ML20153H201

Weekly Info Rept for Wk Ending 980904

ML20153H201
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/11/1998
From:	Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:
References
SECY-98-211, SECY-98-211-R, WIR-980904, NUDOCS 9809300344
Download: ML20153H201 (26)

Text

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September 11. 1998 INFORMATION REkRh"* 'SECY 98-For: The Commissioners From: James L. Blaha. Assistant for Operations. Office of the EDO j

Subject:

WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 4. 1998-Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A Nuclear haterial Safety and Safeguards B Nuclear Regulatory Research C*

Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data D General Counsel E*

Administration F

, Chief Information Officer G Chief Financial Officer H*

e Human Resources I Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

. State Programs L*

Public Affairs M International Programs N Office of the Secretary 0 Region I P i Region II P Region III P Region IV P Executive Director for Operations 0*

Congresttonal Affairs R oj

• No input this week.

T) sly h

'ames L. B aha ssistant for Operations. OEDO

Contact:

B. McCabe. OEDO DR S

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Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Items of Interest Week Ending September 4, 1998 H_atch Power Uprate On Thursday, August 27, 1998, the Probabilistic Safety Assessment Branch (SPSB) participated in the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (Thermohydraulics Subcommittee) presentation on the Plant Hatch extended power uprate application. SPSB provided two presentations. The first one was related to how the staff intends to conduct risk-informed review of future power uprate applications. The staff proposed a method of review which would sufficiently address risk implications from power uprate as well as making an efficient use of staff and licensee resources. The Subcommittee agreed with the proposed approach and a presentation was made to the Full Committee on September 2, 1998. The second presentation was on the staff review of Hatch extended power uprate request which concluded that tne estimated risk from the proposed power uprate was low.

Westinghouse Breaker Users Group Meeting The Westinghouse Circuit Breaker Users Group. sponsored by EPRI/NMAC, met in Pittsburgh, PA. on August 24 - 28, 1998. The group attended tutorials on routine preventive maintenance, as well as overhaul of Westinghouse circuit breakers, given by engineers and technicians from Westinghouse Nuclear Service Division. The NRC staff (Paul Gill and Amar Pal of EELB, Kamal Naidu of HOMB, and DayW Skeen of PSGB) attended the tutorial on August 25 and 26,1998. The tutorial demonstrated the vendor's techniques for preventive maintenance of both the DHP (4 kV) and the DB and DS (600 V) circuit breakers. There were also demonstrations of the latest technology for performing circuit breaker timing and travel tests on DHP breakers and high speed photography of DS breaker closing and opening.

The group provided the NRC representatives with an update of its activities.

The preventive Maintenance guidance for the GE - Magne-Blast. ABB - HK and Westinghouse - DHP breakers will be issued in 1998. The different working groups under.the auspices of EPRI/NMAC are working on GE, Westinghouse, and ABB circuit breakers overhaul guidance for both medium and low-voltage breakers. These preventive maintenance and overhaul guidance documents are nuclear industry consensus documents and have vendor buy-ins.

The NRC representatives provided the group with an update of insights gained from the first three inspections of circuit breakers using Temporary Instruction (TI) 2515/137 and discussed some Westinghouse circuit breaker issues reported to the NRC during 1997 - 1998. In response to a question on the status of the generic letter on circuit breakers, the staff indicated that a generic letter may not be necessary if the industry could proactively demonstrate to the NRC that licensees have taken steps to ensure that their September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE A

0 maintenance programs are adequate for assuring reliability of circuit breakers in their plants.

Responses to Generic Letter 98-01. " Year 2000 Readiness of Comouter Systems at  !

Nuclear Power Plants" As of August 31. 1998, the staff has received the first required response from all operating nuclear power plant licensees to Generic Letter 98-01. These responses have confirmed that licensees are implementing Year 2000 (Y2K) problem programs based on the guidance i; LEI /NUSMG 97-07, " Nuclear Utility Year 2000 Readiness." The staff will be; a to conduct 12 sample audits of  !

licensee Y2K programs beginning in September 1998 and finishing in January l 1999. The information gained from these audits will be used to determine the l need for further generic action on the Y2K problem in nuclear power plants.

