INFORMATION REPORT 

July 28, 2008 SECY-08-0107

For: The Commissioners 

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING 

JULY 18, 2008 

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: 

S. Bagley, OEDO 
July 28, 2008 SECY-08-0107

For: The Commissioners 

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

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING 

JULY 18, 2008 

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: 

S. Bagley, OEDO 

DISTRIBUTION: 

EDO R/F 

AO R/F Document Name: G:\AO\WIR\2008\Week0818.doc 

OEDO AO/OEDO 

SBagley VLOrdaz ML082130357

07/28/08 07/28/08 
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 18, 2008

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

Headquarters and Regional Office activities. 

Contact: S. Bagley, OEDO by E-mail: shb@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 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE A 

 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Digital Instrumentation and Control (I&C) Task Working Group #5, Highly Integrated Control 

Room

On July 9, 2008, the Digital I&C Task Working Group #5, Highly Integrated Control Room - 

Human Factors met with industry in a public meeting. During the meeting, discussions took 

place concerning the industry white papers on: (1) Manual Operator Actions which will be used 

as input for the development of Interim Staff Guidance on Crediting Manual Operator Actions in 

response to a software common cause failure as discussed in Branch Technical Position 7-19, 

and (2) Minimum Inventory which will be used as input for a revision to Standard Review Plan 

Chapter 18. 

Alion Science and Technology Chemical Effects Head Loss Testing

On July 9 and 10, 2008, staff traveled to Warrenville, Illinois, to meet with representatives of 

Alion Science and Technology regarding integrated chemical effects head loss testing that they 

performed for a subset of US pressurized water reactors to resolve Generic Safety Issue 

(GSI)-191. This trip was designed to give the staff an opportunity to review actual test data and 

plant-specific results in order to aid in the resolution of ongoing technical concerns being 

discussed with Alion in a series of teleconferences. Based on the review, the staff observed 

additional data confirming the impression that many of the tests have unexpectedly low head 

losses that appear to be caused by non-prototypical aspects of the test procedure. In response 

to the staff's ongoing concern, Alion will provide additional data in the near term and is 

considering additional generic testing. 

Technical Contract Briefing at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

On July 10, 2008, the NRR staff accompanied staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory 

Research (RES) to a technical contract briefing held at the INL. Staff attended this briefing in 

order to gain insight into the INL process for collecting, coding, and analyzing data obtained from 

Licensee Event Reports. Follow-up actions involve better utilizing the information contained in 

the INL database in order to improve the analysis, review, and tracking of nuclear power plant 

operating experience. 

Duke Energy Proposes Use of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) at Oconee Nuclear 

Station 

On July 10, 2008, as part of pre-application effort, staff met with the representative of Duke 

Energy at North Carolina State University to observe the structural testing of a brick wall 

specimen modified by the GFRP system. The tested brick wall was loaded uniformly using an 

air-bag and was instrumented to obtain the wall deformation and the strain in the GFRP. The 

mode of failure for this test was shear failure at the mortar joint interface with the supporting 

concrete frame. The next phase of the testing program will include other specimens to further 

study the effects of the GFRP on the flexural strength of the brick walls. 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE A 

Based on satisfactory results from further testing of other brick wall specimens, the staff expects 

Duke Energy to submit a license amendment request for modification of existing brick walls in 

the Auxiliary buildings at Oconee station to increase their structural capacity to withstand 

pressure from a design basis tornado event. 

Meeting at Department of Commerce (DOC) Regarding Counterfeit Parts

On July 14, 2008, staff met at the DOC offices in Washington, DC, with representatives from the 

International Trade Administration (ITA). The purpose of this initial meeting was to explore the 

possibility of sharing information on counterfeit parts. The staff is interested in working with other 

government agencies that may be a source of information on counterfeit parts that could 

potentially be supplied to domestic nuclear power plants. ITA is working on export issues with 

some major United States nuclear industry suppliers. Other organizations in DOC work with 

importers. Further information exchange is planned. 

