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SECY 97-133

June 25, 1997

Contents	Enclosure
Nuclear Reactor Regulation	A
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards	B
Nuclear Regulatory Research	C*
Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data	D
General Counsel	E*
Administration	F
Chief Information Officer	G
Chief Financial Officer	H*
Human Resources	I
Small Business & Civil Rights	J*
Enforcement	K*
State Programs	L*
Public Affairs	M
International Programs	N*
Office of the 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

Contact:  G. Tracy, OEDO

ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Indian Point 3

Update on Loss of Offsite Power

On June 16, 1997, a human error during maintenance in the Buchanan switchyard caused a loss of the only available 138 KV power supply to Indian Point

Unit 3. At the time of the event, the plant was in day 34 of a refueling outage and the reactor was partially defueled; the 31 emergency diesel generator was inoperable and RHR flow was being supplied by the 32 RHR pump; and fuel was not being moved.

The loss of the 138 KV power supply led to the loss of all 480 volt buses. The two operable diesels started and energized their associated buses; however, operators were unable to restart the 32 RHR pump. In order to restore RHR flow, operators energized the 3A 480 volt bus from a 138 KV line that was serving as the alternate offsite power source. With the 3A bus energized, operators were able to start the 31 RHR pump.

The licensee investigated the failure to restart the 32 RHR pump and determined that a blown fuse in the undervoltage trip circuitry was causing that circuitry to sense only 310 volts on the safety bus rather than the 480 volts that the diesel was actually supplying. This false low voltage indication prevented the operators from shutting the breaker for the 32 RHR pump.

The licensee investigated the cause of the loss of 138 KV power and determined that a worker for Consolidated Edison (the licensee for Indian Point Unit 2) mistakenly applied a grounding strap to an energized breaker. The resulting transient caused the 138 KV feeder breaker supplying power to Indian Point Unit 3 to trip.

The resident inspectors are still investigating the event. As a part of their investigation they are looking at the licensee's shutdown risk assessment.

Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3

Unit 1 was shut down on June 14, 1997, to resolve High Pressure Injection (HPI) System problems that had caused the recent shutdown of Units 2 and 3. Oconee Unit 2 was shut down on April 22, 1997, due to a weld crack in the HPI system connection to the reactor coolant system that caused an unisolable reactor coolant system leak. When a gap was noted between the thermal sleeve and nozzle on a Unit 3 injection line, it was shut down on May 3, 1997, due to a concern of the pipe's susceptibility to thermal fatigue. During the cooldown of Unit 3, two of the three HPI pumps were damaged when all of the water was pumped from the Letdown Storage Tank. This condition resulted from a loss of water in the level detector reference leg, which caused the tank level instrument to read higher than the actual level. These problems have been corrected on Units 2 and 3, and the units are operating at full power. Weld and nozzle examinations of the HPI injection and makeup lines are being conducted on Unit 1 without draining the primary system to mid-loop. The examinations have been completed and the results are under review. To date no abnormal weld or nozzle indications have been found. The modification to install a second letdown storage tank level reference leg, which was completed on Units 2 and 3, is underway on Unit 1. Region II and NRR continue to closely monitor licensee activities.

Prairie Island

On June 12, 1997, the Prairie Island Indian Community appealed a May 13, 1997, Minnesota State Court of Appeals ruling. The Court of Appeals ruling affirmed the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board's (MEQB) determination that the proposed offsite independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) was not comparable to the existing ISFSI on the Prairie Island site because of the increased transportation and handling risks associated with moving the spent fuel casks from the spent fuel pool on Prairie Island to an offsite location. As part of the MEQB's determination they also formally requested Northern States Power Company (NSP) to withdraw its application for a license for the offsite ISFSI from the NRC.

