INFORMATION REPORT

August 24, 2007 SECY-07-0143

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

August 17, 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 Tamara E. Bloomer Acting For/

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
August 24, 2007 SECY-07-0143

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

August 17, 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 Tamara E. Bloomer Acting For/

Vonna L. Ordaz

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

EDO R/F

AO R/F Document Name: G:\Melissa\WIR\week817.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

L. Rakovan /hjr for/ VLOrdaz /teb for/

08/24/07 08/24/07
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 17, 2007

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 OE *

NRO * OPA 17

NMSS 4 OIP *

FSME 6 SECY 19

RES * Region I 20

NSIR 10 Region II 21

ADM 11 Region III 22

OIS 12 Region IV 23

CFO * EDO *

HR 16 OCA 24

SBCR *

*No input this week
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

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

On August 9, 2007, staff from the Division of Component Integrity and the Office of Nuclear

Regulatory Research met with industry representatives responsible for conducting the

advanced finite element fracture mechanics analyses. These analyses were undertaken to

address NRC staff concerns regarding primary water stress corrosion cracking in pressurizer

nozzle welds. The purpose of the meeting was for industry to provide a comprehensive

overview, summary, and conclusion of the analysis program and for NRC staff to provide a

summary of its confirmatory research conducted in parallel with industry’s analysis program. 

Conversion Order Issued to Purdue University

On August 9, 2007, the staff issued an Order to Purdue University authorizing the conversion of

the Purdue University Research Reactor (PUR-1) from high-enriched uranium (HEU) to lowenriched uranium (LEU) fuel. The Order will become effective 23 days after publication in the

Federal Register, provided there are no requests for a hearing. The PUR-1 is a 1 kilowatt

thermal power, heterogeneous, pool-type reactor that uses Materials Testing Reactor-type plate

fuel. The conversion needs to be complete by September 30, 2007, to meet Department of

Energy commitments to Congress. 

Information Notice (IN) 2007-26, "Combustibility of Epoxy Floor Coatings at Commercial

Nuclear Power Plants"

On August 13, 2007, the staff issued the subject IN to inform the industry and the public

regarding a fire protection issue raised by NRC inspectors at two facilities that involves the

combustibility of epoxy floor coatings over the concrete floors in various plant areas. The IN

suggests the use of epoxy floor coating with a low flame spread rating, applying it in

accordance with the manufacturer’s/vendor’s recommendations, and providing plant procedural

controls for applying the coating to ensure it does not exceed recommended thickness. 

Coatings that are applied thicker than a manufacturer’s recommendations may exceed the

listed flame spread rating. 

Region I Annual Operator Licensing Examination Conference

On August 14-16, 2007, the Division of Inspection and Regional Support staff supported Region

I during its annual operator licensing examination conference with the Mid-Atlantic Nuclear

Training Group. The staff made presentations on Subpart I, "Managing Fatigue," of the Part 26

Fitness for Duty Programs rule, and the upcoming supplements to NUREG 1021, "Operator

Licensing Examination Standards for Power Reactors," Revision 9, NUREG-1122, "Knowledge

and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant Operators: Pressurized Water Reactors,"

Revision 2, and NUREG-1123, "Knowledge and Abilities Catalog for Nuclear Power Plant

Operators: Boiling Water Reactors," Revision 2. This public meeting was held at the Millstone

Energy Center in Waterford, Connecticut.
Month #, 2007 ENCLOSURE B

Office of New Reactors (NRO)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

NRO Presents Information on New Reactor Licensing Process at Utility Working Conference

From August 6-8, 2007, NRO Division Directors made presentations at the annual American

Nuclear Society Utility Working Conference in Amelia Island, Florida. The Directors participated

in a panel discussion on pre-application interactions on August 7. On August 8, they

participated in a special roundtable discussion that included representatives of proposed

Combined License applicants. 

Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Information to Support Design Certification and Combined

License Applications

On August 8, the staff held its third public meeting to discuss the PRA information used to

support design certification (DC) and combined license (COL) applications (Regulatory Guide

1.206 and Standard Review Plan Section 19.0). Based on feedback provided by

representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute and the various design-centered working

groups, the staff believes that it should clarify its guidance so that DC and COL applicants are

better informed about the type of information they need to provide in Chapter 19 of the Final

Safety Analysis Report. The staff will issue this clarification either as Staff Interim Guidance or

a Regulatory Issue Summary.

Public Outreach Meeting Held Regarding Proposed New Reactor at Calvert Cliffs

On August 14, 2007, NRO staff attended a public meeting with the Calvert County Board of

Commissioners and then hosted a public outreach meeting about UniStar/Constellation's COL

application. NRO staff members presented information to the five elected County

Commissioners about the NRC's COL review process with an emphasis on how the public can

participate. Information about the COL Part 1 application was also discussed. During the

public outreach meeting, NRO staff provided information about the NRC, the combined license

safety and environmental review processes, as well as the construction inspection program. 
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Meeting on a Safety Standard for Volcanic Hazards

On August 6-10, 2007, at the request of the IAEA, NRC staff participated in a consultant

meeting, at IAEA Headquarters, in Vienna, Austria. At the meeting, NRC staff helped revise the

draft IAEA Safety Guide, “Volcanic Hazards in Site Evaluation for Nuclear Installations.” These

revisions are meant to make the guide more consistent with a risk-informed approach for

regulating safety in areas of potential volcanic hazards.

Meeting with International Experts on Data Relevant to Spent Fuel Waste Package Corrosion

From August 4-10, 2007, NRC staff met in France and Germany, with international technical

experts on Alloy 22 corrosion studies, and on degradation assessments of spent nuclear fuel,

including high burn-up fuel. The corrosion resistance of Alloy 22 and the slow degradation of

spent nuclear fuel are important performance attributes for a robust waste package at the

proposed high-level waste repository. The purpose of the trip was to discuss research,

conducted by these experts, and the subsequent availability of this research to NRC staff. NRC

staff met with technical experts at the: (1) Ecole National Supérieure De Chimie; (2)

Commissariat à l’énergie Atomique; and (3) European Commission, Institute for Transuranium

Elements.
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE D

Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

Medical Use of Byproduct Material: 10 CFR Parts 32 and 35

On Monday, August 13, 2007, the direct final rule and companion proposed rule, titled “Medical

Use of Byproduct Material – Minor Corrections and Clarifications,” amending 10 CFR Parts 32

and 35 were published in the Federal Register. If no significant adverse comments are

received by September 12, 2007, the final rule will become effective on October 29, 2007.

Meeting with the National Mining Association (NMA)

On August 16, 2007, the NRC held a Category 2 public meeting at NRC headquarters with the

NMA and several mining companies. The NMA’s representatives discussed its interest in

providing environmental information relevant to the ongoing Generic Environmental Impact

Statement (GEIS) for Uranium Recovery. Additional statements and perspectives on the NRC’s

GEIS were also provided by mining company representatives. Members of the public were

invited to attend the meeting in person or via telephone and provided comments at the end.

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: TN-68 Revision 1

On August 16, 2007, a direct final rule (72 FR 45880) entitled “List of Approved Spent Fuel

Storage Casks: TN-68 Revision 1,” and the companion proposed rule (72 FR 45948) were

published in the Federal Register. The direct final rule amends Part 72 by revising the

Transnuclear, Inc. TN-68 dry storage cask system listing within the “List of Approved Spent

Fuel Storage Casks” to include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC)

Number1027. The cask amendment will allow holders of power reactor operating licenses to

load spent fuel into an empty TN-68 cask under Amendment No. 1 of CoC 1027. The final rule

will become effective on October 30, 2007, unless significant adverse comments are received

by September 17, 2007.
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE E

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

Fire Modeling Phenomena Identification Ranking Table (PIRT) Meeting

During the week of August 13, 2007, RES held the third 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 will prepare a summary report. 

RES expects to use the completed PIRT to assist in the development of the Fire Modeling

Users Guide and future experiments.

