INFORMATION REPORT

March 8, 2007 SECY-07-0045

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

FEBRUARY 23, 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/

Michael R. Johnson 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

R. Taylor, OEDO
March 8, 2007 SECY-07-0045

For: The Commissioners

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING

FEBRUARY 23, 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/

Michael R. Johnson

Assistant for Operations, OEDO

Contact:

R. Taylor, OEDO

DISTRIBUTION:

EDO R/F

AO R/F Document Name: C:\WIR\week223.WPD

OEDO AO/OEDO

RTaylor:paa MRJohnson

03/08/07 03/08/07
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 23, 2007

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: R. Taylor, OEDO by E-mail: rxt2@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 * SECY 19

RES 5 Region I *

NSIR * Region II *

ADM * Region III *

OIS 12 Region IV 23

CFO * EDO *

HR 16 OCA 24

SBCR *

*No input this week
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Meeting with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) on the NEI White Paper on Operational Leakage

On February 15, 2007, NRC staff met with industry representatives to discuss industry

concerns with Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2005-20, regarding actions to be taken

following the discovery of operational leakage in American Society of Mechanical Engineers

(ASME) Class 2 and 3 piping systems. The meeting focused on staff comments on the NEI

revision of its White Paper provided in October 2006. The industry agreed to hold further

discussions with the staff regarding comments on the white paper. NEI representatives

requested that the staff consider issuing interim guidance to address concerns regarding

potential unnecessary plant shutdowns. The staff is considering options in addressing NEI’s

request.

Monthly Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Public Meeting

On February 21, 2007, the staff conducted the monthly ROP public meeting. The purpose of

this meeting was to allow discussion on staff initiatives and provide a forum for industry

feedback. Meeting attendees discussed mitigating systems performance index (MSPI)

implementation, safety culture integration into the ROP, performance indicator issues, open and

new frequently asked questions, and 2007 goals for the ROP Working Group.

2007 International Conference on Simulation Technology for Power Plants

On February 21, the staff participated in an industry workshop sponsored by NEI and the Utility

Simulator Users Group at the 2007 International Conference on Simulation Technology for

Power Plants in San Diego, CA. The staff made a presentation on an acceptable simulator

scenario based testing approach.
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Staff Briefing to the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) on Moderator Exclusion in

Spent Fuel Transportation Packages

On February 15, 2007, the staff briefed ACNW on the topic of Moderator Exclusion in Spent

Fuel Transportation Packages. Moderator exclusion means that a transportation package relies

on the absence of water to assure nuclear criticality safety. Briefing topics included the

regulatory basis for moderator exclusion and staff practice with respect to approving spent fuel

package designs. The staff discussed possible regulatory options for allowing some level of

moderator exclusion for spent fuel packages. 
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE E

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Publication of NUREG/CR-6925, “Assessment of Analysis Methods for Seismic Shear Wall

Capacity Using JNES/NUPEC [Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization/Nuclear Power

Engineering Test Center] Multi-Axial Cyclic and Shaking Table Test Data” 

On February 23, 2007, the subject report was posted to the NRC public website. NUREG/CR6925 documents the collaborative efforts between the NRC and JNES in the area of seismic

engineering research. This shear wall test program was one of a series of large-scale seismic

testing programs of nuclear power plant (NPP) structures, systems, and components conducted

by JNES. Under contract to the NRC, Brookhaven National Laboratory performed this study

and has established that the JNES tests have yielded valuable data, which, together with

insights gained from the various correlation analyses presented in this study, will serve as a

resource for seismic fragility estimates of reinforced concrete shear wall structures. On the

basis of the study, the NRC staff has concluded that the JNES data can be used to benchmark

analytical models and methods for seismic response analysis of NPP low-rise shear wall

structures.

Publication of NUREG/CR-6917, “Experimental Measurements of Pressure Drop Across Debris

Beds on PWR [pressurized water reactor] Sump Screens in Support of Generic Safety Issue

191,” Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

On February 23, 2007, the subject report was posted to the NRC public website. NUREG/CR6917 documents testing conducted to provide data on pressure drop across debris beds

composed of fiberglass (Nukon) and calcium silicate particulate on a typical PWR sump screen

under post-LOCA (loss-of-coolant-accident) containment conditions. The tests also studied the

effects of water temperature on pressure drop. Results from the tests can be used to support

the development of an improved head loss correlation. 

