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SECY 98-280

December 3, 1998

Contact: M. Tschiltz, OEDO

ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Spent Fuel Project Office Receives Application for the Pigeon Spur Fuel Storage Facility

The Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) has received an application for a license to construct and operate an away-from-reactor independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI), pursuant to 10 CFR Part 72. This is the third such application received by SFPO. An application from Northern States Power was submitted and later withdrawn. The staff is currently reviewing the second application, from Private Fuel Storage, LLC, for its proposed away-from-reactor ISFSI to be located on the reservation of the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians. The new proposed Pigeon Spur facility would be located in Box Elder County, Utah, which is north of Tooele County, which surrounds the Skull Valley reservation. The staff has begun its acceptance review of the Pigeon Spur Fuel Storage Facility application.

Spent Fuel Project Office Staff Meets with NAC International

On November 19, 1998, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office met with representatives of NAC International (NAC), an applicant for certificates of compliance (CoC) for the NAC-UMS and NAC-MPC dual purpose cask systems. Also attending the meeting were representatives of Duke Engineering and Services, Yankee Atomic, Maine Yankee Atomic, Duke Energy, other cask vendors, and members of the public. During the first portion of the meeting, technical issues associated with the staff's recent request for additional information (RAI) on the NAC-UMS Storage design were discussed. The second portion of the meeting focused on issues identified as a result of the staff's recent acceptance review of NAC's response to the RAI, performed for both the NAC-MPC (Storage, Yankee Rowe) and the NAC-STC (Transport, Yankee Rowe). NAC committed to respond to the technical issues, as prioritized by the staff, via weekly submittals, and will complete all responses by the end of 1998. The draft safety evaluation report and CoC for the NAC-MPC (Storage), and the associated NAC-STC (Transport) license amendment, are scheduled to be issued in March 1999.

Meeting with Westinghouse Regarding Wesflex Storage System

On November 18, 1998, the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) staff met with representatives from Westinghouse Electric Corporation regarding Westinghouse's application for approval of the Wesflex Spent Fuel Storage System. Representatives from Consumers Energy, which plans to use the Wesflex System at its Palisades and Big Rock Point plants, also attended the meeting. The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss the request for additional information (RAI) issued by SFPO on October 21, 1998.

At the meeting, the staff presented significant concerns related to the structural analyses of the Wesflex System. One specific issue is with the Wesflex basket spacer plate analysis, where the staff does not believe that the fuel assembly weight was correctly accounted for. Another issue involves cask tipover at the storage pad. Westinghouse believes it can show that this event is noncredible and plans to change the accident analysis accordingly. The staff advised Westinghouse that it needs to fully resolve these issues before submitting its response to the staff's RAI and before the next round of staff review can begin. If not addressed properly, these issues could impact the Wesflex review and licensing schedule.

Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation Meeting

During the week of November 16, 1998, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission manager, who serves as the U.S. Representative on the Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation, an advisory group to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, participated in a meeting of the group. A number of issues were reviewed, including matters relating to the "Integrated Safeguards" and the proliferation potential of neptunium and americium.

ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Staff Completes Initial Reviews of IPEEE Submittals

The Senior Review Board (SRB) for the Individual Plant Examination of External Events (IPEEE) program met on November 17-20, 1998, to discuss nine licensees' IPEEE submittals. The SRB is comprised of RES and NRR staff and RES consultants (Sandia National Laboratories) with probabilistic risk assessment expertise in seismic, fire, and high winds, floods and other external events. The overall purpose of the reviews is to determine if the IPEEE submittals meet the intent of Supplement 4 to Generic Letter 88-20. This meeting marked a significant milestone in the IPEEE program. With the completion of the initial reviews of the Ginna and Vermont Yankee submittals at this meeting, the staff has completed the initial reviews of all 70 submittals. In addition, the SRB reviewed licensees' responses to requests for additional information for the following plants: Davis-Besse, Grand Gulf, Hope Creek, Nine Mile Point 1, River Bend, Waterford, and WNP-2. To date the staff has completed its review of nine plants (Brunswick, D. C. Cook, Diablo Canyon, Farley, Fort Calhoun, Millstone 3, Nine Mile Point 2, South Texas, and Turkey Point) and issued Staff Evaluation Reports for these plants. The current schedule calls for the staff to complete its reviews of all IPEEE submittals by December 31, 1999.

ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Lighting Enhancement Projects

On November 23, 1998, DFS began lighting enhancement projects in the ASLBP Hearing Room and in the TWFN auditorium. The projects will improve the lighting distribution and control in both rooms and eliminate lighting glare that has been a problem in the auditorium. The work is being scheduled so as to avoid conflict with the scheduled use of the rooms and will be completed in 30 days.

Spent Fuel Shipment Meeting

On November 19, 1998, DFS and NMSS representatives met with representatives of other federal agencies, including DOE, involved in shipments of foreign spent fuel and movement of spent fuel shipments within the United States. DOE called the meeting to review their procedures and processes which were used during a July 98 shipment. NRC made a presentation on the handling of unclassified Safeguards Information, and the appropriate means to gain relief from requirements contained in the Code of Federal Regulations which limit the disclosure of such information.

Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI)

On November 18, 1998, a DFS representative attended a meeting at DOE's Oak Ridge, TN Operations Office (OROO) to discuss FOCI issues associated with the Portsmouth and Paducah gaseous diffusion plants (GDP). The GDPs have many contractors with cleared personnel performing work for the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) and the GDPs. These contractors require initial FOCI determinations and periodic certification of their FOCI status. OROO has indicated a willingness to continue to support this effort for which NRC/DFS has overall responsibility.

Drug Testing Program

The Employee Assistance Program Manager and HR staff presented a pilot supervisory training session on a Drug-Free Workplace and Threats and Violence in the Workplace. The pilot was presented to several HR staff, a DFS staff member and Union representatives.

Medical Use of Byproduct Material; Proposed Revision, reopening of Public Comment Period (Parts 20, 32, and 35)

A document reopening the public comment period on a proposed rule that would revise the regulations governing the medical use of byproduct material was published in the Federal Register on November 23, 1998 (63 FR 64829). The proposed rule is one component of the Commission's overall program for revising its regulatory framework for medical use. The proposed rule is intended to focus NRC's regulations on those medical procedures that pose the highest risk to workers, patients, and the public and to structure the regulations to be risk-informed and performance-based. The comment period on the proposed rule now closes December 16, 1998.

Medical Use of Byproduct Material; Draft Policy Statement, Reopening of Public Comment Period

A document reopening the public comment period on proposed revisions to the Commission's policy statement on the medical use of byproduct material was published in the Federal Register on November 23, 1998 (63 FR 64829). The proposed revision to the policy statement is one component of the Commission's overall program for revising its regulatory framework for medical use. The overall goals of this program are to focus NRC regulation of medical use on those medical procedures that pose the highest risk and to structure its regulations to be risk-informed and performance-based. The comment period on the draft policy statement now closes December 16, 1998.

ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the 4-Day Period of November 20, 1998 - November 25, 1998:

ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Rally Held

On November 24, 1998, all NRC Headquarters employees were invited to attend a CFC rally, which was held in the OWFN Commissioners' Conference Room. There was a special guest speaker, Terry Morris, who was the main feature in this year's CFC film. This year's campaign is scheduled to end on December 4, 1998. To date, we have raised over $266,000, which is 92% of our goal of $290,000.

ENCLOSURE J

Office of Small Business & Civil Rights
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

National Hispanic Leadership Agenda

Jose Ibarra, Chair, Hispanic Employment Program Advisory Committee attended a special function organized by the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and hosted by Bill Richardson, Secretary, Department of Energy. The event was to honor the administration's new Hispanic appointees who were confirmed by the Senate during the month of October. The event was held in the Academy of Sciences Auditorium on November 23, 1998. Hispanics have been appointed to several Federal agencies including US courts, HUD, EPA, EEOC, Department of State, OPM, DOL, HHS, and the Farm Credit Administration. They hold positions as Deputy Directors of agencies, Ambassadors, Federal judges, and Commissioners. The formal portion of the program was followed by a reception.

ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Media Interest

Jack Parrott, NMSS, spoke to a reporter from the Buffalo News about the proposed decommissioning criteria for West Valley.

The Omaha World Herald interviewed Ellis Merschoff, Region IV, for a story on the Cooper plant.

The North County Times is preparing a story on the replacement of low-pressure turbines at San Onofre.

ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Visit of Dr. Leonid Bolshov, Russian Academy of Sciences

Dr. Leonid Bolshov, Director, Nuclear Safety Institute (known by the Russian acronym, IBRAE) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, visited NRC on November 23, 1998, and met with Chairman Jackson and Commissioners Dicus, McGaffigan and Merrifield, as well as the Executive Director for Operations. Dr. Bolshov visited NRC to discuss the research IBRAE has been doing under contract with NRC and possible further work through Gosatomnadzor, the Russian regulator. In addition to his position with IBRAE, Dr. Bolshov is Co-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the U.S.-Russian Joint Coordinating Committee on Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER).

Visit of Luis Echavarri and Samuel Thompson, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

Luis Echavarri, OECD/NEA Director-General, and Samuel Thompson, Deputy Director-General, met with Chairman Jackson, Commissioners Dicus, McGaffigan, and Merrifield, and the Executive Director of Operations on November 23, 1998. The purpose of their visit was to discuss revisions to the draft Strategic Plan, NEA reorganization efforts, an MOU between the NEA and the IAEA, and Russian interests in signing a Declaration of Cooperation with the NEA. The visit also provided an occasion for Chairman Jackson and Director-General Echavarri to conclude an exchange of letters on behalf of the NEA and the International Nuclear Regulators Association (INRA).

ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Senator Arlen Specter dated November 19, 1998 concerns the potential disposal of radioactive materials from the Metcoa site in Pennsylvania at a Waste Control Specialists site in Texas (incoming dated September 30, 1998 also released).
   
