[DOE LETTERHEAD]

April 30, 1999

The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, N. W., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004

Dear Mr. Chairman:

We have been working to ensure that the safety-related systems at our defense nuclear facilities are identified and, that the appropriate attention is directed to resolving any Year 2000 (Y2K) issues. As mentioned in my previous letters, we have attempted to accurately define the scope of systems to be identified in our Y2K Systems Database. On April 9, 1999, after discussions with the Board's technical staff, we directed each site to review their authorization basis documents and identify any systems that may have Y2K date concerns in our Y2K Systems Database. We also now require these systems be subject to the same formality of reporting and rigor of review and testing as mission-critical systems. I would like to brief the Board on our approach and status and will work through the Departmental Representative's office to arrange a meeting time.

The direction to our sites, regarding what systems should be reported to the Y2K Systems Database, has changed several times. Because of these changes, we have given them the opportunity to adjust the database by adding and deleting systems through the end of April. We will provide to the Board, by May 9, 1999, a report identifying safety-related systems, their renovation, validation and implementation status, and contingency plan, independent validation and verification and end-to-end testing completion dates.

We fully intend to continue working with the Board's technical staff and to provide periodic updates of the Y2K status of the Department's safety-related systems throughout the remainder of this year. Should you have further concerns regarding the Department's Y2K efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 586-0166 or, your staff may contact Mr. John Przysucha at (202) 586-8836.

Sincerely,

John M. Gilligan