INFORMATION REPORT

July 27, 2007 SECY-07-0123

For: The Commissioners

From: Vonna L. Ordaz, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

JULY 20, 2007

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

New Reactors B

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards C

Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs D*

Nuclear Regulatory Research E

Nuclear Security and Incident Response F

Administration G

Information Services H

Chief Financial Officer I*

Human Resources J

Small Business and Civil Rights K*

Enforcement L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N*

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 Chris Miller Acting For/

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

R. Taylor, OEDO
July 27, 2007 SECY-07-0123

For: The Commissioners

From: Vonna L. Ordaz, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

JULY 20, 2007

Contents Enclosure

Nuclear Reactor Regulation A

New Reactors B

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards C

Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs D*

Nuclear Regulatory Research E

Nuclear Security and Incident Response F

Administration G

Information Services H

Chief Financial Officer I*

Human Resources J

Small Business and Civil Rights K*

Enforcement L*

Public Affairs M

International Programs N*

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 Chris Miller Acting For/

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

R. Taylor, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

EDO R/F

AO R/F Document Name: C:\WIR\week720.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

RTaylor VLOrdaz

07/26/07 07/27/07
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 20, 2007

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: R. Taylor, OEDO by E-mail: rxt2@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 OE *

NRO 3 OPA 17

NMSS 4 OIP *

FSME * SECY 19

RES 6 Region I *

NSIR 10 Region II 21

ADM 11 Region III *

OIS 12 Region IV *

CFO * EDO *

HR 16 OCA 25

SBCR *

*No input this week
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Generic Safety Issues (GSI)-191 Audit at North Anna

On July 16-20, 2007, the staff participated in a GSI-191 audit at North Anna. The staff’s

involvement in this audit focused on protective coatings, debris, and chemical effects. The staff

identified several open items as a result of exceptions taken to the current guidance for

qualified coating assessment and unfinished chemical effects testing. These items will be

closed when the applicable test data is provided by the licensee and reviewed by the NRC staff

as part of the final resolution of Generic Letter 2004-02. 

Meeting with Industry on Advanced Finite Element Analyses of Pressurizer Nozzle Weld Flaws

On July 17, 2007, staff members from NRR and the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research met

with representatives of industry responsible for conducting the advanced finite element fracture

mechanics analyses. These analyses were undertaken to address NRC staff’s concerns

regarding primary water stress corrosion cracking in pressurizer nozzle welds. Industry

submitted a draft report on the analysis results on July 10, 2007. The purpose of the meeting

was for NRC staff to provide comments on the draft report. Industry provided the NRC staff

with the results of additional analyses that were performed after the issuance of the draft report

that address NRC staff comments recommending additional treatment of multiple flaws initiation

sites. Industry also discussed its planned approach for addressing Advisory Committee on

Reactor Safeguards comments. A public meeting is scheduled for August 9, 2007, to provide a

comprehensive discussion of analyses and conclusions.

Monthly Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Public Meeting

On July 18, 2007, the staff held the monthly ROP public meeting. The purpose of this meeting

is to allow discussion of staff initiatives and provide a forum for industry feedback. Meeting

attendees discussed mitigating systems performance index implementation, safety culture

integration into the reactor oversight process, performance indicator issues, and open and new

frequently asked questions for the ROP.

Work-Hour Information Gathering

On July 16-18, 2007, the staff conducted site visits to the Salem and North Anna facilities to

gather information regarding the control of work hours for personnel performing safety-related

functions during refueling outages. The information will be used in the regulatory analysis for

the Part 26 Fitness for Duty Programs rulemaking.

License Renewal Application for Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

On July 17, 2007, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) Panel held oral arguments on

the pending 10 CFR 2.309 petition for hearing on the Shearon Harris License Renewal

Application. The hearing, held in Raleigh, NC, discussed the four contentions filed by North
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE A

Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network and Nuclear Information and Resources

Service. The ASLB is scheduled to render a decision by September 2007.

Rejection of 10 CFR 2.206 Petition

On July 12, 2007, the Petition Review Board comprised of multiple NRC offices, including NRR,

Region III, the Office of Enforcement and the Office of General Council rejected a 10 CFR

2.206 petition request by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The UCS, represented by

Mr. David Lochbaum, petitioned the NRC to take enforcement actions against the Davis-Besse

plant (the licensee) and other pressurized water reactors in the U.S. depending upon the results

of the NRC's independent review of a consultant-prepared report for the licensee's parent

company, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC). The report, known as the

Exponent report, was prepared as part of FENOC's dealings with its commercial insurer,

Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, in an attempt to capture costs associated with replacing the

Davis-Besse reactor vessel head. The NRC either denied or rejected all requested actions in

the proposed petition. 

