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INFORMATION REPORT SECY-08-0191 December 17, 2008
Contact: Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) Public Meeting with Duke Energy On November 24, 2008, the staff met with Duke Energy regarding sump strainer head loss testing conducted for McGuire and Catawba. The staff had noted that the testing conducted at Wyle Laboratories appeared to be non-conservative due to non-prototypical debris preparation and introduction methods (fine fibrous debris not adequately represented) combined with non-prototypical (strictly axial) flow patterns in the test flume. Duke Energy made a presentation regarding their intentions on using the Wyle test results to support net positive suction head margin calculations for their emergency core cooling system pumps. At the end of the meeting, the staff indicated to Duke Energy that the presentation had not provided adequate justification that the Wyle Laboratories testing resulted in acceptable head loss results because: (1) the test strainer debris bed could not be confirmed to have been prototypically or conservatively formed, and (2) significant strainer clean area had not been demonstrated (this would obviate any staff concerns with chemical effects aspects of the head loss tests). AREVA – Reactor Protection System/Engineered Safety Feature Actuation System (RPS/ESFAS) Hardware Failure Testing From November 24 to 28, 2008, the staff conducted an audit of AREVA’s RPS/ESFAS in Erlangen, Germany. The staff audited the factory acceptance test (FAT) for the Oconee reactor protection system/engineered safety protection system (RPS/ESPS) digital upgrade license amendment request. The staff observed the RPS/ESPS Hardware Failure Test and no issues were identified. No further actions are required regarding the RPS/ESFAS Hardware Failure Acceptance Test. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Presents Briefing on Equipment Performance Information Exchange (EPIX) Data Trends On December 1, 2008, the staff was briefed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the results of the short-term Operating Experience reviews contract. The briefing presented findings associated with the review of Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) EPIX data for high‑pressure injection systems, feedwater systems, and safety system equipment failure events similar to those typically received under 10 CFR Part 21, "Reporting of Defects and Noncompliance." Staff Issues Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1 License Renewal Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Public Comment On December 2, 2008, the staff issued the draft of NUREG-1437, "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 37, Regarding Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 1," for public comment. This supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) includes the staff's preliminary analysis that considers and weighs the environmental effects of the proposed action, the environmental impacts of alternatives to the proposed action, and mitigative measures available for reducing or avoiding adverse impacts. A 75-day public comment period begins on December 19,2008, with the Notice of Filing of the draft SEIS with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The staff has scheduled public meetings on January 28, 2009, in Middletown, Pennsylvania to present its analyses and to accept public comments on the draft SEIS. Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) Meeting on Generic Letter 2008-01 On December 5, 2008, two staff attended an NEI meeting on Generic Letter 2008-01, “Managing Gas Accumulation in Emergency Core Cooling, Decay Heat Removal, and Containment Spray Systems” at the Westinghouse Twinbrook Office. The main topic of discussion was pump operability with a void in the pump suction piping and what acceptance criteria can be used for operability. Office of New Reactors (NRO) Completion of Acceptance Review for Comanche Peak Combined License Application (COLA) On December 2, 2008, the staff docketed Luminant Generation Company LLC’s COLA for two U.S. Advanced Pressurized Water Reactors (US-APWR) at the existing Comanche Peak site in Somervell County, Texas. This COLA incorporates by reference the US-APWR Design Control Document that was accepted for docketing by the NRC on February 29, 2008, and is currently under review by the staff. The six phase review schedule, which is used for Reference COLAs, will be developed after the applicant submits additional information regarding accidental liquid releases. Completion of Acceptance Review for River Bend COLA On December 5, 2008, the staff docketed Entergy Operations’ COLA for an Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) reactor at the existing River Bend site near St. Francisville, Louisiana. This COLA incorporates by reference the ESBWR Design Control Document (DCD) that was accepted for docketing by the NRC on December 1, 2005, and is currently under review by the staff. The staff needs additional information from the applicant to develop the review schedule for Section 2.5, Geotechnical Information. Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME) Meeting with United Kingdom Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) On December 4, 2008, FSME with the Offices of International Programs and Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, hosted a meeting with representatives from the United Kingdom’s NDA. John Mathieson, Head of International Relations, and a number of his colleagues attended. FSME led the meeting, which included NRC presentations on reactor and material site decommissioning, and the Yucca Mountain licensing process and safety review. John Mathieson provided an overview of the UK’s progress on decommissioning and cleanup and Alun Ellis, the Repository Project Director, discussed the UK’s implementation of geologic disposal. NRC and Food and Drug Administration Meeting Held On December 4, 2008, staff and management from the NRC and five Food and Drug Administration centers met to highlight important activities performed under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two agencies during the last year. Revisions to the MOU were discussed to reflect reorganizational changes and to improve processes to share proprietary information of regulatory interest to both agencies. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) Publication of Draft Regulatory Guide 1178 (DG-1178) “Instrument Sensing Lines” On December 2, 2008, RES staff issued DG-1178 to provide an opportunity for public comments. The draft guide is proposed Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 1.151, which describes a method that the staff considers acceptable for use in complying with the Commission’s regulations regarding the design and installation of safety-related instrument-sensing lines in nuclear power plants. DG-1178 is available on the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/power-reactors/draft-index.html. Publication of Draft Regulatory Guide 1189 (DG-1189) “An Acceptable Model and Related Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Fuel Densification” On December 2, 2008, RES staff issued DG-1189 to provide an opportunity for public comments. The draft guide is proposed Revision 2 to Regulatory Guide 1.126, which describes an analytical model and related assumptions and procedures that the staff considers acceptable for predicting the effects of fuel densification in light-water-cooled nuclear power reactors. DG-1189 is available on the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/power-reactors/draft-index.html. Publication of Draft Regulatory Guide 1203 (DG-1203) “Containment Performance for Pressure Loads” On December 3, 2008, RES staff issued DG-1203 to provide an opportunity for public comments. This is a proposed new regulatory guide that is intended to provide licensees and applicants with guidance concerning methods that the staff considers acceptable for demonstrating containment performance in nuclear power plants, in accordance with regulatory requirements and the Commission’s performance goals for pressure loadings of containment structures. DG-1203 is available on the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/power-reactors/draft-index.html. EPRI EMI Working Group Meeting in Washington, D.C. On December 4, 2008, RES staff participated in a meeting hosted by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to discuss issues involving electromagnetic interference (EMI) impacts on operating and new nuclear power plants. Discussion topics included recent EMI-related operational events, status of EMI standards development, and potential EMI programs for new reactors. The staff discussed the status of regulatory guidance in this area, ongoing EMI-related research activities, and planning for potential cooperative research efforts with EPRI in the area of Digital Instrumentation and Controls. Office of Administration (ADM) Consideration of Petition in Rulemaking Process; Mark Edward Leyse (PRM-50-84) On November 25, 2008, the NRC published a document (73 FR 71564) in the Federal Register stating that the NRC will consider the issues raised in a petition for rulemaking (PRM) submitted by Mark Edward Leyse in the NRC's rulemaking process. The petition, dated March 15, 2007, requests, among other issues, that the NRC amend its regulations to require that nuclear power reactors be operated in a manner to limit the thickness of crud layers and/or the thickness of oxide layers on fuel rod cladding surfaces to ensure that the facilities operate in compliance with the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) acceptance criteria. Further NRC action on the issues raised by this petition will be considered in the rulemaking to establish Performance-based ECCS Cladding Acceptance Criteria, (RIN 3150-AH42), which has been assigned rulemaking Docket ID: NRC-2008-0332. Consideration of Environmental Impacts of Temporary Storage of Spent Fuel After Cessation of Reactor Operation and Waste Confidence Decision Update: Extension of Comment Period (RIN 3150-AI47) On November 28, 2008, the NRC published a document (73 FR 72370) in the Federal Register extending the comment period for two actions published October 9, 2008: (1) a proposed rule (73 FR 59547) amending its generic determination of no significant environmental impact for the temporary storage of spent fuel after cessation of reactor operation codified at 10 CFR 51.23(a) and (2) a related update and proposed revision (73 FR 59551) of its 1990 Waste Confidence Decision. The comment period for the proposed rule and for the proposed revisions of the NRC’s Waste Confidence Decision was to have expired on December 8, 2008. The NRC has received a number of requests for extension of the comment period, and has decided to extend the comment period for an additional 60 days until February 6, 2009. Office of Information Services (OIS) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Requests Received During the Period of November 28, 2008 through December 4, 2008:
Office of Human Resources (HR)
Office of the Secretary (SECY)
Federal Register Notices Issued
Region II (RII) Lithuanian Public Affairs Officer Visit Region II From December 1-3, 2008, Region II hosted a visit by Ms. Jolanta Tumasaite, a Public Affairs Officer in the Lithuanian nuclear regulatory agency. Ms. Tumasaite toured the Region II Emergency Response Center, received briefings on the regional public information response to emergency exercises and actual events, toured the nearby Cable News Network (CNN) studio, visited the Crystal River Unit 3 nuclear power plant, including the Crystal River Joint Information Center, and observed two public meetings associated with the planned construction of the Levy County, Florida site. |
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