The staff is planning to hold a workshop in conjunction with NEI later this year to share information from the audits and licensee efforts at addressing the Y2K problem. The staff's current schecule for the Y2K program audits is as follows:

Monticello - September 1998 Watts Bar - November 1998 Seabrook - September 1998 Limerick - November 1998 Brunswick - October 1998 Waterford - December 1998 Hope Creek - October 1998 North Anna - January 1999 Davis Besse - October 1998 Craidwood - January 1999 Wolf Creek - November 1998 WNP January 1999 Public Meeting with Winston and Strawn Representing the Maintenance Rule Inspection Clearinghouse to Discuss Maintenance Rule Issues On August 27, 1998. Suzanne Black. Rich Correia and staff from the Quality Assurance. Vendor Inspection and Maintenance Branch held a public meeting in the NRC Headquarters offices at the request of Winston and Strawn representing the industry Maintenance Rule Inspection Clearinghouse (MRIC). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss maintenance rule issues related to the recently completed maintenance rule baseline inspections. Discussion topics included definition of availability quality and timeliness of periodic evaluations, maintenance rule efficacy indicators and other miscellaneous topics. The MRIC also expressed their intent to monitor implementation and results of NRC resident inspector monthly maintenance observations which are intended to be performance-based inspections. Similar public meetings were held with MRIC previously on April 23 and June 4. 1998. The meeting discussions were open and provided a public forum for NRC and stakeholders to dialogue on maintenance rule issues that support licensees' efforts to continue to implement effective maintenance rule programs.

September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE A

Meeting with NEI to Discuss the 10 CFR 50.54(a) Rulemaking Petition NRC staff members (NRR and OGC) met with representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) on August 27, 1998, to discuss the staff's concepts to resolve the NEI. petition to amend 10 CFR 50.54(a) to permit a broader range of quality assurance program changes to be made by licensees without prior staff review and approval. The staff's concept is twofold: (1) for immediate relief, a Direct Final Rule could be promulgated to identify specific and limited QA elements that licensees could change unilaterally, and (2) for the longer l term, the regulation would be amended to permit the implementation of a voluntary option to 50.54(a) which would permit a broad range of QA program )

changes. The increased flexibility provided by the optional rule would be contingent on the licensee monitoring performance to demonstrate the continued i i effectiveness of the QA program. The NEI representatives preliminarily l

expressed support for the proposal, and committed to provide additional l comments after further consideration.

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Millstone Unit 3 l

l On August 25, 1998, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) ruled that the Citizens Regulatory Commission (CRC) had standing in the CRC's request to intervene in a Millstone Unit 3 license amendment. The proposed license amendment would revise the Millstone Unit 3 licensing basis by eliminating the requirement to have the recirculation spray system (RSS) directly inject into the reactor coolant system following a design basis accident, with the exception of loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) scenarios involving a long term passive failure. The Millstone Unit 3 licensing basis would maintain the direct injection requirement as a contingency, for situations where it may be

! needed - as in the case of a LOCA with a long term passive failure or for l beyond design basis scenarios. This modification was performed in 1986, but l it was not until the licensee performed a thorough review of the licensing and i

design basis of the RSS that it recognized this change involved an unreviewed safety question and, therefore, a license amendment request.

The CRC petitioned the NRC for leave to intervene in the license amendment

proceeding and in its contentions stated that (1) the license amendment l assumes a certain proportion of the RSS coolant will supply the containment I spray ring during the LOCA design basis accident

however, since the systems i have not been tested, it has not been determined that they will be functional, that is, that the flow will be divided as postulated, and (2) a reduction by half in the RSS flow results in a major change in capacity which requires actual testing.

l A prehearing conference is being set up to discuss the contentions. OGC has requested NRR (MSPD. SRXB. and SCSB) suppe in preparations for, and during the prehearing conference.

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$' Commonwealth Edison Company

. On August 31, 1998.-the Director's Decision was signed which responded to a petition filed by the National Whistleblower Legal Defense and Education Fund.

The Petition which was filed on March 25, 1998, initially included Mr. Randy Robarge, a former health physics supervisor at Zion Station. as a Petitioner.

Mr. Robarge later withdrew from the Petition. The Petition requested that the NRC take enforcement and other actions against Comed because: (1) the licensee would not admit that the filing of Problem Identification Forms j (PIFs) by Comed employees was a protected activity and thus would " chill" the a- reporting of safety concerns; and (2) an agreement between Mr. Robarge and Comed had a restrictive provision in it that prohibited him from providing information to the NRC. Both of these issues resulted from a Department of

Labor proceeding filed by Mr. Robarge.

