| |
Search Options | |||
| Index | Site Map | FAQ | Facility Info | Reading Rm | New | Help | Glossary | Contact Us | |
|||
|
INFORMATION REPORT SECY-01-0132 July 19, 2001
Contact: R. Jenkins, OEDO Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Status of Vessel Head Penetration Nozzle Cracking On July 2, 2001, the NRC staff briefed the Committee to Review Generic Requirements (CRGR). The purpose of this meeting was to provide the CRGR with an opportunity to review and comment on a preliminary draft of a proposed Bulletin requesting information on control rod drive (CRD) mechanism cracking. On July 3, 2001, members of the NRC staff and representatives from the Electric Power Research Institute Materials Reliability Program (MRP), the Nuclear Energy Institute, various operating nuclear reactor licensees, and members of the public participated in a public meeting held at the NRC offices in Rockville, Maryland. In addition, the NRC established a telephone conference bridge number, to allow interested individuals to participate in the meeting via telephone. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the industry and external stakeholders on the status of development for the generic communication on vessel head penetration nozzle cracking and to discuss the MRP's June 29, 2001, response to the NRC staff's June 22, 2001, request for additional information. The bridge number was provided in the June 22, 2001, meeting notice and the slides were made publically available prior to the meeting on the NRC web site for this issue ("Generic Activities on PWR Alloy-600 Weld Cracking," at http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/alloy600.html). The staff presented background information on control rod drive mechanism cracking and discussed an overview of the staff's approach for the proposed bulletin. In addition, the staff discussed their concerns with the uncertainty of the industry susceptibility model, the adequacy of visual examinations for detection of boric acid deposits, the potential for reaching critical crack size before detecting leakage, postulated risk analysis/risk insights, and compliance with regulatory requirements. The staff further discussed the schedule for issuance of the proposed bulletin, upcoming meetings with the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) and CRGR, and the status of Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research initiatives on this issue. On July 10, 2001, and July 11, 2001, members of the NRC staff and a representative from the MRP, briefed the ACRS Materials & Metallurgy and Plant Operations Subcommittees and ACRS Full Committee, respectively, on circumferential cracking of reactor pressure vessel head penetration nozzles. The purpose of the meeting was to brief the ACRS members on the issue, industry action, staff actions, and the proposed bulletin. NRC Summer Hires Visit the North Anna Plant On July 11, 2001, 18 summer hires and interns from NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) toured the North Anna power plant in Mineral, Virginia. Points of interest on the tour included the North Anna Visitor Information Center, the turbine building, control room simulator, and the independent spent fuel storage installation. The tour was part of a structured training program developed by NRR for summer hires. Publication of Proposed Rule on Skin Dose Limit for Public Comment On July 12, 2001, the Commission published a proposed rule for public comment that would revise 10 CFR Part 20 (66 FR 36502). The proposed amendment would change the method of calculating dose to the skin by requiring that the assigned skin or extremity dose be the dose averaged over the 10 square centimeters of skin receiving the highest exposure, rather than the current requirement to average dose to the highest exposed 1 square centimeter. Results of this rulemaking would be to make the skin dose limit less restrictive when small areas of skin are irradiated, and to address skin dose from all sources, including "hot particles" and small area ( 1cm2) contaminations, under a single limit. The rule would trade a higher risk of small, transient acute effects to the skin, such as reddening or small breaks in the skin barrier, for a reduction in whole body dose and its associated risk of cancer. An additional worker benefit is a reduction in the overly conservative use of protective clothing and associated industrial hazards such as heat stress and the potential for accidents. The 75-day public comment period ends on September 25, 2001.
