secretary (OA) RES

William Johnson Branch Chief R-IV

Charles Kelber Administrative Judge (Technical) ASLBP

Theodore S. Sherr Sr. Tech Adv/NMSS INTL ACT Liaison NMSS
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

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

The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, including legislative action allowing dry-cask storage and

an emergency preparedness exercise conducted at the site.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA coordinated a Time Magazine interview of the Chairman on June 1, 2005.

Regional OPA staff announced the arrival of new resident inspectors at three nuclear power

plants.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-086 NRC Adds Syria to List of Embargoed Destinations (6/1)

05-087 NRC Revises Regulations on Access to Classified Information (6/2)

05-088 NRC Invites Public to Informal Discussions June 6 in Pahrump, Nev., on

Proposed Radioactive Waste Disposal at Yucca Mountain (6/2)

Regions:

I-05-030 NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance Assessments for Salem and Hope Creek

Nuclear Power Plants (5/31)

I-05-031 New NRC Resident Inspector Assigned to Limerick Nuclear Plant (6/1)

II-05-028 NRC Names Stewart New Senior Resident Inspector at Turkey Point Nuclear

Plant in Florida (6/2)

II-05-029 NRC Names Reece New Senior Resident Inspector at North Anna Nuclear

Plant in Virginia (6/2)

IV-05-024 NRC to Discuss Performance for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant (5/31)

IV-05-025 NRC to Discuss Performance for Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant (6/2)
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM-SECY-05-0054 6/1/05 Proposed Rule: Radiological Criteria for

Controlling the Disposition of Solid Materials

(RIN 3150-AH18)

Voting Record SECY-05-

0054

6/1/05 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-05-0089 5/16/05 Annual Report on Activities Associated with

Evaluating Scientific Information and

Radiation Protection Recommendations

Commission Correspondence

- Letter to Congress, dated May 23, 2005, provides the March 2005 report on the status of

NRC’s licensing and other regulatory activities.
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Management Changes at Entergy Nuclear Northeast and Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC)

The Entergy Nuclear Northeast announced the following management changes: (1) Chris

Schwarz has been named Entergy Nuclear Northeast Vice President of Operations Support,

replacing Brian O’Grady, who has left the company. Mr. Schwarz has been the IPEC General

Manager of Plant Operations since joining Entergy in 2002. Before joining Entergy, Mr.

Schwarz was the Station Director of Operations for Millstone Station; (2) Paul Rubin has been

named IPEC General Manager of Plant Operations. Mr. Rubin previously held positions as the

Planning, Scheduling and Outage Manager, and IPEC Unit 2 Operations Manager; and (3) Fred

Dacimo has resumed his role as IPEC Site Vice President after a temporary assignment at the

Entergy Nuclear Northeast White Plains Office.

Seabrook - Special Inspection

Region I is dispatching a special inspection team to the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New

Hampshire to continue the review of security at the plant. The onsite portion of the inspection is

scheduled to begin on June 6, 2005. Consisting of five inspectors from both the Region I office

and the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response at headquarters, the special

inspection team will be tasked with following up on NRC-identified findings from an inspection

conducted in May. The identified deficiencies were immediately compensated by the licensee

in accordance with the site Security Plan, and the adequacy of the measures were reviewed by

Region I security inspectors. The multi-disciplinary special inspection team will review the

licensee’s root cause analysis and evaluate the long term corrective actions planned by the

licensee.

Vermont Yankee - Emergency Preparedness Exercise

On May 24-26, 2005, an emergency preparedness exercise was held to test the Vermont

Yankee onsite emergency response capabilities as well as the offsite emergency response

capabilities of State governments and local communities in the 50-mile ingestion pathway

emergency planning zone surrounding the plant. On June 2, the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) hosted a public meeting to discuss the results of the exercise. 

NRC staff participated in this meeting. While FEMA is still in the process of characterizing the

findings from the exercise, FEMA stated that several strengths and a few weaknesses were

identified during the exercise. FEMA stated that it plans to issue letters to the affected States

during the week of June 6, describing the results of the exercise. 
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Regional Utilities Group (RUG) Meeting 

Region I NRC staff participated in a RUG meeting on June 2, 2005. The Region I RUG was reconstituted in 2004 as a forum for communicating reactor program and implementation issues,

at the working level. The meeting was attended by 16 utility representatives and involved

several NRC staff and management including the Regional Administrator. During the meeting a

variety of Reactor Oversight Process subjects were discussed including the significance

determination process, cross cutting issues, emergency preparedness, security, and annual

assessment meeting effectiveness.
June 3, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

Palo Verde - Predecisional Enforcement Conference

On June 1, 2005, the Regional Administrator and other NRC staff held an enforcement

conference with the Palo Verde licensee. The purpose of the conference was to discuss an

apparent violation related to a change made to emergency action levels that apparently

decreased the effectiveness of the site emergency plan without prior NRC approval. 

Representatives of the State of Arizona and the Phoenix Mayor’s office listened in via

teleconference.

High Mountain Inspection Services, Inc. - Predecisional Enforcement Conference

On May 31, 2005, the regional management and staff held an enforcement conference via

telephone with High Mountain Inspection Services, Inc., an industrial radiography licensee

located in Mills, Wyoming. The apparent violation of interest involved the licensee’s failure to

fully comply with the “two-person rule” required by 10 CFR 34.41, in conjunction with not

providing required dosimetry to the second person of a two-person crew. 
June 3, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending June 3, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 21

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Shane 06/08/05

SD-406

TBA Markup S. 858, Nuclear Fees

Reauthorization, S. 865, PriceAnderson Amendments Act, S. 864,Nuclear Safety and Security Act 

Senators Clean Air

 Nuclear SEnvironm

Madden 06/23/05 or

06/30/05SD-406Tentative

TBA NRC NRC Budget Senators 

Clean Air

 Nuclear SEnvironm

Madden TBA

SD-562

TBA OMB, GAO Accountability and Results in Federal

Budgeting

Senators Federal FGovernmInternatioHomeland Affairs

Combs TBA

SD-366

TBA DOE, NRC Status of Yucca Mountain Senators 

Energy a

Combs April 13

2247RHOBPostponed

10:00 TBA Yucca Mountain Project: Digging for

the Truth

Reps PorFederal WOrganizaGovernm

The Senate and House of Representatives are in the Memorial Day recess. The Senate reconvenes on June 6 and H