Support for Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Fire Model Training at Crystal River

Nuclear Power Plant

From August 14-16, 2007, RES staff provided training on NUREG-1805, "Fire Dynamics Tools,"

as part of EPRI’s bi-annual fire model training class. This program is being conducted as a part

of the NRC/EPRI Memorandum of Understanding and supports development of fire modeling

skills within the industry and the NRC. The training is conducted at a nuclear power plant so

that students can walkdown actual plant configurations and real-life fire scenarios. Licensee

fire protection engineers and NRC regional inspectors attended this joint training class. RES

plans to participate in additional sessions related to other fire models used in the nuclear

industry. 

Meeting of Department of Energy (DOE) and NRC on Next Generation Nuclear Plants (NGNP)

Licensing Strategy Development

On August 14, 2007, DOE and NRC members of the NGNP project working group met to

discuss progress made in developing the licensing strategy for NGNP and related draft report

documentation. The group also discussed DOE’s current thinking on NGNP ownership, the

technical issues that need to be addressed during a pre-application review of NGNP, and the

resource needs to support continued NRC/DOE interaction. The next working group meeting is

scheduled for September 13, 2007.

Seminar on DOE NGNP Research and Development (R&D) Activities

On August 15, 2007, the technical director of NGNP R&D at the Idaho National Laboratory

(INL) gave a seminar on the NGNP R&D activities at various national laboratories under the

lead of INL. The seminar focused on major NGNP topical areas including fuels and fission

products, high temperature materials, graphite, and codes and methods related to thermal

fluids and safety analysis. Most of the emphasis of current and near-term DOE-funded

research is in the fuels and materials arena, whereas the longer-term plan is to address other

areas. The speaker observed that in the technical areas of current focus, the DOE-funded R&D

scope is consistent with that outlined in the NRC advanced reactor R&D plan for NGNP and

high temperature gas reactors.
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Administration (ADM)

Items of Interest 

Week Ending August 17, 2007

NRC Size Standards; Revision (AI15 - Parts 2 and 171)

On August 10, 2007, the NRC published a direct final rule in the Federal Register (72 FR

44951) “NRC Size Standards; Revision (AI15 - Parts 2 and 171),” and the companion proposed

rule that amends the size standards it uses to qualify a licensee as a small entity under the

Regulatory Flexibility Act. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based size standard to conform to

the size standard set by the Small Business Administration. The comment period closes

September 10, 2007.
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE H

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

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

of August 10 through August 16, 2007:

Uranium milling facilities, all documents that led NRC to expect

“numerous license applications for in-situ leach (ISL)” as stated in

published notice of intent dated 7-24-07

FOIA/PA-2007-0290

Allegation RIV-1999-A-0012, including all correspondence between

named individual & NRC

FOIA/PA-2007-0291

Memorandum of Understanding with the Dept of Justice, NUREG/BR0195, Rev 11/98/ published 12/14/88, copies of documents described in

Section E, 11/23/88 - 8/12/07

FOIA/PA-2007-0292

Nuclear Energy Liability Policy No NF-44 issued 8/1/58 by Nuclear

Energy Liability Insurance Association (NELIA) a.k.a. American Nuclear

Insurers (ANI), all documents including communications between

NELIA/ANI & NRC and/or Atomic Energy Commission

FOIA/PA-2007-0293

Differing Professional Opinion, DPO-2006-005, management policy

licensing new fuel cycle facilities, all records

FOIA/PA-2007-0294

Office of Investigations Report 4-2006-040 FOIA/PA-2007-0295

Contract awarded from solicitation RES06112 - Technical Support for

Revision of Regulatory Guides, copy of Section A or cover page

FOIA/PA-2007-0296

Office of Inspector General report on NRC’s handling of the Heritage

Minerals Site & the Shieldalloy Metallurgical Corp site

FOIA/PA-2007-0297

Medical use licensees, Boston, MA, re: application, maintenance,

revocation & expiration, allegations, event notifications, enforcements, 

etc.

