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WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT

SECY-03-0065

April 24, 2003

Contact: C. Glenn, OEDO

Enclosure A

Control Room Habitability

On April 10, 2003, Division of Systems Safety and Analysis (DSSA) staff presented the proposed final generic letter and four regulatory guides on control room habitability to the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). The ACRS indicated support for the staff's plan to issue the documents in mid-May 2003. Industry representatives made a parallel presentation that indicated reasonable alignment with the staff's approach. The industry representatives requested the staff to participate in a workshop in mid-June in order to assist the industry in its development of an acceptable approach to reply to the proposed generic letter. The staff will support the workshop. The ACRS requested a subsequent briefing in about a year on the status of the industry responses to the generic letter and the improvements to licensee control room habitability and designs.

Fire Protection Significance Determination Process (SDP) Improvement Initiative

On March 14, 2003, DSSA staff sponsored a public meeting to discuss the draft fire protection SDP methodology. The meeting was attended by NRC staff from various offices, an NRC contractor from Sandia National Laboratory, and representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute and industry.

DSSA staff, with support from the Sandia contractor, presented an overview of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 process of the draft SDP methodology. There was overall agreement on the basic process and equation to determine the significance of fire protection inspection findings. The need to obtain the final input to the draft fire protection SDP tool, including some significant items to enhance the guidance and its basis documentation, were also discussed. The schedule for obtaining the final input from some of the focus task groups responsible for providing the significant items was discussed to determine a reasonable time for issuing the final fire protection SDP. The new date for issuance of the final fire protection SDP is anticipated to be spring 2004.

Duke License Renewal Application for McGuire 1&2 and Catawba 1&2

On April 11, 2003, Nuclear Information and Resource Service and the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, petitioners in the Catawba and McGuire license renewal proceeding, filed a request to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) to reinstate a contention pertaining to the anticipated use of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in McGuire and Catawba reactors. The original contention was proffered in September 2001 and alleged that Duke Energy Corporation (the applicant) failed to address the potential impact of MOX fuel use on aging and environmental issues in its application for license renewal. The ASLB admitted the contention to a hearing.

On April 12, 2002, the Commission issued an order to reverse the Board's ruling on the bases that (1) the MOX contention was founded on projected changes to a license and not ripe for consideration; and (2) MOX fuel use was a separate issue and not related to the license renewal proceeding. On February 27, 2003, Duke Energy Corporation submitted an amendment request to allow insertion of MOX fuel lead assemblies into a McGuire or Catawba reactor unit for irradiation. The petitioners requested reinstatement of the MOX contention on the basis that it is now ripe for consideration.

Regulatory Information Exchange Bilateral Meeting of the NRC with DGSNR

On April 15, 2003, the staff participated in a bilateral meeting with the Directorate General for Nuclear Safety and Radiation (DGSNR). The DGSNR Director General, members of his staff, and NRC senior management and staff attended. NRC staff presented an update on the "Impact on Reactor Safety of Market Deregulation in the United States." The DGSNR provided an excellent update on the economic and reactor safety situation in France in the broader context of changes occurring throughout Europe and how these changes were impacting their regulatory policies and programs.

Public Meeting on Radioactive Effluent Criteria in Appendix I to 10 CFR 50

On April 11, 2003, staff from the Division of Inspection Program Management participated in a category three public meeting with representatives of the nuclear industry and Nuclear Energy Institute to discuss the dose methodology used in Appendix I to 10 CFR 50.

The goal of this meeting was for the NRC to gather input from industry for inclusion in a Commission paper outlining possible solutions to resolve the inconsistencies of dose methodologies used in 10 CFR 20 and in Appendix I. This was the first meeting in several years to discuss the potential revision of Appendix I and one or more subsequent meetings are anticipated.

Enclosure B

Louisiana Energy Services Delays License Submittal Decision

Louisiana Energy Services (LES) staff reported that it is delaying a decision to submit a license application for a gas centrifuge enrichment plan in Hartsville, Tennessee, to consider other options. LES staff indicated that it would make its decision by the end of June 2003.

Staff Participates in Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards Quarterly Meeting

On April 15, 2003, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards and Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research staff participated in the quarterly meeting of the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards (ISCORS), held at Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters. Six ISCORS subcomittees covering mixed waste, Federal Guidance, Cleanup, Recycle, Risk Harmonization, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) reported on their most recent activities. EPA is currently revising its "Federal Guidance for the General Public," and NRC staff and other agencies will be advocating that it specify numerical limits for radiation exposures to the public. The Sewage Sludge Subcommittee is nearing completion of its work on radioactive materials found in Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), and has documented its results in three reports. One of the reports will be undergoing peer review soon. The Subcommittee has concluded that the most significant radiation exposures from sewage sludge produced in POTWs are from NORM, not Atomic Energy Act materials.

