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SECY 99-233

September 23, 1999

Contact:  M. Tschiltz, OEDO

ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Millstone

On Wednesday, September 15, 1999, Northeast Utilities (NU) issued a press release announcing its plans to auction the Millstone Station nuclear power plant assets of its subsidiaries, the Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) and Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO), as soon as practical. NU also announced that none of its subsidiaries would be bidding in the auction. The press release indicates that NU expects the auction process to begin with the filing, in November 1999, of a divestiture plan with the Connecticut Department of Public Utilities Control (DPUC). The auction will include CL&P's 81 percent share of Millstone Unit 2, and its 53 percent share of Millstone Unit 3. Also, it will include WMECO's 19 percent share of Unit 2 and WMECO's 12 percent share of Unit 3. NU indicated that it plans to include Unit 1, currently in decommissioning, in the auction process.

The press release also indicated that the 36 percent share of Seabrook owned by North Atlantic Energy Corporation (an NU subsidiary) will be put up for public auction. However, no date will be set for this auction until final approval is received for the settlement agreement between NU/Public Service Company of New Hampshire and the State of New Hampshire. When the agreement is approved, NU anticipates that CL&P's 4.06 percent interest in Seabrook will also be sold in the auction.

Nine Mile Point (NMP1 and NMP2)

By cover letter dated September 10, 1999, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NMPC), New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG), and AmerGen Energy Company, LLC (AmerGen), filed a joint application to the NRC requesting consenting orders and conforming license amendments that would (1) transfer the NMP1 operating license from NMPC to AmerGen, and (2) transfer NMPC's and NYSEG's interests in, and NMPC's operating authority under, the NMP2 operating license to AmerGen. Currently, NMPC is the sole operator and exclusive owner of NMP1; NMPC is the sole operator and 41% co-owner of NMP2. NYSEG is currently an 18% co-owner and non-operating licensee of NMP2. Following the proposed transfers, AmerGen (a joint venture of PECO Energy Company and British Energy plc) would become the licensed operator of both NMP units, the sole owner of NMP1, and a 59% owner of NMP2.

The NRC staff has scheduled review of the application consistent with the joint applicants' request for approval by January 15, 2000.

The other non-operating co-owners of NMP2 (Long Island Lighting Company, Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation, and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Company) have not announced any plans to participate in the sale and, therefore, they retain their respective ownership interests of 18%, 14%, and 9%.

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

On September 14, 1999, GPU, Inc. and AmerGen Energy jointly issued a press release announcing that they have reached agreement in principle for GPU to sell its Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Facility in Lacey Township, NJ, to AmerGen for $10 million. The purchase agreement was conducted using a competitive bidding process approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The sale concludes GPU's divestiture of domestic merchant generating facilities, enabling it to concentrate on the transmission, distribution, and related energy services businesses.

AmerGen, a joint venture of PECO Energy Company and British Energy Company also is in the process of purchasing TMI Unit 1, the Clinton Power Station, Nine Mile Point 1 and a controlling interest in Nine Mile Point 2. It is also involved in negotiations for several other as yet undisclosed nuclear power plants.

The transaction is subject to the negotiation of a definitive asset purchase agreement, that is expected by early- to mid-October. The parties anticipate closing the transaction in the Spring of 2000. The licensee has not provided a date for the submittal of a license transfer request.

The sale is subject to regulatory approval including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Under the terms of the purchase agreement, AmerGen assumes full responsibility for the ultimate decommissioning of Oyster Creek and, GPU will provide funding for the decommissioning trust of $430 million. The parties stated that the transaction will reduce by more than $150 million the costs GPU customers would bear for decommissioning and for other plant-related transitional costs if the plant were shut down rather than sold to AmerGen.

The agreement provides that GPU will purchase the electricity generated by Oyster Creek at a fixed price for three years. GPU will fund the outage costs, including re-load fuel, for the next refueling at Oyster Creek, scheduled for the Fall of 2000, estimated at a cost of up to $84 million subject to a cap.

Crystal River Unit 3

On September 8, 1999, the NRC issued an Order approving the transfer of the 1.3333-percent ownership interest in Crystal River Unit 3 held by the City of Tallahassee to Florida Power Corporation (FPC). FPC is the current majority owner with 90.4473 percent ownership. Tallahassee agreed to the sale of its ownership interest in exchange for FPC assuming responsibility for future operating liabilities, and, in a separate power sales agreement, FPC will sell Tallahassee 11.4 megawatts of system capacity for nine years at a fixed price.