The Prairie Island Indian Community has requested Minnesota Supreme Court review of the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling. NSP has twenty days to respond to the Indian Community's appeal. Then the Minnesota Supreme Court has thirty days to decide if it will hear the case. Currently, the NRC's review of NSP's offsite ISFSI license application is suspended, as requested by the licensee, until the Prairie Island Indian Community's lawsuit pertaining to the offsite ISFSI has been resolved.

Quad Cities, Units 1 and 2

Unit 2 Restart Delayed Due To Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG) Air Start Motor Problems

On 05/08/97, after replacement of EDG air start motors, the licensee identified the Unit 2 EDG would not start for post-maintenance testing. The licensee assembled a troubleshooting team which tested the air start system over 200 times. The team identified about a 4 percent failure rate of the air start motors to properly engage the EDG bull gear. The failure of the air start motors to engage and turn the EDG bull gear is known as pinion gear abutment (PGA).

The licensee has EMD EDGs with air start motors (ASM) manufactured by Ingersoll-Rand. During its investigation, the licensee identified the new model ASM (Ingersoll Rand "88" style) required an additional " of axial movement of the pinion gear than the previous model (Ingersoll Rand "89" style). The licensee had removed the 89 style ASMs and installed the 88 style ASMs without knowing the difference between the ASMs. Without the additional " of axial movement, the lower ASM could not port air to the upper ASM should the lower air start motor pinion gear abut with the EDG bull gear. This condition would inhibit the second air start motor pinion gear from injecting.

Should a PGA occur (tested to be 4 percent at Quad Cities) on the lower air start motor, the second air start motor would not function and would result in the EDG failing to start.

Both the shared diesel and the Unit 2 diesel had the 88 style ASM with shims installed and had been declared operable on 05/19/97.

Upon further questioning of the licensee by the resident staff and R-III concerning the appropriateness of making this change as a parts replacement instead of a design change and the adequacy of post-maintenance testing, the licensee declared the shared (1/2) and Unit 2 diesels inoperable on 06/13/97. This placed Unit 1 in a 7-day LCO and prevented Unit 2's return to power from a refueling outage. Rebuilt style 89 air start motors received from the vendor and other utilities will be installed on both diesels. Work on the shared diesel has been completed and the LCO has been exited. Restart for Unit 2 began 06/19/97, after completion of the Unit 2 EDG change.

The licensee has determined that the modification process for this change is a significant condition adverse to quality. This resulted in a special investigation headed by the Vice President of Corporate Support, to evaluate the engineering process for making plant changes at Quad Cities and to determine why the system failed in this instance. This issue will be followed by the residents and R-III inspectors.

Zion, Units 1 and 2

Unit 2 Boron Concentration Problems

Zion Unit 2 is in cold shutdown. On 05/31/97, a blended makeup flow (primary water and boric acid) was added to the Unit 2 RCS to raise pressurizer level. A blended boron concentration of 2500 ppm was desired, and thought to have been added. Immediately following the evolution, a chemistry technician analyzed an RCS sample which indicated a boron concentration of 2390 ppm. This was lower than expected so the chemistry technician obtained and analyzed another sample which indicated a boron concentration of 2408 ppm. The chemistry technician recorded this second result on the data sheet and reported the value to the control room. Control room personnel used the reported value to verify shutdown margin. On 06/01/97, another sample was analyzed by a different chemistry technician. This time, the chemistry technician reported a boron concentration of 2411 ppm. This value was later shown to be incorrect and the chemistry technician subsequently resigned.

On the next shift, another RCS sample was analyzed, by a third chemistry technician, which indicated a boron concentration of 2392.3 ppm; a confirmation sample was analyzed which indicated 2392.6 ppm. These results were not consistent with the reported boron concentration sample result from the previous shift (2411 ppm). Due to this discrepancy, the chemistry technician contacted the analytical lead chemist (ALC) at home and informed him of the discrepancy. The ALC directed that a Problem Identification Form (PIF) be generated and that all available sample results be collected for his review and follow up.

