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SECY-99-283

December 16, 1999

Contact:  S. Peterson, OEDO

ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Reactor Oversight Process Improvements

The Inspection Program Branch (IIPB) issued NRC Regulatory Issue Summary (RIS) 99-006, "Voluntary Submission of Performance Indicator Data," on December 1, 1999, to document the NRC's understanding that power reactor licensees would voluntarily submit to the NRC in January 2000, in electronic format, a historical report of selected reactor facility performance attributes, i.e., performance indicator (PI ) data, for their reactor facilities. This voluntary exercise is part of a joint effort between the NRC and its external stakeholders to improve the NRC's reactor oversight process. This RIS requires no action or written response on the part of an addressee.

The IIPB staff attended the Regions II, III and IV mid-cycle review meetings for each regions' pilot plants. During these meetings the NRC staff reviewed the performance indicator data and plant issues matrix and made recommendations for future inspection activities in accordance with the draft Inspection Manual Chapter 0305.

The Pilot Program Evaluation Panel (PPEP) held its fourth meeting on December 8 and 9, 1999, to solicit comments on the new reactor oversight process from NRC staff, and individuals representing states, industry, and public interest groups. The PPEP will evaluate the pilot program results against pre-established pilot program success criteria. The results of PPEP meeting will be available to the public.

On December 6, 1999, the Inspection Program Branch staff, assisted by regional inspectors, continued its review of the Baseline Inspection procedures and continued to incorporate comments received from the regions during the pilot program. This review is scheduled for three weeks (November 15, December 6, and December 13, 1999).

The Chief, IIPB attended the Region I Inspector Counterpart meeting on November 30, 1999, at Region I to discuss the status of the revised reactor oversight process and the results, thus far, of the pilot program.

The Chief, IIPB participated in the State Liaison Officers meeting on December 1, 1999. At this meeting, he discussed the status of the revised reactor oversight process and the results of the pilot program and answered questions from participants.

Status of the Revised Reactor Oversight Process

The pilot program to exercise the revised reactor oversight process that began in June 1999 at nine sites across the four regional offices concluded at the end of the November. While the NRC will continue to exercise the new process at these nine sites, the staff is currently evaluating the lessons learned and making appropriate changes to the implementing procedures. In this regard, there are several key milestones and meetings over the next few months. During the week of January 10, 2000, the NRC staff will conduct a public lessons learned workshop in which NRC headquarters and regional staff will interact with external stakeholders to prioritize key lessons learned and develop recommendations to resolve the pertinent issues. In mid-February, a Commission paper will be developed describing the lessons learned, recommended changes to the process, and the staff's recommendation for initial implementation of the process at all reactor sites in April 2000. This paper is intended to support a Commission meeting in late February.

In addition to the lessons learned efforts, the Technical Training Center (TTC) is conducting a number of week-long inspector training sessions on the new process. The TTC conducted its second Revised Reactor Oversight Process Training for NRC inspectors in Region III during the week of December 6, 1999. Two training sessions per region are planned. The training will be completed for all regions in April 2000. Also, beginning in mid-February, the staff will be conducting three-day workshops in each of the regions to inform licensees and the public on the new process. The staff has also recently embarked on a series of public "roundtable" meetings in the vicinity of the pilot plants. The Inspection Program and Region IV staff conducted roundtable meetings in the vicinity of both Ft. Calhoun and Cooper on November 30, 1999 and December 1, 1999, respectively. At these meetings, the NRC staff discussed the new risk informed oversight process with state and local officials and members of the local public and obtained their feedback on the process and the recently concluded pilot program. These meetings will continue through the end of January.

