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INFORMATION REPORT SECY-05-0028 February 7, 2005
Contact: T. Kim, OEDO Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Public Meeting to Discuss Comments on Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1139 On January 26, 2005, staff held a public meeting with representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), nuclear power plant licensees, and other interested stakeholders to discuss NRC staff’s responses to the public comments received on Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1139, “Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection for Existing Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants.” Key points discussed included transitioning unapproved deviations, acceptance criteria for recovery actions and multiple spurious actuations, risk evaluations for plant changes, enforcement discretion, and scope of the license amendment request submittal and the staff’s review. Action items were agreed among the key participants which, when completed, will support the issuance of the final regulatory guide and NEI guidance document NEI 04-02, “Guidance for Implementing a Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Program Under 10 CFR 50.48(c).” Duke Power noted that they are preparing a draft letter of intent to transition all of their nuclear units to a new licensing basis in accordance with 10 CFR 50.48(c), with Oconee being the first to begin the transition in July of this year. Public Meetings on Mitigating System Performance Indicator (MSPI) and Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) On January 26, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted the monthly public meeting on the MSPI. The staff led a discussion on additional comments on the MSPI Probabilistic Risk Assessment Staff/Industry Task Group Report, and industry representatives led a discussion on the logistics and detailed agenda format for the upcoming February 9-10, 2005, MSPI Workshop at Dana Point, California. The February 2005 MSPI public meeting will not be held due to the workshop. On January 27, 2005, the Division of Inspection Program Management staff hosted the monthly public meeting on the ROP. The staff led a discussion on industry concerns with the draft Maintenance Rule Significance Determination Process. Industry and staff provided an update on the scrams with loss of normal heat removal and reactor coolant system leakage Performance Indicator (PI) improvement initiatives. Meeting participants focused the remainder of the meeting on a discussion of open and new PI frequently asked questions (FAQs). Public Meeting with Exelon on Steam Dryer Analysis for Quad Cities On January 25-26, 2005, staff, including representatives from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, and Region III, and the staff’s consultants met with Exelon at its Warrenville, IL, office to discuss the steam dryer replacement at Quad Cities. The licensee presented its analyses and scale model testing used to predict loads on the dryers. The staff indicated that, while the licensee had performed significant work, additional effort is needed to finalize and validate the licensee’s analysis methods. Another meeting on this issue is planned in late February or early March 2005. Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Public Scoping Meeting on USEC Inc.'s Proposed American Centrifuge Plant On January 18, 2005, staff from the Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection and the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards conducted a public meeting in Piketon, Ohio, to take public comments on the scope of NRC's environmental review for the United States Enrichment Corporation Inc.,'s (USEC’s) proposed American Centrifuge Plant, to be located at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site in Piketon. Approximately 150 people attended the meeting. The public comments included such topics as the need for the proposed facility, disposition of depleted uranium tails, decommissioning funding, and transportation. The Scoping Summary Report is scheduled to be released in April 2005 and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to be released in July 2005. Model NAC-LWT Cask Authorized for Transport of Tritium-Producing Burnable Absorber Rods On January 25, 2005, NRC issued an amendment to Certificate of Compliance No. 9225, for the Model No. NAC-LWT cask, to authorize transport of irradiated tritium-producing burnable absorber rods. The cask is a steel- and lead-shielded truck cask that was designed to transport commercial spent fuel. The certificate amendment supports the Department of Energy's program to produce tritium in commercial light-water reactors. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Letter of Agreement Between NRC and OECD Regarding the Exchange of Operating Experience Concerning Computer-Based Systems Important to Safety (COMPSIS) Project On January 24, 2005, the NRC’s Executive Director for Operations (EDO) signed the subject Letter of Agreement between the NRC and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This Letter of Agreement will contribute to the NRC’s knowledge of computer-based systems by providing a database of events involving failures of software-based instrumentation, controls, and components. The NRC will use this database to quantify digital instrumentation and control system failures in probabilistic risk assessments and risk-informed initiatives. Implementing Agreement Between NRC and Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) in the Area of Seismic Engineering Research On January 25, 2005, the EDO signed the subject international agreement between the NRC and the JNES. This Implementing Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the NRC and JNES will continue their cooperation in the area of seismic engineering research and contribute to expanding the NRC’s data and knowledge base in the area of seismic testing and analysis. The scope of this cooperative program includes seismic analyses