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INFORMATION REPORT

SECY-07-0067

April 6 , 2007

Contact: L. Rakovan, OEDO

Enclosure A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Containment Coatings Testing at McGuire

From March 20-22, 2007, the staff witnessed adhesion testing of containment coatings that was being conducted at McGuire Unit 1. The testing was conducted by Duke Power personnel and consultants under the auspices of Electric Power Research Institute/Nuclear Utility Coating Council (NUCC). Containment coating testing is being conducted at several plants in 2006/2007 to demonstrate that aged protective coatings maintain adequate adhesion. McGuire is the third unit to perform the testing. The results from the McGuire testing and that at other plants will be used to evaluate licensee supplemental responses to Generic Letter 2004-02, "Potential Impact of Debris Blockage on Emergency Recirculation during Design Basis Accidents at Pressurized-Water Reactors," and in resolution of Generic Safety Issue (GSI)-191, "Assessment of Debris Accumulation on PWR Sump Performance."

Quad Cities and Dresden - Management Meeting Regarding Extended Power Uprate Issues

On March 22, 2007, a Category 1 public meeting was held between representatives of NRR and NRC Region III staff, and the Exelon Generating Company (Exelon). The purpose of this meeting was to discuss Exelon’s actions to address issues arising from extended power uprate (EPU) operation at the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station (Quad Cities) Units 1 and 2. Exelon personnel reviewed EPU issues and their corrective actions, including steam dryer replacements, upgrades to electromatic relief valves, and installation of acoustic side branches to reduce steam line vibrations. Steam dryer replacements are complete at both Quad Cities units and at Dresden Nuclear Power Station (Dresden) Unit 3. Dresden Unit 2 dryer will be replaced during its fall 2007 refueling outage. The NRC staff indicated that it has not identified any issues that prevent Exelon continuing full EPU operation at Quad Cities and Dresden. Exelon plans to submit a letter in April 2007 documenting its ongoing EPU issues corrective actions commitments.

Waterford 3 - Public Meeting on Steam Generator Batwing Degradation Issue

On March 22, 2007, NRC staff met with Entergy at NRC’s office in Rockville, Maryland to discuss the technical understanding of the steam generator batwing degradation condition, to review analyses supporting safe plant operation, to review the mitigation actions taken, and to discuss Entergy’s plans for a mid-cycle outage to inspect the steam generator batwings and their support structures. Based on its understanding of the potential impact of the batwing degradation condition on tube integrity, Entergy has concluded that inspections on the secondary side of the steam generators should be sufficient to assure plant safety. Entergy will be prepared to conduct primary site inspections, if needed. The mid-cycle outage will occur in the fall of 2007.

Enclosure C

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Honeywell Licensee Performance Review

On March 21, 2007, NMSS staff, along with Region II Senior Management, conducted a public meeting to formally present the findings of the 2006 Licensee Performance Review for the Honeywell uranium conversion facility. The meeting was held at the Community Center in downtown Metropolis, Illinois. The meeting was attended by plant personnel from Honeywell and members of the public.

Conclusion of American Centrifuge Plant Mandatory Hearings

On March 21, 2007, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (Board) completed its mandatory hearing for the USEC Inc. (USEC) American Centrifuge Plant. The Board considered a range of safety and environmental issues associated with the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the proposed facility, during the 3-day hearing. It is expected to render its findings on whether to grant or deny a license to USEC by April 13, 2007.

Staff Observe Audit of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Technical Data Management System

On March 22, 2007, staff completed an observation of a DOE, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Office of Quality Assurance audit of the Technical Data Management System. The audit was conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada. Its objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of the processes for controlling technical data, the timeliness of data submittal to the Project's Technical Data Management System, and the traceability of submitted data to the processes and products that reference the data. The NRC observers assessed the effectiveness of DOE's audit team and the audit process, in achieving the audit objectives.

Final Interim Staff Guidance on Level of Design Detail and Estimating Reliability

On March 22, 2007, a notice was published in the Federal Register (72 FR 13534) that responded to public comments on draft Interim Staff Guidance, "Preclosure Safety Analysis - Level of Information and Reliability Estimation." The interim guidance clarifies review guidance in NUREG-1804, "Yucca Mountain Review Plan." Both the notice and final guidance HLWRS-ISG-02 are in the NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System; the accession number is ML070260204.

NRC and the DOE Quarterly Management Meeting

On March 27, 2007, NRC and DOE staffs held a "Quarterly Management Meeting" on the DOE high-level waste program. Discussions included program updates and quality assurance issues, such as the DOE root-cause analysis regarding U.S. Geological Survey e-mails. The meeting was open to the public and was attended by interested parties, stakeholders, and members of the press.

Public Meeting with Holtec International to Discuss the HI-STORM 100U Design Concept Certificate of Compliance Amendment Application and Structural Issues

On March 27, 2007, NMSS staff met with representatives from Holtec International (Holtec) to discuss the licensee's plans for resubmittal of a request for approval of the HI-STORM 100U underground design concept. The meeting was held to discuss Holtec's response to structural issues, identified during the NRC's staff review of a proposed amendment to the HI-STORM 100 Certificate of Compliance, to incorporate the HI-STORM 100U that was withdrawn by Holtec in late 2006. The withdrawal was predicated on staff concerns that seismic analyses performed for the HI-STORM 100U would not adequately reflect potential site conditions. At the meeting, Holtec presented new and revised structural analyses in response to the staff's concerns. The staff responded positively to the material presented by Holtec and indicated that it appeared the staffs concerns had been addressed. A new application is scheduled to be submitted by the end of April 2007.

