UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 

June 23, 2016 

The Honorable James M. Inhofe 

Chairman, Committee on Environment 

 and Public Works 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Mr. Chairman: 

On behalf of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I am pleased to submit 

the 2015 “Report to Congress on the Security Inspection Program for Commercial Power 

Reactors and Category I Fuel Cycle Facilities: Results and Status Update.” Section 170D.e of 

Chapter 14 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §2210d.e, requires the 

NRC to submit a report to Congress, in both classified and unclassified form, that describes the 

results of each security response evaluation (i.e., force-on-force (FOF) exercise) conducted, 

and any relevant corrective actions taken by a licensee during the previous year. The report 

provides information regarding the overall security and safeguards performance of the 

commercial nuclear power industry and Category I (CAT I) fuel cycle facilities to keep Congress 

informed of the NRC’s efforts to oversee the protection of the Nation’s civilian nuclear power 

infrastructure and strategic special nuclear material against terrorist attacks. Conducting FOF 

exercises and implementing the security inspection program are two regulatory activities, 

among many, that the NRC performs to ensure the secure use and management of radioactive 

and nuclear materials by the commercial nuclear power industry and CAT I fuel cycle facilities. 

During calendar year 2015, the NRC conducted 242 security inspections at commercial 

nuclear power reactors and CAT I fuel cycle facilities. Twenty-two of these were FOF 

inspections. Enclosure 1 discusses security program activities and the publicly available results 

of security inspections conducted at commercial nuclear power reactors and CAT I fuel cycle 

facilities. Enclosure 2 discusses the non-public results of the security inspections conducted at 

commercial nuclear power reactors and CAT I fuel cycle facilities. Whenever a finding is 

identified during a security inspection, the NRC ensures that the licensee implements adequate 

compensatory measures until the problem is corrected. Compensatory measures can include, 

for example, adding additional armed personnel and/or physical and cyber security measures to 

strengthen a licensee’s security capabilities. 

Through our licensing and oversight process, the NRC is committed to ensuring that 

licensees continue to provide high assurance that their facilities remain secure. On June 1, 

2016, the NRC staff submitted the findings of the FOF Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures

Enclosure 2 transmitted herewith 

contains Safeguards Information. 

When separated from Enclosure 2, this 

transmittal document is decontrolled. 
-2- 

Working Group to the Commission, along with a recommendations for improving the FOF 

program. The staff’s recommendations are currently before the Commission for review. 

Enclosure 1 to this letter can be made publicly available; however, Enclosure 2 contains 

information that is not for public disclosure. Enclosure 2 must be handled and stored in 

accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 73.21, “Protection of 

Safeguards Information: Performance Requirements,” as noted and described in the cover 

sheet. Therefore, I respectfully request that access to Enclosure 2 be limited to you and those 

of your staff who have a need to know. In addition, pursuant to Section 149 of the Atomic 

Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and 10 CFR 73.59, “Relief from Fingerprinting, Identification, 

and Criminal History Records Checks and Other Elements of Background Checks for 

Designated Categories of Individuals,” access to Enclosure 2 is limited to those members of 

your staff who have undergone fingerprinting for a prior U.S. Government criminal history check. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need additional information. 

Sincerely, 

 /RA/ 

Stephen G. Burns 

Enclosures: 

1. Publicly Available Report 

2. Safeguards Information Report 

cc: Senator Barbara Boxer 
Identical letter sent to: 

The Honorable James M. Inhofe 

Chairman, Committee on Environment 

 and Public Works 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

cc: Senator Barbara Boxer 

The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito 

Chairman, Subcommittee on Clean Air 

 and Nuclear Safety 

Committee on Environment and Public Works 

United States Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

cc: Senator Thomas R. Carper 

The Honorable Fred Upton 

Chairman, Committee on Energy 

 and Commerce 

United States House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

cc: Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. 

The Honorable Ed Whitfield 

Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy and Power 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

United States House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

cc: Representative Bobby L. Rush 

The Honorable John Shimkus 

Chairman, Subcommittee on Environment 

 and the Economy 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

United States House of Representatives 

Washington, DC 20515 

cc: Representative Paul Tonko