INFORMATION REPORT

January 3, 2005 SECY-05-0001

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0001 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 17, 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:

T. Kim, OEDO
January 3, 2005 SECY-05-0001

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-05-0001 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 17, 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:

T. Kim, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\WeekD17.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TKim:paa WMDean

12/30/04 01/03/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 17, 2004

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 9 SECY 19

OGC * Region I 20

ADM 10 Region II 21

CIO 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV 23

HR 15 OEDO * 

SBCR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Public Meeting with Progress Energy Regarding Fire Protection Program Upgrades

On December 9, 2004, the staff held a public meeting at the NRC offices in Rockville, Maryland

with representatives from Progress Energy to discuss planned upgrades of the fire protection

programs at the Progress Energy’s fleet of nuclear power plants including, Brunswick, Crystal

River 3, Harris, and Robinson. This was a followup to the meeting held on January 7, 2004.

The Progress Energy’s initiative to upgrade the fire protection programs stemmed, in part, from 

response to some previously identified NRC inspection issues, as well as to keep pace with

proposed enhancements to NRC fire protection regulations, such as the operator manual

actions rulemaking. As part of this effort, Progress Energy will address site-specific safe

shutdown analysis issues and will incorporate the latest industry information regarding cable

failure modes and probabilities into each plant’s safe shutdown analysis. Progress Energy

expects to complete this effort for the Harris nuclear power plant in 2005, followed by

Brunswick, Robinson, and Crystal River 3.

Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2004-19, “Authorized Nuclear Inservice Inspector Access and

NRC Approved Alternatives to American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure

Vessel Code (ASME Code)”

On December 10, 2004, the NRC issued the subject RIS to inform all nuclear power plant

licensees that when the NRC reviews and authorizes a specific alternative to the ASME Code

requirements, such as the use of non-ASME Code repair to address pipe wall thinning, or the

use of an alternate inspection method, the scope of the review and authorization is based only

on matters explicitly addressed in the licensees' request. All other requirements of the ASME

Code not explicitly addressed in the authorized alternatives such as in the ASME Code Cases

must be met, including Subarticles IWA-2120 and IWA-2130. Subarticle IWA-2130 does not

distinguish the affiliation of an authorized inspector; therefore, any authorized inspectors

qualified under IWA-2120, such as the inspector of an authorized insurance company, shall

have access to the nuclear power plants. This RIS requires no action or written response from

the addressees.

Public Meeting to Discuss Industry Guidance on Implementing 10 CFR 50.69 Requirements

On December 14, 2004, the staff met with industry representatives to discuss draft revision 2 of

the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI’s) Guidance Document, NEI 00-04, "10 CFR 50.69 SSC

Categorization Guidelines," submitted on October 29, 2004, and the staff positions provided in

Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.201, "Guidelines for Categorizing Structures, Systems, and

Components in Nuclear Power Plants According to Their Safety Significance." At the meeting,

industry representatives proposed changes to NEI 00-04 based on experience gained from the

recent Surry pilot program. NEI intends to revise NEI 00-04 based on the feedback received

during the meeting and provide it to the NRC in January 2005. 
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Pubic Meeting on Mitigating System Performance Index and Reactor Oversight Process

On December 15, 2004, the staff hosted the monthly public meeting on the Mitigating Systems

Performance Index (MSPI) and the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP). Discussion topics

included the upcoming February 2005 industry MSPI workshop, the remaining scheduled MSPI

milestones for the next 12 months, and the draft probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)

requirements/guidance to be included in the MSPI guidance documents. The staff addressed

questions on Inspection Manual Chapter 609, Appendix K, “Maintenance Risk Assessment and

Risk Management Significance Determination Process.” Industry representatives discussed

status of industry subcommittees on barrier integrity, and scrams with loss of normal heat

removal performance indicators, draft revision 3 on the NEI Guidance 99-02, "Regulatory

Assessment Performance Indicator Guideline," and open and new frequently asked

performance indicators questions. The next public MSPI/ROP meeting is scheduled on

January 26-27, 2005.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses' Annual Program Review and “Five-Year

Strategic Plan”

On December 7-9, 2004, staff and senior managers from NRC and the Center for Nuclear

Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) met at the CNWRA offices in San Antonio, Texas, for

the Annual Program Review. The purpose of this meeting was to focus on the technical,

programmatic, and management aspects of the NRC programs under the CNWRA's Charter, 

including the High-Level Waste (HLW) Repository Program, the Spent Fuel Projects Office

Nuclear Waste Policy Act-related efforts, and the non-HLW NRC efforts, such as Uranium

Recovery Projects, Decommissioning Projects, Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards Projects, and

National Environmental Policy Act reviews. The CNWRA management also provided a briefing

on its “Five-Year Strategic Plan.” 

