INFORMATION REPORT

July 7, 2005 SECY-05-0122

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0122 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JULY 1, 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:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
July 7, 2005 SECY-05-0122 

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0122 - “WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING JULY 1, 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:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week701.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

LJRakovan WMDean

07/07/05 07/08/05 
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 1, 2005

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 20

ADM 10 Region II *

OIS 11 Region III *

CFO * Region IV *

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Staff Holds Public Meeting on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for an Early Site

Permit (ESP) at the Grand Gulf ESP Site

On Tuesday, June 28, 2005, the staff conducted a meeting to solicit comments from the public

on the subject draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). Over 150 people attended the

meeting, including members of the public, representatives of the NRC staff, Pacific Northwest

National Laboratory, System Energy Resources Inc (SERI, the applicant), local governments,

and the local news media. Speakers expressed views supporting and opposing the Grand Gulf

ESP. Members of the public raised questions and presented comments primarily regarding

security, terrorism, alternative energy sources, and radiological effluent releases. 

The public comment period for the Grand Gulf ESP ends on July 14, 2005. At the conclusion of

the comment period, the staff will evaluate the comments received, revise the DEIS and then

issue the final EIS.

Nuclear Generation Owners and Operators Meeting

On June 23, 2005, NRR staff participated in the Nuclear Generation Owners and Operators

meeting in Wilmington, Delaware, which was sponsored by PJM (Pennsylvania, Jersey,

Maryland). PJM is the transmission system operator that also serves the Chicago and Virginia

areas. This meeting was part of the continuing efforts by the electric power industry to address

the operational needs for reliable offsite power to nuclear stations. The NRC staff participates

in these meetings on transmission system operation, consistent with the Commission’s direction

for the staff to work with the industry to improve grid reliability. 

The meeting attendees, particularly the nuclear plant licensees, asked questions about the draft

generic letter, “Grid Reliability and the Impact on Plant Risk and the Operability of Offsite

Power,” which was published for public comment in the Federal Register on April 12, 2005. 

The comment period ended on June 13, 2005. Some licensee representatives stated that they

do not have planned actions when the transmission system operator notifies the nuclear plant

about a grid contingency that would not meet the voltage conditions to support operation of

safety systems. Other licensees stated that they have procedures with specific actions to take

when the transmission operator informs them of a grid contingency. The meeting attendees

generally agreed that steps should be taken to reduce the possibility of a nuclear power plant

trip and to ensure operational readiness of the onsite power sources.

First License Amendment Pursuant to Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2005-05

On June 29, 2005, NRR staff issued an amendment for the Farley Nuclear Plant that reconciles

the licensing basis between spent fuel pool (SFP) and the spent fuel cask activities. The Farley

amendment is the first amendment issued pursuant to the NRC staff guidance in RIS 2005-05,

"Regulatory Issues Regarding Criticality Analyses for Spent Fuel Pools and Independent Spent

Fuel Storage Installations." The amendment will enable the licensee to move spent fuel into the
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation and thereby maintain the capability for a full core

offload into the SFP. 
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Approval of Design for Transport Package for Fresh Mixed-Oxide Fuel

On June 24, 2005, the Spent Fuel Project Office issued Certificate of Compliance No. 9295 for

the Model No. MFFP package. The package is designed for the transport of unirradiated mixed

(uranium and plutonium) oxide fuel assemblies. The package was designed to be used by the

Department of Energy as part of its fissile material disposition program.

Meeting with National Conference of State Legislatures’ High-Level Radioactive Waste Working

Group

On June 27-28, 2005, NMSS staff participated in a meeting of the National Conference of State

Legislatures’ High-Level Radioactive Waste Working Group held in Washington, DC. The

meeting focused on the licensing of the Yucca Mountain repository, private fuel storage, and

associated transportation issues. The Working Group membership consists of State legislators

representing 33 states, including Nevada and Utah. NMSS participants gave presentations on

the licensing process for approving the construction and operation of a high-level waste

repository and the certification process for approving spent fuel shipping casks. Other

presentations were given by the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, the Western Interstate Energy Board, the Council of

State Governments, and the National Academy of Sciences. The presentations were followed

by a general roundtable discussion.
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Meeting with NEI, and EPRI’s Consultants on New Plant Seismic Issues

On June 22 and 23, 2005, staff members from RES and NRR attended a meeting with

representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the Electric Power Research Institute

(EPRI), and EPRI’s consultants. The topic of the meeting was the technical program being

conducted by NEI to resolve seismic issues for new nuclear power plants. An outline of the

industry program was presented at a public meeting on May 25, 2005. At this meeting, industry

described the details of its technical program, including the technical basis for two separate

efforts to reduce the effects of high frequency (10 to ~ 100 Hertz) ground motion and its

influence on the seismic design spectra. 

