INFORMATION REPORT

January 5, 2007 SECY-07-0004

For: The Commissioners

From: Michael R. Johnson, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO 

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

DECEMBER 22, 2006

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*

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S*

*No input this week.

/RA Christopher G. Miller, Acting for/

Michael R. Johnson 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO
January 5, 2007 SECY-07-0004

For: The Commissioners

From: Michael R. Johnson, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

DECEMBER 22, 2006

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*

Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards/

Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste S*

*No input this week.

/RA Christopher G. Miller, Acting for/

Michael R. Johnson

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

L. Rakovan, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

EDO R/F

AO R/F Document Name: C:\WIR\week1222.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

LRakovan:paa MRJohnson

01/03/07 01/05/07
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 22, 2006

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: lar2@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 5 SECY 19

RES 5 Region I 20

NSIR * Region II *

ADM * Region III 21

OIS 12 Region IV *

CFO * EDO *

HR 16 OCA *

SBCR * ACRS/ACNW *

*No input this week
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant License Renewal Audit

During the week of December 11-15, 2006, the staff conducted an Aging Management Review

and a Time Limiting Aging Analysis audit of the license renewal application at the James A.

FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant (FitzPatrick) site in Scriba, NY. The team previously conducted

an Aging Management Program audit during the week of November 13-17, 2006. The audit

team conducted numerous interviews and breakout meetings with the FitzPatrick staff. The

audit team also reviewed the applicant's responses to the team's questions and the applicant’s

internal technical bases documents. The team is scheduled to conduct a final audit on

January 8 and 9, 2007.

Staff Issues Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station License Renewal Draft Supplemental

Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Public Comment

On December 13, 2006, the staff issued the draft of NUREG-1437, “Generic Environmental

Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 30, Regarding Vermont

Yankee Nuclear Power Station,” for public comment. This supplemental environmental impact

statement (SEIS) includes the staff’s preliminary analysis that considers and weighs the

environmental effects of the proposed action, the environmental impacts of alternatives to the

proposed action, and mitigative measures available for reducing or avoiding adverse impacts. 

It also includes the staff’s preliminary recommendation regarding the proposed action. The

staff recommends that the Commission determine that the adverse environmental impacts of

license renewal for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station are not so great that preserving the

option of license renewal for energy planning decision makers would be unreasonable. 

A 75-day public comment period began on December 22, 2006, with the Notice of Filing of the

draft SEIS with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The staff has scheduled public

meetings on January 31, 2007, in Brattleboro, Vermont, to present its analyses and to solicit

public comments on the draft SEIS.

Briefing of Advanced Reactor Steering Committee on Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

(ANPR) to Risk-Inform Reactor Requirements

On December 13, 2006, the rulemaking workgroup for the ANPR to Risk-Inform Power Reactor

Requirements briefed the Advanced Reactor Steering Committee (ARSC) on the ANPR status. 

The workgroup provided background information on the Commission’s direction for the ANPR,

the policy and technical issues covered in the ANPR, e.g., Level of Safety and Integrated Risk

at Multi-Unit Sites, and draft proposed options for proceeding. The ANPR was issued in May

2006 and the comment period expires December 29, 2006. The ARSC discussed the ANPR

recommendations with the workgroup and asked that the workgroup meet with the ARSC for

further discussion in January 2007.
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE A

Staff Holds Public Information and Environmental Scoping Meetings on the License Renewal of

Wolf Creek Generating Station

On December 19, 2006, the staff conducted two meetings to solicit comments from the public

on the scope of the environmental review of the Wolf Creek Generation Station license renewal

application and to provide information about the overall license renewal process. Approximately

40 people attended the meetings, including county government officials. No public comments

were provided. The public scoping period and opportunity for petition for hearing end on

January 29, 2007. The draft SEIS is scheduled to be published in August 2007, and the final

SEIS is scheduled to be published in March 2008.

Public Workshop on the Reactivity Insertion Accident Standard Review Plan (SRP)

On December 19, 2006, a second public workshop regarding the staff’s proposed revision of

the Reactivity Insertion Accident (RIA) SRP section was held. The workshop was attended by

representatives of Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the three nuclear fuel supply

vendors, and a number of utilities. Representatives from Union of Concerned Scientists

participated in this workshop via telephone. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss

possible differences between the industry and NRC on the proposed criteria for acceptable fuel

performance during RIAs. The revised SRP section will next go to the ACRS for review in early

2007, and will be finalized in March 2007.

Meeting with the Industry on Potential Cracking in Pressurizer Nozzle Welds

On December 20, 2006, the staff held a public meeting with representatives from the 

Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the EPRI, and the Materials Reliability Program (MRP). The

meeting was a follow-on to the public meetings held on November 16 and November 30 to

discuss the implications of results of the pressurizer nozzle weld inspections performed at Wolf

Creek in mid-October 2006. The NRC staff made a presentation summarizing its safety

concerns. Industry provided the results of additional deterministic and probabilistic analyses

performed since the previous meetings. At the conclusion of the meeting, the staff indicated

that it had all the information needed to recommend a regulatory decision to management by

the end of December 2006.