Public Workshop on License Renewal

On December 6, 1999, the staff held a public workshop on license renewal in the NRC auditorium. Because most of the aging management programs relied on for license renewal by the initial license renewal applicants are existing programs, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI ) previously questioned the extent to which the staff should review existing programs. This policy issue was raised to the Commission in SECY 99-148, "Credit for Existing Programs for License Renewal." By a staff requirements memorandum, the Commission directed the staff to focus its review guidance in the standard review plan for license renewal (SRP) on areas where existing programs should be augmented. The staff would prepare a "Generic Aging Lessons Learned" (GALL) report that documents a generic evaluation of the adequacy of existing programs as a basis for the SRP. The Commission also directed the staff to seek stakeholder participation in developing these guidance documents. The purpose of the workshop was to gather early feedback on which existing aging management programs need to be augmented for license renewal and which programs adequately manage aging effects without change.

The workshop was very well attended. There were 108 registered participants, 64 of which represented external stakeholders: Nuclear Energy Institute, utilities, vendors, Electric Power Research Institute, national laboratories, state (New Jersey), and public interest groups (Union of Concerned Scientists, and Nuclear Information & Resource Service).

The workshop opened with remarks by Sam Collins, NEI, and UCS. After a discussion of the purpose of the workshop and an overview of guidance documents, the participants engaged in a round-table discussion of examples of existing programs to manage aging effects. The examples were grouped into "Regulated Programs" (such as required by Part 50), "Reactive Programs" (such as licensee response to NRC generic communication), and "General Practice Programs" (such as preventive maintenance). In an attempt to engage stakeholders early, a draft GALL report was distributed at the workshop for public information and comment. The workshop was transcribed. The staff will consider the comments from the workshop and any subsequent written comments to further develop the draft GALL report. The staff plans on issuing the draft GALL report and the draft SRP for formal public comment in August of 2000.

Browns Ferry

On December 1-2, 1999, NRR and NRR contractor support personnel visited the Browns Ferry facility. The purpose of the visit was to audit the licensee's analyses supporting its April 23, 1999 ASME Code relief request for risk-informed inservice inspection (RI - ISI) for Browns Ferry Unit 3.

The licensee's proposed RI - ISI program differs significantly from those that have been approved for other pilot facilities. The licensee plans to make changes to the proposed program and hopes to receive approval in time to implement the program in the April 2000 outage. The staff is still considering the issue of credit for the augmented programs. If approved, it is anticipated that other BWR utilities will submit similar requests.

ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Decommissioning Meeting at Nuclear Fuel Services

On December 2, 1999, representatives from the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, the Division of Waste Management, and Region II met with staff from Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) at the plant site in Erwin, Tennessee, to receive presentations on the current status of all decommissioning projects identified by NFS. Principal government agency stakeholders attended, including representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, state of Tennessee, and Schenectady Naval Reactors (Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory).

The primary focus of the meeting was the NFS' presentations on the status of ongoing decommissioning projects. The meeting also included a site tour for participants to observe the numerous projects currently underway. The total waste shipped to date and a schedule for planned work through 2003 were presented. Presentations focused on the overall summary of project status, a review of NFS' efforts to secure Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval of final release criteria, the NFS decommissioning plan strategy, and a presentation on groundwater modeling performed by NFS. The last presentation included a description of a planned anaerobic bio-remediation method that will be pilot-tested in the second half of 2000.

Meeting to Discuss Seismic Modifications and Department of Energy Material Storage Areas

On December 2, 1999, the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff met with representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE ) and the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC) at the Paducah site to continue discussions regarding schedules and assumptions related to completion of characterization of DOE Material Storage Areas (DMSAs) and seismic modification work in certain DMSAs. USEC presented its schedule for completing characterization needed to support the seismic work and indicated a completion date of March 9, 2000, for characterizing material in the DMSAs involved with the seismic upgrade. USEC indicated that this date would support a seismic modification completion date of September 30, 2000, which coincides with the date in USEC's amendment request currently with the staff for evaluation. DOE Headquarters is continuing to evaluate the priority of the seismic DMSA work compared with the broader efforts for a more complete characterization of the DMSAs. DOE's agreement is necessary to implement the seismic modification work in the DMSAs. Another meeting is planned for mid-December to discuss certain assumptions and USEC's anticipated schedule for the characterization of all DMSAs.

