Information Notice 1999-20, Contingency Planning for the Year 2000 Computer Problem
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
June 25, 1999 NRC INFORMATION NOTICE 99-20:
CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR THE YEAR 2000
COMPUTER PROBLEM
Addressees
All material and fuel cycle licensees and certificate holders.
Purpose
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to
encourage addresses to develop Year 2000 (Y2K) contingency plans. It is expected that
recipients will review this information for applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as
appropriate, to avoid potential problems. However, suggestions contained in this IN are not
NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action nor written response is required.
Description of Circumstances
On June 14, 1999, NRC issued IN 99-18, "Update on NRC's Year 2000 Activities for Materials
Licensees and Fuel Cycle Licensees and Certificate Holders," to licensees and certificate
holders to update addressees regarding NRC's Y2K activities and provide sources of Y2K
information. IN 99-18 provided a detailed description of the Y2K problem and addressees
should refer to it for a listing of available information sources concerning Y2K issues.
The Y2K problem pertains to the potential inability of computers to correctly recognize dates
beyond December 31, 1999. This problem results from computer hardware and/or software that
uses two-digit fields to represent the year. These systems may misread the year 2000 and
cause the systems to fail, generate faulty data, or act in an incorrect manner. The Y2K problem
has the potential to interfere with the proper operation of any computer system, hardware that is
microprocessor-based (embedded software), software, or database.
The Y2K problem is urgent because it has a fixed, non-negotiable deadline that is quickly
approaching. This matter requires priority attention because of the limited time remaining to
assess the magnitude of the problem, assess its associated risks, and implement programs that
will achieve a satisfactory resolution of the Y2K problem.
Existing reporting requirements under 10 CFR Part 21 provide for notification to NRC of
deficiencies, non-conformances, and failures, such as the Y2K problem, in safety-related
systems.
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June 25, 1999 NRC has placed a Y2K website on its homepage. The website can.,ts information on NRC
Y2K activities, Y2K information notices, and links to other webpages useful for helping licensees
implement their Y2K readiness program. The NRC Y2K website address is
<httD://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NEWS/vear2000.html>.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published IAEA-TECDOC-1087, "Potential
Vulnerabilities of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities to the Year 2000 Issue and Measures to Address
Them." This document provides helpful information for fuel cycle facilities and can be found at
the IAEA Y2K website at <http:/Aww.iaea.or.atlworidatom/orlocram/v2k>.
Discussion:
NRC staff has several concerns associated with the potential impact of the Y2K problem on
materials licensees, primarily because of the variety and types of computer systems and
software in use. Licensees need to be aware of Y2K effects on health and safety, as well as
regulatory requirements such as record-keeping. Although licensees are working to remediate
the Y2K problem, they should be developing Y2K contingency plans. In an effort to encourage
and help licensees develop Y2K contingency plans, we are providing answers to the following
frequently asked questions:
Q: What is a Y2K contingency plan?
A: Y2K contingency plan is a set of procedures to deal with difficulties that might be caused
directly or indirectly by a Y2K problem, or difficulties in which the severity of the problem is
exacerbated by a Y2K problem. Brand new contingency plans do not have to developed for
Y2K. Existing emergency procedures or disaster recovery plans can be adjusted for Y2K.
Q: Why should I worry about Y2K contingency planning?
A: Contingency planning is important for continued protection of workers, the public, and the
environment, as well as to maintain business continuity. Even licensees that have remediated
their systems for Y2K should consider developing Y2K contingency plans. The most extensive
Y2K remediation program may not have found all Y2K problems. Y2K contingency plans will
allow licensees to cope with internal Y2K problems as well as Y2K problems of business
partners and external influences such as electric power, telecommunications, or water.
Q: What do I need to consider?
A: Y2K could affect licensees' internal systems such as hardware, software, embedded
systems, and networks. Y2K could also affect external systems including electric power, telecommunications, and suppliers (national and international). Y2K contingency plans should
consider internal risks, external risks, and possible interaction between the two.