Attendance at the University of California Berkeley Colloquium

On April 7, 2003, a staff member from the Division of Waste Management participated in the University of California, Berkeley, Department of Nuclear Engineering Colloquium. Attendees included staff and students from various engineering and non-engineering departments, and the Electric Power Research Institute. During the Colloquium, the staff member presented a discussion on: (1) NRC's requirements and guidance for the review of any Department of Energy proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, including a brief overview of the applicable statues, 10 CFR Part 63, and the Yucca Mountain Review Plan; (2) the roles and responsibilities of NRC and other agencies; and (3) the key technical issues for the Yucca Mountain project.

Staff Participates in West Valley Meetings

On April 9-10, 2003, NRC staff attended the Department of Energy's (DOE's) scoping meetings for the West Valley Decommissioning Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), for which NRC is a cooperating agency. The EIS scoping meetings were lightly attended by the public and many of the comments focused on the rescoping of the EIS, possible in-place closure, incidental waste, and NRC's National Environmental Policy Act responsibilities. Staff also participated in a meeting of the West Valley regulators (NRC, Environmental Protection Agency, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation). The discussion with the regulators focused on possible changes to the Regulators' Communication Plan, as well as the EIS schedule proposed by DOE, which the regulators viewed as too aggressive to allow meaningful interaction with the cooperating agencies.

Federal Rail Administration Training Course

During April 14-16, 2003, a staff member from the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) participated in a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) training course on Packaging and Transporting Radioactive Material in San Antonio, Texas. In anticipation of increased rail shipments of radioactive material in the future, FRA has decided to conduct several training courses for its rail inspectors. Students attending this course included inspectors from FRA and State agencies. For many attendees, this course was their first exposure to radioactive material packaging and transportation, and rail inspection issues for such material. Three additional courses are scheduled through August 2003. SFPO staff provided a presentation on the role of NRC in rail transport, and how NRC and the Department of Transportation co-regulate radioactive material transport.

Enclosure C

Industry Workshop on Mitigating Systems Performance Index (MSPI) Pilot Program

At an April 7, 2003, industry workshop in San Antonio, TX, a staff member from the Division of Risk Analysis & Applications presented an overview on the status of the MSPI Pilot Program. The workshop was attended by about thirty participants in the MSPI Shadow Plant Program. These plants are not formal participants in the Pilot Program, but are actively following developments, collecting plant performance data, and exercising the methods. The purpose of the MSPI is to monitor the performance of six systems based on their ability to perform risk-significant functions. The index, which approximates the change in core damage frequency, is comprised of two elements - system unavailability and system reliability. Plant-specific PRA models will be used to calculate the contribution of component failures and maintenance unavailability to the index.

The presentation discussed the status of the staff's independent verification and issues associated with the implementation of the Nuclear Energy Institute Guidance. Other topics of discussion included: on-going research efforts to address a number of technical issues related to the treatment of common-cause failures; the use of industry performance data and the effects of Bayesian updating; and, the benefits of enhanced SPAR models.

Information Exchange with European Representatives on Safety Performance Indicators

On April 10 and 11, 2003, staff from the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) and the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) met with representatives from the Swiss Nuclear Regulatory Authority (HSK) and the German Research Institute (GRS) to exchange information on the implementation and development of safety performance indicators.

NRC staff presented a summary of the efforts to develop an integrated initiating event performance indicator, and the development of thresholds for this indicator. Staff members also discussed the development of the Mitigating Systems Performance Index described above. The status of European efforts to develop performance indicators were also discussed.

Agreement Between the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC)

On April 14, 2003, the Executive Director for Operations signed the international agreement between the USNRC and the PSI of Switzerland to investigate aerosol and droplet retention behavior. The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research forwarded this agreement on April 16, 2003 to PSI for counter-signature.

This Agreement defines the terms and conditions by which the USNRC and PSI will establish cooperation to investigate aerosol and droplet retention behavior in the secondary side of a pressurized steam generator containing ruptured tubes during design basis and severe accidents. The objective of the PSI ARTIST Project is to generate a database for 1) developing and assessing the NRC MELCOR severe accident code, (2) estimating source term from the steam generator under realistic accident conditions; and, 3) aiding in the assessment of relevant accident management measures. Using a well validated MELCOR code will enable NRC to perform a more realistic analysis of steam generator tube rupture scenarios under severe accident conditions, which represent a bypass accidents that are risk-dominant in pressurized water reactors. This Agreement will remain in effect for 5 years.

