INFORMATION REPORT 

November 20, 2007 SECY-07-0204

For: The Commissioners 

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING 

NOVEMBER 9, 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/ 

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO 

Contact: 

A.C. Ridge, OEDO 
November 20, 2007 SECY-07-0204

For: The Commissioners 

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING 

NOVEMBER 9, 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/ 

Vonna L. Ordaz 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO 

Contact: 

A.C. Ridge, OEDO 

DISTRIBUTION: 

EDO R/F 

AO R/F Document Name: G:\Melissa\WIR\week1109.doc 

OEDO AO/OEDO 

ACRidge VLOrdaz ML073250153 

11/19/07 11/20/07 
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 9, 2007

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: A.C. Ridge, OEDO by E-mail: acr1@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 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE A 

 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Vogtle Units 1 and 2 Measurement Uncertainty Recapture Power Uprate (MUR) Acceptance

By letter dated November 2, 2007, NRC informed the Vice President of the Vogtle Electric 

Generating Plant that the licensee has provided the necessary information for the staff to begin 

a detailed technical review of the licensee’s August 28, 2007, request for a 1.7% MUR for Vogtle 

Units 1 and 2. In its letter, NRC noted that the MUR application includes several items that go 

beyond the scope of a typical MUR application and that the potential complexity of these items 

may result in a challenge to completing the MUR review within typical timeframes. 

 

Pre-Submittal Meeting with Pressurized Water Reactor Owners Group (PWROG) 

On October 29, 2007, the staff participated in a pre-submittal meeting with PWROG to discuss a 

proposed analysis methodology to estimate the release of gaseous iodine into the environment 

as a fraction of the incoming iodine in Engineered Safety Features leakage per unit time over 30 

days after the initiation of an accident. The staff provided input on the need for coordination of 

this activity with on-going activities related to Generic Safety Issue 191. 

Meeting with the Korean Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS)

On November 5, 2007, the staff met with six members of KINS and one member from each of 

the Korea Electric Power Research Institute and the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. The 

discussions focused on risk informed methods for in-service inspection and included 

Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) model qualification, PSA quality and American Society of 

Mechanical Engineers standards, pipe failure probability, Alloy 600 primary water stress 

corrosion cracking, and pressurized thermal shock. Of particular interest was an issue involving 

leakage from the cold leg side of the bowl drain nozzle of a steam generator at Yonggwang 

Unit 3, which was detected because of observed boron deposits. 

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Subcommittee (SC-2) Meeting

On November 5 and 6, 2007, NRC representatives from NRR, Office of New Reactors (NRO), 

and Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) attended the IEEE SC-2 meeting in 

Clearwater, Florida to discuss qualification criteria for Electromagnetic and Radio-Frequency 

Interface (EMI/RFI), data communication, and cyber security associated with the IEEE Standard 

323. NRC representatives provided clarifications on applicability and documentation 

requirements of Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.209, “Guidelines for environmental qualification of 

microprocessor-based equipment important to safety in nuclear power plants.” The new reactor 

vendors opted not to use the 10 CFR 50.69 approach in their design control document and 

provided presentations on motor and cable qualification methods. 

Members of the subcommittee also discussed the potential benefits of having joint International 

Electrotechnical Commission and IEEE meetings. AREVA stated that for European Pressurized 

Reactor (EPR) design it is planning for 60 year instead of 40 year qualified life. AREVA also 

indicated it is planning for 4 durations for post-accident operating time (i.e., 2 hour, 24 hour, 4 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE A 

months and one year). The meeting was attended by approximately 40 members including 

representatives from several foreign countries. 

Meeting of a Task Working Group of the Digital Instrumentation and Control Project with the 

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Regarding Risk Informing the Digital Instrumentation and Control 

(I&C) System

On November 6, 2007, a public meeting of TWG 3 of the I&C Project was held at the Nuclear 

Energy Institute (NEI) in Washington, DC to discuss risk-informing the digital I&C system. 

Participants included NRC staff for NRR, RES, NRO, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 

Safeguards, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), and members of the nuclear power industry. 

Topics covered in the meeting included the status of previous action items, an NEI/industry 

presentation on satisfaction of RG 1.174, “Principles in the Diversity and Defense-In-Depth 

Evaluation,” work coordination, and NEI/Electrical Power Research Institute research 

participation. NEI/Industry agreed to provide written comments on a staff conceptual paper. 