Proprietary NUREG-1826 Documents APEX-AP1000 Confirmatory Testing to Support AP1000

Design Certification Issued

On June 30, 2005, the staff issued the proprietary version of NUREG-1826, "APEX-AP1000

Confirmatory Testing to Support AP1000 Design Certification." This report documents the

confirmatory integral testing conducted at Oregon State University's Advanced Plant

Experiment (APEX) facility, in support of the certification of Westinghouse Electric Company's

AP1000 advanced passive nuclear reactor design. Specifically, the NRC sponsored eight

beyond-design-basis accident tests at the APEX facility to confirm AP1000 safety margins and

provide a database to assess NRC's thermal-hydraulic computer codes. This report presents

the results of these tests, along with a detailed scaling analysis and facility description. The

results of the independent analyses were factored into the NRC staff's conclusion that

Westinghouse's application for AP1000 design certification would meet the applicable content

requirements of 10 CFR 52.47, as well as the review standards of 10 CFR 52.48, as

documented in the AP1000 Final Safety Evaluation Report issued in September 2004. A nonproprietary version of the document is being prepared for public release.

Meeting on the International Aerosol Trapping in Steam Generator (ARTIST) Program

On June 20-22, 2005, staff participated in the 3rd annual Meeting of the Aerosol Trapping in

Steam Generator (ARTIST) Project Program Review Committee in Brugg, Switzerland. 

ARTIST is an experimental investigation of the aerosol retention in the primary and secondary

sides of steam generators to better quantify the risks that should be ascribed to accidents

involving rupture of steam generators. The project is important since it addresses a class of

containment bypass accidents that can be risk dominant in pressurized water reactors. The

results of the work can lead to changes in the relative risks of various classes of reactor

accidents which may have ramifications on risk-informed regulatory programs at NRC including

the Reactor Oversight Process, operator training, maintenance, etc.
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-II-05-003, Florida Power & Light Co., Unit 4 - FIRE IN THE MAIN TRANSFORMER.

2. PNO-II-05-010, Fermi 2 - FORCED OUTAGE DUE TO REACTOR BUILDING CLOSED

COOLING WATER SYSTEM LEAK IN THE DRYWELL.

3. PNO-IV-05-008, Energy Northwest - NOTICE OF UNUSUAL EVENT DUE TO

DETECTION OF FLAMMABLE GAS IN THE GENERAL SERVICES BUILDING.
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending July 1, 2005

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: VSC-24, Amendment 5, Revision (AH70 - Part 72)

On June 30, 2005, the NRC published a direct final rule in the Federal Register (70 FR 37647)

that revises the VSC-24 (Ventilated Storage Cask) (Amendment 5) cask system listing in the list

of approved spent fuel storage casks. This action changes the certificate holder’s name from

Pacific Sierra Nuclear Associates to BNG Fuel Solutions Corporation. The direct final rule

becomes effective September 13, 2005.

On June 30, 2005, the NRC published the companion proposed rule to this direct final rule in

the Federal Register (70 FR 37714). The comment period closes August 1, 2005.

Contract Awards

On June 14, 2005, a competitive cost reimbursement contract no. NRC-02-05-004 was

awarded to CTR Technical Services, Inc., as a result of a full and open competition. The

contractor shall provide technical expertise to identify significant nuclear criticality safety issues

associated with processing uranium in a uranium-enrichment or fuel fabrication facility. The

estimated cost is $35,400 for an eight month period of performance.

On June 21, 2005, a competitive, fixed-price, delivery order (requirements) contract No. NRC38-05-378 was awarded to The Woodard Corporation for the Office of Human Resources

(Technical Training Center). The contractor will provide training courses for NRC inspectors

and other technical personnel on the operation and maintenance of emergency diesel

generators utilized at nuclear power plants for emergency power. The total value is $596,438. 

The period of performance is five years, including four one-year option periods.
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

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

June 24 through June 30, 2005:

Verto Institute, 303 College Road East, Princeton, Middlesex Co., NJ

08540, license no. 29-23754-01, any information

FOIA/PA-2005-0275

Hospital Corp. Of America (HCA) and its affiliated hospitals,

inspections, all correspondence

FOIA/PA-2005-0276

Inspection Report 030-03537-90-1, Tripler Army Medical Center,

Honolulu, HI

FOIA/PA-2005-0277

Human radiation experiments on named individual FOIA/PA-2005-0278

Transportation incident involved radiation emitted from package

shipped by Studvik, Stockholm, Sweden to Source Production &

Equipment Co., St. Rose, LA, on or about 12-27-2001

FOIA/PA-2005-0279

Grand Gulf 3 nuclear power plant, all records re: planning & possible

construction

FOIA/PA-2005-0280

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, records of used or contaminated

equipment and/or materials received from other sites between 6-1-

1951 & 12-31-1953

FOIA/PA-2005-0281

Korean nuclear program, 1984-1990 (Referral by Dept. Of State) FOIA/PA-2005-0282

Korean nuclear program, 1984-1990 (Referral by Dept. Of State) FOIA/PA-2005-0283

Allegation R1-2003-A-0110, OI Investigation Case 1-2003-045, &

NRC Review of Safety Conscious Work Environment issues from 08-

2003 to 10-2004, case no. 1-2003-55F, all supporting information

FOIA/PA-2005-0284
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Arrivals

John M. Montgomery IT Specialist OIS

Retirements

Doris J. Curseen Information Management Analyst OIS

Ronald Gardner Sr. Project Manager R-III

Edward McGaffigan, Jr Commissioner OCM

Carol Ann Reed Team Leader OIS

Departures

Christopher Martin Reactor Inspector R-III

Monica Walter-Williams Resident Inspector R-III
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

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

The National Academy of Sciences report on Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR-7).

