INFORMATION REPORT

December 21, 2004 SECY-04-0232

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0232 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 10, 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
December 21, 2004 SECY-04-0232

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: SECY-04-0232 WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK 

ENDING DECEMBER 10, 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\WeekD10.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

TJKim:paa WMDean

12/21/04 12/21/04
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 10, 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 3 OPA 7

RES 4 OIP *

NSIR * SECY 8

OGC * Region I *

ADM * Region II 10

CIO 6 Region III *

CFO * Region IV 11

HR * OEDO *

SBCR * OCA *

OE *

*No input this week
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Meeting with Exelon Regarding Dresden Repairs and Future Operation

On December 2, 2004, staff from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and 

Region III held a public meeting with Exelon Nuclear at the Dresden Nuclear Power Station in

Morris, IL, to discuss the return to operation of Dresden, Units 2 and 3, to extended power

uprate (EPU) levels. Specific topics included the cause of electric generator rotor cracking,

corrective action, and monitoring plans. In addition, steam dryer inspections, modifications, and

causal factor analysis for Dresden, Units 2 and 3, were discussed.

Public Meeting Regarding the Construction Inspection Program Information Management

System (CIPIMS)

On December 7, 2004, Division of Inspection Program Management staff met with

representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute to discuss issues related to the CIPIMS. 

Topics included the content of applicant’s inspection, test, analysis, and acceptance

criterion/criteria (ITAAC) determination packages and the process for the NRC’s review and

closure of an ITAAC.

Public Meeting with Boiling Water Reactor Owners’ Group on Power Uprate Flow Effect

Activities

On December 8, 2004, a senior management meeting with the Boiling Water Reactor Owners’

Group (BWROG) was held at NRC headquarters to discuss, among other topics, the status of

BWROG activities to address potential adverse flow effects from power uprate operation. 

During this meeting, the BWROG reported that, on November 23, 2004, it had completed a

lessons learned report providing recommendations for BWR licensees preparing to operate, or

currently operating, at power uprate conditions. The BWROG also reported that General

Electric (GE) completed a revision to Services Information Letter (SIL) 644, on November 9,

2004, that provided guidance for inspections of steam dryers in BWR plants to identify adverse

flow effects from power uprate operation. The BWROG is continuing its efforts to validate an

improved methodology to predict the loads on the steam dryer during power uprate operation,

including use of data from an instrumented steam dryer to be installed in Quad Cities, Unit 1, in

early 2005 and information obtained from scale model testing of a steam dryer at the GE facility

in San Jose, CA. The staff will continue to monitor the BWROG activities to resolve adverse

flow effects from power uprate operation.
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Completion of Draft Final Safety Evaluation Report for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility

On November 26, 2004, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards (FCSS) staff sent the

draft Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER) on the Construction Authorization Request for the

Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

(ACRS), requesting final endorsement. The draft FSER was provided in advance of a meeting

between the ACRS Subcommittee on Reactor Fuels and FCSS staff to be held on

December 15-16, 2004. The draft FSER documents closure of all remaining open items in the

staff’s April 30, 2003, Draft Safety Evaluation Report. On December 2, 2004, FCSS staff sent

the draft FSER to Duke Cogema Stone & Webster, the facility applicant, who will review the

FSER for technical accuracy.

Meetings of Committees of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine

On November 30-December 1, 2004, a staff member from the Division of Industrial and Medical

Nuclear Safety represented NRC, as Liaison, at meetings of several committees of the

American Association of Physicists in Medicine. These meetings were held in conjunction with

the annual meeting and scientific assembly of the Radiological Society of North America in

Chicago, Illinois. The committee meetings where NRC was represented included Government

and Regulatory Affairs, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiation Protection. The principal topic

discussed by NRC at all of the committee meetings was NRC’s revision of the training and

experience requirements in 10 CFR Part 35.

Meeting of Southern States Energy Board in Miami, Florida

During November 30-December 2, 2004, a management representative from the Spent Fuel

Project Office (SFPO) participated in a meeting of the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in

Miami, Florida. The SSEB, which is comprised of members from several southern states, deals

with safety and operational issues related to shipment of radioactive materials, spent nuclear

fuel, and high-level waste. The major topics discussed at the meeting included the status and

plans for the shipping program for the Waste Isolation Project Plant, transportation routing,

federal agencies updates, continuing federal support for training, radiological emergency

response, training exercises, and security issues. The SFPO representative provided an

update on topical issues of interest to the SSEB, and provided a presentation on the recentlycompleted, full-scale drop tests conducted in Germany. In addition to the SSEB

representatives, meeting attendees included representatives from the Federal Railroad

Administration, several organizations within the Department of Energy, and representatives

from various police organizations.
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Research Information Letter (RIL-0402) on Air Oxidation of Cladding

On November 29, 2004, RES published a research information letter (RIL-0402) titled, “Kinetics

of Cladding Oxidation in an Air Environment.” The RIL summarizes the results of a recently

completed RES-sponsored experimental research program at the Argonne National Laboratory. 