Future Cooperation Between NRC and the European Commission on High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) Related Research

On April 10 and 11, 2003, the RES staff met with Dr. Dominique Hittner of Framatome ANP. The objective of this meeting was to identify the topics for future cooperation between the NRC and the European Commission (E.C.) on research related to the HTGRs. Research areas of mutual interest discussed at this meeting included: HTGR fuel performance and qualification; nuclear analyses; high temperature materials performance, including nuclear-grade graphite behavior; licensing framework development; and, severe accident analyses. Dr. Hittner, who presently chairs the Steering Committee on E.C.'s High Temperature Reactor Technology Network (HTR-TN), presented a brief overview of the current and planned research efforts under the HTR-TN research programs. Also discussed at this meeting was the draft Implementing Agreement to formalize the future HTGR-related cooperation with E.C., under the NRC-European Atomic Energy Community Agreement. A follow-up meeting is planned this summer to further discuss the HTGR-related cooperative research.

Enclosure D

Workshop for Kazakhstan Representatives

On April 15-16, 2003, the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) and the Office of International Programs held a workshop for representatives from Kazakhstan on the Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (FRERP). The FRERP is the Federal plan for responding to peacetime radiological emergencies, and is signed by 17 Federal departments and agencies. The objective of the workshop was to describe the roles and responsibilities of select Federal departments and agencies in the FRERP. In addition to NSIR staff, presentations were given by the Department of Energy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The information presented during the workshop will be used by the Kazakhs to revise their equivalent to the FRERP.

Preliminary Notifications

1. PNO-III -03-006, Ojos, Inc. - MULTIPLE MEDICAL EVENTS AT OJOS, INC.

2. PNO-III-03-018, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant - TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE CYLINDERS.

3. PNO-III-03-020, Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station - ALERT DECLARED DUE TO SAFETY RELIEF VALVE FAILING TO CLOSE.

4. PNO-II-003A, Gallet and Associates, Inc. - STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE RECOVERED.

5. PNO-III-03-020A, Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station - ALERT DECLARED DUE TO RELIEF VALVE FAILING TO CLOSE (UPDATE).

6. PNO-II-03-005A, R & L Carriers, Inc. - UPDATE ON TRANSPORTATION INCIDENT INVOLVING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL.

Enclosure F

Availability of Official Records (Part 2)

A final rule that amends the regulations pertaining to the availability of official records was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2003 (68 FR 18836). The final rule requires those who submit documents claimed to contain proprietary or other confidential information to mark the portions of the document containing that type of information to reduce the possibility of inadvertent release, codifies NRC's current practices delineating the circumstances under which the NRC will not return confidential documents that have been submitted to it, and codifies NRC's practice of making copies of copyrighted material sufficient to perform its mission. The final rule becomes effective June 16, 2003.

Regulatory Analysis Guidelines: Proposed Criteria for the Treatment of Individual Requirements in a Regulatory Analysis

A document requesting public comment on the NRC's proposed criteria for the treatment of individual requirements in a regulatory analysis was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2003 (68 FR 19162). The criteria are intended to address the concern that aggregating or "bundling" different requirements in a single analysis could potentially mask the inclusion of an inappropriate individual requirement. The comment period for this action closes July 2, 2003.

Enclosure G

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the period of April 11 through April 18, 2003:

Enclosure I

*Will EOD 04/21/03, but will attend orientation on 04/28/03.

Enclosure M

Media Interest

The NRC's annual Regulatory Information Conference received extensive coverage, especially the Chairman's inaugural speech and the issues of security and reactor safety (Davis-Besse). The Chairman was interviewed at the RIC by Inside NRC.

The Quad Cities alert and the Oyster Creek guard incident received wide play. Last week's call by the American Academy of Pediatrics for potassium iodide distribution to school children near nuclear plants continued to reverberate in the media. Opposition to mixed-oxide (MOX) testing and Louisiana Energy Services' problems in securing land in Tennessee figured prominently in regional coverage.

End-of-cycle meetings and annual performance assessments of plants were well covered by local media.

Enclosure O

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Senator Corzine, dated April 11, 2003, concerns security at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant.

2. Letter to Mohamed El-Baradei, IAEA, et. al., dated April 11, 2003, provides an update of enhanced security at NRC-licensed facilities since 9/11/01.

3. Letter to Congressman Gibbons, dated April 11, 2003, concerns comments regarding NUREG-1768, NRC Package Performance Study Test Protocols.

4. Letter to Senator Durbin, dated April 11, 2003, concerns comments regarding NUREG-1768, NRC Package Performance Study Test Protocols.

Federal Register Notices

1. Report to Congress on Abnormal Occurrences - FY 2002 - Dissemination of Information.

2. Releasing Part of a Power Reactor Site or Facility for Unrestricted Use Before the NRC Approves the License Termination Plan - Final Rule.