The public meeting on Vermont Yankee’s power uprate application.

A containment cooler leak and subsequent shutdown at Fermi.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA arranged an interview with Chairman Diaz for The Economist.

OPA supported a public meeting on Grand Gulf’s early site permit application.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-096 NRC Finds No Significant Environmental Impacts from Extended Operation of

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2 & 3 (6/29)

05-097 NRC Reports Lowest Average Occupational Dose Ever for Nuclear Power

Plant Workers in 2004 (6/30)

05-098 NRC Renews Operating License for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2, for an

Additional 20 Years (7/1)

Regions:

No regional press releases this week.
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-05-0104 6/13/05 Options and Recommendation for the

Potential Role of the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission During the Development of the

Department of Energy Environmental

Impact Statement on Disposal of GreaterThan-Class-C Radioactive Waste (SRMM050215)

2. SRM-SECY-05-0104 6/30/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0104

6/30/05 (same)

3. SECY-05-0106 6/14/05 Proposed Rulemaking to Revise 10 CFR

73.1, Design Basis Threat (DBT)

Requirements

4. SRM-SECY-05-0073 6/30/05 Implementation of New USNRC

Responsibilities Under the National Defense

Authorization Act of 2005 in Reviewing

Waste Determinations for the USDOE

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0073

6/30/05 (same)

5. COMGBJ-05-0001 05/18/05 Improving Transparency in the 10 CFR Sec.

20.2002 Process

SRM-COMGBJ-05-

0001

6/30/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0001

6/30/05 (same)

6. SECY-05-0091 5/18/05 Task Force Report on Public Disclosure of

Security-Related Information

SRM on 05-0091 6/30/05 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0091

6/30/05 (same)
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

7. SRM on SECY-05-

0074

6/30/05 Proposed Rule to Amend the Fitness-forDuty Requirements in 10 CFR Part 26

Commission Voting

Record on 05-0074

6/30/05 (same)

Memoranda

1. SRM-M050629A 6/29/05 Affirmation Session: SECY-05-0038 -

Yankee Atomic Electric Co. (Yankee

Nuclear Power Station), Licensee’s and

NRC Staff’s Appeal of LBP-04-27

2. SRM-M050625B 6/30/05 Briefing on Results of the Agency Action

Review Meeting (SECY-05-0070)

3. SRM-M050628 6/30/05 Briefing on Equal Employment Opportunity

(EEO) Program

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressman David Price, dated June 23, 2005, responds to concerns

regarding the report recently released by the National Academy of Science’s (NAS)

Committee on the Safety and Security of Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Final Rule: 10 CFR Part 110, Rin 3150-AH44, Export and Import of Radioactive

Materials: Security Policies

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Meeting of the Subcommittee on Reactor

Fuels, Revised (notice of 7/27-29/05 meeting).

3. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, Meeting on Planning and Procedures, Notice of

Meeting (7/19/05). 
July 1, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 1, 2005

Approval of Settlement Agreement and Termination of Hearing Regarding Safety Light

Corporation Request for License Renewal

The NRC staff, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the

Safety Light Corporation (SLC) filed a "Joint Motion to Approve Settlement Agreement, Dismiss

Hearing Requests, and Terminate Proceeding" with the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board

(ASLB) on June 20, 2005. The ASLB granted the Motion on June 29, 2005. The Agreement is

consistent with the public interest in that it: 1) provides reasonable assurance that SLC can

conduct licensed activities safely and in accordance with NRC requirements (including certain

exemptions from financial assurance requirements for decommissioning) during the specified

licensing term; 2) provides for continuation of licensed operation with the accumulation of funds

available for decommissioning the Bloomsburg site; 3) requires the completion of certain

actions to provide for an orderly shutdown of licensed activities; and 4) resolves disputes

without the need for further litigation.

CTI Consultants, Inc. (CTI) Management Meeting

At the request of CTI, Region I held a management meeting with CTI on June 29, 2005, to

discuss the findings of the routine inspection that was conducted April 4, 5, and 6, 2005, at

CTI’s branch offices and temporary job sites. The inspection revealed a number of repeat

violations. CTI representatives discussed its reorganized management oversight of the

radiation safety program and corrective actions that have been taken and will be taken to

correct the violations identified. The meeting was open to members of the public, but none

attended.