_____________________ 

INFORMATION REPORT

August 14, 2012 SECY-12-0109

For: The Commissioners 

From: Nader L. Mamish 

 Assistant for Operations 

 Office of the Executive Director for Operations 

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 3, 2012 

Contents Enclosure

Administration A 

Chief Human Capital Officer B 

Nuclear Reactor Regulations C 

Secretary D 

Public Affairs E 

Nader L. Mamish /RA/

Assistant for Operations, OEDO 

Contact: 

L. Rakovan, OEDO 
August 14, 2012 SECY-12-0109

For: The Commissioners 

From: Nader L. Mamish 

 Assistant for Operations 

 Office of the Executive Director for Operations 

Subject: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING AUGUST 3, 2012 

Contents Enclosure

Administration A 

Chief Human Capital Officer B 

Nuclear Reactor Regulations C 

Secretary D 

Public Affairs E 

 

 Nader L. Mamish /RA/ 

Assistant for Operations, OEDO 

Contact: 

L. Rakovan, OEDO 

DISTRIBUTION: 

EDO R/F 

AO R/F 

ADAMS ML12216A214

OFFICE OEDO AO/OEDO 

NAME LRakovan NMamish 

DATE 08/ 10 /12 08/ 14 /12 

 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
August 3, 2012 ENCLOSURE A 

 Office of Administration (ADM) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending August 3, 2012 

NRC Position on the Relationship Between General Design Criteria and Technical Specification 

Operability; Draft Regulatory Issue Summary; Public Meeting and Request for Comment (NRC2012-0179) 

On July 31, 2012, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Register (77 FR 45282) that 

announced a public meeting and requested public comments on a draft regulatory issue 

summary (RIS) that clarifies the NRC staff’s position on the relationship between the general 

design criteria (GDC) for nuclear power plants and technical specification operability. In 

addition, the draft RIS clarifies the process for addressing non-conformances with GDC as 

incorporated into a plant’s current licensing basis. The NRC plans to hold the public meeting on 

August 8, 2012, in Rockville, MD, and comments are due by September 14, 2012. 
August 3, 2012 ENCLOSURE B 

 Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending August 3, 2012 

Arrivals 

None 

Retirements 

None 

Departures 

Beck, Colin STUDENT CYBER SECURITY 

ASSISTANT NSIR 

Cicotte, George HEALTH PHYSICIST NRO 

Ready-Mcclain, 

Owen STUDENT LAW CLERK OGC 
August 3, 2012 ENCLOSURE C 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending August 3, 2012 

NRR Support of US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) Hearing 

On July 23, 2012, staff participated in a US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board 

(CSB) hearing. The purpose of the hearing was for the board to consider methods for 

measuring safety performance in high hazard industries, including discussion of the use of 

leading and lagging indicators. The July 23rd panels included members from the Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration, US Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Health and 

Safety Executive (UK), United Steel Workers, a Research and Development Company (UK), 

and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Task Group Vice-Chair. Panelists answered 

questions from the Board, CSB staff, and members of the public in attendance. Staff presented 

information on NRC’s reactor oversight process, including how NRC responds to inspection 

findings and performance indicators. Most of the questions focused on an American National 

Standards Institute/American Petroleum Institute (ANSI/API) Recommended Practice document 

on implementation of Process Safety Metrics (RP 754) and how to effectively implement leading 

indicators. Staff will review the above ANSI/API document and other meeting materials for best 

practices to help NRC improve its performance measurement process. No further interaction 

with the CSB is anticipated on this topic. 

Summer 2012 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nuclear Power Engineering 

Committee Meeting 

From July 23 through 25, 2012, the staff participated in the summer 2012 Institute of Electrical 

and Electronics Engineers Nuclear Power Engineering Committee (NPEC) meeting in San 

Diego, CA. In addition to attending the general NPEC meeting, the staff participated in various 

working groups under Subcommittees 2 (Equipment Qualification), 3 (Operating, Maintenance, 

Aging, Testing, and Reliability), and 4 (Auxiliary Power). The staff discussed recent NRC 

activities associated with each subcommittee. 

Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1 License Renewal Safety Evaluation Report with 

Open Items 

On July 31, 2012, the staff issued the Safety Evaluation Report (SER) with Open Items related 

to the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station (Davis-Besse) license renewal application. By letter 

dated August 27, 2010, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company submitted an application 

requesting the extension of the Davis-Besse operating license for an additional 20 years. The 

SER contains four open items related to: (a) management of shield building cracks during the 

period of extended operation; (b) operating experience review prior to the period of extended 

operation; (c) time-limited aging analyses of reactor vessel neutron embrittlement; and (d) 

pressure-temperature limits. The staff is scheduled to meet with the Advisory Committee on 

Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee on September 19, 2012, to discuss the Davis-Besse SER 

with Open Items. 
Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2 License Renewal Safety Evaluation Report with 

Open Items 

On July 31, 2012, the staff issued the SER with Open Items related to the Limerick Generating 

Station (LGS), Units 1 and 2, license renewal application. By letter dated June 22, 2011, Exelon 

Generation Company, LLC, submitted an application requesting the extension of the LGS, Units 

1 and 2, operating licenses for an additional 20 years. The SER contains two open items. The 

first open item is related to corrosion of the suppression pool liner and downcomers. 

Specifically, the applicant has developed an acceptance criterion for the degradation of the 

downcomers; however, this criterion is not identified in the aging management program or the 

associated procedures. The second open item is related to how aging management and agerelated degradation will be considered in the period between issuance of the renewed licenses 

and implementation of the enhancements to the operating experience program. The staff is 

scheduled to meet with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee on 

September 5, 2012, to discuss the LGS, Units 1 and 2, SER with Open Items. 

.
August 3, 2012 ENCLOSURE D

 Office of the Secretary (SECY) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week Ending August 3, 2012 

Document Released 

to Public 

Date Subject 

Decision Documents 

1. SECY-12-0097 7/13/12 Entergy Operations, Inc.’s Request to 

Relocate the River Bend Station Backup 

Emergency Operations Facility 

2. SECY-12-0099 7/19/12 Final Rule: Distribution of Source Material to 

Exempt Persons and to General Licensees 

and Revision of General License and 

Exemptions (RIN 3150-AH15) 

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congressmen Edward Markey and William Keating, dated July 23, 2012, 

responds to letter regarding the safe operation of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station 

during the recent strike by some plant workers.

2. Letter to Congressman Edward Markey, dated July 23, 2012, responds to letter 

regarding the request that the NRC deny staff’s request to re-license the Pilgrim Nuclear 

Power Station.

3. Letter to Congress and GAO, dated July 23, 2012, responds and provides NRC 

response to the recommendation contained in the Government Accountability Office 

report entitled, GAO-12-544, Uranium Mining - Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight 

of Financial Assurances.
August 3, 2012 ENCLOSURE E

Office of Public Affairs (OPA) 

 Items of Interest 

 Week August 3, 2012 

OPA received significant media inquiries on the following: 

The recent U.S. Court of Appeals order holding the Yucca Mountain case in abeyance until 

December to see if Congress would pass an appropriations bill that might provide money or 

further guidance 

The NRC’s role regarding severe weather including heat and droughts, and the impacts to 

nuclear plants 

The status of the license renewal application for the Indian Point (N.Y.) nuclear power plant 

Other Public Affairs Items: 

OPA supported the following activities: 

− Public meeting to discuss NRC’s role in uranium mining and milling in Chatham, Va. 

OPA spoke to the local and regional media including: Chatham Star-Tribune, Danville 

Register-Bee, and an editorial writer from the Roanoke Times; and conducted oncamera interviews with the Danville ABC affiliate and the Roanoke CBS affiliate. 

OPA issued blog posts: 

− Following Protocol Isn’t Always Easy

− Walking towards earthquake and flooding safety

Press Releases

Headquarters:

12-087 NRC Issues Safety Evaluation Report with Open Items for Davis-Besse 

Nuclear Plant License Renewal Application (8/1) 

12-088 NRC Issues Safety Evaluation Report with Open Items for Limerick 

Nuclear Plant License Renewal Application (8/1) 

12-089 NRC Completes Reintegration of Security into Reactor Oversight 

Process Assessments (8/1) 

12-090 NRC Renews Operating License of Nuclear Fuel Services Inc. of Erwin, 

Tenn., for Additional 25 Years (8/2) 

Regions:

II-12-050 NRC Schedules Public Meeting Aug. 9 to Discuss Status of Inspections 

at Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant (8/1) 

III-12-032 NRC to Hold Public Meeting to Discuss its Review of FENOC’S Root 

Cause Analysis of Davis-Besse Shield Building Cracks (8/2)