INFORMATION REPORT

October 27, 2005 SECY-05-0196

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

OCTOBER 21, 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

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S

*No input this week.

/RA by Thomas Bergman Acting For/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

A. Huffert, OEDO
October 27, 2005 SECY-05-0196

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

OCTOBER 21, 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

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S

*No input this week.

/RA by Thomas Bergman Acting For/

William M. Dean

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

A. Huffert, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

Central File

Public Document Name: C:\WIR\week1021.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

A. Huffert:jva WMDean

10/28/05 10/28/05
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 21, 2005

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: A Huffert, OEDO by E-mail: AHM1@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 * Region II 21

OIS 11 Region III 22

CFO * Region IV *

HR 15 EDO *

SBCR * OCA 24

OE * ACRS/ACNW 25

*No input this week
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Meeting on Containment Integrated Leak Rate Testing (ILRT) Interval Extension

On October 6, 2005, the staff met with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), Electric Power

Research Institute (EPRI), industry representatives, and members of the public to discuss

industry’s proposed generic guideline to permanently extend the ILRT interval from 10 years to

15 years. The proposed guideline is provided in NEI report 94-01, Revision 1 (Draft) with

supporting technical information in EPRI report 1009325, Revision 1. Preliminary comments on

the reports, implementation process for licensee submittal, and review time line were discussed

during the meeting. The guideline documents will be formally submitted for NRC staff review by

November 30, 2005.

Combined Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI)/Reactor Oversight Program (ROP)

Public Meeting

On October 19, 2005, the staff hosted the monthly MSPI and ROP public meeting in

Headquarters. Meeting attendees discussed staff progress on the MSPI basis document

reviews, and remaining industry milestones before scheduled MSPI implementation.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA)

Standards Committee Meeting

The staff participated in a meeting of the ASME committee on NQA in San Francisco, California

on October 11-12, 2005. The staff is working with the NQA subcommittees to address issues

with the current 2004 edition.
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Participate in Workshop on Design and Assessment of Radioactive Waste Packages,

European Commission Institute for Energy

From October 5-7, 2005, the staff participated in the Workshop on Design and Assessment of

Radioactive Waste Packages. The workshop was hosted by the European Commission

Institute for Energy, and held in The Netherlands. Experts from the U.S., Japan, and fifteen

European Union countries participated. At the workshop, staff presented a paper on long-term

materials behavior at the potential Yucca Mountain repository; reviewed papers presented;

participated in panel discussions; and interacted individually on the subject matter. The

workshop provided a forum for staff to discuss waste package and waste form issues, including

mechanical performance of containers during impacts and drops, welding/fabrication,

codes/standards, corrosion, cladding performance, radionuclide release, and waste form

conditioning with international experts.

Participation in the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America

From October 15-19, 2005, the staff participated in the annual Geological Society of America

meeting in Salt Lake City, UT. Department of Energy consultants working on the Yucca

Mountain project discussed recent observations of groundwater seepage at Yucca Mountain,

and presented several papers on the Pena Blanca, Mexico, site -- a natural geochemical analog

of Yucca Mountain. Staff discussed their studies of the Pena Blanca site in a session on that

topic.

Staff Issues Amendment to Certificate of Compliance for NAC International

On October 11, 2005, Amendment No. 4 was issued to the NAC International, Inc., NAC-UMS

Universal Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. The final rule became effective

on October 11, 2005. The amendment revised various technical specifications, such as: 

definitions; vacuum drying pressure and time limits; short term temperature limits; surface dose

rate surveillances; boron concentration controls; and some editorial changes. Duke Power

Company (McGuire Nuclear Station) and Arizona Public Service Company (Palo Verde Nuclear

Generating Station) plan to implement this amendment during their respective dry spent fuel

storage campaigns.

Meeting with Western Interstate Energy Board

On October 12-13, 2005, the staff participated in a meeting of the Western Interstate Energy

Board’s High-Level Radioactive Waste Committee on issues dealing with the transportation of

spent nuclear fuel. The High-Level Radioactive Waste Committee is composed of nuclear

waste transportation experts appointed by the governors of eleven western states. Among the

issues discussed were the shipment of truck casks by rail, routing, use of dedicated trains,

package testing, status of ongoing studies (e.g., NAS study, Baltimore Tunnel Fire Study,

security assessments), and funding for emergency response training. The meetings are

particularly effective in allowing a thorough and balanced discussion of ongoing issues, as well
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE B

as giving NRC an opportunity to present insights and address misconceptions about the design

of spent fuel casks and the safety of spent fuel shipments.