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Nuclear Power Engineering Committee 

(NPEC) Meeting

On July 14 and 15, 2008, staff attended the meeting of IEEE, NPEC, Subcommittee 6 (SC 6), 

“Safety-Related Systems,” Working Group 6.4, “Computer Systems in Safety Systems,” and 

Working Group 6.1, “Accident Monitoring Instrumentation,” in Toronto, Canada. Working Group 

6.4 is working on a revision to IEEE Std. 7-4.3.2-2003, “IEEE Standard Criteria for Digital 

Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Stations,” to incorporate issues from 

Digital I&C ISG-04, “Interim Staff Guidance on Highly-Integrated Control Rooms - 

Communications Issues,” and lessons learned from reviews of digital applications. Regulatory 

Guide 1.152, Revision 2, “Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power 

Plants,” endorses IEEE Std. 7-4.3.2-2003. Working Group 6.1 is working on a revision to IEEE 

Std. 497-2002, “IEEE Standard Criteria for Accident Monitoring Instrumentation for Nuclear 

Power Generating Stations,” to incorporate revisions based on user feedback and the 

implementation of Regulatory Guide 1.97, Revision 4, “Criteria for Accident Monitoring 

Instrumentation for Nuclear Power Plants,” which endorses IEEE Std. 497-2002. 

License Renewal Meeting Between NRC Staff and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

On July 18, 2008, the staff is holding a Category 2 Meeting to discuss industry comments on 

draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG)-2008-01, “Staff Guidance Regarding the 

Station Blackout Rule (10 CFR 50.63) associated with License Renewal Applications.” 

Participants included members from the NRC’s Office of NRR, NEI, and other industry 

representatives. The public was provided the opportunity to participate in this meeting prior to 

the closing of the meeting. 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE B 

 Office of New Reactors (NRO) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Staff Holds Public Outreach Meeting at Fulton, MO to Discuss the Combined License 

Application (COL) for Callaway Plant, Unit 2

The staff participated in a public outreach meeting on July 9, 2008, to discuss the COL 

application for Callaway Plant, Unit 2. The meeting was conducted at the Champ Auditorium in 

Westminster College campus, Fulton, Missouri. Over 300 people attended this meeting, 

including representatives from the NRC staff, AmerenUE, UniStar, Areva, local governments and 

city officials, the nuclear industry, and members of the public. 

Briefing to Staffers from Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

On July 16, 2008, NRC staff briefed staffers from the Senate Committee on Environment and 

Public Works on the results of the NRC staff’s July 7 meeting with the Council on Environmental 

Quality, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The congressional staffers 

indicated that industry has informed them that some preconstruction activities that COL 

applicants originally planned to initiate prior to completion of the NRC’s environmental impact 

statement (EIS) cannot be started because the Corps will not issue a permit without a full 

National Environmental Policy Act analysis of the construction and operation of the nuclear 

power plant. The congressional staffers requested that the NRC provide a list of federal permits 

that NRC anticipates might be necessary for COL applicants and what actions the NRC is taking 

to establish Memorandums of Understanding or other necessary cooperative agreements to 

avoid similar issues. 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE D 

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

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-Coordinated Public Meeting on Homestake Mining 

Company (HMC) Uranium Mill Site Reclamation Project

On July 15, 2008, staff from FSME participated in an EPA-coordinated public meeting in Grants, 

New Mexico, regarding the HMC uranium mill site reclamation project located near Grants, New 

Mexico. The meeting consisted of presentations by EPA, New Mexico Environment Department 

(NMED) and the NRC. The EPA discussed its plans for an optimization study for reclamation of 

the HMC site, NMED discussed its regional well sampling program, and NRC provided a status 

summary of 2008 HMC licensing actions. A member of Senator Bingaman's office attended the 

meeting. 

Notice of Resolution and Closure of the Petition Docket (PRM-71-13)

On July 16, 2008, the notice of resolution and closure of the petition docket was published in the 

Federal Register (73 FR 40767). The notice indicated that the NRC will consider the issues 

raised by the petitioner in the rulemaking efforts on the security requirements for the 

transportation of Radioactive Material in Quantities of Concern. During the process the NRC will 

solicit comments from the public and will consider all comments before finalizing the rule. The 

petitioner requested that the NRC amend its regulations to require the use of global positioning 

satellite technology for tracking vehicles transporting highly radioactive mobile or portable 

radioactive devices or to grant states the flexibility to impose more stringent requirements than 

those required under NRC’s current increased controls. 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE H 

Office of Information Services (OIS) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

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

of July 11, 2008, through July 17, 2008: 

Specific information on all NRC employees by employee number to 

include title, series, grade, salary, appraisal score/rating, awards, 

promotions, etc. 

FOIA/PA-2008-0274 

Indian Point Units, exemption from fire general design criteria, plantspecific criteria and/or federal rules, requests for exemptions, 

modifications, design basis documents, safe shutdown analysis, fire 

hazard analysis, etc. 