The objectives of the program were to provide data on the kinetics of cladding oxidation in air,

and to develop correlations for best estimate analysis of fuel and cladding heatup in an air

environment. Such data and correlations are useful in determining the margin for cladding

integrity in spent fuel pool accidents arising from a loss of water inventory and failure of spent

fuel dry casks during storage and transportation. The results confirm the adequacy of

correlations used in support of regulatory decisions. 

Technical Meeting with AECL on ACR-700 Physics Codes and Validation

On December 2, 2004, staff held a public meeting at NRC Headquarters with Atomic Energy of

Canada Limited (AECL) on core physics codes and their validation for the Advanced CANDU

(Canadian Deuterium Uranium) Reactor 700 (ACR-700). AECL described its current progress

and evolving work plans concerning ACR-700 physics, including physics code development and

model assessment, experimental measurements at the Zero Energy Deuterium 2 (ZED-2)

critical facility, and physics code validation. The meeting concluded with a discussion of

AECL's proposed activities in this technical area for Phase 3 of the ACR-700 pre-application

review. The staff discussed requests for engineering details on the past and planned validation

experiments and measurement techniques for ACR-700. AECL outlined its near term plans for

providing additional ACR-700 physics documents for staff review and suggested holding

quarterly update meetings throughout 2005.

Meeting with representatives from Science Council of Japan

On December 6, 2004, staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES), with

support from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, met with representatives

from the Science Council of Japan. The meeting was coordinated by the Office of International

Programs to discuss the NRC’s External Risk Communication efforts. The representatives from

Japan discussed the recent pipe rupture incident at the Japanese Mihama Unit 3 Nuclear

Power Plant and the subsequent Risk Communication efforts of the Japanese Institute of

Nuclear Safety System. 

Meetings to Discuss Nuclear Power Plant and Transmission Operator Interfaces

On December 7, 2004, representatives from RES, the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

(NRR), and Region III met with the Commonwealth Edison Transmission Operator and Exelon

in Lombard, Illinois to discuss the interfaces between the Exelon nuclear power plants and their

transmission operator. The NRC has been meeting with the grid operating entities to learn

about their organization, responsibilities, transmission system control and monitoring, and
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE C

communication with nuclear power plants. Additional visits to transmission operators will be

held in the future.

Quality Assurance Evaluation of Integrated Chemical Effects Testing

On December 6 - 9, 2004, staff from RES and NRR conducted a quality assurance (QA)

evaluation of the Integrated Chemical Effects Testing (ICE-T) being conducted by Los Alamos

National Laboratory (LANL) at the University of New Mexico (UNM). This testing is being

conducted to address concerns about gel formation during hypothetical loss-of-coolant (LOCA)

accidents that could lead to pressure drop across recirculation pump sump screens. Results

from this testing will be used to assess licensee actions taken to address chemical effects as

part of GSI-191 resolution. The staff concluded that while the UNM/LANL test facility is well

constructed and staffed, there are several issues associated with the test controls, and with

measurement and test equipment calibration that need to be addressed before testing

continues.
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

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

December 3 through December 9, 2004:

“Safety Analysis Report for F-294 Transport Package,” copy of index

ii, iv, vi, vii, sections 2.6, 2.7, (docket 71-9258)

FOIA/PA-2005-0062

Guidebook for the Treatment of Accidental Internal Radionuclide

Contamination of Workers,” Treatment of Incorporated Trans-uranium

Elements, records siting reproductive toxicology, health physics,

Journal of Toxicology & Environmental Health, & Radiation Protection

Dosimetry

FOIA/PA-2005-0063

Ion Track or G. E. Ion Track Corp., copies of device registration

sheets for all exempt distribution devices

FOIA/PA-2005-0064

Radioactive material missing, stolen or lost from medical & industrial

licensees in the State of Minnesota over the past 5 years

FOIA/PA-2005-0065

Differing Professional Views re: 10 CFR 50.69 rulemaking affecting

agency’s treatment of structures, systems & components in nuclear

power stations, all communications

FOIA/PA-2005-0066

Construction Authorization Request of a mixed oxide fuel fabrication

facility to NRC, February 2001, from Duke, Cogema, Stone &

Webster

FOIA/PA-2005-0067

FOIA exemptions 1 and 3 used during period of 1/1/2000 to date, list

request and reason for denial

FOIA/PA-2005-0068

NRC system of records listed containing information on named

individual

FOIA/PA-2005-0069
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Media Interest

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

Vermont Yankee’s uprate application and the upcoming public meeting to discuss the NRC’s

engineering assessment of the plant.