Meeting with Western Nuclear Incorporated

On December 2, 1999, staff from the Division of Waste Management and the Office of the General Counsel met with representatives and contractors of Western Nuclear Inc. (WNI) in an announced Open Meeting at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Headquarters. According to WNI's Ground Water Characterization and Evaluation, elevated groundwater constituents that have seeped from the tailings cell may migrate through the groundwater beneath a populated area with multiple water supply wells called "Red Mule" and other private properties. Staff informed WNI that it was completing the Acceptance Review of the proposed groundwater compliance plan and had questions on WNI's proposal to use an alternate water supply to the "Red Mule" area without the use of institutional controls, and on the use of institutional controls over additional private properties for demonstrating compliance with regulatory requirements. Using institutional controls is not specifically described in the regulations as an acceptable method for demonstrating compliance. WNI's proposal is a first-of-its-kind approach in the Uranium Recovery Program, and staff views it as a proposed alternative method for demonstrating compliance, which is permitted under 10 CFR Part 40, Appendix A. WNI explained its approach and the mechanisms it has initiated to secure the institutional controls. Staff indicated it will issue a letter to WNI requesting specific information on the proposed institutional controls in order to complete the Acceptance Review. WNI stated that they would provide the additional information to the NRC. The participants also discussed the NRC's review of WNI's current surety and how that relates to groundwater contamination at the site.

High-Level Waste Disposal Criticality Meeting

On December 3, 1999, staff from the Division of Waste Management met with representatives from the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) at their office in Crystal City to continue discussions on their report, "Addendum to the Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report for Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel." This report presents NNPP's approach to analyzing the criticality aspect of naval spent nuclear fuel disposal at the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. This meeting was a follow-up to the November 18, 1999, meeting in which the staff provided feedback to NNPP on the staff's 30-day acceptance review. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify the scope of the review being requested by NNPP of its addendum. As a result of discussions at this meeting, the scope of the review was modified to focus on the approach and methodology. It was agreed that NNPP will submit a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission which reflects these changes.

Department of Energy Public Meetings in Reno and Carson City, Nevada

On December 1-2, 1999, staff from the Division of Waste Management observed the Department of Energy's (DOE's) public meetings on DOE's draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada. The public meetings were located in Reno and Carson City, Nevada. DOE held two public meetings at each location (day and evening session). Approximately 130 people attended and 50 individuals offered comments in Reno, Nevada. Approximately 130 people attended and 30 individuals offered comments in Carson City, Nevada. Commentors included representatives from the Office of the Governor for the state of Nevada, affected units of local government, and non-governmental organizations. Most commentors voiced opposition to DOE's preferred alternative to proceed with the proposed action to construct, operate, monitor, and eventually close a geologic repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. Comments on the DEIS covered a wide range of issues, including: (1) the reasonableness of DOE's no-action alternative; (2) concerns associated with the transportation of high-level waste; (3) DOE's failure to use available state and local data; (4) potential impacts to Native Americans; (5) concerns related to groundwater contamination, seismicity, and volcanism; (6) inadequate description of transportation cask design and testing; (7) need to assess health impacts; and (8) extent of contamination from past weapons testing as a baseline to compare potential future impacts. Additional DOE public meetings on the DEIS are scheduled at six other locations, including Las Vegas.

Meeting with the Food and Drug Administration

On December 3, 1999, staff members from the Division of Industrial Medical Nuclear Safety met with staff members from the various offices of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss items of mutual interest. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the FDA calls for such an annual meeting. The following agenda items were discussed: (1) the forthcoming renewal of the FDA/NRC MOU; (2) Y2K transition issues; (3) 10 CFR Part 35 rulemaking; (4) Center for Devices and Radiological Health Re-engineering of the Radiological Health Program; (5) global medical device nomenclature; (6) interagency coordination and notification of compassionate use authorizations for investigative medical devices; (7) brachytherapy issues; and (8) updating FDA/NRC contact/call lists.

