ML081900401 

UNITED STATES 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION 

WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 

August 12, 2008 

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 2008-15: EMERGENCY RESPONSE DATA SYSTEM TEST 

SCHEDULE REVISED 

ADDRESSEES

All holders of operating licenses for nuclear power reactors, except those who have 

permanently ceased operations and have certified that fuel has been permanently removed 

from the reactor vessel. 

PURPOSE

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to inform 

addressees of changes to the Emergency Response Data System (ERDS) quarterly test 

schedule. Suggestions contained in this IN are not NRC requirements; therefore, no specific 

action or written response is required. 

DESCRIPTION OF CIRCUMSTANCES

The NRC Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) recently completed 

implementation of Phase I of the ERDS Modernization Project, which included upgrades to the 

ERDS infrastructure. The improved ERDS infrastructure allows simultaneous testing of three 

times as many sites. As a result, the ERDS quarterly test schedule, which currently has plants 

scheduled throughout the quarter, can be revised so that all plants are scheduled within the first 

4 weeks of each quarter. The quarterly test schedule begins during the first full work week of 

January, April, July, and October. To take advantage of the improved ERDS capabilities, the 

NRC recommends that each licensee follow the revised ERDS test schedule shown in 

Enclosure 1 beginning in October 2008. 

BACKGROUND

In March 1993, the NRC issued Generic Letter 93-01, “Emergency Response Data System Test 

Program,” which communicated to licensees a recommended ERDS test schedule that was 

based on the capabilities of the ERDS infrastructure at that time. 
IN 2008-15 

Page 2 of 2 

DISCUSSION 

The regulations in Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Appendix E, “Emergency 

Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities,” require that licensees test 

ERDS periodically to verify system availability and operability and that the frequency of ERDS 

testing will be quarterly unless otherwise set by NRC based on demonstrated system 

performance. The NRC recommends, but does not require, that each licensee follow the ERDS 

test schedule provided in Enclosure 1. Should a different test schedule be needed, licensees 

are asked to coordinate that schedule with the ERDS Help Desk at 301-415-0467. Enclosure 2 

provides ERDS support contacts that are available at any time to assist licensees with ERDS 

questions and problems. 

CONTACT

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any 

questions about this matter to the technical contact listed below. 

 /RA/ 

Michael J. Case, Director 

Division of Policy and Rulemaking 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contact: Roberto Figueroa, NSIR 

301-415-6075 

E-mail: roberto.figueroa@nrc.gov

Enclosures: 

1. Emergency Response Data System Test Schedule 

2. Emergency Response Data System Support Contact Information 

Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, 

http://www.nrc.gov, under Electronic Reading Room/Document Collections. 
IN 2008-15 

Page 2 of 2 

DISCUSSION 

The regulations in Title10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Appendix E, “Emergency 

Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities,” require that licensees test 

the ERDS periodically to verify system availability and operability and that the frequency of 

ERDS testing will be quarterly unless otherwise set by NRC based on demonstrated system 

performance. The NRC recommends, but does not require, that each licensee follow the ERDS 

test schedule provided in Enclosure 1. Should a different test schedule be needed, licensees 

are asked to coordinate that schedule with the ERDS Help Desk at 301-415-0467. Enclosure 2 

provides ERDS support contacts that are available at any time to assist licensees with ERDS 

questions and problems. 

CONTACT

This information notice requires no specific action or written response. Please direct any 

questions about this matter to the technical contact listed below. 

 /RA/

Michael J. Case, Director 

Division of Policy and Rulemaking 

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 

Technical Contact: Roberto Figueroa, NSIR 

301-415-6075 

E-mail: roberto.figueroa@nrc.gov

Enclosures: 

1. Emergency Response Data System Test Schedule 

2. Emergency Response Data System Support Contact Information 

Note: NRC generic communications may be found on the NRC public Web site, 

http://www.nrc.gov, under Electronic Reading Room/Document Collections. 