Meeting with the Western Governors Association

On October 4-5, 2005, the staff participated in a meeting of the Western Governors Association

Task Group (WGA) on the transportation of transuranic wastes. Staff made presentations on

the status of NRC’s review of two transportation packages for transuranic waste shipments to

the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant - TRUPACT-III and ARROWPAK. The presentations were

requested by WGA, so that WGA members could get a better understanding of these

transportation packages. The task group has also served as forum to discuss the merits and

disadvantages of full-scale testing. The approval of TRUPACT-II, TRUPACT-III and

ARROWPAK are all based on full-scale testing, whereas the approval of spent fuel casks is

based on scale model and computer analysis. The next WGA meeting has been tentatively

scheduled so that committee members will be able to observe the full-scale testing of

TRUPACT-III.

Meeting with NAC International

On October 19, 2005, the staff met with representatives from NAC International, Inc. The

meeting was held to discuss NAC International’s request for additional information (RAI)

responses on the NAC International MAGNASTOR application. The staff issued the RAI on

May 23, 2005, and NAC International submitted its response on September 29, 2005. Because

the MAGNASTOR is a new, complex application, the voluminous RAI response addressed each

major technical review discipline. NAC International provided an overview of the RAI response

and a summary of the Safety Analysis Report revisions. NAC International discussed in detail

the most challenging RAI responses in the structural and thermal disciplines.

Pre-application Meeting for the Design of the Transportation Package for the La Crosse Boiling

Water Reactor Pressure Vessel

On October 18, 2005, representatives from Duratek, Inc. and Dairyland Power Cooperative met

with NRC staff to discuss a proposed design for the transport package for the La Crosse

Reactor Pressure Vessel. Duratek plans to submit an application for a new Certificate of

Compliance in December 2005.
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) PrimärkreislaufVersuchsanlage (PKL) Project

From October 10-12, 2005, staff attended the subject meetings at the University of Pisa in Italy. 

PKL is an integral thermal hydraulic test facility in Germany. Results from studies on boron

mixing and decay heat removal under accident conditions will be used in code assessment and

issue resolution. 

Nuclear Energy Agency/Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations (NEA/CSNI) Safety

Margins Action Plan (SMAP) Working Group Meeting

From October 13-14, 2005, staff attended the subject working group meeting in France. The

working group is developing metrics that can be used to quantify changes in safety margins

following a broad range of plant modifications. 
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

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

October 14 through October 20, 2005:

Material License Tracking System (MLTS), active & retired facilities FOIA/PA-2006-0008

Sequoyah Fuels Corp. uranium hexafluoride conversation facility,

Gore, OK, General Atomics, San Diego, CA, 1985 to present, costs to

operate, decommission, reclaim or remediate; restart activities 1988

to present

FOIA/PA-2006-0009

OIG Report 5517, all records FOIA/PA-2006-0010

Solicitation RFPOIG04343, awarded contract, attachments & exhibits,

task/delivery/purchase orders, list of proposal submitters

FOIA/PA-2006-0011

Safety reports, Univ. of MD nuclear reactor, safety requirements FOIA/PA-2006-0012
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Arrival

KETO, EVAN MATTHEW GENERAL SCIENTIST NRR
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

The American Broadcast Corporation report on security at research reactors.

The ongoing efforts to quantify and analyze the spent fuel pool leak at Indian Point.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

05-141 ASLB to hold Evidentiary Hearing on Proposed N.M. Enrichement Facility, Oct.

24-27 in Rockville, Md. (10/17)

05-142 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet Nov. 3-5 (10/19)

05-143 NRC Issues Safety Evaluation for Grand Gulf Early Site Permit (10/21)

Regions:

I-05-052 NRC Cites Pennsylvania Hospital for Violation of Requirements (10/17)

II-05-40 NRC Schedules Regulatory Conference to Discuss Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

Concern (10/18)

IV-05-37 NRC to Meet With Nebraska Power District to Discuss Performance Initiatives at

Cooper Nuclear Station (10/19)
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

SECY-05-0186 10/17/05 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

October 7, 2005

Memoranda

M051019 10/19/2005 Staff Requirements - Affirmation Session: I.