Meeting to Discuss Nuclear Fuel Services’ Application for the Champion Transport

Package Design

On December 8, 2004, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office met with representatives from

the Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., (NFS) to discuss the preliminary test plan for the Champion

transport package design. The package is being designed to transport highly enriched

uranium. The discussions centered on preliminary finite-element modeling analyses for droptesting and fire-testing. The results from these preliminary analyses will be used to determine

the worst-case orientations for physical drop-testing. NFS plans to request another meeting

with NRC in February 2005, to discuss the results from the preliminary analyses.

Region I Inspection of Advanced Care Medical, Inc.

On December 14, 2004, staff members of the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety

and a representative from the Food and Drug Administration participated in an inspection, led

by NRC Region I, of Advanced Care Medical, Inc., located in Oxford, Connecticut. Advanced

Care Medical, Inc., markets strands containing radioactive iodine-125 (I-125) seeds and bioabsorbable material used for the brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer. The I-125 seeds

were found leaking on several occasions during the last few months. The purpose of the

inspection was to observe the licensee's process of fabricating strands and to review the

licensee's root-cause analysis and the adequacy of the licensee's corrective actions.

Information Meeting with General Atomics and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

On December 15, 2004, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office held an information meeting

with representatives of General Atomics (GA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to discuss

plans for future licensing actions for the GA-4 Legal Weight Truck Cask, and to discuss

ongoing activities on the design of a new rail cask for transportation of spent fuel. This new

transportation cask, called the GAMSF-21P and -57B, is based on an MHI design currently

undergoing design certification and physical drop-testing in Germany. 
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Semiannual Piping Failure Data Exchange Meeting Sponsored by the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

On December 8-10, 2004, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) staff attended the

subject meeting which was held to assemble a database of light water reactor piping failures

submitted by the member countries. Thirteen representatives from ten countries attended the

meeting. Several representatives described recent piping failure events, including a detailed

presentation on the recent Mihama pipe rupture event in Japan. The NRC’s participation in this 

project provides vital leverage for the ongoing research in this area, providing a large pool of

relevant reactor experience to draw from in order to develop meaningful piping failure frequency

estimates. The US research effort in this area is a collaboration between the NRC and Electric

Power Research Institute. 
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE D

Nuclear Security and Incident Response

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-II-04-012, Turkey Point Nuclear Plant, Unit 3 - FIRE IN TURBINE BEARING AREA

RESULTS IN SHUTDOWN GREATER THAN TWO DAYS.

2. PNO-IV-04-030, Ground Engineering Consultants - LOST SOURCE FROM A TROXLER

MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration 

Items of Interest 

Week Ending December 17, 2004

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

Parts 25 and 95)

On December 15, 2004, the NRC published a direct final rule in the Federal Register (69 FR

74949) 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 direct final rule also expands the scope of the regulations applicable to procedures for

obtaining facility security clearances to include persons who may need to process, store,

reproduce, transmit, transport, or handle NRC classified information in connection with these

activities. The direct final rule becomes effective February 28, 2005.

On December 15, 2004, the NRC published the companion proposed rule to this direct final rule

in the Federal Register (69 FR 75007). The comment period closes January 14, 2005.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

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

December 10 through December 16, 2004:

Northrup Grumman Mission Systems, 12900 Federal Systems Park

Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033, violations or issues re: Nickel-63 &

Thorium-232

FOIA/PA-2005-0070

NUREG documents, list of non-public FOIA/PA-2005-0071

IAEA forms, complete list FOIA/PA-2005-0072

NRC’s information/public records disclosure policies, correspondence

between NRC & DHS since 1-1-03

FOIA/PA-2005-0073

Premier Research Worldwide, 124 S. 15th St., Philadelphia, PA

19102, records re: environmental concerns, decommissioning

FOIA/PA-2005-0074

Differing Professional View/Opinion re: Cook nuclear generating

station containment integrity, all communications between staff

FOIA/PA-2005-0075

Licensees (MLTS) for the State of Michigan FOIA/PA-2005-0076

Fritz Enterprises (Consumers Scrap Recycling Inc.) 7777 W. Chicago

Road, Wayne County, Detroit, MI, inspection reports, most current to

most historical

FOIA/PA-2005-0077

Isomedix Operations, Inc, Spartansburg, SC, all investigative files

after June 7, 2002; January of 1994 and July of 1984

FOIA/PA-2005-0078

Allegation, NRR-2004-A-0037, all records FOIA/PA-2005-0079
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Arrivals

Edward W. Robinson Student Trainee (Engineer) NMSS

Matthew Young Student Engineer NRR
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Media Interest

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

The NRC’s public meeting at Vermont Yankee regarding the engineering inspection and the

lost-and-found spent fuel fragments.