Q: What is involved in Y2K contingency planning?
A: There are four basic phases in contingency planning: initiation, impact analysis, contingency
planning, and testing.
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June 25, 1999 In the initiation phase, licensees should develop a master schedule, for development of the plan, and include milestones to keep contingency planning on track. Existig disaster recovery plans
or emergency procedures should be reviewed for applicability to inMtenal and external Y2K risks.
In the impact analysis phase, the Y2K internal and external risks and the effect of these risks on
mission-critical and safety systems should be identified. Also, licensees should assess the
potential impact of mission-critical and safety system failures on workers, the public, the
environment, and business continuity.
In the contingency planning phase, the contingency plan is developed and documented. As part
of this phase, the licensee determines how and when the plan will be implemented. Finally, individuals who will implement the contingency plan and fix Y2K problems as they occur should
be identified.
In the testing phase, the team ensures that the contingency plan will provide adequate
protection to workers, the public, and the environment, as well as ensure business continuity.
Tests of the contingency plan are developed and conducted. Finally, disaster recovery plans
and procedures should be updated to include the Y2K contingency plan
Q. Where can I receive help?
A. The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has published a contingency planning guide,
"Year 2000 Computing Crisis: Business Continuity and Contingency Planning," dated
August 1998. The guide describes four phases of Y2K business contingency planning structure:
initiation, business impact analysis, contingency planning, and testing. The guide can be found
on the Internet at <http:/1www.aao.gov/v2kr.htm>.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, has developed a
contingency planning document, "Patient-Focused Y2K Contingency Planning Guidebook.' The
guidebook can be found on the Internet at<htto:/vwww.va.aov>.
In an effort to provide the public with Y2K information, the President's Council on Year 2000
Conversion website has information regarding Y2K and the Federal Government's efforts to
prepare its computer systems, links to information on Y2K compliance for critical sectors of the
economy, and other Y2K resources. In addition, the Council has established a Y2K consumer
information line at 1-888-USA-4-Y2K which provides free Y2K information. The information at
this website or through the information line may useful in determining external Y2K risks and
developing contingency plans.
June 25, 1999 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
Division of Industrial and Medical
Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Contacts: Gary Purdy, NMSS
301-415-7897 E-mail: gwpl@nrc.gov
Harry Felsher, NMSS
301-415-5521 E-mail: hdf@nrc.gov
Attachments:
1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices
2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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Attachment 1
June 25, 1999 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NMSS INFORMATION NOTICES
Information
Date of
Notice No.
Subject
Issuance
Issued to
99-18 Update on NRC's Year 2000
6/14/99
All material and fuel cycle
Activities for Materials Licensees
and Fuel Cycle Licensees and
Certificate Holders
licensees and certificate
holders
99-16
99-11
99-09
99-06
99-05
99-04
99-03
99-02 Federal Bureau of Investigation's
5/28
Nuclear Site Security Program
Incident Involving the Use of
4/16/99 Radioactive Iodine-131 Problems Encountered When
3/24/99
Manually Editing treatment Data
on the Nucletron Microselectron- HDR (New) Model 105-999
1998 Enforcement Sanctions as
3/19/99 a Result of Deliberate Violations
of NRC Employee Protection
Requirements
Inadvertent Discharge of Carbon
3/8/99
Dioxide Fire Protection System
and Gas Migration
Unplanned Radiation Exposures
3/8/99 to Radiographers, Resulting from
failures to follow Proper Radiation
Safety Procedures
Exothermic Reactions Involving
1/29/99
Dried Uranium Oxide Powder
(Yellowcake)
Guidance to Users on the
1/21/99
Implementation of a New
Single-Source Dose-
Calculation Formalism and Revised
Air-Kerma Strength Standard
for lodine-1 25 Sealed Sources
All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission fuel cycle, power
reactor, and non-power reactor
licensees
All medical use licensees
All medical licensees authorized
to conduct high-dose-rate (HDR)
remote after loading
brachytherapy treatments
All U. S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission licensees.