SECY-05-0140 - Louisiana Energy Services,

L.P. (National Enrichment Facility),

Intervenors’ Petition for Review of LBP-05-

13 (Decision on Environmental

Contentions); II. SECY-05-0173 - Louisiana

Energy Services, L.P. (National Enrichment

Facility), Licensing Board’s Referral of

Memorandum and Order Rejecting

Amended and Supplemental Contentions;

III. SECY-05-0184 - Private Fuel Storage

(Independent Spent Fuel Storage

Installation) Docket No. 72-22-ISFSI;

Review of Board’s September 15, 2005

order regarding safeguards redactions

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), notice of meeting (11/3-5/05). 

2. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures, notice of meeting (11/2/05).

3. Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, Pa’ina Hawaii, LLC (Honolulu,

Hawaii Irradiator Facility). 
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Management Review Board

On October 19, 2005, the Management Review Board (MRB) met to consider the staff’s

findings following a periodic meeting on July 14, 2005, with the Kentucky Agreement State

program. The staff recommended that the program be put on monitoring until the next periodic

meeting, planned for July 2006. The primary review areas in need of attention were technical

staffing and training, and status of inspections. The MRB concurred with the staff's finding;

therefore, the Kentucky program will be put on monitoring for the next nine months.
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Decision on Differing Professional Opinion (DPO) on Oconee Pipe Whip Restraints

On September 6, 2005, the Regional Administrator issued the subject DPO (DPO-2005-003). 

On February 16, 2005, an NRC employee submitted a DPO that focused on the adequacy of

the licensee’s fatigue analysis, the adequacy of the staff’s review of the licensee’s calculation,

and whether the staff's application of the Reactor Oversight Process was appropriate. On

July 19, 2005, an Ad Hoc Review Panel provided the results of its independent review to the

Regional Administrator, Region II. The panel concluded that pipe failure was unlikely, the issue

was appropriately dispositioned in an inspection report, and that the staff’s review of the issue

was appropriate. The panel also recommended that improvements in the significance

determination process and inspection documentation guidance be considered, and that the

corrective actions for the pipe whip restraint issue be included as a sample in a future Problem

Identification and Resolution inspection. Based on a review of the panel's report and additional

comments from the DPO submitted, the Regional Administrator agreed with the panel’s

conclusions and recommendations.

Watts Bar Management Meeting

On October 18, 2005, representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority attended a

management meeting at the Regional Office to discuss Watts Bar’s actions with respect to

human performance cross-cutting issues.

V. C. Summer Management Meeting

On October 18, 2005, representatives from South Carolina Electric and Gas Company attended

a management meeting at the Regional Office to discuss the Spring 2005 refueling outage at

the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station.
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE P

Region III (RIII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

Visits to Braidwood and Clinton facilities

The Deputy Regional Administrator conducted routine site visits to the Braidwood Nuclear

Power Plant on October 17, 2005, and the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant on October 18, 2005. 

These management visits included plant tours for first-hand observation of plant conditions and

security and meetings with resident inspectors and licensee management to discuss plant

status and recent performance.
October 21, 2005 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE, NO. 36

 OCAContact

 DATE & PLACE

TIME WITNESS SUBJECT 

Shane 10/27/05

SH-216

10:00 Secretary Norton, Interior,

Secretary Bodman, Energy

Hurricane Recovery and EnergyPolicy

Senators Energy a

Kim 10/27/05

TBA

1:00 NNSA, FBI Nuclear Incident Response Teams Reps. Lin

PreventioAttackHomeland 

Combs 11/02/05 or

11/09/05SD-406

9:30 Panel 1: NRC, GSA,

Economic DevelopmentAdministration, Fish andWildlife; Panel 2: LouisianaState and locals

Hurricane Katrina Disaster Senators 

Environm

Schmidt/Keeling

TBA TBA Conference FY 2006 Energy and Water

Development Appropriations

House/SeCommitte
October 21, 2005 ENCLOSURE S

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS)/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW)

Items of Interest

Week Ending October 21, 2005

As a result of its 526th meeting (October 6-7, 2005), the ACRS issued letters and

reports on the following subjects. 

Date Subject

October 19, 2005 Letter to EDO on the Interim Report on the Safety

Aspects of the License Renewal Application for the

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Units 1, 2, and 3

October 18, 2005 Letter to EDO on the Proposed Recommendation for

Resolving Generic Safety Issue 80, “Pipe Break Effects

on Control Rod Drive Hydraulic Lines in the Drywells of

BWR Mark I and II Containments,”