Enclosure E

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Completion of Regulatory Guides for Use in New Reactor Licensing

On March 28, 2007, the staff completed the publication of the high-priority regulatory guides (RGs) which needed to be completed in March 2007 to support new reactor licensing activities. In July 2006, the staff had identified 31 RGs to be revised or developed by March 2007 to support new reactor licensing activities. Two were later identified as exceptions and not to be completed by March 2007. One is the proposed revision to RG 1.93, "Availability of Electric Power Sources," which was subsequently evaluated and determined to not be needed and withdrawn. The second is completion of RG 1.206, "Combined License Applications for Nuclear Power Plants (LWR Edition)," which is being delayed until after incorporation of Commission comments related to the final Part 52 rule. In the interim, certain sections of RG 1.206 will be released for preliminary use prior to final publication of the RG. This completes the staff efforts with the high-priority regulatory guides. The staff will now begin work on the next phases of regulatory guides revision and development in accordance with the plan to review and update, as necessary, all regulatory guides.

Enclosure F

Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Preliminary Notifications

• PNO-I-07-003, Underwood Engineering Testing Co., Inc., FOUND TROXLER MOISTURE PORTABLE GUAGE

• PNO-I-07-003A, Underwood Engineering Testing Co., Inc., FOUND TROXLER MOISTURE PORTABLE GUAGE - UPDATE

Enclosure G

Office of Administration (ADM)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Project on Government Oversight and Union of Concerned Scientists (PRM-50-83)

On March 29, 2007, the NRC published a document in the Federal Register (72 FR 14713) that requests comment on a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Project on Government Oversight and Union of Concerned Scientists (PRM-50-83). The petitioners request an amendment that would require periodic demonstrations by applicable local, State, and Federal authorities to ensure that nuclear power plants can be adequately protected against radiological sabotage greater than the design basis threat. The comment period for this action closes June 12, 2007.

Enclosure H

Office of Information Services (OIS)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Requests Received During the Period of March 23 through March 29, 2007:

Enclosure J

Office of Human Resources (HR)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Enclosure M

Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

The OPA received significant media inquiries on the following:

Japanese Boiling Water Reactor Criticality Incident.

Massachusetts Attorney General's (AG's) lawsuit against NRC on denial of AG's request for a hearing on Pilgrim's application; AG's petition for rulemaking that encompasses spent fuel concerns in licensing renewals.

NRC's preparations for new reactor applications, licensing process and design certifications.

Contamination issues regarding missing source from a two-source gauge stolen in Philadelphia.

Other Public Affairs Items:

Coverage of Chairman Klein, accompanied by Commissioners Merrifield and Lyons, testifying before the House Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee on the NRC budget.

Assisted, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff with an interview with Inside NRC about progress on development of a framework for oversight of fuel cycle facilities similar to an Reactor Oversight Process that was recommended by the Office of the Inspector General in their recent audit.

MSNBC.com continues to come up with questions about the issue of the Marshal's Service providing law enforcement deputization for the Office of Investigations.

Enclosure O

Office of the Secretary (SECY)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Congress, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, dated March 22, 2007, provides first Annual Report on the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act of 2002.

2. Letter to Mr. Hiroshi Inoue, Japan, dated March 21, 2007, responds to request that NRC allocate sufficient staff resources during FY 2008 to review advanced pressurized-water reactor (US-APWR) design certification application.

3. Letter to Mr. George W. Foresman, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), dated March 21, 2007, expresses appreciation on September 2006 meeting discussing the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office's (DNDO's) efforts and information needs in establishing a national nuclear detection program.

4. Letter to Mr. Vayl Oxford, DHS, dated March 21, 2007, expresses appreciation on the efforts of the DNDO in working with the NRC and the States in establishing a national detection program.

5. Letter to Congress and the U.S. Government Accountability Office, dated March 21, 2007, provides NRC's response to GAO recommendations made in its report "Human Capital: Retirements and Anticipated New Reactor Applications Will Challenge NRC's Workforce" (GAO-07-105).

6. Letter to Mayor Mark Chilton, Town of Carrboro, North Carolina (NC); Ms. Ellie Kinnaird, NC Senate; and Mayor Kevin C. Foy, Town of Capel Hill, NC, dated March 19, 2007, responds to request for NRC participation in public meeting regarding a petition on Shearon Harris.

7. Letter to Mr. Moses Carey, Jr., Chair, Orange County Board of County Commissioners, NC, dated March 19, 2007, responds to request for NRC participation in public meeting regarding a petition on Shearon Harris.

8. Letter to Secretary Samuel W. Bodman, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); and Mr. Dennis R. Spurgeon, DOE, dated March 16, 2007, expresses appreciation for meeting with NRC.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. 10 CFR Part 50, Docket No. PRM-50-83, Project On Government Oversight and Union of Concerned Scientists; Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking.

2. Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, Meeting on Planning and Procedures, notice of meeting (4/10/2007).

3. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes: Call for Nominations.

4. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena, notice of meeting (4/19-20/2007).

5. Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Notice of Hearing (Application for Early Site Permit for Vogtle ESP Site).

Enclosure P

Region II (RII)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Visit

On March 30, the Regional Administrator and Regional management visited the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant for a site tour and met with licensee management with both licensee management and members of the NRC Operational Readiness Assessment Team (ORAT), who are planning the Unit 1 ORAT inspection.

Enclosure R

Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)
Items of Interest
Week Ending March 30, 2007

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