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Citizen Groups to Demonstrate about West Valley Spent Fuel Shipment On July 9, 2001, the Department of Energy (DOE) notified the NRC that groups such as the Nuclear Information and Resource Service and the Coalition on West Valley Nuclear Waste have launched a 17-day tour along the designated shipping route for the 125 spent fuel assemblies to be shipped in two casks from DOE West Valley to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The tour began with representatives gathering around a life-size replica of a nuclear-waste shipping cask in a parking lot at the West Valley Demonstration Project, where they released position statements calling for an end to nuclear waste generation. The Spent Fuel Project Office approved the revised Certificates of Compliance for the TN-BRP and TN-REG casks on March 19, 2001, to support the planned shipment. 10 CFR Part 72 Exemption for the Oconee Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation On July 6, 2001, the Spent Fuel Project Office issued an exemption to Duke Energy Corporation to allow storage of additional spent fuel assemblies at the Oconee Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The licensee was exempted from certain conditions in Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004 for the Transnuclear West (TN West) Standardized NUHOMS®-24P storage system, to allow the storage of Babcock and Wilcox 15x15 spent nuclear fuel assemblies with a "nominal" fuel assembly width of 8.536 inches, as opposed to the "maximum" width identified in the associated Technical Specifications. The specification for fuel assembly width had been erroneously revised as part of changes made in a previous amendment to CoC No. 1004. In its June 8, 2001, letter, Duke requested an exemption to allow it to resume the transfer of spent fuel to its ISFSI and to support upcoming refueling outages. Also on June 8, 2001, TN West requested a change to CoC No. 1004 to correct the Technical Specifications, which will be reviewed by the staff in conjunction with another pending amendment request. The NRC staff's Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for this exemption was published in the Federal Register (66 FR 35468, dated July 5, 2001). Observation of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Water Sampling Near Former Babcock & Wilcox Plant in Parks Township, Pennsylvania On July 10, 2001, Division of Waste Management (DWM) staff observed staff of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) sampling the Kiskiminetas River, adjacent to the Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Parks Township Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) site. PADEP is sampling the Kiskiminetas River to determine if trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination from the former B&W plant has moved into the river. Water and sediment samples were collected and a survey of aquatic life in the river was completed. PADEP did not conduct any radiological sampling. Upon completion of the radiological remediation at the SDMP site, BWX Technologies, Inc. plans to address the TCE contamination. Interviews by the press, including ABC and CBS television affiliates were conducted with State and local elected officials, PADEP's Regional Director, and the B&W facility project manager for the sampling. DWM staff responded to a question from the local Valley News newspaper regarding the NRC's role at the site. DWM staff also discussed, with PADEP managers, the continuing cooperation between PADEP and NRC regarding the site. Interagency Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers On July 2, 2001, the Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for decommissioning NRC-licensed sites in the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. On July 5, the USACE Director of Civil Works signed the MOU, and met with Division of Waste Management personnel. The MOU was published in the Federal Register on July 12, 2001.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001 Generic Safety Issues (GSI) - 191 As part of the generic safety issue (GSI) -191, "Assessment of Debris Accumulation on PWR Sump Performance," a parametric evaluation was performed to demonstrate whether sump blockage is a plausible concern for operating pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Blockage of the sump by debris following a loss-of-coolant accident may impede or prevent long-term recirculation. The results of the parametric evaluation form a credible technical basis for concluding that sump blockage is a generic concern for PWRs. However, the parametric evaluation is ill suited for making a determination that sump blockage will impede or prevent long-term recirculation at a specific plant. Currently, as part of the resolution of GSI-191, RES is assessing the risk associated with sump blockage based on the parametric evaluations. As the evaluation of GSI-191 continues, RES and NRR will continue to work together to determine the appropriate course of action. On July 5, 2001, the draft Los Alamos National Laboratory report entitled, "GSI-191: Parametric Evaluation for Pressurized Water Reactor Recirculation Sump Performance," dated July 2001, was made available to the public. The draft report was made publicly available to facilitate discussions with external stakeholders. A public meeting between the NRC, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and the three Pressurized Water Reactor Owners' Groups has been scheduled for July 26 and 27, 2001, to discuss the parametric evaluation. The results of the GSI-191 parametric evaluation were presented to the ACRS on July 12, 2001. In September 2001, staff will be meeting with the ACRS to present the proposed resolution of GSI-191. Status of PRA Standard The American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) have been working on developing standards for Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) for nuclear power plants. ASME is developing the standard for the