FOIA/PA-2008-0275 

General Electric Test Reactor (GETR) License TR-1, specific 

documents as noted in September 6, 1962, letter from General Electric 

Company to the Atomic Energy Commission 

FOIA/PA-2008-0276 

Troxier, License no. 32-05998-01E FOIA/PA-2008-0277 

Civil and administrative violations for which a monetary penalty was 

assessed for calendar year 2007 

FOIA/PA-2008-0278 

Allegation RIV-1999-A-0130, including all correspondence between 

named individual and NRC 

FOIA/PA-2008-0279 

All Information on NRC Case #2-1999-42 FOIA/PA-2008-0280 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE J 

Office of Human Resources (HR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Arrivals

AUDRAIN, MARGARET GENERAL ENGINEER (NSPDP) NRR 

BARROR, CAMILLA SENIOR BUDGET ANALYST FSME 

BILLINGS, KRISTIAN STUDENT CLERK NMSS 

BURLESON, KELLY STUDENT CLERK ASLBP 

CLEMONS, CANDACE PROJECT MANAGER FSME 

COYNE, KEVIN SR. RELIABILITY & RISK ENGINEER RES 

CRAFFEY, RYAN GENERAL ENGINEER (NSPDP) NRO 

DORM, NICOLE SECRETARY (OA) NMSS 

FLAGG, LAUREN STUDENT CLERK SBCR 

GENDELMAN, ADAM HONOR LAW GRADUATE OGC 

GOSHEN, JOHN PROJECT ENGINEER NMSS 

GOVERNOR, KENDRICK STUDENT SPACE MANAGEMENT 

SPECIALIST 

ADM 

GWIADOWSKI, EUGENE SECURITY SPECIALIST NSIR 

HOLBROOK, BOBBY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 

INSPECTOR 

RII 

MALHOTRA, SHASHI SECRETARY (OA) NRR 

MARRERO, ABRAHAM REACTOR OPERATIONS/ SYSTEMS 

ENGINEER 

NRR 

MELGAR, CLAUDIA SECRETARY (OA) ADM 

MITCHELL-FUNDERBURK, NATALIE SECRETARY (OA) ACRS 

MURRAY, CHARLES EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 

SPECIALIST 

NSIR 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE J 

PETSCH, JUDY SR. IT SPECIALIST OIS 

PITTS, LEONARD RESIDENT INSPECTOR 

DEVELOPMENT PROGRA 

RII 

PLUMER, KEVIN STUDENT ENGINEER NRR 

PULASKI, JORDAN SR. CONTRACT SPECIALIST ADM 

RAMIREZ, ANNIE GENERAL ENGINEER (NSPDP) RES 

RICHARDSON, VINCENT STUDENT COMPUTER SCIENCE 

SPECIALIST 

RIII 

SAVOY, JOANN SECRETARY (OA) NRR 

SCHAAF, KENNETH OPERATIONS 

ENGINEER/OPERATIONS EXAMIN 

RII 

STEELY, CHRISTOPHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 

INSPECTOR 

RIV 

VELAZQUEZ-LOZADO, ALEXANDER REACTOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER RES 

YANG, CHUANG-YEH SR. MECHANICAL ENGINEER NRR 

Departures

IVANCHEV, YAVOR HUMAN FACTORS ANALYST RES 

SANDLER, BENJAMIN INTELLIGENCE ANALYST NSIR 

SARNA-PAULIKAITIS, SHARON SECRETARY (TL/OA) RIII 

WILSON, ANDREA SECRETARY (OA) NRO 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE M 

 Office of Public Affairs (OPA) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

OPA Received Significant Media Inquiries on the Following:

Cooling tower leak at Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant (Vermont); Vermont Public Interest 

Resource Group held a press conference calling for the permanent shutdown of the plant and 

the firing of any Entergy, NRC, or Public Service Board employees involved with the cooling 

tower 

Reduction in power at Fitzpatrick (New York); deadline for license renewal application 

Reinstatement of Tennessee Valley Authority’s construction permit for Bellefonte 1 and 2 

(Alabama) 

Federal Energy Management Agency concerns regarding new siren system at Indian Point 

nuclear power plant (New York) 

Low-level plutonium spill at National Institutes of Standards and Technology (Colorado) 

Other Public Affairs Items:

OPA did an interview July 20 on a public service radio show explaining the reactor oversight 

process in general and the Robinson nuclear power plant in South Carolina. 