Millstone Unit 3 Stretch Power Uprate (SPU) Application

By application dated July 13, 2007, the licensee requested a 7% SPU for Millstone Unit 3. The

application requests NRC approval of the amendment by June 30, 2008, with an

implementation period of 12 months following NRC's approval of the amendment.

Issuance of Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2007-17, Preparation and Scheduling of Operator

Licensing Examinations

On July 12, 2007, the NRC staff issued the subject RIS to inform addressees of the NRC staff’s

need for updated information on projected site-specific operator licensing examination

schedules, as well as the estimated numbers of applicants planning to take operator licensing

examinations and the NRC’s generic fundamentals examinations. This information will help the

NRC to more effectively use its resources.
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE B

Office of New Reactors (NRO)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Receipt of Partial Combined License Application (COLA)

On July 13, 2007, UniStar Nuclear submitted the first part of its COLA for a U.S. Evolutionary

Power Reactor designated as Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNP) Unit 3 to be located in

Lusby, Maryland, adjacent to CCNPP Units 1 and 2. This partial application was supplemented

on July 16, 2007, and contained the environmental report, safety analysis report Chapter 2,

“Site Characteristics,” and other information such as financial qualifications and copies of state

and local emergency response plans as required by 10 CFR 2.101(a)(5). The staff is currently

performing an acceptance review of the partial application and, if found acceptable, the staff will

docket the application. The second and final part of the CCNPP Unit 3 COLA should be

submitted by March 2008. 
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Public Meeting on Post-closure Performance of a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain

On July 11-12, 2007, the NRC held an Appendix 7 meeting with the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE), in Las Vegas, on topics related to post-closure performance of a geologic repository at

Yucca Mountain - specifically, multiscale thermohydrologic models, the chemistry of water in the

near-field environment, and colloids and in-package chemistry. Members of the public attended

as observers.

Quarterly Management Meeting with USEC Inc.

On July 9, 2007, a quarterly management meeting was held with USEC, related to its gas

centrifuge uranium enrichment plants. Management and staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle

Safety and Safeguards, and Region II, discussed the status of several licensing actions, the

completion of the mandatory hearing, and the upcoming quality assurance inspection. USEC

made a presentation and discussed its licensing status, organizational changes, manufacturing

status, lease status, construction status, and planned activities at the plants, in the next six

months.

NRC and DOE Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Global Nucear Energy

Partnership (GNEP)

On July 13, 2007, NRC and DOE signed an MOU covering NRC involvement in DOE’s GNEP. 

NRC Executive Director for Operations Luis Reyes signed the MOU with Paul Lisowski, DOE’s

Deputy Program Manager for GNEP. The MOU covers: (1) NRC participation in DOE technical

information exchanges; (2) NRC review and analysis of reports and engineering studies; (3)

NRC observation of tests, simulations, and demonstrations; (4) NRC participation in facility

tours, meetings, and conferences; and (5) development of NRC staff’s knowledge base in

GNEP. A separate Interagency Agreement is being developed to cover the specific tasks

outlined in the MOU.

Meeting with Florida Power and Light (FP&L) Regarding Planned Independent Spent Fuel

Storage Installations (ISFSIs)

On July 18, 2007, Division of Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation staff met with

representatives of FP&L, in Rockville, Maryland, to discuss FP&L’s plans for ISFSIs, at the St.

Lucie, Seabrook, and Turkey Point sites. FP&L intends to use the Transnuclear Incorporated,

NUHOMS® HD dry cask storage system, under the general license provisions of 10 CFR Part

72, at all three sites.

Construction is underway at both St. Lucie and Seabrook; FP&L plans to transfer the first

loaded casks to the ISFSIs at those sites in March and August of 2008, respectively. Initial

cask loading at the Turkey Point ISFSI is scheduled for 2011. FP&L described its proposed 
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE C

design and licensing changes for the NUHOMS® HD system, which include the need for a

longer transfer cask and canister for the St. Lucie fuel, the addition of fuel types not currently

approved in CoC No. 1030, and the likely need for an exemption regarding the low ambient

temperature limit to allow loading at Seabrook.
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE E

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

RES Publication of NUREG/CR-6938, “Final Report - Assessment of Potential Phosphate IonCementitious Materials Interactions” 

On July 12, 2007, NUREG/CR-6938 was published, documenting the results of research

conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the potential effects of phosphate ions on

cementitious materials used in concrete nuclear structures. Laboratory studies indicated that

no harmful interactions occurred between phosphate solutions and concrete samples after

exposure of up to eighteen months. The research also provided improved information which

can be utilized to assess the effects and concentration of phosphate ions in groundwater and

soil. The results of the subject research will support NRC’s review of license renewal

applications. 