Meeting with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

On December 20, 2006, the staff met with representatives of NEI, the Pressurized Water

Reactors (PWR) Owners Group, containment strainer vendors, and licensees regarding

Generic Safety Issue 191 on PWR Sumps. Points discussed included industry approaches to

handling chemical effects, plans for developing a systematic approach to pH buffer changeout,

and results of NRC audits of plant actions to address Generic Letter 2004-02, “Potential Impact

of Debris Blockage on Emergency Recirculation during Design Basis Accidents at

Pressurized-Water Reactors,” dated September 13, 2004. The meeting resulted in agreement

to hold a follow-on meeting in February 2007 on the same subjects, in the anticipation that

additional results of audits and chemical testing, as well as a draft guideline for systematic

buffer change-out, will be available by that time.
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE B

Office of New Reactors (NRO)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Petition to Intervene Filed for Plant Vogtle Early Site Permit (ESP)

On December 11, 2006, a Petition to Intervene involving the Plant Vogtle ESP by the Center for

Sustainable Coast, Savannah River Keeper, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Atlanta

Women’s Action for New Direction, and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League. The

petition cites five contentions (all in the environmental area): adequacy of assessment of

impacts on fishery resources of the Savannah River, adequacy of assessment of impacts on

minority and low-income populations in the Plant Vogtle area, safe disposition of spent fuel,

environmental impacts of intentional attacks, and adequacy of assessment of energy

alternatives.

Vogtle ESP Environmental Review

On December 12, 2006, Southern Nuclear Operating Company provided responses to the

staff’s environmental Information Needs for the Plant Vogtle ESP, five days later than the

agreed upon response date. This delay will result in a delay in the staff’s development and

posting of environmental requests for additional information from the originally scheduled date

of December 21 to approximately December 27 or 28. 
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Meeting with Department of Energy (DOE) and Packaging Technology Regarding

Transportation Package for Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Fresh Fuel

On December 14, 2006, staff met with DOE and Packaging Technology to discuss a new

package being designed for the truck transport of ATR fresh fuel. Discussions centered on the

physical testing that will be performed to demonstrate that the package meets the performance

standards in 10 CFR Part 71, including accident conditions. DOE plans to perform the testing

in February 2007 and submit an application for package approval in June 2007. 

Completion of Acceptance/Acknowledgment Review of the Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX) Fabrication

Facility License Application

On December 20, 2006, the staff completed its acknowledgment/acceptance review of the

Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility license application and determined that sufficient

information was provided for the staff to begin a detailed technical review. The application

addresses the requirements of 10 CFR Part 70 and the guidance specified in NUREG-1718,

“Standard Review Plan for the Review of an Application for a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication

Facility.” The staff will publish a notice of opportunity for a hearing when MOX Services

provides a non-proprietary version of the license application in a couple of weeks. 
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE D

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

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Management Review Board Meeting for Maine IMPEP Review

On December 18, 2006, the Management Review Board (MRB) met to consider the proposed

final Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) report for the State of

Maine. The Maine IMPEP review was conducted October 10-13, 2006. The MRB agreed with

the review team’s recommendations that the state’s regulatory program be found adequate to

protect public health and safety and compatible with NRC regulations, and that the next review

be conducted in approximately four years.
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE E

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Staff visit to Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES)

From December 12-14, 2006, staff and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST) visited SSES to collect information on actual plant configurations to be used to develop

a "user's guide" for fire modeling of nuclear power plant applications and the fire model

Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table. This user’s guide is a follow-on project to the

recently completed fire model verification and validation report NUREG-1824. 

Progress Energy Fire Barrier (Hemyc) Test

On December 14, 2006, staff witnessed the latest in a series of the nuclear industry’s Hemyc

fire barrier tests sponsored by Progress Energy (PE) at Intertek (formerly Omega Point

Laboratory). This test incorporated potential upgrades to the as-built fire barriers currently

installed at PE plants.
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE H

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Public Web Site Redesign

On December 15, 2006, staff completed the first phase of the Public Site Redesign requested

by Chairman Klein. This phase included several notable features: (1) a new site-wide banner

consistent with the EDO Branding Initiative; (2) a new and dramatically improved search

function that uses the Google.com search technology; (3) a site-wide pull down menu that

complies with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and (4) a new, cleaner design

for the NRC Home Page. The search function enables the user to search across all publicfacing NRC Web sites from a single place, and enables the user to refine the searches by

targeting particular areas of content from multiple sites. 

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

of December 15 through December 21, 2006:

Indian Point Unit 1, Jan. 1996 Post Shutdown Decommissioning

Activities Report & the NRC Order approving SAFSTOR, and

correspondence between ConEd and NRC

FOIA/PA-2007-0060

OI report 1-2006-004 FOIA/PA-2007-0061

FY07 Exhibit 300 & business case FOIA/PA-2007-0062

Nationwide Testing Services Inc., 400 W. Touhy Ave., Des Plaines, IL

60018, license 12-24461-01, inspections, violations, etc.