On 06/05/97, another PIF was generated stating that the assumed makeup to the RCS on 05/31/97 of 2500 ppm was actually a makeup of approximately 2040 ppm. This dilution was below that required by the makeup procedure, which contains a procedural caution stating that the blended makeup flow should be greater than the 10% shutdown margin of 2200 ppm.

The licensee's root cause investigation is continuing. Over the weekend of 06/14/97, the licensee performed flow tests of the boric acid makeup valve and the primary water makeup valve, but the results were inconclusive. The licensee plans to perform ultrasonic flow testing to better measure the valve flows. The resident staff is monitoring the licensee's actions.

Seabrook Failed Fuel

A Reactor System Branch (SRXB) nuclear engineer went to Seabrook to review the root cause investigation of the fuel failures that occurred during Cycle 5. The plant is currently in their refueling outage. There were a total of five failed fuel rods in four assemblies. The licensee performed an extensive root cause investigation which determined that the most likely root cause was a combination of power history and operational strategy. This investigation included high resolution video examination of failed and non-failed rods, industry research, and examination of manufacturing records. Each area of the root cause investigation was discussed in detail. The video inspection tapes were reviewed by the engineer and found to be consistent with the root cause explanation.

The licensee's short term actions address the areas of concern, namely the cycle 6 core has been redesigned to eliminate or greatly reduce the possibility of reoccurrence of this type of fuel failure. In addition the four failed assemblies are being replaced with new assemblies instead of using the reconstituted assemblies. Additional actions include a slower approach to power and additional attention to core chemistry.

SRXB will continue to follow the fuel failure issue. A meeting with Westinghouse on the subject of fuel failure is scheduled for June 24, 1997.

Update on Incomplete RCCA Insertion Issue

On June 17, 1997, NRC staff met with Westinghouse to discuss recent developments on the incomplete rod cluster control assembly (RCCA) insertion issue. Westinghouse provided answers to questions asked and described sensitivity studies that were undertaken as a result of the April 17, 1997, meeting. These items included bow sensitivity to oxide, bow/growth sensitivity to power history, fuel assembly bow impact on RCCA drag, impact of lower span drag on upper span drag, South Texas benchmark results, and model presentation. Westinghouse informed the staff that a WCAP describing the model will be submitted within a month.

Westinghouse described the design modifications that are being made to eliminate the problem. These include the use of ZIRLO guide tubes and P-grids for the fall reload at South Texas Unit 1 and 8 lead test assemblies with a thicker guide tube for the fall reload at Wolf Creek. Additional testing is being conducted at several plants to further validate the model.

ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Director's Decision on 2.206 Petition

On June 18, 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a Director's Decision which denies a 10 CFR Part 2.206 Petition filed on behalf of "Don't Waste Michigan" and the Lake Michigan Federation. The Petition requested that the NRC take action to prohibit the loading of Model VSC-24 ventilated storage casks for spent fuel storage until the certificate of compliance, safety analysis report, and safety evaluation report are amended based on concerns raised by the Petitioners' engineering consultant, and an independent, third-party review of the VSC-24 design is conducted. The Director's Decision concludes that there is not an adequate basis for granting the Petitioners' request.

Appeal by the Prairie Island Dakota Indian Tribe

On June 13, 1997, the Prairie Island Dakota Indian Tribe appealed the Minnesota State Court of Appeals decision affirming that the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB) had acted appropriately in ending the State-mandated siting process for an away-from-reactor storage site for spent fuel from Northern States Power's (NSP) Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. NSP was required by Minnesota law to attempt to site such a facility in order to continue limited dry cask storage on site at Prairie Island. The EQB's decision halted the siting process for the proposed Goodhue County Independent Spent Fuel Storage Facility. NSP has 20 days to respond to the appeal and the Minnesota Supreme Court then has 30 days to decide if it will hear the case.