All holders of licenses for nuclear
power, research, and test reactor, and fuel cycle facilities
All radiography licensees
All operating uranium recovery
facilities that produce oxide
powder (U308) (yellowcake)
All medical licensees authorized to
conduct brachytherapy
treatments
-
/
Attachment 2
June 25, 1999
Page 1 of I
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
Information
Date of
Notice No.
Subject
Issuance
Issued to
99-19 Rupture of the Shell Side of a
6/23/99
All holders of operating licenses
Feedwater Heater at the Point
Beach Nuclear Plant
or construction permits for nuclear
power reactors
99-18
99-17
99-16
99-15
99-14
99-13 Update on NRC's Year 2000
Activities for Materials Licensees
and Fuel Cycle Licensees and
Certificate Holders
6/14/99 Problems Associated with Post-Fire 6/3/99 Safe-Shutdown Circuit Analyses
Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Nuclear Site Security Program
Misapplication of 10 CFR Part 71
Transportation Shipping Cask
Licensing Basis to 10 CFR Part 50
Design Basis
Unanticipated Reactor Water
Draindown at Quad Cities Unit 2,
Arkansas Nuclear One Unit 2
and Fitzpatrick
Insights from NRR Inspections
of Low-and Medium-Voltage
Circuit Breaker Maintenance
Programs
5/28
5/27/99
5/5/99
4/29/99
All material and fuel cycle
licensees and certificate holders
All holders of OL for nuclear
power reactors, except those who
have permanently ceased
operations and have certified that
the fuel has been permanently
removed from the reactor
All U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission fuel cycle, power
reactor, and non-power reactor
licensees
All holders of operating licenses or
construction permits for nuclear
power reactors
All holders of licenses for nuclear
power, test, and research reactors
All holders of operating licenses
for nuclear power reactors
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
'
99-20
June 25, 1999 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.
/5/
Donald A. Cool, Director
Division of Industrial and Medical
Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Contacts: Gary Purdy, NMSS
301-415-7897 E-mail: gwpl@nrc.gov
Harry Felsher, NMSS
301-415-5521 E-mail: hdf~nrc.gov
Attachments:
1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices
2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
- See previous concurrence
Document: G:\\Purdy\\y2kcinin.wpd
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DATE
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5/7/99
6/17/99
6/21/99
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
Q. Where can I receive help?
A. The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has published a contingency planning guide, uYear 2000 Computing Crisis: Business Continuity and Contingen cy Planning,' dated August
1998. The guide describes four phases of Y2K business contingency planning structure:
initiation, business impact analysis, contingency planning, and testing. The guide can be found
on the Internet at <http:/h/ww.gao.gov/y2kr.htm>.
/
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, has developed a
contingency planning document, "Patient-Focused Y2K Contingency Planning Guidebook? The
guidebook can be found on the Internet at <http:/hwww.va.gov>.
/
In an effort to provide the public with Y2K information, the President's Council onzy/ar 2000
Conversion website has information regarding Y2K and the Federal Governmeprit's efforts to
prepare its computer systems, links to information on Y2K compliance for critical sectors of the
economy, and other Y2K resources. In addition, the Council has establish<d a Y2K consumer
information line at 1-888-USA-4-Y2K which provides free Y2K informatip*. The information at
this website or through the information line may useful in determinin .xtemal Y2K risks and
developing contingency plans.
This information notice requires no specific action nor w
en response. If you have any
questions about the information in this notice, please ontact the technical contacts listed below, or the appropriate regional office.
nald A. Cool, Director
Division of Industrial and Medical
Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Contacts:
Gary Purd yNMSS
(301) 415-7897 E-maWu/gwpl @nrc.gov
JMIarry Felsher, NMSS
"(301) 415-5521 E-mail: hdf@nrc.gov
Attach
nts:
1. L' of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices
2 ist of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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6/14 /99 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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