The Atomic Safety Licensing Board’s decision to have an “informal” hearing on the Vermont

Yankee uprate request.

Impending hearings in the application of Louisiana Energy Services to build a uranium

enrichment plant in New Mexico.

The NRC’s public meeting regarding safety conscious work environment issues at Hope Creek

and Salem.

Questions over the need to repair a pump at Hope Creek.

NRC’s plan to grant a license renewal exemption for Oyster Creek.

A U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding the NRC’s revised hearing procedures in licensing

proceedings, allowing the agency to limit but not eliminate discovery and cross examination.

Other OPA Items:

OPA staff assisted at the Vermont Yankee and Hope Creek/Salem meetings.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

04-158 NRC Advisory Subcommittee to Discuss Proposed MOX Facility Report

December 15-16 in Rockville, Maryland (12/13)

04-159 NRC Meeting with PSEG Nuclear December 17 Concerning Hope Creek

Maintenance Issues (12/14)

04-160 NRC to Hold 17th Annual Regulatory Information Conference March 8-10 in

Rockville, Maryland (12/15)

04-161 NRC Expands Eligibility Categories for Seeking Access to Classified Information

(12/15)

04-162 NRC Enhances Public Meeting Schedule on its Web Site (12/15)
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

04-163 NRC Plans to Issue License Renewal Exemption for Oyster Creek Nuclear

Station (12/16)

Regions:

I-04-056 NRC Rejects License Renewal Applications for Pennsylvania Company (12/10)

I-04-057 NRC Finds Violations of Low Safety Significance at Vermont Yankee Nuclear

Power Plant (12/16)
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-04-0223 11/26/04 Request for Approval of State Comments on

the 2005 Recommendations of the

International Commission on Radiological

Protection

2. Commission Voting

Record on SECY-04-

0190

12/08/04 Final Rule: Security Requirements for

Portable Gauges Containing Byproduct

Material (RIN 3150-AH06)

3. SRM-SECY-04-0135 12/10/04 Demonstration Test Plan for Full-Scale Spent

Nuclear Fuel Rail Transportation Cask

Testing Under the Package Performance

Study

Commission Voting

Record on SECY-04-

0135

12/10/04 (same)

4. SRM-SECY-04-0221 12/13/04 Memorandum of Agreement on the

Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric

Assessment Center

Voting Record on SECY04-022112/13/04 (same)

5. SRM-SECY-04-0217 12/09/04 Distribution of Exempt Material - 

Database, Dose Limits/Criteria, and Security

Issues Related to Risk-Informing 10 CFR

Parts 30, 31, and 32

Voting Record on SECY04-021712/09/04 (same)

6. Voting Record on SECY04-021112/14/04 Final Amendments to 10 CFR Part 50,

Appendix E, Relating to (1) Nuclear

Regulatory Commission Review of Changes

to Emergency Action Levels, Paragraph IV.B

and (2) Exercise Requirements for Co-located

Licensees, Paragraph IV.F.2
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

7. SECY-04-0175 09/28/04 Options for Addressing the Surry Independent

Spent Fuel Storage Installation LicenseRenewal Period Exemption Request

SRM on SECY-04-0175 11/29/04 (same)

Voting Record on SECY04-017511/29/04 (same)

Information Paper

1. SECY-04-0231 12/13/04 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

December 3, 2004

Memoranda

1. M041207 12/14/04 Briefing on EEO Program

2. M041214A 12/14/04 Affirmation Session: I. SECY-04-0211 - Final

Amendments to 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix E,

Relating to (1) Nuclear Regulatory

Commission Review of Changes to

Emergency Action Levels, Paragraph IV.B

and (2) Exercise Requirements for Co-located

Licensees, Paragraph IV.F.2; II. SECY-04-

0225 - State of Alaska Department of

Transportation and Public Facilities

(Confirmatory Order Modifying License);

Intervenor’s Motion for Reconsideration of

CLI-04-26); III. SECY-04-0228 - Hydro

Resources, Inc. Petition for Review of LBP04-23 (FEIS Supplementation)

3. M041208B 12/15/04 Briefing on Status of Davis-Besse Lessons

Learned Task Force Recommendations

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Senator Joseph Biden, Senator Thomas Carper, and Congressman

Michael Castle, dated December 7, 2004, responds to letter concerning Salem and Hope

Creek Nuclear Power Plants.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Licensing Support System Advisory Review Panel: Notice of renewal of the Charter of the

Licensing Support Network Advisory Review Panel (LSNARP).