Physical Protection Discussions with GOSATOMNADZOR

On June 9-13, 1997, staff from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission met with representatives of the Russian regulatory agency GOSATOMNADZOR (GAN) at the GAN Northeast Regional Headquarters in St. Petersburg, Russia, to discuss physical protection issues. This activity, which took place under Priority 6 of the Lisbon Safety Program, included a visit to the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant in Sosnovy Bor, to familiarize the NRC delegation with the general organization of the facility physical protection system and with GAN's program of physical protection inspections at this facility. Activities also included discussion of NRC and GAN approaches to the development of physical protection regulatory documents and practices, and an exchange of regulatory documents. GAN representatives expressed interest in conducting joint workshops and inspections, and in NRC review and development support for GAN physical protection regulatory documents. Formal proposals from GAN regarding these activities are expected.

Department of Energy/Nuclear Regulatory Commission Meeting on the Exploratory Studies Facility

On June 11, 1997, Division of Waste Management staff conducted a video conference with the Department of Energy (DOE ) and its contractors to discuss progress in the excavation of the exploratory studies facility (ESF) at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, and technical issues related to geologic repository design. Representatives from the State of Nevada; Clark and Nye Counties, Nevada; the U.S. Geological Survey; and the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses also participated. The items that were discussed included the status of ESF construction, an update on the status of scientific studies, and near-term plans for DOE's engineering design program. DOE also briefed the staff on preliminary plans for a proposed east-west drift to gather additional site characterization data on hitherto unexplored portions of the potential repository block. DOE's current plans call for east-west drift construction to begin in the Fall of 1997. Finally, DOE reviewed many of the technical items that will be addressed as part of an enhanced site characterization program package.

Meeting on the Exploratory Studies Facility Design Control Process

On June 12, 1997, Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff visited the Department of Energy (DOE) and its Management and Operating Contractor in Las Vegas, Nevada, to review material related to quality assurance, Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) design, and the design control process. Representatives from the State of Nevada observed this meeting. In June 1995, as a part of its ESF in-field verification activities, the NRC staff had identified a number of open items regarding the implementation of DOE's design control process. During the 1997 meeting, the NRC staff looked at new information provided by DOE that might permit the closing of certain open items associated with these activities. Based on a review of the information provided by DOE during the 1997 meeting, the NRC staff believes that many of the open items related to this topic could be closed at the staff level.

ENCLOSURE D

Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Safety Programs Division

Primary Coolant System Leaks Study

On June 10 and 11, 1997, as part of the activities related to an AEOD study of primary coolant system leaks, Chuck Hsu and Vik Shah (Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory) visited Duke Power and Florida Power and Light (FPL) to discuss the root cause analyses and mitigative actions related to the primary coolant leak events at their plants during the past 12 years.

The discussions included the recent thermal fatigue cracking in an Oconee Unit 2 high-pressure injection/makeup line weld; vibratory fatigue cracking in the letdown/charging system at McGuire; events associated with failure of the reactor coolant pump seal; primary water stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 600 instrument penetrations; and several other leaks. The FPL staff also briefly discussed the use of enhanced leak monitoring techniques for the reactor pressure vessel head and power-operated relief valve (acoustic emission monitoring), and use of a robot for leak detection and location behind the biological shield.

Reliability and Risk Assessment Branch

System Reliability Studies

On June 17, AEOD issued a special report AEOD/S97-02 "Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System Reliability 1987-1993." This is the fourth in a series of reliability studies which focus on using operational data to determine the reliability of the risk significant systems in U.S. commercial reactors. The results include comparison with Probabilistic Risk Assessments and Individual plant Examinations (PRA/IPEs). Insights from an engineering analysis of the data are also included. Other reports in this series include the High Pressure Coolant Injection System Performance (April 1995), the Emergency Diesel Generator Power System Reliability (March 1996), and the Isolation Condenser System Reliability (September 1996). Highlights of the report findings are:

Incident Response Division

Preliminary Notifications (PNs)

ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC)

On June 20, 1997, DFS staff accompanied NMSS and DOE personnel to the National Economic Council to discuss NRC's immediate and long-term roles in USEC's privatization and the ongoing regulation of USEC's successor.