   
2. Letter to Daniel J. Shea dated November 19, 1998 concerns the objective "risk-informed, performance-based" regulation of the nuclear power industry in the areas of management and training (incoming dated September 29, 1998 also released).
   
   
3. Letters to Fran McPoland, Office of Federal Environmental Executive, and Kathleen McGinty, CEQ, dated November 19, 1998 designates agency officials to implement Executive Order 13101, "Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition."

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. ACRS Subcommittee on Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena; Notice of Meeting on December 16-17, 1998.
   
   
2. Application for a License to Export Special Nuclear Material (Transnuclear, Inc.).
   
   
3. 10 CFR Part 50; Steam Generator Tube Integrity for Operating Nuclear Power Plants; Proposed Rule: Withdrawal.
   
   
4. 10 CFR Part 50; Reporting Reliability and Availability Information for Risk-Significant Systems and Equipment; Proposed Rule: Withdrawal.
   
   
5. 10 CFR Part 60; Elimination of Inconsistencies Between NRC Regulations and EPA High-Level Waste Standards.
   
   
6. 10 CFR Part 35; Comprehensive Quality Assurance in Medical Use and a Standard of Care; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Withdrawal.

ENCLOSURE P

Region I
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Regional Participation in Maine Yankee Citizens' Advisory Panel Meeting November 19, 1998

On November 19, 1998, Ron Bellamy, Chief, Decommissioning and Laboratory Branch, and the Senior Resident Inspector from Haddam Neck (performing a scheduled inspection at Maine Yankee), attended the monthly meeting of the Maine Yankee Citizens' Advisory Panel chaired by State Senator Marge Kilkelly. The meeting was held at the Maine Yankee site. Discussions at this meeting concerned the proposed onsite Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, scheduling of upcoming decommissioning activities according to the Decommissioning Oversight Contractor - Stone and Webster, and the long-range plans for Final Site Surveys using the new NRC release criteria for the License Termination Plan. The need for future discussions in this area, including implementation of the guidance contained in the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM), was identified. The NRC has been asked to provide an update of regulatory activities at the next meeting, scheduled at the site for January 21, 1999.

New England Radiological Health Committee Annual Meeting

From November 17 through 20, 1998, the Region I State Agreements Officer (SAO) attended the annual meeting of the New England Radiological Health Committee (NERHC) in South Portland, Maine. NERHC is a compact comprised of the six New England states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut) whose legislative-approved charter focuses on the sharing of resources and expertise regarding radiological issues. This year's 29th annual meeting focused on issues that included NRC's rule revisions for generally licensed devices (Part 31) and use of byproduct material in medicine (Part 35), distribution of potassium iodide, and license termination guidance. The SAO presented an update to NERHC on current activities and policy in the NRC.

Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) Meeting

On November 19, 1998, Marie Miller, Senior Health Physicist in the Decommissioning and Laboratory Branch, presented to NEAC (a State-legislated group that provides oversight of all Connecticut nuclear energy facilities) an overview of NRC activities at the Haddam Neck nuclear facility since the last briefing (April 1998). The NRC presentation focused on assessment of the recent reactor coolant system decontamination problems. Other presentations were given by the licensee's Vice President, Operations and Decommissioning, and by the First Selectman of Haddam on the activities of the Repowering Advisory Committee, which is exploring alternative, non-nuclear power production uses of Haddam Neck. About ten members of the public were present, not including licensee personnel. Questions from NEAC centered on the proposed Decommissioning Operations Contract and the recent radiation protection issues.

ENCLOSURE P

Region II
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

Carolina Power and Light Company - Brunswick

On November 23, 1998, Brunswick (CP&L) declared a Notification of Unusual Event due to a release of chlorine gas from the service water injection system. The leak was from a through-wall leak on a "T" shaped spool piece on the chlorine system. Chlorine is stored in a railroad tanker on-site to provide chemistry control for the service water system (salt water). Installed chlorine detectors isolated the control room environment to protect the operators. The licensee also relocated site personnel during the event. Region II issued PNO-II-98-050 that describes the event and NRC actions. The licensee issued several 50.72 reports. Resident inspectors were on-site at the time and they responded to the control room and monitored the licensee's actions.

ENCLOSURE P

Region IV
Items of Interest
Week Ending November 27, 1998

San Onofre Employee Concerns Program Update Meeting

On November 24, 1998, the Regional Administrator and members of his staff met with Dwight Nunn, Vice President Engineering and Technical Support for Southern California Edison Company. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the status and effectiveness of the San Onofre Employee Concerns Program.

Washington Nuclear Project - 2 Organization Change

The licensee announced that Greg Smith, Nuclear Plant General Manager, will assume the duties of a newly created Vice President Generation/Nuclear Plant General Manager, which combines the duties of the Nuclear Plant General Manager and the Vice President Operations. This change fills the void left by the departure of the previous Vice President Operations and places Training and the Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project under the responsibility of Mr. Smith in addition to his previous responsibilities.

Also, with the elimination of the Vice President Operations position, Rod Webring, Vice President Operations Support, gained responsibility for Information Services; Engineering Design, Fuels and Projects; and Facilities.