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UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDSOFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20555

December 24, 1996

**Addressees**

All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees, certificate holders, and registrants (hereafter referred to as licensees).

**Purpose**

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alert addressees to the potentialproblems their computer systems and software may encounter as a result of the change to the new century. It is expectedthat recipients will review the information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoidpotential problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not NRC requirements; therefore, nospecific action nor written response is required.

**Description of Circumstances**

Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives held hearings on an issue known as the "Year 2000" software problem.These hearings identified that some of the most important computer software used by the Federal government may notwork correctly starting in the year 2000, because the software can only use single years or decades in performingcalculations; it will not be able to recognize a change to the new century. Many computer systems will potentially fail torecognize this change to a new century and will misread "00" or the year 2000, as 1900, and thus may cause the system tofail or generate faulty data. The NRC, along with several other Federal agencies, is currently examining computer softwareused to support Agency functions that may be affected. Specific problems have already been identified and will becorrected. In some instances where future dates are used to schedule actions, problems have already occurred -- well beforethe end of the century.

**Discussion**

The Year 2000 issue affects everyone. It will have an impact on State and local governments, NRC licensees, andbusinesses. The magnitude of the Year 2000 issue poses a challenge to all those potentially affected. Dates are involved inmany facets of computer systems and software. Neither industry nor the Federal government has yet identified the scope ofthe situation.

This issue may affect NRC licensees in many different ways. For example, computer software used to calculate dose or toaccount for radioactive decay may not recognize the turn of the century, which could lead to incorrectly calculated doses orexposure times for treatment planning. Other examples of software that may be affected include security control, radiationmonitoring, technical specification surveillance testing, and accumulated burn-up programs. Also, equipment that licenseeshave purchased may contain computer software susceptible to the Year 2000 problem. The problem could occur not only incomputer software or data that have been acquired from external sources, but also in programs developed by licensees orconsultants. For many licensees, this issue may not prove to be a significant health and safety concern. However, to preventany other potential problems this issue may precipitate, licensees are encouraged to examine their uses of computer systemsand software well before the turn of the century. In assessing computer software, licensees may want to consider reviewingthose programs that are used to meet licensing requirements or those that have safety significance.

To facilitate the exchange of information among licensees, NRC, and the public, information related to the Year 2000problem is posted on NRC's World Wide Web server (www.nrc.gov.) under the "News and Information" option. Anexample of information that has already been posted is contract language developed by the Federal government foracquisition of new information technology to avoid the Year 2000 problem. In addition to the information presented onNRC's homepage, an Internet list server has been established to encourage discussion of Year 2000 issues. To subscribe tothis list, Internet e-mail may be sent to [email protected] with the message: subscribe year-2000 username, where theusername is the first and last name of the individual making the request (e.g., John Doe).

Licensees may wish to consider what actions may be appropriate to examine and evaluate their software systems, andwhether to designate an individual to monitor the continuing activities in government and industry to determine the extentof potential problems and proposed solutions. Any additional contact regarding the Year 2000 problem between NRC andlicensees will be made through the addressee of this information notice, unless a separate point of contact is designated bythe licensee. Licensees who wish to designate a separate point of contact should provide the contact name and address,including telephone and fax number and email address if available, to the appropriate technical contact of this informationnotice. Holders of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 50 licenses are requested to provide thisinformation to the appropriate Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager (courtesy copy to the NRRtechnical contact listed below).

This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any questions about the information inthis notice, please contact the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate regional office.