Level 1 (core damage frequency) and 2 (large early release frequency) PRA for accidents initiated by internal events (excluding internal fires) occurring at full-power operation. ANS is expanding on the ASME standard to address accidents initiated by internal events (excluding internal fires) at low power and shutdown conditions and to address accidents initiated by external events. The ASME Committee on Nuclear Risk Management has issued Revision 14A (of the full-power PRA standard) for public review and comment and final approval for publication. The comment period is from June 14, 2001 to August 14, 2001. Those interested in obtaining a copy should contact Gerry Eisenberg of ASME at (212) 591-8510, email eisenbergg@asme.org. A first draft of the external events standard has been issued by ANS. Those interested in obtaining a copy should contact Suriya Ahmed of ANS at (708) 579-8269, email sahmad@ans.org. ANS expects to issue a final PRA standard on external events next year. With the full-power ASME PRA standard in final form, ANS anticipates completing a first draft of a low power shutdown PRA standard early next year. IAEA Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) on Minimizing Aging in Nuclear Power Plants During June 26-28, 2001, staff from RES and NRR participated in the IAEA sponsored technical committee meeting on Minimizing Aging in Nuclear Power Plants. They made a presentation reflecting NRC activities related to plant aging research and license renewal. Thirty representatives from 19 different countries attended the TCM. They discussed their experiences related to "premature aging" and provided insights on minimizing their detrimental effects. Specific examples were provided with 10 attributes for understanding and mitigating aging. The examples included stress corrosion cracking in BWR piping and reactor internals, vibration failures of small diameter pipe welds, corrosion of steam generator tubes, reactor pressure vessel embrittlement, erosion-corrosion of joints and nozzles, thermal stratification and fatigue of feedwater lines and cable aging. Since many participants represented nuclear power plant (NPP) operators, their experiences and contributions related to minimizing aging effects in NPPs is useful to programs related to plant aging research and guidance documents for license renewal. Regulatory Guides on Air Filtration for Nuclear Power Plants RES has issued Revision 3 of Regulatory Guide 1.52, "Design, Inspection, and Testing Criteria for Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of Post-Accident Engineered-Safety-Feature Atmosphere Cleanup Systems in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants," and Revision 2 of Regulatory Guide 1.140, "Design, Inspection, and Testing Criteria for Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of Normal Atmosphere Cleanup Systems in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants."
Incident Response Operations Preliminary Notifications 1. PNO-III-01-021, St. Luke's Medical Center, REPORTED MISADMINISTRATION. 2. PNO-IV-01-029, CTC-Geotech, STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE. 3. PNO-IV-01-030, KLB Construction, STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001 Acquisition Training The Division of Contracts and Property Management conducted a mandatory Acquisition for Certification and Training Program module entitled "Organizational Conflicts of Interest" with 37 attendees. This half-day module includes a discussion of what constitutes a conflict of interest (COI) and how the Agency regulations treat COI. Lectures also include the process for identifying and resolving COI situations for contract awards to both the private sector and DOE Laboratory agreements. Class participants work in groups to analyze situations to determine if COI exists and, if so, how to resolve the COI.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the Period of July 6, 2001 through July 12, 2001:
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001 Media Interest Chairman Meserve was interviewed by Utility Business Magazine on possible future plant orders. The senior resident inspector at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant was interviewed by Smithsonian magazine which is preparing an article on the electric power industry.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001
Commission Correspondence 1. Letter to the Honorable Steven R. Cohen, Acting Director, OPM, dated July 3, 2001, concerns NRC's executive resources needs for Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003. Federal Register Notices Issued 1. 10 CFR Part 20; Revision of the Skin Dose Limit; Proposed Rule. 2. Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (Haddam Neck Plant); Docket No. 50-213-OLA; Notice of Hearing. 3. 10 CFR Part 50 [Docket No. PRM-50-70]; Eric Joseph Epstein; Denial of Petition for Rulemaking.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001 Annual Assessment Meetings Region I conducted annual assessment meetings at four sites: Salem and Hope Creek, at a combined meeting conducted on July 9, and Beaver Valley and Indian Point 3, at separate meetings conducted on July 11. The responsible Branch Chiefs chaired the meetings at all sites, which included presentations to the operating licensees and opportunities for informal questions-and-answers (Q&A) from public officials, media, and the public after the meetings. The Beaver Valley and IP3 meetings were well attended by local officials. The meetings were fruitful and feedback from officials was positive. In one case, at IP3, licensee senior managers chose to observe the NRC's Q&A session with external stakeholders, and responded to some of the questions raised during the meeting. Management Meeting with Temple University On July 9, 2001, NRC Region 1 held a management meeting with Temple University at Temple Children's Hospital located in Philadelphia, PA. The meeting was held to discuss issues related to the licensee's program for maintaining a safety conscious work environment.