Safety issues at Hope Creek and Salem.

Early Site Permit applications at North Anna and Grand Gulf.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

04-152 NRC Seeks Public Input on North Anna Early Site Permit Application; Meeting to

Be Held Jan. 19 (12/7)

04-153 NRC Restores Online Availability of Large Number of Reactor-Related

Documents (12/7)

04-154 NRC to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference on Duke Amendment

Request for Catawba Nuclear Station (12/7)

04-155 NRC Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste to Meet Dec. 13-14 in Rockville,

Maryland (12/8)

04-156 NRC Approves 40-Year License Renewal for Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation at Surry Nuclear Plant (12/8)

04-157 NRC Approves Evaluation Method for Analyzing Reactor Containment Sump

Performance (12/9)

Regions:

I-04-055 NRC to Hold Public Meetings Regarding Draft Environmental Report for

Millstone Nuclear Plant License Renewal Application (12/9)

II-04-057 NRC Staff to Meet with TVA to Discuss Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant License

Renewal Inspection (12/9)

IV-04-045 NRC Staff to Meet with Entergy Operations, Inc., to Discuss Arkansas Nuclear

One License Renewal Inspections (12/7)

IV-04-046 NRC Assigns New Resident Inspector to Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

(12/9)
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE N

Office of the Secretary

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-04-0068 -

Attachment 2

10/26/04 Proposed Final Supplement Standard

Review Plan: Decommissioning Funding

Insurance for Power Reactors

2. SECY-04-0217 11/18/04 Distribution of Exempt Material - Database,

Dose Limits/Criteria, and Security Issues

Related to Risk-Informing 10 CFR Parts 30,

31, and 32

3. SECY-04-0221 11/23/04 Memorandum of Agreement on the

Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric

Assessment Center

Information Papers

1. SECY-04-0219 11/23/04 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Briefing

2. SECY-04-0224 12/1/04 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

November 19, 2004

3. SECY-04-0227 12/7/04 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

November 26, 2004
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE N

Memorandum

1. M041208A 12/08/04 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: a. 

SECY-04-0192 - Motion to Quash OI

Subpoena; b. SECY-04-0216 - Duke

Energy Corp. (Catawba Nuclear Station,

Units 1 and 2); Intervenor's Motion for

Reconsideration of CLI-04-29; 

c. SECY-04-0180 - Hydro Resources, Inc. 

(Rio Rancho, New Mexico) Review of LBP04-3 (Financial Assurance); d. SECY-04-

0190 - Final Rule: Security Requirements

for Portable Gauges Containing Byproduct

Material (RIN 3150-AH06); e. SECY-04-

0208 - Louisiana Energy Services, L.P.

(National Enrichment Facility); f. SECY-04-

0212 - Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.,

(Millstone Nuclear Power Station, Units 2

and 3), Docket Nos. 50-336-LR & 50-423-

LR; LBP-04-15, 60 NRC 81, LBP-04-22

Commission Correspondences

1. Letter to Congress, dated November 30, 2004, provides the regulatory enforcement reports

for Fiscal Year 2003 and 2004.

2. Letter to Congress, dated December 1, 2004, provides the October 2004 monthly report on

the status of NRC’s licensing and regulatory duties.

3. Letter to Senator James M. Jeffords, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Congressman Bernard

Sanders, dated December 1, 2004, regarding two inspections the NRC recently conducted

at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station.

4. Letter to Congressman Edward J. Markey, dated December 3, 2004, responds to letter

concerning the temporary suspension of public access to the NRC’s Agencywide

Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) database.
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region II

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Management Meeting With Florida Power and Light Company 

On December 6, 2004, Region II management held a management meeting with

representatives from Florida Power and Light Company in the regional office to discuss

engineering initiatives at St. Lucie and Turkey Point.
December 10, 2004 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 10, 2004

Senior NRC Management Visit to Diablo Canyon Power Plant

On December 6, 2004, the NRC’s Executive Director for Operations and the Region IV Deputy

Regional Administrator visited the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. They toured the facility with the

resident inspectors and licensee representatives and met with licensee management

representatives. Discussions included the general areas of security and plant performance.

Armenian and Ukrainian Visitors

On December 7, 2004, three physical security specialists from Armenia and one physical

security specialist from Ukraine visited the Region IV office. The purpose of the visit was to

share non-safeguards information related to physical security inspection procedures and

practices.