J A PIF is used at Comed plants to identify a range of issues some safety related and some not safety related, to management. While some PIFs could give rise to protected activity, not all fall into that category. The Director's Decision concluded that the assertion by Mr. Robarge was based on ,

statements made by Comed during the discovery phase of the DOL proceeding and '

that nothing in Comed's statements made during that proceeding suggested that Comed did not recognize that the filing of a PIF could constitute a protected activity.

The restrictive provision was contained in a document agreed to by both Mr.

Robarge and Comed as well as the Administrative Law Judge in the DOL proceeding. The provision to which Mr. Robarge referred was discussed by him, through his counsel, and Comed prior to the signing of the document; and was not brought to the attention of the ALJ at the time of signing or for reconsideration. The Director's Decision concluded that, in the past, the DOL has shown no hesitation in assuring that agreements reached by parties to proceedings before it do not contain provisions which unlawfully interfere with an individual's right to engage in protected activity. Consequently, because concerns about the provision should have been brought before the ALJ and were not done so, the NRC would not take any action.

Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WE) commenced loading fuel into a dry storage cask during the week of August 31, 1998. WE has the ventilated storage cask-24 (VSC-24) type design. This will be the first cask loading since the lifting of the Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) on the VSC-24 designer, Sierra Nuclear Company (SNC) and the VSC-24 utility owners. The SNC CAL was in response to weld crackin.g that had occurred at Arkansas Nuclear One ,

and Consumers Power during previcus dry storage cask loading evolutions. The CALs confirmed that SNC and the users of the VSC-24 determine the root cause of the cracking and to delineate actions necessary to provide reasonable l

September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE A l

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I assurance that cracking would not occur in the future. WE has completed all the actions described in the CAL which was lifted on August 13. 1998.

The NRC staff will be onsite to conduct a team inspection of the licensee's activities associated with the loading of the VSC-24 at Point Beach. The licensee plans to load a total of three VSC-24 casks by.the end of 1998 to make room in the spent fuel pool to support a full core offload of Unit 2 in December 1998 WE plans to inspect and replace baffle former bolts in the Unit 2 vessel during the outage which starts in December 1998, which will require a full core offload.

Brunswick As of August 31. 1998. both Brunswick units had returned to power operation following Hurricane Bonnie. By procedure, the units were shut down to cold shutdown conditions on August 25-26. prior to the arrival of hurricane force winds onsite. The eye of the hurricane passed directly over the plant on August 26. Only minor damage was sustained at the plant (e.g., a couple of pieces of siding were blown off two of the buildings). Most of the offsite sirens were rendered inoperable during the storm passage. Some grounds were experienced on plant DC buses. The plant did not lose offsite power. The offsite sirens were rapidly restored to operation on August 27-28. FEMA promptly completed its assessment and, on August 28. notified the NRC of its conclusion that offsite emergency preparedness capabilities are adequate.

Shortly thereafter, the licensee initiated a plant startup, beginning with Unit 2.

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September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE A 4

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Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Material Control and Accounting Inspection Workshop Conducted in Russia During the week of August 17-21, 1998, a material control and accounting i

(MC&A) inspection workshop was conducted by two Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff, and a contractor in Novosibirsk, Russia. The workshop presented to inspectors of the Russian regulatory agency Gosatomnadzor (GAN) information on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's MC&A inspection program for fuel fabrication facilities. This workshop was presented to inspectors from the Siberian region of GAN: previously conducted workshops have trained inspectors from ot. GAN regions.

Physical Protection Performance Evaluation Workshop Conducted in Kazakhstan

! During the week of August 17-21. 1998. Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff, supported by contractors, presented a Performance Evaluation Workshop to Kazakhstan regulators and facility personnel. The workshop, conducted at the request of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, provided information on the performance evaluation of physical protection systems and facility contingency response capabilities. A

demonstration of the performance evaluation techniques used by Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors was conducted at the Alatau Research Facility, which served as the workshop venue.

Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation Workshop Conducted In Russia

During the week of August 24-28, 1998. Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff, supported by contractors, presented an Operational Safeguards Response Evaluation workshop to inspectors from Russia's regulatory agency. Gosatomnadzor. This workshop provided information on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's evaluation methodology and on how these inspections are conducted. This type of inspection evaluates a facility's ability to protect against a violent external assault by adversaries intent on radiological sabotage and/or theft of nuclear material. The workshop included a visit to the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant for a general tour of the facility and security training facilities, and for discussions of site-specific security issues.