of various structures, systems, and components for which JNES will perform the seismic tests and will provide test results data to the NRC. NRC will utilize the knowledge gained from the programs on ultimate strength piping tests and seismic capacity of degraded piping and components to (1) assess the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code rules for piping, (2) enable the NRC to reduce the uncertainties associated with seismic probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) seismic margin assessments, (3) implement risk-informed regulations, and (4) assess the impact of aging of structures and components. Meeting with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Materials Reliability Program (MRP) on Corrosion of Reactor Pressure Boundary Materials in Boric Acid Solutions On January 18, 2005, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) staff held the subject public meeting, at which the ANL and MRP representatives presented summaries of their respective programs on the corrosion of reactor structural materials in simulated pressurized-water reactor coolant of various concentrations and at various temperatures and exposure durations. A key finding was discussed regarding how high ratios of lithium and boron markedly reduce corrosion rates. The data generated by both programs will be included in the upcoming revision of the EPRI Boric Acid Corrosion Guidebook, scheduled for completion in 2007. The results of the two programs will aid in shaping future regulatory actions regarding inspection of pressure boundary materials exposed to boric acid solutions. Public Meeting on Data Entry Software for the Mitigating Systems Performance Index On January 24, 2005, RES staff held a public meeting to discuss proposed changes to the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Consolidated Data Entry (CDE) software. The CDE software is used to consolidate equipment performance data entry for various data reporting programs and will be used to support data reporting for the Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI). Meeting participants included representatives from the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), the nuclear industry, INPO, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, and the news media. The discussion topics included CDE software functional requirements; application of the CDE software to the NRC's standardized plant analysis risk (SPAR) models and the MSPI; control of data and documents; classification of component failures; and updating of industry average component failure rates. As a result of the meeting, the INPO and industry representatives agreed to provide further guidance and controls for the CDE process. The CDE software will be updated in stages with an initial update scheduled for release in April 2005. Presentation on Updated Parameter Estimates for the SPAR Models On January 25, 2005, staff members from both RES and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory presented an overview of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations' (INPO’s) Equipment Performance and Information Exchange (EPIX) System and its application to the NRC's SPAR models to the NRC's SPAR Model Users Group. The presentation included discussions on statistical methods used to estimate equipment reliability parameters and their associated uncertainty distributions. In general, it was noted that the quality of data entered into EPIX by licensees has improved and recent EPIX data indicates improvements in system and component reliability. Updates to EPIX data will be reflected in the NRC's SPAR models, which support the Reactor Oversight Process and the Industry Trends Program. Nuclear Security and Incident Response Preliminary Notification PNO-III-05-001, Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant - MANUAL SCRAM DUE TO UNIDENTIFIED LEAKAGE IN DRYWELL. Office of Administration Emergency Planning and Preparedness for Production and Utilization Facilities (AH00-Part 50) On January 26, 2005, a final rule amending the emergency planning regulations for the domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 3591). The final rule amends the current regulations concerning NRC approval of licensee changes to Emergency Action Levels and clarifies exercise requirements for co-located licensees. The final rule becomes effective April 26, 2005. Denial of Petition for Rulemaking (PRM-20-22) On January 27, 2005, the NRC published the subject document in the Federal Register (70 FR 3898) in response to a petition for rulemaking (PRM-20-22) submitted by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. The petitioner had requested that the NRC amend its regulations to (1) require all licensees provide at least 24 hours advance notice to the appropriate sewage treatment plant before releasing radioactive material into a sanitary sewer system and (2) exempt radioactive materials entering the sanitary waste stream from requirements regarding NRC approval for incineration. The NRC has determined that current regulations concerning the discharge of licensed material and approval for disposal by incineration are adequate and necessary to ensure the protection of public health and safety. Chief Information Officer Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of January 20, through January 27, 2005:
Office of Human Resources
Office of Public Affairs Media Interest The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) received significant media inquiries on the following: The appointment and swearing in of two new NRC Commissioners. The NRC Chairman’s visit to Browns Ferry and the licensee’s efforts to bring Unit 1 back on line. A declaration of an alert at the Fermi nuclear plant in Michigan due to a non-radioactive leak within the plant. The final environmental impact statement for a proposed mixed oxide (MOX) production facility. Prospects for new nuclear reactors to be built in the future. Evidentiary hearings scheduled for early February on a proposed uranium enrichment plant in New Mexico.