FOIA/PA-2007-0063

Sealed Source Device Registrations issued to named companies,

January 1, 2006 to present, all records

FOIA/PA-2007-0064

Haddam Neck Plant, Technical Specifications submitted on 9-10-01

and 11-08-02

FOIA/PA-2007-0065
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Arrivals

LEARN, MATTHEW STUDENT ENGINEER (CO-OP) RIII

LI, ZHIAN REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER NRR

WASHINGTON, BRITTNEY STUDENT CLERK ADM

WILLIAMS, FLORINE CIVIL RIGHT SPECIALIST SBCR

Departure

HELM, WENDY SECRETARY (OA) RIV

PEREZ-ORTIZ, ARACELIS MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT RES

RAMIREZ, ANNIE STUDENT ENGINEER (CO-OP) RES

SOTO, SOLY STUDENT ENGINEER (CO-OP) RES

YOUNG, SHEENA ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT TRAINEE ADM
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

Prospects for new reactor applications in the coming year.

Preparations for restarting Browns Ferry Unit 1.

NRC enforcement actions against Beaver Valley and Vermont Yankee.

An NRC inspection report detailing safety conscious work environment issues at Indian Point.

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA assisted Commissioner McGaffigan with a Letter to the Editor of The New York Times in

response to an op-ed piece regarding security dangers posed by polonium-210. (The letter was

published December 27, 2006.)

OPA assisted at a public meeting in Alabama regarding the Browns Ferry Unit I restart

preparations.

Press Releases

Regions:

I-06-064 NRC Cites FENOC for Violation at Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant (12/19)

I-06-065 NRC Finalizes “White” Finding for Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant Over

Shipment of Radioactively Contaminated Equipment (12/20)

I-06-066 NRC Proposes $3,250 Civil Penalty for Pa. Firm for Portable Nuclear Gauge

Violations (12/21)
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Decision Documents

1. COMSECY-06-0036 7/17/06 Proposed Changes to the Sector Specific

Plan of the National Infrastructure

Protection Plan Regarding Threat

Assessment

SRM on 06-0036 7/19/06 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 06-0036

7/19/06 (same)

2. COMSECY-06-0038 8/15/06 Draft Nuclear Sector Specific Plan

SRM on 06-0038 8/18/06 (same)

Commission Voting

Record on 06-0038

8/18/06 (same)

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Frances Fragos Townsend, White House Homeland Security Council, dated

December 15, 2006, certifying that NRC is addressing the applicable elements of

pandemic planning set forth in the “Key Elements of Departmental Pandemic Influenza

Operational Plants” checklist.

2. Letter to Director General Tomihiro Taniguchi, IAEA, dated October 20, 2006, responds

to office to have IAEA as co-secretariat for the Multinational Design Evaluation Program

(MDEP).

Federal Register Notices Issued

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

materials, Metallurgy, and Reactor Fuels, notice of meeting (1/19/07).

2. ACRS, Subcommittee Meeting on Power Uprates, notice of meeting (1/16-17/07).

3. Southern Nuclear Operating Company (Early Site Permit for Vogtle ESP Site).

4. ACRS, Subcommittee Committee on Power Uprates, Revised notice of meeting

(1/16-17/07).
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE P

Region I (RI)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Biennial Problem Identification and Resolution Inspections Conducted at Indian Point

On December 21, 2006, Region I issued the inspection reports for the biennial problem

identification and resolution inspections conducted at Indian Point Unit 2 and Unit 3. The

inspections were conducted concurrently, and were issued under a common cover letter. The

inspection report cover letter described the agency’s concern related to the safety conscious

work environment onsite and transmitted a request for Entergy to provide the agency its plan

for evaluating the potential chilling effect onsite and its plan of action to address the matter

within 30 days.

Extension to the Existing Reactor Oversight Process Deviation Memorandum for Indian Point

Energy Center

On December 21, 2006, the Executive Director for Operations approved an extension to the

existing Reactor Oversight Process Deviation Memorandum for Indian Point Energy Center. 

This deviation continued increased inspection and oversight of Entergy’s efforts to address

issues associated with onsite groundwater contamination and the performance of the alert and

notification system.

Predecisional Enforcement Conference with TRC Engineers, Inc. (formerly SITE-Blauvelt

Engineers, Inc.)

On December 20, 2006, Region I held a predecisional enforcement conference with

representatives of TRC Engineers, Inc. One apparent violation involving the loss of control of a

portable gauge was discussed. The licensee described its corrective actions during the

conference.
December 22, 2006 ENCLOSURE P

Region III (RIII)

Items of Interest

Week Ending December 22, 2006

Clinton Regulatory Conference

On December 19, 2006, the Region III staff conducted a Regulatory Conference in the regional

office with representatives of Exelon Generation Co. (AmerGen Energy Co.) to discuss a

problem at the Clinton Nuclear Power Station that might have affected the operation of high

pressure core spray pump. The problem had been identified as potentially greater than green

in an inspection report issued November 29, 2006.