DFS has coordinated its survey report findings of the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant with NMSS, Region III and the Resident Inspector. The report should be finalized and sent to USEC on or about June 20, 1997. A closed enforcement conference is being scheduled for the week of July 14, 1997.

DFS has received comments for OGC and NMSS on USEC's latest version of its public information package for review. This package contains a final version of "Restrictions On Foreign Involvement in USEC's Privatization" and among other things, explains to potential bidders, how NRC will address making its foreign ownership, control or influence determination. DFS will finish coordinating NRC and DOE comments during the week of June 23, 1997.

The DFS inspection of the Portsmouth gaseous diffusion plant is now scheduled for the week of July 28, 1997.

Exempt Distribution of a Radioactive Drug Containing One Microcurie of Carbon-14 Urea (Parts 30 and 32)

A proposed rule that would permit NRC licensees to distribute a radioactive drug containing one microcurie of carbon-14 urea to any person for "in vivo" diagnostic use was published in the Federal Register on June 16, 1997 (62 FR 32552). The NRC has determined that the radioactive component of such a drug in capsule form presents a minimal radiation risk and that regulatory control of the drug for radiation safety is unnecessary. The proposed rule would make the drug more widely available and reduce costs to patients, insurers, and the health care industry. This action responds to a petition for rulemaking submitted by Tri-Med Specialties, Inc. (PRM-35-12). The comment period for this action closes July 16, 1997.

ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Significant FOIA/PA Requests - Requests Received during the 5-Day Period of June 13-19, 1997:

ENCLOSURE I

Office of Personnel
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

NRC's Twentieth Annual Awards Ceremony Held

On June 18, 1997, the NRC's Twentieth Annual Awards Ceremony was held on the Green. Honored at the ceremony were 2 employees who received Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank Awards, 7 employees who received Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Awards, 3 employees who received Distinguished Service Awards, and 37 employees who received Meritorious Service Awards. Chairman Jackson presented plaques to all the honorees.

Staff Member Attends Human Resources Development Council Policy and Legislation Meeting

On June 18, 1997, a member of the staff attended the Human Resources Development Council Policy and Legislation Subcommittee Meeting at the Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. Chaired by Judith Lombard, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), items for discussion included a continuation of the policy prohibiting new age training; an announcement of an Executive Order creating an Interagency Council on Administrative Management; and a memorandum issued to agency heads relative to the strengthening of Title IX enforcement, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, and national origin in federally conducted education programs and activities. An additional item discussed was a memo issued by OPM's Interagency Advisory Group for Personnel Directors setting forth qualification standards for GS-1102 contracting positions.

ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Media Interest

The Wall Street Journal is planning a story on Northeast Utilities' annual meeting.

The Connecticut Post is printing a story on Millstone and NRC.

WETA-TV in Virginia is planning a documentary due out in September which will discuss an overcooling incident at Rancho Seco which occurred in December 1985.

ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Commission Decision Documents Released to the Public
Document		Date	Subject
1.	SECY-97-115	6/5/97	Program for Revision of 10 CFR Part 35, "Medical Uses of Byproduct Material" and Associated Federal Register Notice
2.	SECY-97-101	5/7/97	Proposed Rule, 10 CFR Section 50.76, "Reporting Reliability and Availability Information for Risk-Significant Systems and Equipment"
	SRM on 97-101	6/13/97	(same)
	Commission Voting Record on SECY-97-101	6/13/97	(same)
Information Papers Released to the Public
1.	SECY-97-118	6/5/97	Activities Associated with Implementation of 10 CFR Part 54
2.	SECY-97-119	6/5/97	Status of the NRC Recycle and Reuse Staff Action Plan
3.	SECY-97-121	6/11/97	Weekly Information Report - Week Ending June 6, 1997
AEC Papers Released to the Public
1.	SECY-R-702	6/1/73	Consideration of Form for Shipping Plutonium
2.	SECY-R-74-5	7/6/73	Consideration of Form for Shipping Plutonium
3.	SECY-R-74-172	4/18/74	Consideration of Form for Shipping Plutonium
4.	Memorandum	8/10/73	Minutes of AEC Regulatory Policy Session 74-1