Publication of NUREG-1862, “Development of Pressure Drop Calculation Method for DebrisCovered Sump Screens in Support of Generis Safety Issue 191"

On February 23, 2007, the subject report was posted to the NRC public website. NUREG-1862

contains new test data from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that was used by the staff to

develop an approach to calculate pressure drop across a sump screen or plate covered with

fiberglass (Nukon), calcium silicate (CalSil), or a Nukon/CalSil mixture. A one-volume method

provided conservative estimates of pressure drop across a debris bed composed of one debris

type. For debris beds composed of particles and fibers, a two-volume calculation method

predicted conservative pressure drops for larger CalSil concentration thicknesses and adequate

estimates of pressure drop for debris beds with lower CalSil concentration thicknesses. The

new test data revealed that the pressure drop across a debris bed depends on water

temperature and debris bed exposure to flows and temperatures.
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE H

Office of Information Services (OIS)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

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

of February 16 through February 22, 2007:

Review of Region III concern re: Technical Specification covering

diesel generator testing (TAC 77922) memo dated 10-22-1990 from

E. G. Greenman, RIII, to D. M. Crutchfield, NRR

FOIA/PA-2007-0120

Advanced Isotopes of Idaho, 4968 Rainbow Lane, Pocatello, ID

83202, license application, materials license, & all amendments

FOIA/PA-2007-0121

Number of expedited requests received each fiscal year, 1998-2006,

number granted, processing time, subject 

FOIA/PA-2007-0122

Records about named individual FOIA/PA-2007-0123

Data on monthly number of monitoring & enforcement activities &

data on monthly number of NRC inspections conducted, all years to

present

FOIA/PA-2007-0124

Contract NRC-27-01-001 FOIA/PA-2007-0125

BWXT facility, Lynchburg, VA, all records re: IAEA visits since

January 1, 2000

FOIA/PA-2007-0126

BWXT facility, Lynchburg, VA, all records re: license renewal of

Special Nuclear Materials license SNM-42

FOIA/PA-2007-0127

BWXT & BWXT-12, copies of advance notifications of upcoming

shipments for calendar years 2001 through 2006

FOIA/PA-2007-0128

Monsanto Research Corp., Mound Lab, Miamisburg, OH, records on

named individual

FOIA/PA-2007-0129
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE J

Office of Human Resources (HR)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Arrivals

WELSH, JAMES ACMUI MEMBER FSME

Departure

BENNETT, WILLIAM GENERAL ENGINEER NRR
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

The OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

A murder-suicide by an employee at the Indian Point power plant.

NRC’s White finding for Palo Verde.

Other Public Affairs Items:

Chairman Klein toured the Palo Verde plant and held a press conference.

Commissioner Merrifield toured the Shieldalloy site in New Jersey, and met with reporters

afterward.

Commissioner Merrifield was interviewed by The New Yorker for an upcoming report on

security of radiological sources.

William Borchardt, Director of the Office of New Reactors, was interviewed by EnergyBiz

magazine.

Press Releases

Headquarters:

07-024 NRC Reschedules Public Meeting to Discuss Revisions, Additions to Physical

Security Requirements for Nuclear Power Plants (2/23)

07-025 NRC Completes Web Site Redesign (2/23)

07-026 NRC Chairman Klein Discusses Palo Verde Nuclear Plant (2/23)

07-027 Statement of NRC Chairman Dale Klein, Tucson, Arizona, February 23, 2007

(2/23)

Regions:

III-07-003 NRC Staff Proposes $6,500 Fine for Security Violations at Materials Testing

Facility in Pennsylvania (2/22)

IV-07-003 NRC Issues “White” Finding at Palo Verde Nuclear Plant (2/22)
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Document Released

to Public

Date Subject

Information Papers

1. SECY-07-0026 2/5/07 Agencywide Documents Access and

Management System: Semi-annual

Progress Report for July-December 2006

2. SECY-07-0027 2/5/07 Semiannual Update of the Lessons-Learned

Program

Memoranda

-- M070201C 2/23/07 Briefing on Strategic Workforce Planning

and Human Capital Initiatives

Federal Register Notices Issued

-- Proposed rule. Reopening of public comment period, 10 CFR Parts 50, 72, and 73,

RIN 3150-AG63, Power Reactor Security Requirements.
February 23, 2007 ENCLOSURE P

Region IV (RIV)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

Public Meeting with Arizona Public Service 

On February 20, 2007, management and staff conducted a public meeting in the Region IV

office with Arizona Public Service. The meeting was held to review licensee activities at Palo

Verde associated with their component design basis review. The discussions included the

scope of the licensee’s review and the type of findings that have been identified to date. 
February 23, 2007 

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)

Items of Interest

Week Ending February 23, 2007

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE, NO. 5

 OCA

Contact

 DATE &

 PLACE

TIME COMMITTEE SUBJECT 

Combs /Decker

03/13/2007

342 Dirksen

2:30 Senate Committee on Homeland

Security and GovernmentalAffairs, Subcommittee onOversight of GovernmentManagement, the FederalWorkforce, and the District ofColumbia(Senators Akaka / Voinovich)

GAO’s report: DOE’sInternational RadiologicalThreat Reduction ProgramNeeds to Focus Future Effortson Securing the HighestPriority Radiological Sources

Not yet determRequested:-GAO-IAEA (will sub-DOE-Dept. of State-Janice Dunn L-non-governme

Decker 03/28/2007 1:00 House Appropriations Committee,

Subcommittee on Energy andWater Development(Representatives Visclosky /Hobson)

FY 2008 Appropriations Not yet determ

Requested:-NRC (Chairma-DOE Office of -DOE Office of Management (