This meeting was hosted by FDA and concluded with both parties mutually agreeing to proceed with the renewal of the NRC/FDA MOU for an additional three-year period and to hold further meetings on several specific items between appropriate individual staff members of both agencies.

Meeting with Packaging Technology, Incorporated

On December 7, 1999, Spent Fuel Project Office staff met with Packaging Technology, Inc., to discuss licensing plans and technical aspects of a mixed oxide (MOX) fresh fuel package. The package will be used by the Department of Energy (DOE) to transport MOX fresh fuel from a planned fuel fabrication facility to commercial nuclear power plants. The use of MOX fuel is part of the DOE's plutonium disposition program. Packaging Technology plans to begin prototype testing of the package in the year 2000 and submit a license application in 2001. The preliminary design of the package is a cylindrical, stainless-steel containment shell that can transport three MOX fresh fuel assemblies with a maximum plutonium enrichment of 6.0 weight percent. Additional meetings are anticipated over the next two years to further discuss issues regarding the package design.

Envirocare of Utah, Inc. - Routine Inspection\Public Meeting

Routine Inspection was held at the Clive, Utah, site from December 6-9, 1999, with three NRC staff (two RIV inspectors and one DWM\URLL geohydrologist) participating. Four probable Category 4 violations were identified. Because of continuing poor performance NRC inspections of the Envirocare facility are conducted on a quarterly, rather than semi-annual, basis.

Public Meeting was held at Tooele, Utah at the County Court House on December 10, 1999. The purpose of the meeting was for NRC management (DWM, URLL and RIV) to review the licensee's overall performance for the January 1998 through the present time frame. Several members of the public (no press) were present at the meeting and asked no questions when given the opportunity to do so at the close of the meeting. Envirocare was made aware of NRC management's concerns regarding a number of program areas and committed to expedite the resolution of two long-standing technical issues (groundwater monitoring/exceedances and leaking railcars) and to conduct its operations in a more effective manner.

ENCLOSURE C

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Meeting of the Standards Development Organizations

On December 8, 1999, the NRC held a coordination meeting with representatives of consensus standards development organizations (SDOs). RES initiated these meetings to provide a forum for members of the NRC and representatives of SDOs to discuss various issues related to the development and utilization of consensus standards. During this meeting the staff discussed Management Directive 6.5, "NRC Participation in the Development and Use of Consensus Standards." This discussion included a summary of the activities the staff has initiated to implement the Technology Transfer Act, P.L. 103-114, and OMB Circular A-119.

NRR provided an overview of activities and decisions related to consensus standards in the context of NRC's Strategic Plan, NRC's Performance Goals, and the Performance Budgeting, Planning, and Management process. RES provided an overview of staff activities related to making NRC regulations more risk-informed. This included a discussion of the categorization of structures, systems, and components by comparing categorization based upon a deterministic criteria to categorization based upon risk-informed criteria.

Representatives from various SDOs such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Health Physics Society, American Nuclear Society, Instrument Society of America, National Fire Protection Association, as well as members of the public and industry, participated in the meeting. Participants commented that the presentations were informative and beneficial.

Meeting on PIRTs for High-Burnup Fuel

RES held the third meeting to develop Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRTs) on December 7-9, 1999, at NRC. This was an open meeting and, although no members of the general public attended, some NRR and ACRS staffers attended. PIRTs have been used at NRC since 1988, and they provide a structured way to obtain a technical understanding that is needed to address certain issues. About twenty of the world's best technical experts are participating in this activity, and the experts represent a balance between industry, universities, foreign researchers, and regulatory organizations. The current PIRT activity is addressing the postulated PWR rod ejection accident, which is required to be analyzed in plant safety analyses. This was the final PIRT meeting on this accident type and a draft NUREG/CR report has been developed as the work progressed.