Commission Correspondence Released to the Public

1. Letter to Congress dtd 6/13/97 provides NRC's Fiscal Year 1996 Accountability Report.
   
   
2. Letter to Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Robert Smith, and Elizabeth Furse dtd 6/13/97 concerns decommissioning of the Trojan facility and the removal of the reactor vessel.
   
   
3. Letter to John A. Volpe, Commonwealth of Kentucky, dtd 6/13/97, concerns State participation in the external regulation of DOE facilities.
   
   
4. Letter to Dr. Ching-Piao Hu, Taiwan Atomic Energy Council, concerns the proposed International Nuclear Regulators Association.
   
   
5. Letter to Congress dtd 6/11/97 responds to recommendations in GAO report entitled "Nuclear Employee Safety Concerns - Allegation System Offers Better Protection, But Important Issues Remain."
   
   
6. Letter to Renato De Andrade, Jorge Alfredo Pinto, and Bryan Lester Davies dtd 6/11/97 expresses congratulations on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Use of PRA in Plant Specific Reactor Regulatory Activities: Proposed Regulatory Guides, Standard Review Plan Sections, and Supporting NUREG; Notice of Availability
   
   
2. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal Hydraulic Phenomena; Notice of Meeting on July 21-22, 1997
   
   
3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Joint Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittees on Plant Operations and on Fire Protection; Notice of Meeting on July 18, 1997
   
   
4. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Subcommittee Meeting on Probabilistic Risk Assessment; Notice of Meeting on July 7 and 8, 1997
   
   
5. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures; Notice of Meeting on July 8, 1997
   
   
6. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Meeting Notice for July 9-11, 1997

ENCLOSURE P

Region I
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Meeting with Safety Light

On June 18, 1997, representatives of DNMS and Safety Light Corporation (SLC) met in the Region I office to discuss issues related to license renewal and site remediation of the SLC facility in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The Bloomsburg facility was utilized for the manufacture of various types of radioactive products such as watch dials and deck markers. Currently the facility produces products containing tritium, such as exit signs. The licensee has completed site characterization and submitted a copy of the Site Characterization Report to the NRC. The licensee representatives presented a general overview of the status of ongoing litigation with EPA and DOJ over other SLC sites, and discussed remediation of the contamination at the Bloomsburg facility.

Frankford Arsenal Meeting

On June 16, 1997, NRC Region I personnel attended a meeting at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (PADEP) Conshohocken, PA, office, on the Former Frankford Arsenal (Arsenal) facility, Philadelphia, PA. The special projects section of PADEP hosted the meeting which included representatives from PADEP's special projects, PADEP's Bureau of Radiation Protection, US Army Corp. of Engineers, US Army Material Command, US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine, US Environmental Protection Agency, and NRC. The discussions covered the different roles the parties would have with regard to the possible radiological decommissioning project at the Arsenal. Plans for a scoping survey also were discussed.

ENCLOSURE P

Region II
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Florida Power and Light Company - St. Lucie

Representatives from Florida Power and Light Company met with the Regional Administrator and other NRC staff in the Regional Office on June 19, 1997. This meeting, one of a series of bi-monthly meetings, included discussions of plant performance, backlog reductions, operator overtime improvements, and plans for the upcoming steam generator replacement outage.