OPA spoke with a producer for the NPR program “marketplace” and provided background on 

expected COL applications, review periods, and agency staffing in advance of the Senate 

Environment and Public Works subcommittee oversight hearing. 

OPA supported Commission meeting on fire protection and shifting to National Fire Protection 

Association (NFPA) 805. 

OPA supported the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards interview with Platts, 

discussing the letters sent to in-situ leach (ISL) licensees reminding them that groundwater 

restoration is applicable to the decommissioning timeliness rule. 

Human Resources Director, Jim McDermott was interviewed by Government Executive 

regarding the innovative hiring practices of the federal government. 

Press Releases 

Headquarters: 

I-08-046 NRC Proposes $6,500 Fine Against Pennsylvania Company for Violations Of 

NRC Requirements (7/17) 

08-131 Public Meeting on Transition of Operating Nuclear Plants to a Risk-Informed Fire 

Protection Program (7/15) 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE M 

Regions: 

I-08-045 NRC Sends Specialists to Vermont Yankee to Review Cooling Tower Leak (7/13)

III-08-028 NRC to Discuss 2007 Performance Assessment for Point Beach Nuclear Plant 

(7/14) 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE O 

Office of the Secretary (SECY) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Document Released 

to Public 

Date Subject 

Decision Documents

1. SECY-08-0099 07/09/08 Final Rulemaking – Power Reactor Security 

Requirements (RIN 3150-AG63) 

2. REDACTED Enclosure 3 

to SECY-07-0185 

10/22/07 Moderator Exclusion in Transportation 

Packages 

3. COMSECY-08-0022 07/16/08 Request for an Extension of Discretion for 

the Interim Enforcement Policy for Fire 

Protection Issues on 10 CFR Section 

50.48(c), “National Fire Protection 

Association Standard NFPA 805” 

Information Papers

1. SECY-08-0102 07/11/08 Weekly Information Report – Week Ending 

July 4, 2008 

2. SECY-08-0092 06/30/08 Plans for Review of Radiation Protection 

Regulations in Light of the New International 

Commission on Radiological Protection 

Recommendations 

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Timothy Kaine, Governor of Virginia, dated July 11, 2008, responds to letter 

requesting an agreement between NRC and the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

2. Letter to Maurice Magugumela, Republic of South Africa, dated July 11, 2008, responds 

to letter requesting the MELCOR code for the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and for 

Eskom of South Africa. 

Federal Register Notices Issued

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

Subcommittee on Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR), notice of 

meeting (August 21-22, 2008). 
July 18, 2008 ENCLOSURE P 

Region II (RII) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending July 18, 2008 

Southeastern Federal Recruiting Council’s 51st Annual Conference

On July 15-16, 2008, the Deputy Regional Administrator for Operations attended the 

Southeastern Federal Recruiting Council’s 51st Annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

Site Tour at Lee Station in Gaffney, South Carolina

On July 18, 2008, the Regional Administrator and the Deputy Regional Administrator for 

Construction accompanied by the Director, Office of New Reactors, conducted a site tour of the 

Lee Station facility in Gaffney, South Carolina. 
July 18, 2008 

 Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)  Items of Interest  Week Ending July 18, 2008 

CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS SCHEDULE, NO. 25 

OCA Contact Date & Place Time Committee Subject 

Powell 07/15/08 

2123 

RHOB 

10:00 House Energy and Commerce 

Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality (Representatives Boucher / Upton) 

Yucca Mountain • Panel 1

 Edward 

of CiviliaManagemDepartmWeber, DMaterial NRC; B. Nuclear WBoard 

• Panel 2

 Marv Fe and Chie Energy I (to be na Associat Commis

Powell 07/15/08 

2325 

RHOB 

11:00 House Science and Technology, 

Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation (Representatives Wu / Gingrey) 

NIST Event in Colorado 

• Dr. Char

 Elmo Co• Others T

Dacus/Hatchett 07/16/08 

406 DSOB 

10:00 Senate Environment and Public 

Works Committee Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety (Senators Carper / Voinovich) 

New Reactors and License Renewal 

• NRC Co

• Others T
July 18, 2008 

Decker 07/16/08 

342 DSOB 

10:00 Senate Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs (Senators Lieberman / Collins) 

Defense Against Nuclear Attack 

• TBD 

Kron 07/24/08 

342 DSOB 

2:30 Senate Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security (Senators Carper / Coburn) 

Improving Federal Program Management Using Performance Information 

• James D• Others T