Carolina Power and Light Company

On September 14, 1999, representatives of Carolina Power & Light Company (CP&L) met with the NRC staff to discuss their plans to create a holding company for CP&L. Under the proposal, CP&L would become a wholly owned subsidiary of CP&L Holdings, Inc. CP&L Holdings, Inc. with a slightly different structure from the current company, will have greater flexibility by providing clearer separation of regulated businesses from each other and from unregulated businesses. CP&L will operate its utility business as a subsidiary of the holding company. The formation of the new company will transfer, one-for-one, existing stockholders shares of common stock to the holding company, and require approvals from the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the South Carolina Public Service Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission in addition to NRC. Formation of the holding company will require the indirect transfer of the NRC operating licenses for Brunswick Units 1 and 2, Harris, Robinson, and the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation at Robinson. CP&L expects to submit its request for approval of the indirect license transfers (under 10 CFR 50.80) to the NRC later this week and requested that the review be completed by December 15, 1999. According to the CP&L representatives, the potential acquisition of Florida Progress Corporation is not part of the current application which will be addressed separately in one planned for 2000.

Licensing Workshop

A licensing workshop was held on September 13 and 14, 1999 with the members of the Utilities Service Alliance (USA) owners group. The USA members include Cooper, Fort Calhoun, WNP-2, Fermi-2, Clinton, Palisades, and Wolf Creek. Other participants included representatives from NEI, ComEd and Ameran/UE. The goals of the workshop were to improve license submittal quality to reduce resources expended during review for both the industry and the NRC. Improving the licensee/NRC interface was also a goal of the workshop. The workshop included presentations and discussions that were facilitated by NRC and industry personnel. Topics discussed included regulatory processes (50.90, 50.91, 50.59, etc.), Division of Licensing Project Management (DLPM) Project Manager (PM) responsibilities, current regulatory issues (50.59 changes, licensing action task force efforts, reporting requirements proposed rule change, and electronic information exchange), and Cooper's and Ft Calhoun's experience as pilot plants with the New Reactor Oversight Process. Small group break-out sessions were utilized to facilitate discussion of license submittal quality issues.

Haddam Neck

The Haddam Neck Plant began active dismantlement of large radioactive components the week of September 13, 1999. Cutting of the main steam and feedwater piping from the steam generators began. The steam domes will be cut from the steam generators and shipped by truck to Tennessee for reprocessing. The body of the steam generators will be shipped by barge to South Carolina for disposal. The licensee hopes to remove all four steam generators from containment by the end of November. Due to the drought on the East Coast, water level in the Savannah River is too low to allow the barges to reach their disembarkment point. The licensee will store the steam generator bodies on site until water levels rise.

Maine Yankee

On September 15, 1999, Maine Yankee filed suit in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine, against the State of Maine regarding the role that the State proposes to take in the licensing of the MY ISFSI. The suit stems from August 19, 1999, decision by the State Board of Environment Protection (BEP) to assert jurisdiction on MY's plans to store fuel in an onsite ISFSI. The State is offering an opportunity for a public hearing under its site permitting authority.

Maine Yankee intends to construct the ISFSI under the general license provisions of Subpart K of 10 CFR Part 72 in what is now a parking lot near the low level waste storage building. The licensee is planning to use the NAC International (NAC) Universal Multi-Purpose Canister System (UMS) for storage of its fuel and greater-than-class-C waste consisting of irradiated core internals. The licensee intends to build eight concrete pads on which it will store up to 66 UMS casks (60 for spent fuel and six for greater-than-class-C waste). Fuel movement from the spent fuel pool would begin in the spring of 2001 and be completed by the fall of 2002.

ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Portsmouth Inspection

During the week of September 13, 1999, an inspection team comprised of health physics specialists from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Region I, and Region III conducted a confirmatory inspection of the Portsmouth gaseous diffusion plant's Radiation Protection (RP) program. The inspection was limited to the RP program's application to the enrichment processes which are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and are under the control of the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC). The objectives of the inspection were to confirm the adequacy of USEC's: (1) understanding of the radiological contamination on-site, (2) controls for worker protection for transuranic (TRU), Tc and U radionuclides, (3) internal and external dose assessment program for TRU, Tc and U radionuclides, (4) characterization methodology for measuring TRU and Tc radionuclides, and (5) environmental and effluent monitoring practices for TRU, Tc and U radionuclides. A similar inspection was conducted at the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant during the week of August 30, 1999. NRC plans to conduct open inspection exit meetings near the two sites in early October 1999.

Public Stakeholder Meeting Concerning the Revision of the Safety Inspection Program for Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities

On September 16, 1999, NMSS staff conducted a public meeting concerning planned revisions of the safety inspection program for nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The NMSS planned revisions are described in SECY-99-188. Representatives of the public, including fuel cycle licensees, the United States Enrichment Corporation, and the Nuclear Energy Institute made presentations and provided comments.

Part 70 Public Meeting

On September 14-15, 1999, NMSS staff hosted a public meeting to discuss the proposed revisions to 10 CFR Part 70, which were published for public comment in July 1999, and the associated Standard Review Plan (SRP). During the first part of the meeting, NMSS staff presented information on the major revisions to the rule and on areas of specific Commission interest. During the second part of the meeting, NMSS staff and other participants discussed comments from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI ), the only comments received to date. By late December, the staff intends to complete its initial review of all comments received during the public comment period. A subsequent public meeting, to discuss the public comments and matters which still require clarification, is planned for late January or early February 2000. The final rule package is due to the Commission in May 2000.

All Agreement States Meeting

On September 8-10, 1999, representatives from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) made presentations at the 1999 All Agreement States Meeting that was held in Austin, Texas. NMSS staff provided meeting attendees with information on: (1) performance-based and risk-informed regulation, (2) draft guidance on license renewal, (3) ongoing initiatives in handling orphan sources, and (4) the status of ongoing rulemakings or actions under consideration for rulemaking, e.g., 10 CFR Part 35, general license, control of solid materials, and 10 CFR 40.13.

Demonstration Spent Fuel Storage Cask Opened at INEEL

In the mid 1980's, as part of the Department of Energy (DOE ) demonstration project for spent fuel dry cask storage, four storage casks representing different storage designs were loaded with fuel, instrumented and stored at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), in Idaho Falls, Idaho. On Wednesday, September 8, 1999, under a joint Nuclear Regulatory Commission, DOE, and industry initiative, the Castor V21 demonstration cask was opened. The cask and its fuel assemblies, originally loaded with fuel from the Surry plant and sealed in August 1985, are currently being visually examined. Initial examination has found no adverse conditions or degradation. Once the visual examination is completed, a number of spent fuel pins will be removed and shipped to Argonne National Laboratory (East) for destructive testing. The findings from the examination will be used to support cask and independent spent fuel storage installation license renewal efforts.

Presentations to the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards NORM Subcommittee on Uranium Recovery Program Changes

On September 15, 1999, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards staff attended the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards (ISCORS) NORM Subcommittee meeting, to present the proposed changes to the NRC's Uranium Recovery Program. A representative from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA ) Underground Injection Control program also attended the presentations. These changes are detailed in three Commission Papers (SECY-99-011 , SECY-99-012, and SECY-99-013), and include the new Part 41 rulemaking, active regulation of ground water at in situ leach uranium recovery facilities, alternate feed at conventional mills, and the disposal of wastes other than 11e.(2) byproduct material in mill tailings impoundments. Staff presentations were similar to presentations given at the June 1999 NRC/National Mining Association Workshop in Denver. At the conclusion of the presentations, staff indicated that coordination of the potential program changes with EPA offices and regions, along with EPA-authorized states, would be a continuing effort, and asked for input from the subcommittee on the proposed changes. The subcommittee chairman indicated that, due to other subcommittee priorities, formal input would likely occur after the Commission's decisions on the three Commission Papers have been finalized. Staff will continue to interface with the subcommittee and to solicit timely subcommittee input before the Commission decisions are finalized.

ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Grand Gulf and Indian Point 2 Pilot Plant Applications Use the Revised Source Term

In conjunction with ongoing NRR/RES activities in support of the revised source term at operating reactors (in NUREG-1465, "Accident Source Terms for Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants," February 1995), RES has worked closely with NRR to assess the Grand Gulf pilot plant application. RES has assisted in the evaluation of a BWR Owners Group report submitted by the licensee. The BWR Owners Group report estimated that the fission product release from the pellet-cladding gap begins no earlier than 121 seconds for a design basis loss of coolant accident for the limiting BWR configuration, which includes the smallest volume reactor coolant system and the highest power density core. (NUREG-1465 states that the fission product release from the gap will begin between 10 and 30 seconds for PWRs and may begin significantly later for BWRs.). The RES independent evaluation of this limiting configuration, using the SCDAP/RELAP5 detailed severe accident code, estimated a time of 154 seconds, confirming the BWR Owners Group report. Based on the RES evaluation, NRR recently issued an SER for Grand Gulf allowing changes to systems such as containment isolation systems that previously were required to respond to an instantaneous source term (from TID-14844, "Calculation of Distance Factors for Power and Test Reactor Sites," USAEC, 1962).

RES also assisted NRR in its initial review of the Indian Point 2 pilot plant application. This is the first license amendment for a PWR being considered by the NRC that is based on the revised source term. Indian Point 2 proposed changes to its facility, including removal of the high-efficiency particulate air and charcoal filters in its containment fan coolers. RES assisted by evaluating the impact of source term aerosols on fan cooler performance under design basis accident conditions. (The revised source term is mainly aerosol whereas the TID-14844 source term is mainly vapor.) In consultation with NRR staff, RES performed in-house sensitivity studies using the RADTRAD radiological consequence code to estimate the amount of aerosols removed by the fan cooler coils. As part of these sensitivity studies, RES also performed a number of comparisons between RADTRAD-calculated radiological doses and those of the licensee to benchmark the staff's RADTRAD modeling of Indian Point 2. The results of our assessment indicate that source term aerosols are expected to have a negligible effect on fan cooler performance, because ample water would be available to wash down the fan cooler coils.

ENCLOSURE D

Incident Response Operations
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

On September 1 and 2, a State Outreach session was conducted for the State of Arizona in preparation for the post-plume phase exercise scheduled for November 1999 at the Palo Verde plant. Participants included other Federal responders from DOE, FEMA , USDA , and FDA . A representative from the American Nuclear Insurers also made a presentation. The objectives of the incident response State Outreach program are to foster working relationships among those who would have principal response roles and to communicate those Federal resources that are available to State and local emergency responders.

Preliminary Notifications:

1. PNO I-99-041A, Metorex, Inc., UPDATE - LOST GENERALLY LICENSED DEVICES

2. PNO-I-99-043, Calvert Cliffs 1 2, Sales Hope Creek, Oyster Creek, PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD - SALEM, HOPE CREEK, CALVERT CLIFFS, OYSTER CREEK

3. PNO-I-99-043, Calvert Cliffs 1 2, Salem Hope Creek, Oyster Creek Lusby, MD, PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD - SALEM, HOPE CREEK, CALVERT CLIFFS, OYSTER CREEK

4. PNO-I-99-043, Various Facilities, UPDATE ON HURRICANE FLOYD PREPARATIONS - SALEM, HOPE CREEK, CALVERT CLIFFS, OYSTER CREEK

5. PNO-I-99-044, Holy Redeemer Hospital, MEDICAL MISADMINISTRATION

6. PNO-II-99-037, Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point 3 & 4/St. Lucie 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

7. PNO-II-99-037A -Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point 3 & 4/St. Lucie 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

8. PNO-II-99-037B, Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point 3 & 4/St. Lucie 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

9. PNO-II-99-037C, Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point 3 & 4/St. Lucie 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

10. PNO-II-99-037D, Florida Power & Light Company (Turkey Point 3 & 4/St. Lucie 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