General Electric Company

On June 20, 1997, the Regional Administrator met with managers of the General Electric Company in Wilmington, North Carolina, to discuss items of mutual interest and to tour the production facilities. The tour included a walkdown of the new dry-conversion facility.

Florida Power Corporation - Crystal River

On June 19, 1997, the Region II Director of the Division of Reactor Safety and members of the NRC staff met with Florida Power Corporation management at the Crystal River nuclear power plant to discuss progress toward the restart of the plant. Company officials reviewed the plant status related to restart, operations, engineering, employee concerns, the management corrective action plan, a configuration document integration program, the targeted condition of the facility at restart, along with metrics to measure performance.

There was media interest from the St. Petersburg Times, the Tampa Tribune, the Citrus County Chronicle and Florida Public Television (TV) in Tallahassee.

The company held a meeting the evening of June 19, 1997, at the Florida National Guard Armory at Crystal River to explain the nuclear plant's status to the public. Media representatives, including the public TV crew, and approximately 100 people attended.

ENCLOSURE P

Region III
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Public Meeting with Consumers Energy Co. - Palisades

On June 18, 1997, a public meeting was conducted in Benton Harbor, Michigan, between management representatives from Consumers Energy Company and members of the NRC staff to discuss the findings of an NRC inspection of the unloading procedure for spent fuel storage casks at the Palisades Nuclear Plant and other cask issues. The NRC staff discussed the results of a special team inspection that included a detailed examination of the Palisades dry spent fuel storage cask unloading procedure and changes in the operating procedures as a result of a hydrogen burn during cask loading at Point Beach Nuclear Power Station in Wisconsin in May 1996.

The inspection began in 1996 to review the cask unloading procedure. It was not completed until earlier this year as a result of the hydrogen gas burn which occurred during welding of the lid of a cask at the Point Beach station.

The NRC inspection team concluded that the unloading procedure developed by Consumers Energy was workable and satisfactory.

The Palisades plant uses the VSC-24 dry cask storage system. Thirteen casks have been loaded and placed on a storage pad at the plant site. Cask loading and unloading is currently on hold at all three sites using the VSC-24 cask as a result of the weld cracking observed at Arkansas Nuclear One and also at Palisades. Confirmatory Action Letters (CAL) are in place requiring analysis of the cracking phenomena and development of welding procedures to preclude future cracks. Palisades also remains under a CAL as a result of the Point Beach station incident.

Predecisional Enforcement Conference with Commonwealth Edison - Byron

On June 20, 1997, a predecisional enforcement conference was conducted in the Region III Office, Lisle, Illinois, between management representatives from Commonwealth Edison Company and members of the NRC staff. The enforcement conference reviewed apparent violations associated with the reactor containment floor drains at the Byron Nuclear Power Station. The discussion focused on ComEd's failure to keep material from clogging the drain system in the containment and for failing to identify that the associated leakage detection system was apparently inoperable for over five months, exceeding the seven day limit in the plant's license. The containment drain system is designed with flow detection instrumentation which provides early identification of reactor cooling water leakage.

ENCLOSURE P

Region IV
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997

Management Meeting with Texas A&M University

Representatives of Region IV and Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation staffs conducted a management meeting with the Deputy Director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station at Texas A&M University and the Director of the Nuclear Science Center on June 19, 1997. During the public meeting, the licensee and NRC staff discussed the findings of a recent NRC inspection.

Observation of National Nuclear Accrediting Board Meeting

On June 18, 1997, Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Safety, observed the June meeting of the National Nuclear Accrediting Board at the Institute of Nuclear Power Operation's (INPO's) offices in Atlanta, Georgia. During the meeting, the Board reviewed selected utilities' training programs for renewal of accreditation. Observation of these meetings is one of the ways in which the NRC monitors the industry's performance in implementing the NRC's training requirements in 10 CFR 55 and 10 CFR 50.120.

ENCLOSURE R

Office of Congressional Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending June 20, 1997