The next meeting of TWG 3 is tentatively scheduled for January 2008. 

Staff Holds Public Meetings to Solicit Comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental 

Impact Statement for the License Renewal of Wolf Creek Generating Station

On November 8, 2007, the staff conducted two meetings in Burlington, Kansas, to solicit 

comments from the public on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) 

regarding the Wolf Creek Generating Station License Renewal Review. The Draft Supplement 

32, published in September 2007, is a plant-specific supplement to the “Generic Environmental 

Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants” (NUREG-1437). The public comment 

period ends on December 26, 2007. At the conclusion of the comment period, the staff will 

evaluate the comments received and revise the DSEIS if necessary. 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE B 

 Office of New Reactors (NRO) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Florida Power & Light Company Selects AP1000 Technology for Turkey Point Site

By letter dated October 26, 2007 (ADAMS Accession # ML073100136), Florida Power & Light 

Company (FPL) notified NRC that it has preliminarily selected the AP1000 technology and 

expects to submit a combined license application for two AP1000 units at FPL’s existing Turkey 

Point site in March 2009. FPL plans to initiate site characterization activities in January 2008. 

Korean Institute of Nuclear Safety Vendor Inspection

From October 24 to 26 and from October 29 to 31, 2007, NRC staff observed the vendor 

inspections the Korean Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) conducted at Westinghouse 

Newington Operations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and at Tyco Valves & Controls, 

Anderson Greenwood Crosby, in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Both facilities are fabricating 

components for Korean units under construction. The NRC staff observed the inspections to 

become familiar with the regulatory requirements, quality assurance procedures, and inspection 

methods KINS implements to perform vendor inspections. These are the first inspections that 

NRC staff has observed at the invitation of another national regulator. The staff plans to 

continue discussions with KINS to identify other potential areas of cooperation between the two 

regulatory bodies and will invite KINS to participate in a future NRO vendor inspection. 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE D 

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

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

The Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards (ISCORS) Public Meeting

On October 30, 2007, ISCORS held their annual public meeting at NRC Headquarters in 

Rockville, Maryland. Attendees consisted of representatives from NRC, the State of 

Pennsylvania, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, the 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S Department of Health and Human Services, 

the U.S Department of Energy, and members of the public. Committee members gave 

presentations on a variety of radiation-related topics including the Safety Light Corporation 

Superfund site cleanup, tritium exit signs, radon activities, and International Atomic Energy 

Agency basic safety standards. All presentations will be made available on the ISCORS website 

at http://www.iscors.org/. 

Staff Issues Letter on NRC Jurisdiction Over Activities Related to Brunswick Nuclear Plant Canal 

Dredgings

On November 7, 2007, NRC responded to a letter from the North Carolina regulatory authority 

that requested clarification of NRC jurisdiction over canal dredging and movement of material to 

an on-site spoil pond burial at the Brunswick Nuclear Plant. NRC indicated that it maintains 

jurisdiction over the operation of any production or utilization facility under Section 274.c(1) of 

the Atomic Energy Act. This jurisdiction is based on the understanding that the licensee 

categorizes the proposed action (dredging and movement of materials to the on-site spoil pond) 

as storage rather than disposal. NRC interprets operation of any production or utilization facility 

to include storage and handling of radioactive wastes. 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE F 

 Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

PNO-II-07-012A, Catawba Nuclear Station

UPDATE – ONSITE GROUND WATER TRITIUM CONTAMINATION AT THE CATAWBA 

NUCLEAR STATION SITE 

PNO-IV-07-010, Arizona Public Service Company

PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (PVNGS) NOTIFICATION OF UNUSUAL 

EVENT 

PNO-II-07-012A, Catawba Nuclear Station

UPDATE – ONSITE GROUND WATER TRITIUM CONTAMINATION AT THE CATAWBA 

NUCLEAR STATION SITE 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE G 

 Office of Administration (ADM) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Friends United for Sustainable Energy; Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-54-4)

On November 8, 2007, the NRC published a document in the Federal Register (72 FR 63141) 

denying a petition for rulemaking (PRM-54-4) submitted by Susan Shapiro, Esquire, Friends 

United for Sustainable Energy. The petitioner requested that the NRC issue an order to enjoin 

itself from considering any new license applications until it can amend its regulations so that the 

regulations do not suppress and/or eliminate a stakeholder's right to redress, due process, and 

equal protection in the licensing renewal process. A notice of receipt of this petition was not 

published in the Federal Register. 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE H 