Region II Chairman Visits Sites in Region II - DOE Savannah River Facility and Plant Hatch On July 10, 2001, the Chairman accompanied by the Regional Administrator visited the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River facility near Augusta, GA. The visit included discussions with managers on current topics and a tour of the facilities. On July 11, 2001, the Chairman accompanied by the Director, Division of Reactor Safety visited the Southern Nuclear Operating Company's plant Hatch facility near Baxley, GA. The visit included a tour of the site, including the independent spent fuel storage installation. The Chairman also held discussions with licensee management and the NRC senior resident inspector. Regional Administrator's Participation in the NRC PRA Steering Committee On July 11, 2001, the Regional Administrator participated in the NRC PRA Steering Committee Meeting in Headquarters. The meeting was open to the public and discussed the status of NRC and Industry activities in PRA. Southern Nuclear Operating Company - Farley Annual Assessment End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 13, 2001, the Regional Administrator, accompanied by the Branch Chief, Division of Reactor Projects, Branch 2, held the Annual Assessment meeting for the Farley nuclear plant at the site in Alabama. The topics included a discussion of the licensee's performance during the twelve month period evaluated. The Regional Administrator also held a public meeting with members of the State and local emergency management officials to answer any questions regarding the Annual Assessment. Tennessee Valley Authority - Sequoyah Annual Assessment End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 10, 2001, the Branch Chief, Division of Reactor Projects, Branch 6, held the Annual Assessment meeting for the Sequoyah nuclear plant at the Sequoyah Nuclear Training Center in Tennessee. The topics included a summary of the licensee's performance during the twelve month period evaluated. There was coverage by a local television station in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Virginia Electric and Power Company (Dominion Resources) -North Anna On July 11, 2001, the licensee and the NRC, Senior Resident Inspector, hosted nineteen summer hires, employed by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. The visit included a briefing by the licensee and tours of the reactor site, training facility and control room simulator.
Items of Interest Week Ending July 13, 2001
Point Beach End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 9, 2001, the staff members met with Nuclear Management Company officials to discuss the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant's latest performance results. The meeting was held at the plant which is located near Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Kewaunee End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 10, 2001, the staff members, including the Regional Administrator, met with Nuclear Management Company officials to discuss the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant's latest performance results. The meeting was held near Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Byron End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 10, 2001, the staff members met with Exelon Corporation officials to discuss the Byron Nuclear Power Plant's latest performance results. The meeting was held in Byron, Illinois. Davis-Besse End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 10, 2001, the staff members met with FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company officials to discuss the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station's latest performance results. The meeting was held at the plant which is located in Oak Harbor, Ohio. Dresden End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 11, 2001, the staff members met with Exelon Corporation officials to discuss the Dresden Nuclear Station's latest performance results. The meeting was held near Morris, Illinois. LaSalle End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 11, 2001, the staff members met with Exelon Corporation officials to discuss the LaSalle County Station's latest performance results. The meeting was held in Seneca, Illinois. Perry End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 11, 2001, the staff members met with FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company officials to discuss the Perry Nuclear Power Plant's latest performance results. The meeting was held at the plant in Perry, Ohio. Braidwood End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 12, 2001, the staff members met with Exelon Corporation officials to discuss the Braidwood Nuclear Power Plant's latest performance results. The meeting was held at the plant near Braidwood, Illinois. Clinton End-of-Cycle Meeting On July 13, 2001, the staff members met with Exelon Corporation officials to discuss the Clinton Power Station's latest performance results. The meeting was held at the plant near Clinton, Illinois.
Office of Congressional Affairs
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Privacy Policy |
Site Disclaimer |