Office of International Programs Visits by Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Commission (JNES) and Korean Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) Representatives On January 24, 2005, Mr. Tanda Haruo and Mr. Saito Shigeyuki of JNES visited NRC headquarters offices and met with staff to discuss the NRC’s licensing and inspection processes for the high level waste repository program. On the following day, the JNES delegation, accompanied by NRC staff, visited the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses for a series of presentations on the Yucca Mountain waste repository project. On January 24-25, 2005, Dr. Suk Won Kim, of the KINS visited NRC headquarters offices and met with staff to discuss the NRC’s reactor inspection program. Office of the Secretary
Federal Register Notices Issued
Region I Heritage Minerals Decommissioning Status Update On January 20, 2005, an inspection was conducted at the Heritage Minerals property in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The Heritage Minerals property is a complex decommissioning site needing remediation for removal of residual thorium and uranium contamination in stockpiled soil and in identified soil pockets on the grounds. On January 20, the licensee completed final decommissioning activities by shipping the stockpiled material, and completing excavation of the pockets. Region I obtained split soil samples with the licensee of the excavated pockets and the ground underneath the stockpile. Earlier samples of the pockets had been obtained in December 2004, but licensee analysis identified contamination in excess of the release limits in several pockets, prompting further remediation. All NRC samples were sent to the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for gamma spectroscopy analysis. The NRC inspectors also conducted a gamma radiation survey of the site boundary, and identified no areas requiring further remediation. Upon confirmation that the pockets are below NRC release limits (10 pci/g [pico-curies per gram] total thorium and 10 pci/g total uranium), and that there is no licensable material in the soil under the stockpile, termination of the license may commence. Calvert Cliffs - Congressional Visit On January 24, 2005, U.S. Representatives Dave Hobson of Ohio and Thomas Latham of Iowa, accompanied by senior NRC management, including Executive Director for Operations, Chief Financial Officer, and Director- Region I Division of Reactor Projects, visited the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Maryland. The licensee management provided a tour of the site including the dry cask storage facility and various areas within the plant’s protected area. Region II NRC’s Chairman and Executive Director for Operation Visit to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant On January 27, 2005, the Regional Administrator accompanied the Chairman and the Executive Director for Operations to the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant for a site tour and meetings with the plant personnel to assess the progress of the licensee’s recovery activities for Unit 1, which had been shutdown since 1985. Federal Interagency Conference On January 24, 2005, the Regional State Liaison Officer and Incident Response Coordinator, along with other staff members from the headquarters offices, participated in a Federal Interagency Conference at the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in Las Vegas, NV. The purpose of this conference was to discuss agency-specific emergency preparedness programs and real-time response to radiological events. Other attendees included representatives from the Department of Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Environmental Protection Agency. Region IV Public Meeting with Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) Representatives On January 25, 2005, the Regional Administrator held a public meeting with NPPD management in Brownville, Nebraska, to discuss the results of NRC’s most recent inspection of the actions completed by the NPPD at the Cooper Nuclear Station in response to the January 30, 2003, Confirmatory Action Letter. At the meeting, NRC informed the licensee that the Confirmatory Action Letter will be closed. Office of Congressional Affairs
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