11. PNO-II-99-037E, Cpl, (Brunswick 1 &2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

12. PNO-II-99-037F, Cpl, (Brunswick 1 &2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

13. PNO-II-99-037G, Cpl (Brunswick 1 &2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

14. PNO-II-99-037H, Cpl, (Brunswick 1 &2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

15. PNO-II-99-037I, (Ge Wilmington (Brunswick 1 & 2/Surry 1 &2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

16. PNO-II-99-037J, GE Wilmington (Brunswick 1 & 2/Surry 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

17. PNO-II-99-37K, GE Wilmington (Brunswick 1 & 2/Surry 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

18. PNO-II-37L, GE Wilmington (Brunswick 1 & 2/Surry 1 & 2), PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

19. PNO-II-99-037M, Brunswick 1 & 2/Surry 1 & 2, PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE FLOYD

20. PNO-IV-99-038, Entergy Operations, Inc, (Waterford 3), PLANT SHUTDOWN DUE TO REACTOR COOLANT PUMP MALFUNCTION

ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR Chapter 20)

A final rule that revises the NRC's regulation governing the procurement of goods and services was published in the Federal Register on September 10, 1999 (64 FR 49322). The final rule revises these regulations to conform to recently enacted legislation that streamlines the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The final rule becomes effective October 12, 1999.

ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the 5-Day Period of September 10, 1999 through September 16, 1999:

ENCLOSURE I

Office of Human Resources
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

1999 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Kick Off Attended

On September 14, 1999, Henry Rubin, CFC Agency Coordinator, attended the 1999 CFC Kick Off of the National Capital Area held at Constitution Hall. The Honorable Donna E. Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chair of this year's campaign, hosted the kick off. NRC's CFC Kick Off is scheduled for October 28, 1999, at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners' Conference Room.

ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Media Interest

There was high media interest in Region II on the monitoring status of Hurricane Floyd.

There were demonstrations outside the NRC meeting on the release of solid materials in San Francisco. The protesters were urging the shutdown of all nuclear power plants before the end of the year to avoid Y2K problems.

ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Training Mission for Chinese Utility Managers

The IAEA is planning to conduct a one-week training mission for the management of China's Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant at Arkansas Units 1 and 2, tentatively scheduled for late November. The purpose is to work with the Chinese utility to help them improve their regulator/operator interface and address operational safety-related issues. Next year, a follow-up workshop will be held when foreign utility representatives visit the Qinshan NPP in China.

New Resource Requirement Because of Department of State Cutback

The Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs at the Department of State (NP/NEA) has advised OIP that, because of resource rollbacks which are expected to be permanent, it will no longer be able to sponsor the verifications of textual authenticity required when international agreements are to be concluded in both English and the language of the partner country. State's Division of Language Services (DLS) had previously performed these verifications free-of-charge to NRC, because NP/NEA absorbed the costs within its operating budget. About one-third of NRC's 34 technical information exchange and general cooperation arrangement partners are currently required by their national law to sign such agreements in both languages. They prepare the foreign language text which, when signed, is accorded equal standing with the English text.

ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Commission Correspondence

No correspondence was released to the PDR this week.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Meeting Notice for September 30 - October 2, 1999.
2. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Seeks Qualified Candidates for the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste; Request for Résumés.
3. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Subcommittee Meeting on Materials and Metallurgy; Postponed.

ENCLOSURE P

Region I
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Predecisional Enforcement Conference With Howard University and Howard University Hospital

A predecisional enforcement conference was held with Howard University and Howard University Hospital on September 13, 1999, to discuss the findings of an NRC inspection conducted on July 27-28, 1999. The inspection was conducted to review the circumstances surrounding two events: the loss of a package that contained two millicuries of iodine-125 that was reported to the NRC on July 13, 1999, and the loss of control of a package containing 1.3 millicuries of iodine-131 that occurred on and was reported to the NRC on August 26, 1998. The conference focused on three violations involving the licensee's procedures for the receipt and control of radioactive materials. The licensee discussed its immediate response when the incidents occurred, and its subsequent corrective actions to prevent recurrence. The Region is developing the appropriate enforcement response.

Oyster Creek

On September 14, 1999, GPU, Inc. and AmerGen Energy Company announced that they have agreed in principle for GPU to sell Oyster Creek to AmerGen for 10 million dollars. The next stage of the sale process is the development and signing of an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) by October 15, 1999. The letter of intent assumes a financial closing date of March 31, 2000.