3. Regulatory Analysis Guidelines: Proposed Criteria for the Treatment of Individual Requirements in a Regulatory Analysis - Request for Comment.

4. 502^nd Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards.

5. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures.

6. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards Meeting of Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment.

7. Application to Amend License to Export Nuclear Facilities or Materials -Transnuclear, Inc.

Region I

NRC Staff Meeting with Shieldalloy Metallurgical Corporation

On April 16, 2003, Region I held a meeting with Shieldalloy Metallurgical Corporation to discuss options for restricted release of the Newfield, New Jersey site. The facility at this site, which is on the NRC's Site Decommissioning Management Plan list, manufactured a variety of specialty products using an ore which contained licensable concentrations of uranium and thorium. Topics of the meeting included a phased approach to resolving deficiencies regarding a site-specific Environmental Report, institutional controls, financial assurance, dose modeling, and involvement of affected parties in development of a revised decommissioning plan. The State of New Jersey and a member of the public participated in the meeting by telephone.

Meeting of Yankee Rowe Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB)

On April 16, 2003, a Region I Inspector made a presentation at the regularly scheduled Yankee Rowe Citizen's Advisory Board. The plant, located near Rowe, Massachusetts, ceased operations in 1991 and is being decommissioned. Meeting topics included a decommissioning update, future building demolition activities, and a presentation by NRC. The Region I inspector provided an overview of NRC activities for the previous and current inspection periods as well as planned future inspection activities. Approximately 25 citizens attended the meeting.

Region II

2003 Regulatory Information Conference

On April 16-18, 2003, the Regional Administrator and other Region II managers and staff participated in the NRC, 2003 Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) in Washington, D.C. The Regional Administrator, the Site Vice President for the North Anna nuclear power station, Virginia Electric and Power Company, and the Associate Director for Project Licensing and Technical Analysis, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation held a special forum with representatives of Region II licensees to discuss current challenges facing industry and the NRC.

Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Annual Assessment Meetings

During the week of April 14 -18, 2003, the Regional Office conducted the ROP Annual Assessment Meetings for the Brunswick, Catawba and Watts Bar nuclear power plants. With the conduct of these three public meetings, annual assessments have been completed for all Region II nuclear power plants.

Steel of West Virginia, Inc (SWVA) Pre-decisional Enforcement Conference

The Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety and other regional staff conducted a pre-decisional enforcement conference with SWVA on April 16, 2003. The purpose was to discuss apparent violations related to the melting of shielding for and unauthorized removal of a gauge, containing 500 millicuries of Cesium-137, during steel processing on December 16, 2002. The licensee outlined corrective actions to the apparent violations and the cause of the event.

BWX Technologies

On April 15, 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards Monitoring Program equipment at the licensee's facility in Lynchburg, Virginia, alarmed. The equipment, which is used by the IAEA to monitor the quantities of high enriched uranium (HEU) downblended to low enriched uranium, was indicating a potential problem with data collection. The licensee identified the condition and halted HEU downblending until an IAEA inspector repaired the equipment and corrected the cause of the alarm on April 16, 2003.

Region IV

Two Predecisional Enforcement Conferences (PEC) with Nondestructive & Visual Inspection, Inc., (NVI) and Global X-Ray and Testing Corporation (Global)

Region IV staff, supported by a representative from the Office of General Counsel, conducted PECs with NVI and Global representatives on April 16, 2003, to discuss an apparent willful violation for failure to secure an industrial radiography camera issue with each licensee.

Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Annual Assessment Meetings

Between April 11-17, 2003, the regional office conducted the NRC's annual assessment of performance at the Columbia Generating Station, Diablo Canyon, and Grand Gulf nuclear power plants. The meetings were generally lightly attended, though the Diablo Canyon meeting received some media attention and was attended by members of local public interest groups.

South Texas Project Unit 1 Reactor Vessel Bottom Head Leakage

A conference call was held on April 17, 2003, involving the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES), Region IV, and South Texas Project representatives. The purpose of the call was to discuss the identification of small quantities of white powder at two of the 58 reactor vessel lower head penetrations for bottom mounted instrumentation on Unit 1. The licensee representatives presented the results of their reviews and analysis to date. This included the determination that the source of deposits on the bottom head was from reactor coolant. The licensee had not determined what non-destructive examination (NDE) methodology would be utilized to determine the location and extent of the source of the leakage. The root cause had not been determined, nor had a repair method been selected. The licensee's Vice President of Generation agreed to provide the NRC with a letter detailing a commitment to complete a thorough root cause analysis, to determine the extent of condition, to determine what repairs would be necessary, to perform the repairs, and to meet with the NRC prior to restarting the unit.

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