RES Publication of Draft Regulatory Guide 1132 (DG-1132), “Qualification of Safety-Related

Cables and Field Splices for Nuclear Power Plants”

On July 16, 2007, the subject draft regulatory guide was issued, describing a method that the

NRC considers acceptable for complying with its regulations for qualification of safety-related

cables and field splices for nuclear power plants. 

RES Informational Seminar on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

Piping Failure Data Exchange (OPDE) Database

On July 20, 2007, the staff presented an informational seminar on the OPDE database, which is

the product of an international cooperative effort to establish a comprehensive database on

pipe degradation and failure in commercial nuclear power plants. The OPDE database

provides data that is useful for operating experience and trending analysis, probabilistic risk

analysis, risk-informed inservice inspections, probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis, and

mitigation strategies evaluation.

Fire Modeling Phenomena Identification Ranking Table (PIRT) Meetings

During the week of July 9, 2007, RES held the second of three fire modeling PIRT meetings. 

This is the first time the PIRT process is being formally applied to fire modeling. Sandia

National Laboratories is moderating the PIRT for the NRC and is preparing a summary report

for issuance at calendar year’s end. RES expects to use the completed PIRT to assist in the

development of the Fire Modeling Users Guide and future experiments.

Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) Meeting

On July 18, 2007, the staff held a public meeting with PBMR (Pty) Ltd to discuss the staff’s

ongoing review of four white papers that have been submitted regarding a pebble-bed high

temperature gas-cooled reactor design that is being proposed for submittal as a design

certification application. The application is expected to be submitted in the later part of 2009. 

The subjects of the white papers are: (1) PBMR’s approach to probabilistic risk assessment;
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE E

(2) the identification of licensing basis events; (3) the classification of structures systems and

components; and (4) the defense-in-depth approach. In addition to the technical discussions,

PBMR (Pty) Ltd presented its plans to submit about 15 additional white papers before the end

of 2008. The staff provided information about NRC’s current priorities and resource constraints

as applicable to its pre-application review.
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE F

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Preliminary Notifications

• PNO-I-07-006, AMERGEN ENERGY COMPANY, LLC, REACTOR SCRAM ON LOW

REACTOR VESSEL WATER LEVEL DUE TO A TRIP OF THE ‘C’ REACTOR FEED

PUMP
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending July 20, 2007

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC–Multi-Purpose Canister (MPC) PC

Revision 5; Confirmation of Effective Date (AI13 - Part 72)

On July 13, 2007, the NRC published a document in the Federal Register (72 FR 38469) that

confirms the July 24, 2007, effective date for a direct final rule amending the entry for the NAC

International, Inc., NAC-MPC cask system in the list of approved spent fuel storage casks

(Amendment 5). This action modifies the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) by revising the

Technical Specifications to incorporate changes to the reporting and monitoring requirements to

allow for visual inspection of the air inlet and outlet vents instead of thermal monitoring, and to

replace all references to backfilling the cask with air to backfilling with inert gas. The rule also

revises the CoC description to remove the requirement for tamper-indicating devices on the

Vertical Concrete Casks.

Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-50-86)

On July 18, 2007, the NRC published a document in the Federal Register (72 FR 39354) that

denies a petition for rulemaking submitted by Sherwood Martinelli. The petitioner requested

that the NRC amend its regulations to provide financial protection for individuals harmed by

releases of nuclear material following an incident or attack at a nuclear facility, and to require

licensees to pay for satellite communication systems for nuclear power plant communities to

“protect human health and the environment.” The petitioner also requested that nuclear

facilities licensed by the NRC or the Federal government provide adequate funding to enable

every family living within 10 miles of a nuclear facility to build, stock, and maintain a personal

family shelter to allow families to shelter in place during releases of nuclear material following

an incident or attack at a nuclear facility. The NRC is denying this petition because the NRC

has determined that PRM-50-86 requests the NRC to take actions that exceed the NRC's

authority, requests that the NRC address issues that the NRC has already considered in

previous rulemakings, and fails to adequately support its requests to revise NRC regulations.
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE H

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

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

of July 13 through July 19, 2007:

Exelon proposed nuclear plant sites in Texas, all records FOIA/PA-2007-0248

Statement of Work for contract GS-23F-9762H, relocation contract

with Cartus

FOIA/PA-2007-0249

Erwin Nuclear Reprocessing facility, Erwin, TN, all records re: March

2006 uranium discharge and related effects on Greene County, TN,

drinking water, soil, residents

FOIA/PA-2007-0250

Office of the Inspector General report 06-69, all records FOIA/PA-2007-0251
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Arrivals

BROCKMAN, KENNETH CONSULTANT HR

CHIEN, NAN P. DANNY REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER NRO