Trilateral Initiative Meeting at the Savannah River Site During the week of August 24-28. 1998, a Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards staff member participated as a member of the U.S. team in a Trilateral Initiative meeting between representatives of the U.S., Russia, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Savannah River Site.

South Carolina. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange views on technical September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE B l

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! issues related to means for IAEA verification of weapons-origin fissile

, material removed from nuclear weapons programs. Discussions took place with

respect to facility-specific verification arrangements for the storage of

plutonium. The U.S. and IAEA representatives provisionally agreed on a list of action items for further development of verification arrangements.

l Licensing of the Slick Rock Uranium Mill Tailings Disposal Site for Long-Term

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On August 31, 1998, the Division of Waste Management placed the Slick Rock.  !

l Colorado, uranium mill tailings disposal site, located at Burro Canyon, 1

Colorado, under general license, consistent with the pi m sions of 10 CFR 40.27. The Slick Rock disposal site was reclaimed by the Department of

, Energy (DOE) under Title I of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act

of 1978 (UMTRCA). The Slick Rock site will be the fifteenth of nineten. i i disposal sites scheduled to be completed by DOE and licensed by the Nuclear l

Regulatory Commission (NRC) under UMTRCA. At this time, three disposal sites.

I Ambrosia Lake New Mexico, and Naturita and Maybell. Colorado, remain to be 3

licensed by NRC following completion and submittal by DOE of the appropriate documentation. When these three sites are licensed by NRC. DOE will have 4

completed the surface cleanup and reclamation phase of the uranium mill i tailings remedial action project. The nineteenth site, at Grand Junction.

{ Colorado, is not scheduled for completion until 2023. since it will remain

open to accept additional contaminated materials found at vicinity properties.

Dam Safety Program Inspection On August 25-26, 1998. Division of Waste Management staff inspected the i

uranium mill tailings dams at Pathfinder Mines Corporation's Shirley Basin and

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i Lucky Mc Gas Hills sites in Wyoming. The dam inspections were conducted as t part of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) responsibilities under its Dam Safety Program, which implement the Federal guidelines for dam safety.

The inspections were the second and third of six scheduled for completion this fiscal year. The 1998 inspection cycle marks the beginning of the second round of surveying dams which fall under NRC's purview. NRC performs its required dam inspections with contract assistance and engineering personnel from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Shirley Basin and Lucky Mc dams were constructed in 1977 and 1981. respectively, and provided storage for liquid and solid wastes from the processing of uranium ore. The Shirley Basin

1. 5 Dam is 65 feet high, and the Lucky Mc #4 structure is 81 feet high. The tailings retained by both structures were found to be well into reclamation, with nearly all surface liquids evaporated. Both dams may be recommended for removal from the dam safety inspection program, because they no longer retain significant free liquids. ,

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9 Meetings with the Department of Energy Uranium Mill Tailings Project Offices On August 25-26, 1998. Division of Waste Management staff met in Grand Junction. Colorado, with representatives of the Albuquerque New Mexico, and Grand Junction, Colorado. Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Offices. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss progress toward completion of the surface clean-up phase of the UMTRA project, and schedules and priorities for the groundwater clean-up phase.

Staff also attended the closing ceremonies for the surface remediation phase of the UMTRA project. Although DOE will not submit completion reports for the Naturita and Maybell. Colorado, sites and various vicinity properties until a later date, the surface remediation phase of the UMIRA Project is formally scheduled to close on September 3('.1998. Speakers for the closing ceremonies, which were attended by representatives from DOE staff and its contractors, the State of Colorado, the Congress, affected Indian Tribes, and various local and county representatives, included James Owendoff. Acting Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management for DOE; Congressional Representative Scott McInnis from Colorado; and State Senator Tillman Bishop of Colorado. After completion of surface remediation. DOE will continue work related to the clean-up of groundwater at the Title I sites until the Nuclear Regulatory Commission concurs that the groundwater meets the applicable Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Public Meetings on the Regulatory Framework for the Uranium Recovery Program During the week of August 24. 1998. Division of Waste Management staff held public meetings in Austin, Texas; Albuquerque. Nea Mexico: Casper. Wyoming; and Denver. Colorado, to discuss improving the regulatory framework used to license and regulate uranium and thorium extraction facilities, mill tai? ings, and associated activities. The staff has been considering what should bo done to improve the framework. Options under consideration include: (1) rev sed guidance: (2) rulemaking; and (3) no action. In addition, the staff is reviewing a White Paper received from the National Mining Association (NMA).

setting forth NMA's views and recommendations on four uranium recovery issues.

