Information Notice 1996-70, Year 2000 Effect on Computer System Software

Year 2000 Effect on Computer System Software

ML031050473
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	12/24/1996
From:	Cool D, Martin T NRC/NMSS/IMNS, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-96-070, NUDOCS 9612200319
Download: ML031050473 (10)

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 December 24, 1996 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 96-70: YEAR 2000 EFFECT ON COMPUTER SYSTEM

SOFTWARE

Addressees

All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees, certificate holders, and registrants

(hereafter referred to as licensees).

Purpose

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice to alert

addressees to the potential problems their computer systems and software may encounter as

a result of the change to the new century. It is expected that recipients will review the

information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid

potential problems. However, suggestions contained in this information notice are not NRC

requirements; therefore, no specific action nor written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives held hearings on an issue known as the

"Year 2000" software problem. These hearings identified that some of the most important

computer software used by the Federal government may not work correctly starting in the

year 2000, because the software can only use single years or decades in performing

calculations; it will not oe able to recognize a change to the new century. Many computer

systems will potentially fail to recognize this change to a new century and will misread "00" or

the year 2000, as 1900, and thus may cause the system to fail or generate faulty data. The

NRC, along with several other Federal agencies, is currently examining computer software

used to support Agency functions that may be affected. Specific problems have already been

identified and will be corrected. In some instances where future dates are used to schedule

actions, problems have already occurred - well before the end of the century.

Discussion

The Year 2000 issue affects everyone. It will have an impact on State and local

govemments, NRC licensees, and businesses. The magnitude of the Year 2000 issue poses

a challenge to all those potentially affected. Dates are involved in many facets of computer

systems and software. Neither industry nor the Federal government has yet identified the

scope of the situation.

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IN 96-70

December 24, 1996 This issue may affect NRC licensees in many different ways. For example, computer

software used to calculate dose or to account for radioactive decay may not recognize the

turn of the century, which could lead to incorrectly calculated doses or exposure times for

treatment planning. Other examples of software that may be affected include security

control, radiation monitoring, technical specification surveillance testing, and accumulated

bum-up programs. Also, equipment that licersees have purchased may contain computer

software susceptible to the Year 2000 problem. The problem could occur not only in

computer software or data that have been acquired from external sources, but also in

programs developed by licensees or consultants. For many licensees, this issue may not

prove to be a significant health and safety concern. However, to prevent any other potential

problems this issue may precipitate, licensees are encouraged to examine their uses of

computer systems and software well before the turn of the century. In assessing computer

software, licensees may want to consider reviewing those programs that are used to meet

licensing requirements or those that have safety significance.

To facilitate the exchange of information among licensees, NRC, and the public, information

related to the Year 2000 problem is posted on NRC's World Wide Web server (www.nrc.gov.)

under the "News and Information" option. An example of information that has already been

posted is contract language developed by the Federal government for acquisition of new

information technology to avoid the Year 2000 problem. In addition to the information

presented on NRC's homepage, an Internet list server has been established to encourage

discussion of Year 2000 issues. To subscribe to this list, Internet e-mail may be sent to

listproc@nrc.gov with the message: subscribe year-2000 usemame, where the username is

the first and last name of the individual making the request (e.g., John Doe).

Licensees may wish to consider what actions may be appropriate to examine and evaluate

their software systems, and whether to designate an individual to monitor the continuing

activities in government and industry to determine the extent of potential problems and

proposed solutions. Any additional contact regarding the Year 2000 problem between NRC

and licensees will be made through the addressee of this information notice, unless a

separate point of contact is designated by the licensee. Licensees who wish to designate a

separate point of contact should provide the contact name and address, including telephone

and fax number and email address if available, to the appropriate technical contact of this

information notice. Holders of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 50

licenses are requested to provide this information to the appropriate Office of quclear

Reactor Regulation (NRR) project manager (courtesy copy to the NRR technical contact

listed below).

KY" -II/ IN 96-70

December 24, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed

below or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director Thomas T. Martin, Director

Division of Industrial and Division of Reactor Program Management

Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contacts: Mark A. Sitek, NMSS

(301) 415-6155 E-mail: mas6@nrc.gov

Michael Kaltman, NRR

(301) 415-2905 E-mail: mxk2@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

0f 9-' d

Attachment 1 IN 96-70

December 24, 1996 Page 1 of I

LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject issuance Issued to

96-66 Recent Misadministrations 12/13/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Caused by Incorrect Cali- Commission Medical Use

brations of Strontium-90 Licensees authorized to use

Eye Applicators strontium-90 eye applicators

96-63 Potential Safety Issue 12/05/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Regarding the Shipment Commission licensees

of Fissile Material authorized to possess special

nuclear material in unsealed

quantities greater than a

critical mass

96-57 Incident-Reporting Require- 10/30/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

ments Involving Intakes, Commission licensees

During a 24-Hour Period

that May Cause a Total

Effective Dose Equivalent

in Excess of 0.05 Sv (5 rem)