The working draft report and other information on this PIRT can be found at www.nrc.gov/RES/PIRT. When the draft report is completed, we will summarize some of the main results in a weekly highlight report. The identification and ranking of phenomena in that report are expected to help the staff make decisions about specific testing requirements and revised criteria that are needed to analyze high-burnup fuel with a variety of current cladding materials for this postulated accident.

Regulatory Guide on Setpoints for Safety-Related Instrumentation

The RES staff recently issued Revision 3 of Regulatory Guide 1.105, "Setpoints for Safety-Related Instrumentation." This guide describes an acceptable method for complying with the NRC's regulations for ensuring that setpoints for safety-related instrumentation are initially within and remain within the technical specification limits. The guide endorses Part 1 of the Instrument Society of America (ISA) Standard S67.04-1994, "Setpoints for Nuclear Safety-Related Instrumentation." The guide, thus, provides a basis for establishing setpoints for nuclear instrumentation for safety systems and addresses known contributing errors in a particular channel from the process (including the primary element and sensor) through and including the final setpoint device.

Instrument setpoint uncertainty allowances and setpoint discrepancies have led to a number of operational problems. Operating experience indicates that setpoints for safety-related instrumentation may allow plants to operate outside the limiting conditions of operation specified in their technical specifications. The causes for the setpoint discrepancies were problems with industry practices that led to errors in calibration procedures and a lack of understanding of the relationship of the setpoint to the allowable value. The effects of uncertainty allowances and discrepancies in setpoints, along with operational experience, were appropriately addressed by the ISA Standard.

The guide will be used to evaluate submittals from licensees of operating reactors who voluntarily propose to initiate system modifications.

Draft Reports on the Reliability of High Pressure Injection Systems

RES recently issued for public comment draft reports on the reliability of three high-pressure injection systems at U.S. boiling-water reactors (BWRs). These systems are high-pressure coolant injection (HPCI), high-pressure core spray (HPCS), and reactor core isolation cooling (RCIC). These studies are part of RES' ongoing evaluation of the reliability of risk-significant safety systems and their associated components. This effort was undertaken as part of the systematic evaluation of reactor operating experience to identify and feed risk-significant insights back into the regulatory process. This is the first in a series of updates of completed system reliability studies with more recent operating experience (1987-1998).

The major findings obtained from these studies are summarized below.

• Overall system unreliabilities. The industry-wide unreliability of the HPCI, HPCS, and RCIC systems calculated from 1987-1998 operating experience are nearly identical for all three systems--about 6E-2 failure per demand.
  
  
• Unreliability trends. Estimates of system unreliability, when modeled as a function of the calendar year, identified no statistically significant decreasing trend for each of the three systems.
  
  
• Unplanned demand frequency and failure frequency trends. Statistically significant decreasing trends in unplanned demands were identified for all three systems when modeled as a function of the calendar year. Statistically significant decreasing trends were identified in the frequency of failures of the HPCI and RCIC systems when modeled as a function of calendar year.
  
  
• Trends by low-power license date. No statistically significant decreasing trend in system unreliability, unplanned demand frequency, and system failure frequency was identified for any of the three systems when modeled as a function of low-power license date.
  
  
• Leading contributors to system unreliabilities. The leading contributors to system unreliability vary for each of the three systems. The leading contributors (with recovery actions) are as follows.
  
  
• HPCI system -- failure of the injection valve to reopen, i.e., cycling the injection valve for subsequent reactor pressure vessel water level control (33%), failure to start of the system other than injection valve (26%), and maintenance out of service of the HPCI system
  
  
• HPCS system -- maintenance out of service of the injection train (71%) and failure to start because the injection valve failed to initially open (22%)
  
  
• RCIC system -- failure to start of the system other than injection valve (46%) and failure to run (18%).

After incorporating comments received from peer reviews, the report will be published as a NUREG/CR document.