 Office of Information Services (OIS) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

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

of November 2 through November 8, 2007

SECY-87-186A, Distribution of Radioactive Gems Irradiated in 

Reactors to Unlicensed Persons, unredacted copy FOIA/PA-2008-0030 

Office of Investigations report 1-2007-012 FOIA/PA-2008-0031 

Arizona Nuclear Power Project Participation Agreement, dated 

August 23, 1973, and amendments made between 1985 and 1988 FOIA/PA-2008-0032 

Indian Point Individual Plant Examination of External Events Program 

documents that concern the assessment of accident risks due to 

seismic events, submitted by Consolidated Edison, New York Power 

Authority, or Entergy FOIA/PA-2008-0033 

Allegation RIV-1999-A-0044, including all correspondence between 

named individual and NRC FOIA/PA-2008-0034 

NUREG/CR-6042 FOIA/PA-2008-0035 

NRC’s investigation of conduct of licensee’s meeting at Exelon 

Nuclear’s Byron Plant on October 17, 2007, list of interviewees, notes, 

discussions between staff members/offices FOIA/PA-2008-0036 

Mine plans of operation and associated environmental permitting 

documentation for uranium mining, milling, and drilling operations at 

named sites FOIA/PA-2008-0037 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE J 

Office of Human Resources (HR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Arrivals

ABIGAIL, YVETTE MICHELLE ACCOUNTANT/SYSTEMS ACCOUNTANT CFO 

BARCZY, THERESA POLICY ANALYST (TERM APPT) ADM 

BILLOCH, ARACELI GENERAL ENGINEER (NSPDP) NRR 

CARNES, MIKE MAIL SERVICES ASSISTANT ADM 

CHANDLER, TIMOTHY RESIDENT INSPECTOR DEV. PROGRAM RII 

DO, PHUONG-ANH ACCOUNTANT/SYSTEMS ACCOUNTANT CFO 

DUNN, SCARLET SECRETARY (OA) NRO 

GOLDFEIZ, BANU SECRETARY (OA) NRR 

HEDGER, SEAN DREW OPERATIONS ENGINEER RIV 

IRANI, GUITA IT SPECIALIST ACRS 

MARCANO, JONATHAN CIVIL ENGINEER NMSS 

NORTON, CHARLES PROJECT ENGINEER RIV 

PALMROSE, DONALD SR. PROJECT MANAGER (ENVIRONMENTAL) NRO 

RONEWICZ, LYNN SECRETARY (OA) OGC 

TSE, ANTHONY SR. MANAGEMENT ANALYST OIS 

URIBE, JUAN GENERAL ENGINEER (NSPDP) NRR 

VETTORI, ROBERT FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER NRR 

WILLIAMS, LISA HR ASSISTANT HR 

YEH, LILLIAN IT SPECIALIST OIS 

Retirements

KARJALA, DUANE RESIDENT INSPECTOR (PWR) RIII 

Departures

DEMPSEY, MARLENE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR OIG 

KARMIS, GEORGE TRANS & STORAGE SAFETY ENGR NMSS 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE M 

 Office of Public Affairs (OPA) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

OPA Received Significant Media Inquiries on the Following

Inattentive guards and the Augmented Inspection Team review of plant security at Peach Bottom 

nuclear plant. 

Barnwell upcoming closure and issues with future low-level waste disposal. 

Vermont Yankee nuclear plant’s recent inspection report which covered the partial cooling tower 

collapse. 

 

Status of Hope Creek nuclear plant’s extended power uprate application. 

Other Public Affairs Items

OPA’s Director met with various media outlets and Cox Communications to discuss getting a 

television signal from the NRC’s Las Vegas hearing facility to prepare for next month’s ASLB 

hearing on DOE’s Licensing Support Network (LSN) certification. 

OPA supported Braidwood nuclear plant’s recent community information forum. 