2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards: Notice of renewal of the Charter of the

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS).
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE O

3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic

Phenomena, notice of meeting (01/26/05). 

4. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes, notice of meeting (01/18/05). 
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region I

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Public Meeting to Discuss Recent Inspection Results at Vermont Yankee

On December 16, 2004, NRC staff presented the results of both the Special Nuclear Material

Control and Accountability Inspection and the Engineering Pilot Inspection at a Vermont State

Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP) meeting in Brattleboro, VT. Approximately 520 people

attended, including staff representatives of the Vermont Congressional delegation, State and

local officials, licensee personnel, the media, and concerned members of the public. After a

brief presentation to VSNAP, the NRC staff responded to public comments and questions.

A Government-to-Government Meeting on Indian Point

On December 16, 2004, the Regional Administrator hosted a closed meeting in Westchester

County, N.Y., between the NRC and local government organizations in the communities

surrounding the Indian Point Energy Center. Representatives from NRC Region I, the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the Spent Fuel Project Office, and the Office of Nuclear Security

and Incident Response made brief presentations. The NRC’s Director of Communications also

attended. In addition, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 

Region II office participated. Selected topics included security and safeguards, emergency

preparedness, recent plant performance, and the planned independent spent fuel storage

installation. Approximately 50 local government representatives, including State and local

officials, as well as Congressional staff members. The majority of the meeting was reserved for

questions and answers.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

USEC Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Licensee Performance Review

On December 13, 2004, Region II staff, led by the Regional Administrator and Director- Division

of Fuel Facility Inspection, conducted a public meeting in Paducah, Kentucky, to discuss

licensee performance at the USEC’s Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and the safety

conscious work environment at the Paducah and Portsmouth sites.

Tennessee Valley Authority Management Meeting

On December 15, 2004, representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority attended a

management meeting in the Regional Office to discuss strategic objectives and initiatives of

their nuclear organization.

Florida Power and Light Company - Special Inspection at St. Lucie Nuclear Plant

On December 16, 2004, Region II dispatched a Special Inspection Team to the St. Lucie

nuclear plant to assess the circumstances and activities associated with the failures of two

safety-related circuit breakers. On two separate occasions, December 9 and on December 13,

St. Lucie, Unit 1 experienced apparent malfunctions of circuit breakers associated with 1A and

1C component cooling water (CCW) pumps, respectively.

Duke Energy Corporation - Predecisional Enforcement Conference

On December 17, 2004, the Regional Administrator and Director- Division of Reactor Projects

attended a Predecisional Enforcement Conference held in NRC headquarters to discuss 

apparent violations regarding the completeness and accuracy of a license amendment request

to allow the use of mixed oxide fuel at the Catawba nuclear power plant.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region III

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Public Meeting to Discuss License Renewal Inspection Findings at D. C. Cook

On December 15, 2004, Region III staff met with representatives of American Electric Power in

Buchanan, Michigan, for a public meeting to discuss the preliminary findings of NRC

inspections of the utility’s program for managing the effects of plant aging in association with its

application for renewal of the operating licenses for the two units at the D. C. Cook Nuclear

Power Station.
December 17, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 17, 2004

Diablo Canyon Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations (ISFSI)

On December 8, 2004, the California State Coastal Commission granted unanimous approval

to build the independent spent fuel storage facility at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. There

was one contingency to the decision which is undergoing a 1-year review involving public

access to 3 miles of beachfront property owned by Pacific Gas and Electric that is located north

of the plant. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is currently considering a lawsuit filed by Mothers

for Peace and the Sierra Club against the NRC regarding consideration of security (terrorism)

for the independent fuel storage facility. Construction of the independent fuel storage facility is

scheduled to begin around April 2005.

Senior Management Changes at Wolf Creek, Diablo Canyon, and Callaway

On December 14, 2004, Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Group announced that Mr. Steve

Hedges will replace Ms. Donna Jacobs as Vice President of Operations and Plant Manager at

the Wolf Creek nuclear power station. Mr. Hedges had previously held the position as

Manager, Integrated Plant Scheduling. Ms. Jacobs has recently accepted an employment with 

Pacific Gas and Electric Company as Vice President Nuclear Services at the Diablo Canyon

Power Plant. 

Ameren Union Electric announced that Mr. Charles Nasland will be assuming the position of

Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer at the Callaway nuclear plant effective

December 17, 2004, following Mr. Garry Randolph’s retirement.