ENCLOSURE D

Incident Response Operations
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATIONS:

1. PNO-99-053, Pennsylvania State University, LOSS OR THEFT OF SELF-LUMINESCENT EXIT SIGNS CONTAINING TRITIUM
   
   
2. PNO-II-99-048A, Prof. Engr. & Insp. Co., Inc., RECOVERED PORTABLE GAUGE

ENCLOSURE F

Office of Administration
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: (VSC-24) Revision, Delay of Effective Date (Part 72)

A document delaying the effective date of a direct final rule that revises the Pacific Sierra Nuclear Associates VSC-24 cask system listing within the list of approved spent fuel storage casks was published in the Federal Register on December 3, 1999 (64 FR 67700). The delay allows the NRC sufficient time to consider issues raised by public comment. The final rule now becomes effective January 5, 2000.

Waste Confidence Decision Review (Part 51)

A document providing a status report on the review of the Commission's Waste Confidence Decision was published in the Federal Register on December 6, 1999 (64 FR 68005). The Commission believes that experience and developments since 1990 confirm the Commission's findings and that a comprehensive review of the Waste Confidence Decision at this time is unnecessary.

ENCLOSURE G

Chief Information Officer
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the 5-Day Period of December 3, 1999 through December 9, 1999:

ENCLOSURE M

Office of Public Affairs
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Media Interest

The Wall Street Journal is preparing an article on the release of solid materials.

There was press interest in the hydrogen gas build-up at the University of Texas research reactor.

There was some press interest in the license termination meeting at Trojan.

CNN will interview Turkey Point's plant manager at midnight on New Year's Eve.

ENCLOSURE N

Office of International Programs
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corporation (JAPEIC) Visit

On Monday, December 6, Mr. Minoru Maeda and Mr. Akio Kurokawa from JAPEIC visited NRC and met with staff from the EDO's office, NRR, OGC and OE to discuss NRC's quality assurance system for power plant components and welding. Their visit was part of a worldwide survey that JAPEIC is doing for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry that included stops in Germany and the United Kingdom. While in the U.S., they will also meet with representatives from Duke Energy, General Electric and ASME.

Visit of Alexander Gutsalov

Representatives of the Federal Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority of Russia (RF Gosatomnadzor), headed by Alexander Gutsalov, First Deputy Chairman visited the NRC during the period December 6-10, 1999. The representatives met with Commissioners as well as the Executive Director for Operations and members of the NRC staff. The delegation also observed an emergency exercise conducted at the NRC Emergency Operations Center.

This was the eighth annual meeting of the two agencies, the purpose of which is to review program results and accomplishments, to reaffirm or revise previous program commitments, and to consider proposals for future activities under the nuclear safety assistance program.

Meeting of the IAEA Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee and Board of Governors

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee (TACC) and Board of Governors (BOG) held meetings the week of December 6 in Vienna, Austria. OIP desk officer, Jodi Lieberman, attended both sessions. The TACC met the first part of the week to review and approve the proposed 2000 Technical Cooperation (TC) program, the latest TC Evaluation Report and progress on the Model Project on Upgrading Radiation Protection Infrastructures.

Highlights of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting included approval of the TC program, the Agency's Medium Term Strategy, and safeguards agreements with Peru and Cambodia. The Board meeting closed with a brief statement by the Japanese Governor regarding the status of post-Tokaimura accident activities. He expressed gratitude to the assistance his government received in the immediate aftermath of the accident from the IAEA, Russia and the U.S., and noted that the internal accident committee formed to examine the accident intends to finalize its draft report by the end of the year. The Director General's statement included reform of the Secretariats intent to circulate a draft of the IAEA/NEA MOU for comment at the March 2000 Board meeting.

ENCLOSURE O

Office of the Secretary
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Dr Belinda L Collins, Chair, Interagency Committee on Standards Policy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, dated 12/3/99, concerns annual report on its participation in the development and use of voluntary consensus standards as required by OMB Circular A-119.
   
   
2. Letter to Russell A Powell of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, dated 12/3/99, extends congratulations on achievement of more than 40 years of service with the Federal Government.
   