Press Releases

Headquarters:

07-148 NRC Meeting Dec. 4 in Evansville, Tennessee, to Discuss Oversight of Watts 

Bar Unit 2 Construction (11/08) 

07-147 NRC Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste and Materials to Meet in Rockville, 

Maryland, Nov. 13-15 (11/05) 

Regions:

I-07-057 NRC Commences Follow-Up Security Inspection at Peach Bottom (11/05) 

I-07-0581 NRC to Discuss Process for Review of License Renewal Application For Beaver 

Valley Nuclear Plant, Seek Environmental Input (11/08) 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE O 

 Office of the Secretary (SECY) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Document Released 

to Public 

Date Subject 

Decision Documents

1. Voting Record on 

SECY-07-0162 

11/02/2007 Final Rule to Amend 10 CFR Parts 19, 20, 

and 50: Occupational Dose Records 

Labeling Containers, and the Total Effective 

Dose Equivalent (RIN 3150-AH40) 

2. SECY-07-0182 10/19/07 Semi-Annual Update on the Status of 

Emergency Preparedness Activities 

3. SECY-07-0146 8/24/07 Regulatory Options for Licensing New 

Uranium Conversion and Depleted Uranium 

Deconversion Facilities 

 SRM on 07-0146 10/10/07 (same) 

 Voting Record on 

 07-0146 

10/10/07 (same) 

Information Papers

1. SECY-07-0183 10/22/07 Annual Review of the Need for Rulemaking 

and/or Regulatory Guidance on Low-Level 

Radioactive Waste Storage 

2. SECY-07-0184 10/22/07 Industry Trends Program for Operating 

Power Reactors – Baseline Risk Index for 

Initiative Events 

3. SECY-07-0189 10/25/07 Staff Considerations Regarding Increased 

Openness and Transparency in the Security 

Inspection Programs 

Memoranda

1. M071003 10/23/2007 Staff Requirements – Briefing on NRC’s 

International Programs, Performance, and 

Plans 

2. M071102 11/02/2007 Staff Requirements – Affirmation Session: 

SECY-07-0162 – Final Rule to Amend 10 

CFR Parts 19, 20, and 50: Occupational 

Dose Records Labeling Containers, and the 

Total Effective Dose Equivalent 

(RIN 3150-AH40) 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE O 

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congress, dated October 31, 2007, responds to letter concerning the collapse 

 of a portion of a cooling tower at Vermont Yankee. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Final rule. 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 50, 52, 60, 61, 63, 70, 71, 72, and 76, RIN 3150-AH59, 

 Clarification of NRC Civil Penalty Authority over Contractors and Subcontractors Who 

 Discriminate Against Employees for Engaging in Protected Activities. 

2. Independent External Review Panel to Identify Vulnerabilities in the U.S. Nuclear 

 Regulatory Commission’s Materials Licensing Program, notice of meeting 

 (November 27 to 30, 2007). 

3. 10 CFR Part 51, Docket No. PRM-51-12, State of California; Supplement to a Petition for 

 Rulemaking. 

4. Final rule, correction. 10 CFR Parts 1, 2, 13, and 110, RIN 3150-AH74, Use of Electronic 

 Submissions in Agency Hearings. 
November 9, 2007 ENCLOSURE P 

 Region IV (RIV) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending November 9, 2007 

Regulatory Conference with Omaha Public Power District

On November 8, the staff conducted a regulatory conference in the RIV office with 

representatives of the Omaha Public Power District to discuss two apparent violations involving 

the Fort Calhoun Station facility. The apparent violations, which were characterized as one 

preliminarily greater than Green finding, involved improper electrical maintenance activities and 

inadequate corrective actions with respect to the station’s emergency diesel generators. Omaha 

Public Power District representatives did not dispute the violations and concluded on the basis 

of their analysis that the significance of the finding was low to moderate (White). The staff will 

issue a final significance determination at a later date. One member of the public monitored the 

conference by telephone. 
November 9, 2007 

 Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)  Items of Interest  Week Ending November 9, 2007 

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE, NO. 36 

OCA Contact 

Date & Place Time Committee Subject Witnesses 

Powell 11/06/07 

366 Dirksen 

10:00 Senate Energy and Natural 

Resources (Senators Bingaman and Domenici) 

Domestic Energy Industry Workforce Needs 

• Emily DeRocco – As

for employment and 

• Patricia Hoffman – O

and Development, D

• Andra Cornelius – W• Norm Szydlowski – • Paul Bowers – Sout• Ray Stults – Nationa

Laboratory 

• Carol Berrigan – Nu• Jim Hunter – Interna

Electrical Workers 

Sahm 11/06/07 

2154 Rayburn 

10:00 House Oversight and 

Government Reform, Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia (Representatives Davis and Marchant) 

“Telework: Breaking New Ground” 

• Not yet available