The staff was seeking public input on these activities early in its process.

Industry representatives presented their views at all four meetings and generally supported the positions in the NMA White Paper. There was limit" participation by other governmental entities (States and other agencies).

Participation by other interest groups and the public was sparse. All the meetings were transcribed and copies of the transcripts will be available.

Texas Compact Bill Approved By Senate On September 2. 1998, the U.S. Senate approved the Texas Low-level Waste (LLW)

Compact conference report. Texas has been developing a LLW disposal facility near Sierra Blanca in west Texas. The bill, previously approved by the House.

is expected to be sent to the President for signature early next week. The bill approved by the House and the Senate does not contain two amendments that September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE B

. l were opposed by site supporters. One would have prohibited out-of-region waste from disposal at the facility. From previously-approved compact law, the compact commissions have the authority to determine whether out-of-region waste is acceptable for disposal at the regicnal facility. The other amendment to the Texas Compact bill would have provided the right to sue the  !

compact commission for alleged environmental justice violations.

On July 7. 1998, administrative law judges for the adjudicatory hearing in Texas recommended that the license for the proposed facility be denied. Their recommendation was made to the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (TNRCC), which implements the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Agreement State program for LLW disposal facility licensing in the state. The judges found two areas deficient--the characterization of seismic faulting beneath the site, and the potential for negative socioeconomic impacts from the proposed facility. The TNRCC is considering the recommendation and is expected to make a decision on it later this year.

Participation in the Role of Industry Public Stakeholders Meeting On September 1, 1998, the Senior Level Advisor for Health Physics, from the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, attended and participated in a panel discussion with representatives of the codes and standards industry. Agreement States, public citizen's groups, and other Nuclear Regulatory Commission (WRC) Offices, at an NRC-sponsored workshop in Chicago, Illinois, on Direction Setting Initiative 13. "The Role of Industry and Industry Initiatives." The public workshop held three major breakout sessions: (1) codes and standards development. endorsement and use: (2) industry initiatives as substitutes for regulatory action: and (3) reporting requirements for nuclear power plants and regulatory effectiveness. Dr. l Belinda Collins. Director, Office of Standards Services, National Institute of .

Standards and Technology, outlined the two recent Federal actions that affect l NRC staff participation in the development and use of consensus standards:

Public Law 104-113. " National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of  ;

1995:~ and the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119. " Federal l Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities." The workshop was well attended and staff anticipates that the public transcript will be invaluable for developing the Commission Paper on this subject.

Inspection of VSC-24 Spent Fuel Storage Casks at Palisades Power Plant On August 24-28. 1998. Spent Fuel Project Office staff performed a safety team inspection at Palisades Power Plant in Covert. Michigan. The inspection team focused on: (1) ultrasonic examination (UT) activities on loaded VSC-24 casks; and (2) dry spent fuel storage activities since the previous inspection. The data collection phase of the UT performed on the first of thirteen casks was begun by the utility on August 26, 1998, and completed on August 27, 1998. The data analysis phase of the UT on the first cask was September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE B

begun on August 28. 1998, and was still in progress as of September 1. 1998.

An interim exit meeting was held by teleconference on September 1, 1998.

between representatives of Palisades and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to present the inspection team's observations. The observations were of minor safety significance. Upon completion of the thirteen cask examinations, an exit meeting will be scheduled. The exit meeting will be open to public observation.

Meeting with Transnuclear on the TN-68 Dry Cask Storage Design On September 1.1998 members of the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFP0) staff and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory met with Transnuclear (TN) to discuss the on-going review of the TN-68 dry storage cask application. SFP0's expectations and approach to licensing reviews were conveyed to TN. TN also presented their approach to addressing several issues in the staff's request for additional information on the TN-68 cask design. The TN-68 is planned for use at Peach Bottom. and PECO Energy representatives were present at the meeting.

I September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE B

j Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data Items of Interest Week Ending September 4, 1998 ,

Public ' Meeting to Discuss Improveinents in the Regulatory Framework A pubiic meeting was held on September 1, 1998, in Rosemont. Illinois, to discuss improvements in the regulatory framework (Breakout Session 3 at the Public Stakeholder Meeting [DSI 13]). Session 3 presentations involved two separate but related topics.