Under the terms of the letter of intent, GPU will fund the 18R refueling outage, including the fuel. AmerGen will repay GPU for the outage costs over a period of nine years. In addition, GPU will purchase power from Oyster Creek at a fixed price for three years. AmerGen will assume full responsibility for the ultimate decommissioning of Oyster Creek. At financial closing, GPU will provide funding for the decommissioning of 430 million dollars. GPU Nuclear (GPUN) will continue to plan for plant shutdown and immediate decommissioning until the APA is signed. When the APA is signed, planning for the 18R outage will begin and decommissioning will be planned as a contingency. GPUN plans immediately to prepare the NRC license transfer application and develop a base scope, schedule and cost for the 18R outage.

Status of Steam Generator Removal Project at Haddam Neck

With the start of active dismantlement of large radioactive components this week, NRC Region I initiated weekly inspections at the Haddam Neck facility. Inspection coverage this week included observations of the cutting of the main steam and feedwater piping from steam generator number four.

ENCLOSURE P

Region II
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Duke Energy Corporation -- McGuire Self-Assessment Meeting

On September 17, 1999, representatives from the Duke Energy Corporation in North Carolina attended a management meeting in the regional office. The purpose of the meeting was to present a self-assessment of the McGuire Nuclear Station performance. The licensee discussed plant performance, human performance initiatives, operator licensing, and several regulatory issues.

Duke Energy Corporation -- Oconee Site Visit by Deputy EDO

On September 13, 1999, the Deputy Executive Director for Reactor Programs, accompanied by the Deputy Regional Administrator, visited the Oconee nuclear plant in Seneca, South Carolina. The visit included a discussion with the resident inspectors, a site tour, and a meeting with site managers.

Response to Hurricane Floyd

From September 14, through September 16, 1999, Region II operated its Incident Response Center to monitor and respond to Hurricane Floyd affects on nuclear facilities. The Hurricane came on shore at the North Carolina coastline and passed over the General Electric Fuel Facility and Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant sites on September 16, 1999. Both facilities were in a shutdown mode of operation. The NRC resident inspectors were onsite at the Brunswick facility throughout the storm. The Region dispatched its State Liaison Officer to the State Emergency Operations Center in North Carolina. This individual also participated in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's evaluation of offsite conditions surrounding the Brunswick site on September 16, through September 19, 1999. Details of the NRC, Region II response are located in Preliminary Notifications Numbers PNO-II-99-037A - M.

ENCLOSURE P

Region III
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Team Inspection at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

On September 13, 1999, an NRC team inspection began at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The purpose of the inspection was to review the radiological monitoring program at the plant. The five-member team also looked at worker practices and at internal and external radiation controls and monitoring. The team previously spent one week at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and will return to Paducah September 20, 1999, to complete the inspection there. Exit meetings with U. S. Enrichment Corporation, which will be open to public observation, will be held following the completion of the inspections at the two sites.

Emergency Exercise - Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

On September 14, 1999, the Region III staff participated in an emergency exercise involving the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The regional participation included activating of the Incident Response Center, staffing it with a base team, and monitoring plant activities through the NRC resident inspectors.

Predecisional Enforcement Conference - MidMichigan Medical Center

On September 17, 1999, the Region III staff met in the regional office with representatives of MidMichigan Medical Center, Midland, Michigan, for a predecisional enforcement conference. The conference covered possible violations associated with a medical misadministration which were identified during a Region III inspection and an Office of Investigations investigation.

ENCLOSURE P

Region IV
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Management Meeting with STP Nuclear Operating Company

On September 14, 1999, a public meeting was held between members of the STP Nuclear Operating Company management and NRC staff. The topics discussed at the meeting included the new management alignment being implemented at the South Texas Project, general plant performance including areas where improvement had been noted and areas where improvement was needed, and future management challenges.

ENCLOSURE Q

Office of the Executive Director for Operations
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999

Timing of Release of Documents Through ADAMS

"Based on input from the offices, the Office of the Executive Director for Operations (OEDO) and the OCIO have agreed to the following uniform general policy for timing the release of public documents. Newly received documents from external entities will be released 3 working days after they are added to the ADAMS Main Library. Staff-generated documents addressed to external entities and staff-generated documents addressed to other internal addressees or with no addressee will be released 3 working days from issuance of document (date of cover letter for document packages). The delay provides courtesy and caution before the general public can see this correspondence. However, there are today, and will continue to be document types that have specific release conditions that are excluded from these categories."

ENCLOSURE R

Office of Congressional Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending September 17, 1999