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SECY-04-0126 July 20, 2004
Contact: T. Kim, OEDO Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Petitions to Shut Down Pilgrim and Seabrook Nuclear Power Stations NRC received three separate petitions requesting that NRC order the shutdown of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. One petition, submitted June 12, 2004, was based on concerns with replacement operators and workers in the event of a strike at the plant, as the current contract expires on July 13. The second petition, submitted June 18, 2004, cited potential terrorist threats around the July 4th holiday and the Democratic National Convention being held in Boston, MA. The third petition, submitted on June 25, 2004, requested that the NRC order the shutdown of the Pilgrim and Seabrook Nuclear Power Stations due to security concerns associated with the Democratic National Convention. This last petition also requested that the NRC increase security at these plants to the highest level, with specific emphasis on the spent fuel pools. The staff considered the immediate nature of the requests related to the July 4th holiday. The staff determined that there was no credible or specific threat to either Pilgrim or Seabrook to warrant an immediate shutdown or an increase in their security level. The staff informed the petitioner of this determination. Also, the staff is closely monitoring licensee activities at Pilgrim as the contract negotiations are ongoing. The staff is continuing its evaluation of the petitions and will respond to the petitioners in accordance with Agency policy. Meeting with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on Fuel Failure and Coolability Criteria On July 7, 2004, representatives of EPRI met with NRC staff to discuss issues associated with EPRI Topical Report TR-1002865, "Bases for RIA [Reactivity Insertion Accidents] Fuel Rod Failure and Core Coolability Criteria." The revised RIA criteria were developed by EPRI as part of an effort to extend fuel rod average burnup levels beyond the current limit of 62 GWD/MTU [gigawatt-days]/[metric ton-uranium]. The staff also held a separate meeting with EPRI and the nuclear industry's Robust Fuel Group, to discuss alternative proposals for acceptance criteria for fuel cladding performance during RIA events. The NRC staff and EPRI each presented their proposed acceptance criteria based on the latest fuel cladding test data and discussed how this information could be incorporated into the regulatory guidance. The staff stated that it will consider the information presented, as well as comments from the meeting participants as it continues to develop acceptance criteria for future fuel cladding material performance in RIA events. NRC Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 2004-11: Supporting Information Associated With Requests for Withholding Proprietary Information On June 29, 2004, NRC issued the subject RIS to inform licensees of recent cases where requests for withholding proprietary information, based on the competitive harm assertion clause provided in 10 CFR ยง2.390(b), lacked sufficient supporting information for the NRC review. The RIS describes (1) the required supporting information in detail (including examples); and (2) the process to be followed (i.e., marking of the documents), in preparing a request, so that the agency can effectively and efficiently evaluate such requests. Public Outreach Effort Associated with North Anna Early Site Permit Application On July 6, 2004, as part of the NRC's public outreach effort, a Project Manager from NRR met with members of the Belmont, Spotsylvania County, Virginia Ruritan Club and their guests to discuss the NRC's role in the review of the North Anna early site permit application. About 50 people were in attendance. Based on feedback received at the meeting, the NRC's presentation, including the question and answer session, was well received. NRC staff had previously held public meetings in the area on the same subject, but most members of the audience had not attended those meetings. 10 CFR Part 26, Fitness for Duty Programs On July 7-8, 2004, NRC staff held a Category 2 public meeting in Rockville, MD, to discuss proposed revisions to the drug and alcohol testing program, as well as the work hour limits in Part 26. The meeting garnered significant public interest, with representatives from several nuclear power plant licensees, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), Westinghouse, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and the law firm of Winston & Strawn in attendance. The staff presented proposed changes to the regulations, and received feedback that will help the staff develop the draft rule language. Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Meeting to Draft a Safety Guidance for Enrichment and Conversion Facilities From June 28 to July 3, 2004, staff from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards participated in a 5-day working-level consultants' meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, to develop DS 344, "Guide on Safety of Conversion and Enrichment Facilities." DS 344 contains guidance for the siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of commercial enrichment and UF6 [Uranium Hexafluoride] conversion facilities. Once finalized, a fuel cycle facility operator/designer or a country may use this document to enhance safety at its commercial enrichment or UF6 conversion facilities. If requested, an IAEA safety review team may also use DS 344 to independently evaluate safety at a commercial enrichment or UF6 conversion facility. At the meeting, there were five other participants representing the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. A followup meeting to further develop DS 344 is being contemplated for next January or February. Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research SPAR Model Development Program On July 1, 2004, the interoffice Standardized Plant Analysis Risk (SPAR) Model Users Group (SMUG) met at the NRC headquarters in Rockville to discuss technical matters regarding the SPAR Model Development Program. Regional office staff and technical support contractor staff from Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) participated via teleconference. The purpose of the meeting was to review the status of the following tasks: enhanced Level 1, Revision 3 SPAR models; improved loss of offsite power/station blackout module; results of the onsite quality assurance review of the low power/shutdown (LP/SD) SPAR model for River Bend; the large early release frequency (LERF) SPAR model for the first lead boiling water reactor (BWR); plans for performing a feasibility study of a SPAR model-based approach for developing external events analysis capability; and a user-friendly, input/output interface. Copies of the draft bridge and containment event tree structure for the first lead BWR (Peach Bottom 2 & 3) will be distributed to the SMUG members for their review/comment. In addition, a list of the modeling issues identified during development of the Revision 3 SPAR models will be transmitted to the membership for their information. ACRS Meeting on LOCA Frequency Estimates On July 7, 2002, RES staff updated the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) on progress in developing loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) frequency estimates from expert elicitation results and a concept for selecting an alternate break size based on the frequency estimates. The staff described on-going analyses to understand the sensitivity of the frequency estimates to various approaches for interpreting the elicitation results. The discussion on alternate break size selection included a description of other LOCA frequency sources not included within the expert elicitation and how those sources will be considered. Initial Meetings of Working Group Addressing Davis-Besse Lessons Learned Task Force (DBLLTF) Recommendations Regarding Reactor Coolant System Leakage During the week of July 6, 2004, the staff held initial meetings of two newly-formed working groups to address Davis-Besse Lessons Learned Task Force (DBLLTF) recommendations. These meetings begin the next phase of activities to resolve DBLLTF recommendations following receipt of a report to re-evaluate the technical basis for reactor coolant system leakage requirements and to assess the capabilities of currently used and state-of-the-art leakage detection systems. The recommendations addressed by these working groups relate to the adequacy of risk assessment methods for passive component degradation and the need to revise regulatory documents regarding reactor coolant pressure boundary leakage monitoring. ACR-700 Pre-application Reviews Issued for Two Focus Topics On July 1, 2004, RES issued the technical documentation on Focus Topics 3 and 9 for the Advanced CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) Reactor 700 (ACR-700) design to NRR for use in the Pre-Application Safety Assessment Report (PASAR). Regarding Focus Topic 3, "Preliminary Determination of Database Adequacy for Thermal-Hydraulics of the Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR-700)," the RES staff has completed a preliminary review of the Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., (AECL) experimental database for adequacy in supporting code assessment and model development, and for its adequacy in resolving safety issues anticipated in the Design Certification review. The staff identified three areas that will require additional review which involve header flow test setup, horizontal fuel bundles, and multiple pipe break failures. Regarding Focus Topic 9, "Confirmation of Negative Void Reactivity," RES completed best-estimate neutronic calculations that predict the coolant void reactivity to be substantially positive in large-break loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs). Discussions between the staff and AECL on these, and other issues will continue as work on the pre-application reviews progresses. Chief Information Officer Completion of Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public Satisfaction Survey The ADAMS Public User Survey has been removed from the website after an extension of the initial comment period to June 30. The extension was requested by the Nuclear Information and Records Management Association (NIRMA) to provide their members an opportunity to respond to the ADAMS survey. 165 responses from a diverse group of public users were received during the survey. Comments include user experiences with both the Web and Citrix-based ADAMS, statements about Web use and general system responsiveness. The comments, which are being evaluated by Public Document Room (PDR) staff, will prove helpful in determining future system upgrades and changes to the Public Adams Records System (PARS). Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Requests Received During the Period of July 2 through July 8, 2004:
Office of Human Resources
Office of Public Affairs Media Interest The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) handled significant media inquiries on the following: Petitions to close the Pilgrim nuclear plant during the Democratic Party Convention or during a threatened strike by plant workers. The Yucca Mountain Licensing Support Network and the Commission's appointment of a Pre-License Application Presiding Officer. The ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in the Yucca Mountain case. Other Public Affairs Items: OPA assisted at a public meeting on the license renewal process for the Nine Mile Point nuclear plant.
Office of International Programs Region IV Invites Mexico to Observe Enforcement Conference Region IV is inviting Victor Gonzalez, Head of Nuclear Safety for the Mexican Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards (CNSNS), to the Pre-Decisional Enforcement Conference with the licensee for the Palo Verde nuclear power plant on August 20, 2004. The enforcement conference is to discuss a potential willful violation of fuel handling procedures. Mr. Gonzalez had expressed an interest in observing an Enforcement Conference during a NRC/CNSNS bilateral meeting in February 2004. Office of the Secretary
Commission Correspondence
Federal Register Notices Issued
Region IV Public Meeting with Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) On July 8, 2004, representatives of the OPPD met with Region IV staff in a public meeting to brief the staff on its major capital improvement initiatives for the Fort Calhoun nuclear station that includes steam generator replacement, pressurizer replacement, reactor vessel head replacement, and construction of an independent spent fuel storage installation. Office of Congressional Affairs
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