Distribution: IN Reading File 

ADAMS Accession Number: ML081900401 

OFFICE NSIR:OB TECH EDITOR NSIR:PMDA NSIR:PMDA ,NSIR:PMDA BC:NSIR:OB

NAME RStransky HSpencer RFiguaroa R.Ellsbury VHuth WGott 

DATE 7/9/08 08/05/08-email 7/21/08 7/22/08 7/22/08 7/25/08 

OFFICE NSIR:DDIR D:NSIR:DPR PGCB:DPR PGCB:DPR BC:PGCB:DPR D:DPR

NAME BMcDermott MLeach DBeaulieu CHawes CMH MMurphy MCase 

DATE 7/25/08 8/7/08 8/7/08 8/8/08 8/12/08 8/12/08 

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Enclosure 1 

IN 2008-15 

Page 1 of 1 

Emergency Response Data System Test Schedule 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

Open Beaver Valley-1 Limerick-1 Pilgrim-1 Open 

 Beaver Valley-2 Limerick-2 Seabrook-1 

 Fitzpatrick Millstone-2 Salem-1 

 Calvert Cliffs-1 Millstone-3 Salem-2 

 Calvert Cliffs-2 Nine Mile Point-1 Susquehanna-1 

 Ginna Nine Mile Point-2 Susquehanna-2 

 Hope Creek-1 Oyster Creek Three Mile Island-1 

 Indian Point-2 Peach Bottom-2 Vermont Yankee 

 Indian Point-3 Peach Bottom-3 Crystal River-3 

WEEK 1 

 Watts Bar-1 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

Open Browns Ferry-1 McGuire-1 Surry-1 Open 

 Browns Ferry-2 McGuire-2 Surry-2 

 Browns Ferry-3 Farley-1 Oconee-1 

 Sequoyah-1 Farley-2 Oconee-2 

 Sequoyah-2 Robinson-2 Oconee-3 

 Brunswick-1 Hatch-1 V. C. Summer 

 Brunswick-2 Hatch-2 St. Lucie-1 

 Grand Gulf-1 Harris St. Lucie-2 

 Catawba-1 North Anna-1 Turkey Point-3 

WEEK 2 

 Catawba-2 North Anna-2 Turkey Point-4 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

Open Vogtle-1 Dresden-2 Monticello Open 

 Vogtle-2 Dresden-3 Prairie Island-1 

 Callaway-1 LaSalle -1 Prairie Island-2 

 Braidwood-1 LaSalle-2 Quad Cities-1 

 Braidwood-2 Davis Besse-1 Quad Cities-2 

 Byron-1 Duane Arnold Palisades 

 Byron-2 Fermi-2 Perry-1 

 Clinton-1 Kewaunee Cooper 

 Cook-1 Point Beach-1 Arkansas Nuclear-1 

WEEK 3 

 Cook-2 Point Beach-2 Arkansas Nuclear-2 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

Open Comanche Peak-1 Palo Verde-1 Open Open 

 Comanche Peak-2 Palo Verde-2 

 Fort Calhoun-1 Palo Verde-3 

 South Texas-1 San Onofre-2 

 South Texas-2 San Onofre-3 

 River Bend-1 Columbia 

 Waterford-3 Diablo Canyon-1 

WEEK 4 

 Wolf Creek Diablo Canyon-2 
Enclosure 2 

IN 2008-15 

Page 1 of 1 

Emergency Response Data System 

Support Contact Information

ERDS Support During Normal Business Hours 

Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (Eastern Time) 

Contractor response within sixty (60) minutes 

ERDS Help Desk 301-415-0467 

ERDS@nrc.gov 

ERDS Support After Normal Business Hours 

Monday – Friday 4:30 pm – 7:00 am (Eastern Time) 

 

Contractor response within sixty (60) minutes 

CONTACT PRIMARY SECONDARY #1 SECONDARY #2 

NRC Headquarters 

Operations Officer 301-816-5100 301-951-0550 800-532-3469