FOIA/PA-2007-0298

Review & Analysis of the Davis-Besse March 2002 Reactor Vessel

Head Wastage Event & December 2006 Report on Reactor Pressure

Vessel Wastage at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant, all records

FOIA/PA-2007-0299

NUMEC, decommissioning records FOIA/PA-2007-0300
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

New Commissioner status.

Vermont Yankee nuclear plant’s possible strike and tentative agreements.

Indian Point nuclear plant’s full volume siren tests.

NRC’s confirmatory order to FirstEnergy and the review process for issuance of the order for 

Davis-Besse.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA participated and coordinated interviews at the Calvert Cliffs public meeting regarding the

partial COL application.

OPA coordinated NRR’s participation in a roundtable discussion of new reactors and the

oversight of existing reactors on a local public radio affiliate, WAMU. 

OPA arranged an interview of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Bill McCabe by Government

Executive magazine for a special edition on CFO’s at federal agencies to be issued next

month.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

07-100 Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet in Rockville, Maryland,

September 6-8 (8/14)

07-101 Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to Hold Oral Argument August 22 Regarding

Proposed Mox Fabrication Facility (8/14)

07-102 NRC Issues Order to FirstEnergy Regarding Information Relevant to Regulatory

Activities (8/15)

07-103 NRC to Discuss Process for Review of License Renewal Application for Vogtle

Nuclear Power Plant August 21 (8/16)

07-104 NRC Meeting August 28, 30 in South Carolina to Discuss Review Process for

Expected New Reactor Applications (8/16)

07-105 NRC Releases Most of Yankee Nuclear Power Station Site for Unrestricted

Public Use (8/17)
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE M

Regions:

I-07-049 NRC Proposes $3,250 Civil Penalty for Chambersburg, PA, Firm Over

Temporary Loss of Nuclear Gauge (8/17)
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. SRM-SECY-07-0082 8/10/07 Rulemaking to Make Risk-Informed Changes to

Loss-of-Coolant Accident Technical

Requirements; 10 CFR 50.46a, “Alternative

Acceptance Criterial for Emergency Core

Cooling Systems for Light-Water Nuclear Power

Reactors”

Commission Voting

Record on SECY-07-0082

8/10/07 (same)

2. SECY-07-0124 7/31/07 Agencywide Documents Access and

Management System Program Status Report

SRM on 07-0124 8/14/07 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 07-0124

8/14/07 (same)

3. COMSECY-07-0025 7/25/07 Semiannual Updates of the Lessons-Learned

Program

SRM on 07-0025 8/15/07 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 07-0025

8/15/07 (same)

4. SECY-07-0126 7/31/07 Proposed Rule: Geologic Repository Operations

Area Security and Material Control and

Accounting Requirements (RIN 3150-AI06)

5. SECY-07-0129 8/3/07 Revisions to Policy Governing Availability of

Information Associated with Category I Fuel

Facilities

Information Papers

1. SECY-07-0132 8/9/07 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending

August 3, 2007

2. SECY-07-0125 7/31/07 Opportunities to Achieve Greater and More

Uniform Adoption of the Provisions of the Code

of Conduct By Other Countries (SRM-S-06-

0171)
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Memoranda

1. M070724C 8/13/07 SRM - Briefing on Palo Verde Nuclear

Generating Station

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. 10 CFR Part 50 [Docket No. PRM-50-88], EnergySolutions; Receipt of Petition for

Rulemaking. 
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE P

Region II (RII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

Hatch Public Company

On August 15, 2007, representatives from Southern Nuclear Company attended a public

meeting in the Region II Office. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the plant status of

the Hatch Nuclear Plant.
August 17, 2007 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending August 17, 2007

Site Visit of the Advisory Committee of Reactor Safety (ACRS)

On August16, members of the ACRS, Operations Subcommittee visited San Onofre Nuclear

Generating Station and met with plant management and the resident inspectors. Focus areas

for the visit included the licensee’s corrective action program and safety culture as it relates to

inspection activities under the Reactor Oversight Program.