   
3. Letter to Dennis J Fischer, Commissioner General Services Administration, dated 12/1/99, designates agency representatives for the Federal Technology Service 2001 contract.

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. Application for a License to Import Radioactive Waste (Siemens Power Corporation).
   
   
2. Application for a License to Import Radioactive Waste (Westinghouse Electric Company).
   
   
3. Hydro Resources, Inc.; Docket No. 40-8968-ML; Notice of Reconstitution (Peter B. Bloch in place of Thomas S. Moore as Presiding Officer).

ENCLOSURE P

Region I
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Maine Yankee

A meeting of the Citizen's Advisory Panel (CAP) was held on December 6, 1999 and attended by the Deputy Director of the Region I Division of Nuclear Materials Safety. The CAP reviewed the progress of site decommissioning and the plans for the coming year.

Y2K Inspection at Millstone 1

Recent GAO audits and preparations for upcoming Congressional hearings have raised questions about the impact of any Y2K issues at decommissioning reactors. The resident inspector at Millstone 1 performed an onsite inspection in accordance with Temporary Instruction 2561/003 (dated November 30, 1999) during the week of December 6, 1999. The inspection effort focused on ensuring that sufficient cooling, shielding and security would be available for the spent fuel presently in wet storage. Preliminary results indicate that there are sufficient contingency plans in place to address Y2K issues.

ENCLOSURE P

Region II
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Carolina Power and Light Company - H. B. Robinson Full Scale Emergency Exercise

On December 7, Region II and NRC Headquarters participated in a full scale emergency exercise with the H. B. Robinson facility. Region II participated with a Base Team and a Site Team.

Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. - Hatch Management Meeting

On December 8, representatives from Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc. attended a management meeting in the Region II office at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss lessons learned from the June 15 reactor trip and associated equipment failures at the Hatch Unit 2 facility.

Tennessee Valley Authority - Watts Bar Management Meeting and Predecisional Enforcement Conference

On December 10, representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) were in the Region II office to attend a management meeting to discuss the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant status.

TVA representatives also attended a Predecisional Enforcement Conference in the Region II Office on December 10. The purpose of the enforcement conference was to discuss an apparent violation of 10 CFR 50.7, "Employee Protection."

U. S. Navy Radiation Safety Committee Meeting

On December 6, the Director of the Division of Nuclear Materials Safety attended the U. S. Navy Radiation Safety Committee meeting in Crystal City, Virginia.

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations

On December 8, the Director, Division of Reactor Projects, participated in two New Operations Manager Seminars at INPO. This session of the seminar focused on building effective relationships with the regulator and the new oversight process.

ENCLOSURE P

Region III
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Meeting with Commonwealth Edison Company

The Regional Administrator and members of the regional staff met with Commonwealth Edison Company officials in the regional office on December 10, 1999, for a periodic meeting to review the performance of the utility's nuclear facilities.

ENCLOSURE P

Region IV
Items of Interest
Week Ending December 10, 1999

Meeting With River Bend Station Management

On December 9, 1999, the acting Director, Division of Reactor Projects (DRP), and other members of the Region IV staff held an open public meeting with management and staff of the River Bend Station. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the results of the licensee's emergency diesel generator performance assessment and subsequent improvement plan.

Envirocare of Utah, Inc.

On December 10, 1999, a public meeting to review Envirocare of Utah, Inc. performance was held in Tooele, Utah. The meeting was led by the Deputy Director, NMSS and the Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region IV. Envirocare's President and Vice President, along with other licensee staff members participated in the performance review. Also in attendance was the Director, Division of Radiation Control with the state of Utah.

Commissioner Merrifield's Visit to Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

The Region IV Deputy Regional Administrator (DRA) accompanied Commissioner Merrifield during a visit to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station on December 10, 1999. The Commissioner and the DRA met with the NRC resident staff and licensee management, toured the facility, and participated in a working lunch to discuss topics of interest. The Commissioner also met with licensee employees during an Employee Forum in the afternoon.