96-54 Vulnerability of Stainless 10/17/96 All material licensees

Steel to Corrosion When

Sensitized

96-53 Retrofit to Amersham 660 10/15/96 All industrial radiography

Posilock Radiography licensees

Camera to Correct Incon- sistency in 10 CFR Part 34 Compatibility

96-52 Cracked Insertion Rods 09/26/96 All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

on Troxler Model 3400 Commission portable gauge

Series Portable Moisture licensees and vendors

Density Gauges

96-51 Residual Contamination 09/11/96 All material licensees

Remaining in Krypton-85 Handling System After

Venting

I 1 Attachment 2 IN 96-70

December 24, 1996 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Information Date of

Notice No. Subject Issuance Issued to

96-69 Operator Actions Affecting 12/20/96 All holders of OLs

Reactivity or CPs for nuclear

power reactors

96-68 Incorrect Effective Diaphragm 12/19/96 All holders of OLs

Area Values in Vendor Manual or CPs for nuclear

Result in Potential Failure power reactors

of Pneumatic Diaphragm

Actuators

96-67 Vulnerability of Emergency 12/19/96 All holders of OLs

Diesel Generators to Fuel or CPs for nuclear

Oil/Lubricating Oil Incom- power reactors

patibility

96-66 Recent Misadministrations 12/13/96 All U.S. Nuclear

Caused by Incorrect Cali- Regulatory Commission

brations of Strontium-90 Medical Use Licensees

Eye Applicators authorized to use

strontium-90 (Sr-90)

eye applicators

96-65 Undetected Accumulation 12/11/96 All holders of OLs

of Gas in Reactor Coolant or CPs for nuclear

System and Inaccurate power reactors

Reactor Water Level

Indication During Shutdown

96-64 Modifications to Con- 12/10/96 All holders of OLs

tainment Blowout Panels or CPs for nuclear

Without Appropriate reactors

Design Controls

OL = Operating License

CP = Construction Permit

I RIN 96-70

December 24, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed

below or the appropriate regional office.

original signed by original signed by

Donald A. Cool, Director Thomas T. Martin, Director

Division of Industrial and Division of Reactor Program Management

Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical contacts: Mark A. Sitek, NMSS

(301) 415-6155 E-mail: mas6@nrc.gov

Michael Kaltman, NRR

(301) 415-2905 E-mail: mxk2@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Tech Editor has reviewed and concurred on 10/21/96 DOCUMENT NAME: 96-70.IN *SEE PREVIOUS CONCURRENCES

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DATE 10/30/96 12/12/96 12/ir796 12/Tif96 IZ

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY

IN 96- December , 1996 This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed below

or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director Thomas T. Martin, Director

Division of Industrial and Division of Reactor Program Management

Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Mark A. Sitek, NMSS

(301) 415-6155 E-mail:mas6@nrc.gov

Michael Kaltman, NRR

(301) 415-2905 E-mail:mxk2@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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IN 96- December, 1996 This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If you have any

Questions about the information in this notice, please contact the technical contacts listed

below or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool, Director Thomas T. Martin, Director

Division of Industrial and Division of Reactor Program Management

Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Technical Contacts: Mark A. Sitek, NMSS

(301) 415-6155 E-mail: mas6@nrc.gov

Michael Kaltman, NRR

(301) 415-2905 E-mail: mxk2@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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IN 96- December , 1996 of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 50 licenses are requested to provide this

Reactor Regulation (NRR)

information to the appropriate Office of Nuclear contact listed below).

project manager (courtesy copy to the NRR technical

nor written response. If

This information notice requires no sp-cific action

in this notice. please contact

you have any questions about the informationappropriate regional office.

the technical contacts listed below or the

Donald A. Cool, Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Thomas T. Martin. Director

Division of Reactor Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Mark A. Sitek. NMSS Michael Kaltman. NRR

Technical Contacts: (301) 415-2905

(301) 415-6155 E-mail:mas6@nrc.gov E-mail:mxk2@nrc.gov

Attachments:

Notices

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information

G:\IMNS5550.MAS TechEd: E. Kraus 10/21/96

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IN 96- November , 1996 This information notice requires no specific action nor written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice. please contact

the technical contact listed below or the appropriate regional office.

Donald A. Cool. Director

Division of Industrial and

Medical Nuclear Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards

Thomas T. Martin. Director

Division of Reactor Program Management

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Contact: Mark A. Sitek. NMSS

(301) 415-6155 Internet:mas6@nrc.gov

Attachments:

1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices

2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

G:\IMNS5550.MAS TechEd: E. Kraus 10/21/96

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