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INFORMATION REPORT SECY-08-0037 March 20 , 2008
Contact: Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) License Renewal Audit for Beaver Valley Power Station Units 1 and 2 On March 3-7, 2008, the Division of License Renewal staff conducted the license renewal aging management program, aging management review, and the time-limiting-aging analysis at the Beaver Valley Power Station, Units 1 and 2. The staff anticipates requesting additional information from the licensee regarding independent offsite power sources and operating experience for the 15 new aging management programs. University of Florida License Renewal On March 6, 2008, the Division of Policy and Rulemaking staff, along with technical staff from Brookhaven National Labs, the assigned contractor, visited the University of Florida to discuss outstanding issues associated with the University's application for a renewed license. The NRC staff, contractor, and members of the University staff, discussed the outstanding request for information and toured the facility. License Renewal Acceptance Review for Three Mile Island Nuclear Station (TMI), Unit 1 On March 10, 2008, the staff completed the acceptance review for the TMI, Unit 1 license renewal application submitted by AmerGen Energy Company, LLC, on January 8, 2008, to extend the operating license for an additional 20 years. The acceptance review determined that the application contains sufficient information for docketing. TMI, Unit 1 is a pressurized water reactor designed by Babcock & Wilcox with a current operating license that expires at midnight on April 19, 2014. Public Meeting with Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) On March 13, 2008, the Division of Risk Assessment staff participated in a Category 2 public meeting with NEI and industry representatives at NRC Headquarters to discuss a process to address issues related to fire probabilistic risk assessment implementation using guidance contained in NUREG/CR–6850, "EPRI [Electric Power Research Institute] /NRC-RES [Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research] Fire PRA [Probabilistic Risk Analysis] Methodology for Nuclear Power Facilities." Licensees are relying on the guidance provided in this NUREG/CR to implement the transition to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 805. Office of New Reactors (NRO) Tioga Pipe Vendor Inspection Between March 3 and March 7, 2008, representatives from NRO and Region II conducted an inspection at the Tioga Pipe Supply Company, Inc. facilities located in Philadelphia and Easton, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the inspection was to verify the implementation of a quality assurance program consistent with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, and reporting and dedication programs consistent with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 21. Tioga is an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Material Certificate holder that procures and upgrades or dedicates material to ASME Code requirements for use in the commercial nuclear industry. International Vendor Inspection Observations Between March 3 and March 7, 2008, representatives from NRO participated in a technical exchange with Autorité de Sûrete Nucléaire (ASN, the French nuclear regulator) in Dijon, France. The purpose of the exchange was to continue sharing insights on the construction of new reactors and the oversight of vendors providing parts and services to operating reactors and new construction projects. The NRC staff observed three ASN vendor inspections of different manufacturing facilities ranging from valve manufacturing to forging and machining of heavy components. Meeting with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) to Discuss Operator Licensing On March 5, 2008, representatives from NRO met with NEI and industry representatives to discuss industry initiatives and issues related to the training, qualification, and licensing of control room operators. Topics discussed included documentation of experience used to meet the "cold license" eligibility guidance for individual operators, and overall operating crew experience. Meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Discuss New Reactor Applications On March 12, 2008, representatives from NRO met with representatives from EPA National Environmental Policy Act and Radiation Protection Offices to discuss differences in designs expected in new reactor license applications compared to current operating reactors, particularly regarding environmental effects. EPA reviews the environmental impact statements prepared by NRC as part of its review of license applications. This discussion was part of a continuing outreach effort between EPA and NRC, facilitated by the Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, that will assist EPA with ensuring that it has adequate resources available to support the review of the NRC's environmental impact statements. Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) Meeting with Brazilian and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Officials On March 7, 2008, NRC staff met with officials from the Nuclear Industries of Brazil (operator of Brazil's uranium fuel fabrication facility in Resende); the Brazilian regulator, Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear; and the IAEA's scientific secretary for fuel cycle safety. The NRC staff gave presentations on the requirements of Subpart H of 10 CFR Part 70; administrative aspects of a good criticality safety program; criticality safety events; and criticality hazards and controls that may be pertinent to Brazil's wet uranium fuel fabrication process. Meeting with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Office of the Inspector General On March 7, 2008, staff from the Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) met with the DOE-OIG. The purpose of the meeting was to review some of DOE's preliminary findings on the location of DOE-owned nuclear materials, as reported in the Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS) database. DOE requested a copy of the NRC's rulemaking actions regarding improvements to the NMMSS database, which NRC has provided. DOE also requested a listing of sites that NRC visited, pursuant to Temporary Instruction 2800/035, "Verification of Licensee Responses to NRC Bulletin 2003-04, Regarding Inventories of Source and Special Nuclear Materials Tracked in the Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System." American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Meeting on Neutron-Absorber Materials On March 10, 2008, at NRC Headquarters, Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety staff participated in an ASTM task group meeting on neutron-absorber materials. The task group discussed an ASTM standard practice for establishing a qualification program for neutron-absorber materials for nuclear criticality control for the Transportation, Aging, and Disposal Canister in a geologic repository. Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs (FSME) Staff Presentation on Basic Safety Standards From March 10-14, 2008, a senior staff member of FSME attended and chaired an International Atomic Energy Agency drafting meeting for the Revision of the International Basic Safety Standards in Vienna, Austria. Pennsylvania Agreement State Status On March 12, 2008, FSME staff delivered three official copies of the Agreement which will discontinue the Commission's regulatory authority over certain radioactive materials in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for the Commonwealth to assume that regulatory authority, to the State capital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the Governor's signature. The Governor is expected to sign the Agreement by the effective date of March 31, 2008. Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR) PNO-II-08-001A – Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas L.L.C. UPDATE - ALERT DECLARED BASED ON MODERATOR ALARM IN MODERATOR-LIMITED PROCESS VESSEL On March 7, 2008, NRC Special Inspection Team (SIT) members completed inspection activities and debriefed Global Nuclear Fuel Americas L.L.C (GNF-A) senior management officials regarding their independent evaluation of events associated with the January 30, 2008 declared Alert. The SIT evaluation included assessment of emergency response activities, determination of contributing factors leading to the declared Alert, evaluation of criticality controls associated with conversion process line maintenance, the potential for onsite/offsite health or environmental impacts, and evaluation of proposed corrective actions. In addition, SIT members reviewed corrective actions and directly observed conversion process line restart activities. Results of the SIT inspection are expected to be publically available in April. Protective Action Recommendations (PAR) Public Telephone Survey On March 11, 2008, a public telephone survey began in nuclear power plant emergency planning zones to determine public tendencies with respect to implementation of PARs during an emergency and how to best communicate this information. The survey is expected to take approximately three weeks and is part of the NRC's PAR study. Approximately 2,500 phone calls will be made during the survey. PNO-II-08-004 – Southern Company ALERT DUE TO 1B EMERGENCY DIESEL GENERATOR EXHAUST HEADER FAILURE AT FARLEY On March 13, 2008, the Farley Nuclear Power Plant began a two hour surveillance run of the 1B Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG). Approximately 30 minutes into the run the control room received fire alarms for the 1B diesel generator room. The system operator reported the room was full of smoke and the carbon dioxide (CO2) fire suppression system had discharged. The control room manually shutdown the 1B EDG due to the event. The licensee declared an Alert at 1644 CDT due to toxic substance CO2 being released in a safety-related area. The licensee terminated the Alert at 1836 CDT following evacuation of the CO2 via the building ventilation exhaust system. Federal Firearms Disabilities Public Meeting On March 14, 2008, NRC hosted a Category 2 public meeting to discuss a draft generic communication; "Regulatory Information Summary (RIS) 2088-yy 'Notice Regarding Federal Firearms Disabilities." The staff's target for issuing the RIS is April 30, 2008. PNO-IV-08-002A – Sabia, Inc. UPDATE OF SR-90 CONTAMINATION EVENT This updates information provided in PNO-IV-2008-002, regarding the contamination of a worker when a strontium-90 (Sr-90) source was breached (EN #44023) at the licensee's facility on February 29, 2008. During this event, a worker contaminated his hands, face, and clothing, and inhaled some of the Sr-90. Following the event, the licensee secured the facility to prevent the release of Sr-90 to unrestricted areas. Office of Administration (ADM) Interlocutory Review of Rulings on Requests by Potential Parties for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information (SUNSI) and Safeguards Information (SGI)(3150‑AI08 – Part 2) On March 10, 2008, the NRC published a final rule in the Federal Register (73 FR 12627), amending its rules of practice to provide for expedited (and, in this case, "interlocutory") review by the Commission of orders on requests by potential parties for access to certain SUNSI and SGI. The final rule becomes effective April 9, 2008. Enhancements to Emergency Preparedness (EP) Regulations (3150-AI10 – Part 50) On March 12, 2008, the NRC published a notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 13157); making available preliminary draft rule language that would constitute amendments to its regulations on EP. The release of the preliminary draft requirements is intended to inform stakeholders of the current status of the NRC's activities on its EP rulemaking. The NRC is not soliciting formal public comments on the preliminary draft rule language at this time, but will accept comments for NRC consideration in the development of the proposed rule until July 1, 2008. This preliminary draft rule language may be subject to significant revisions during the rulemaking process. List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: HI-STORM 100 Revision 5; Withdrawal of Direct Final Rule (3150-AI24 – Part 72) On March 12, 2008, the NRC published in the Federal Register (73 FR 13071), a document withdrawing a direct final rule published on December 31, 2007 (72 FR 74162). The rule would have revised the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 cask system listing within the "List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks" to include Amendment No. 5 to the Certificate of Compliance. The NRC has taken this action because it has received a significant adverse comment in response to the direct final rule; this comment will be considered as a comment to the companion proposed rule that was published concurrently with the direct final rule. The withdrawal of the direct final rule is effective March 12, 2008. Office of Information Services (OIS) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Requests Received During the Period of March 7 2008 through March 13, 2008:
Office of Human Resources (HR)
Office of Public Affairs (OPA) OPA Received Significant Media Inquiries on the Following: Atomic Safety Licensing Board (ASLB) hearing's oral arguments on Indian Point nuclear power plant's license renewal application Nuclear loan guarantees Energy Solutions request to import low-level radioactive waste from Italy Annual Assessments for all nuclear power plants Confirmation of Kristine Svinicki as a fourth Commissioner and the reconfirmation to a second term of Commissioner Jaczko Public meeting discussing the potential pressurized water reactor weld issues Other Public Affairs Items: OPA Headquarters and the Regions supported the Regulatory Information Conference and participated in a counterpart meeting engaging in problem-solving and developing creative approaches to new media strategies and opportunities.
Office of the Secretary (SECY)
Federal Register Notices Issued
Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA)
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