DALZELL, JENNIFER REACTOR ENGINEER (NSPDP) RIII

DRAPER, JASON REACTOR ENGINEER (NSPDP) RIII

GILLIAM, JASMINE REACTOR ENGINEER (NSPDP) RIII

HOSSEINI, JAY IT SPECIALIST OIS

LEUNG, PEGGY INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS SPECIALIST HR

MIZUNO, BETH ATTORNEY OGC

PATTERSON III, ROBERT REACTOR INSPECTOR (NSPDP) RII

ROSE, MARET SECRETARY (OA) RI

SHAY, JASON PROGRAM ANALYST CFO

Retirements

KREH, JAMES EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS INSP. R-II

LEE, JANICE DIRECTOR OIP

Departure

O'SHAUGHNESSY, MICHELE PROJECT MANAGER (WIR) FSME
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

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

A flood of media inquiries regarding the earthquake at the Japanese reactor complex.

Regulatory requirements for distribution of irradiated gemstones, and NRC’s proposed rule on

the expanded definition of byproduct material.

Oyster Creek’s reactor scram triggered by a feedwater pump and the insignificant release of

steam with low levels of tritium.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA set up Chairman Klein’s interview by CNN’s Situation Room to assure the public about

U.S. plants and their earthquake resistence designs.

OPA supported Commissioner McGaffigan’s interview on Federal news radio on Tuesday

where he discussed the NRC’s action to fix the weakness in our materials licensing program

pointed out by the GAO “sting.”

OPA supported Kristine Svinick’s Confirmation Hearing Tuesday that was covered by Las

Vegas Review-Tribune, BNA, Platts, McClatchy Newspapers and Exchange Monitor.

OPA provided factual information and expert references to a reporter on studies of populations

near nuclear power plants showing no adverse health effects. This was in contrast to what

others claimed at a public session on the Shearon Harris plant license renewal application. No

story has been published to date.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

07-085 NRC, DOE to Hold Public Meeting in Washington on Non-High Level Waste

Determination (7/18)

07-086 NRC Releases Documents Concerning NFS Uranium Spill, Reviews Public

Disclosure Policy Concerning Certain Fuel Facilities (7/19)

Regions:

IV-07-027 NRC Proposes $3,250 Fine for C&W Enterprises, Inc. (7/16)
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SECY-07-0108 7/2/07 Rulemaking Plan to Revise 10 CFR 51.22,

“Criterion for Categorical Exclusion;

Identification of Licensing and Regulatory

Actions Eligible for Categorical Exclusion or

Otherwise Not Requiring Environmental

Review” (RM# 644)

Information Papers

2. SECY-07-0110 7/6/07 Summary of Activities Related to Generic

Issues Program

3. SECY-07-0117 7/13/07 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

July 6, 2007

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Senator Thomas R. Carper, dated July 10, 2007, seeks support to assist the

NRC in acquiring additional permanent office space near the agency’s present

headquarters facilities.

2. Letter to Vilmos Cserveny, dated July 10, 2007, responds to invitation to participate in the

10th Scientific Forum on the occasion of this year’s IAEA General Conference.

Federal Register Notices Issued

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

Subcommittee on Plant Operations, notice of meeting (08/14/2007). 

2. Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Notice of Reconstitution, Shaw AREVA MOX

Services (Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility), Docket No. 70-3098-MLA, ASLBP No.

07-856-02-MLA-BD01. 

3. Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, Notice of Opportunity to Make Oral or Written

Limited appearance Statements Concerning Proposed License Renewal (Vermont

Yankee Nuclear Power Station). 
July 20, 2007 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

V. C. Summer Pre-Decisional Enforcement Conference

On July 17, 2007, representatives from South Carolina Electric and Gas Company attended an

open Pre-Decisional Enforcement Conference in the RII Office. The purpose of the meeting

was to discuss the status of inspection findings.
July 20, 2007 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending July 20, 2007

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE, NO. 24

OCA

Contact

 DATE &

 PLACE

TIME COMMITTEE SUBJECT 

Schmidt /

Keeling

07/17/07

406 Dirksen

10:00 Senate Environment and Public

Works Committee(Senators Boxer / Inhofe)

Nomination Hearing < Krist

Com

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SecrWildl

Sahm 07/17/07

342 Dirksen

10:00 Senate Homeland Security and

Governmental Affairs Committee(Senators Lieberman / Collins)

Federal Acquisition, focusing onhow to strengthen competitionand accountability

< David 

Gene

< Marc

Acqu

< Stan 

Profe

Sahm 07/18/07

2154

Rayburn

2:00 House Oversight and Government

Reform Committee, Subcommitteeon Government Management,Organization, and Procurement (Representatives Towns / Bilbray)

"Federal Contracting: Do PoorPerformers Keep Winning?"

< TBD