The first topic concerned the advance notice of proposed rulemaking for reactor. reporting requirements, which was published on July 23, 1998.

Attendees were generally supportive of the objectives of the proposed approach. Many'of the comments repeated or supported comments received at a previous public meeting on August 21, 1998, at NRC headquarters.

The second topic' concerned transformation to a risk-informed framework and regulatory effectiveness. Many of the comments received repeat or reinforce issues that the NRC has already begun to address in response to the Commission's meeting with stakeholders on July 17, 1998, and the Senate Subcommittee hearing on July 30, 1998. AE0D will revies the September-1, 1998, meeting transcript in detail to identify regulatory effectiveness issues.

P_RELIMINARY NOTIFICATIONS

1. PNO-II-98-037A, Duke Power Co. (Catawba 1). SHUTDOWN IN EXCESS OF 72 HOURS

2. PNO-I-98-042. United Testing of PA, Inc. , LOSS OF CONTROL OF LICENSfD MATERIAL

3. PNO-I-98-043. Consolidated Edison Co. of NY, PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF REACTOR STARTUP September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE D

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Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 l

Garage Repair Project l

The.0WFN Garage Repair Project is proceeding on schedule. The current phase l will be completed on September 20. 1998.- The next phase, which begins l- , September 21, 1998, will require the OWFN garage entrance to be closed for two I weeks in the beginning of the phase. During this period, all traffic will be re-routed to enter and exit through the TWFN garage. Information on the above will be provided to employees via a Network Bulletin prior to the start of the j next phase. ,

l Acquisition Training L

On September 3. 1998, the Division of Contracts and Property Management

conducted its Acquisition for Project Managers module. " Contract l Administration.' The module focused on monitoring contrcctor performance. .

spending controls, modifying contracts and agreements and remedying

, contractual problems. Each participant received a course manual that will t'

serve as a reference tool for Project. Managers in perforcing their day-to-day responsibilities. .

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Chief Information Officer Items of Interest Week Ending September 4, 1998 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests received during the 5-Day Period of August 28, 1998 - September 03. 1998:

Named individuals current Bar Association memberships and affiliations.

F0IA/PA request 98-305 incoming. (F0IA/PA-98-331)

Calvert Cliffs, 20 year extension license renewal request dated 4/8/98.

FOIA/PA request 98-307 incoming. (FOIA/PA-98-332)

Spent nuclear fuel dry cask storage. FOIA/PA request 98-303 incoming.

(F01A/PA-98-333)

TMI-1, 5/23/97 memo from Ledyard Marsh to Patrick Milano re design inspection 96-201. (F01A/PA-98-334)

SECY Paper 98-143, " Litigation Report 1998 - 2" in electronic format.

(F0IA/PA-98-335)

Plum Brook Reactor, Sandusky, OH, Dismantling Plan References 1-6.

(F0IA/PA-98-336)

Breitling Watch Co., Stamford, CT, all records. (FOIA/PA-98-337)

Self, military records. (F01A/PA-98-338)

MLTS database. (F01A/PA-98-339)

Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, license no. C-240 and. SMB-305.

(FOIA/PA-98-340)

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, OH, and/or affiliated entities, license no.

34-00508-06, all related records. (F0!A/PA-98-341)

September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE G J

Office of Human Resources Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Arrivals

• SMITH David Senior Program Analyst NRR Retirements CARTER. Bella Human Resources Specialist HR ONG. Long MC&A Physical Scientist NMSS Departures CHAPUT. Peter Student Trainee (General Engineer) 4 MSS TRIBBLE. April Student Trainee (General Engineer) WMSS WONG. Howard Branch Chief RIV

• Returning from IAEA l

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Office of Public Affairs Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Media Interest Tim Martin. Director. AE00, was interviewed about potassium iodide by a radio show, "The Environment." broadcast on National Public Radio.

The Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday magazine is preparing a story on Yucca Mountain.

Reader's Digest is researching an article on the Davis-Besse tornado event.

Correction - The State (S.C.) newspaper was not planning an article on Chem- i Nuclear's refusal to take Class C waste. as originally reported in this space. -

The article was to be about its refusal to take Greater than Class C Waste.

Press Releases Headquarters: >

98-154 26" Annual Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting to be Held October 26-28 in Bethesda. Md.98-155 NRC Amends Decommissioning Funding Rule for Nuclear Power Plants98-156 NRC Schedules Meeting in Moab. Utah 98-157 NRC Schedules Meeting September 17 in 8 landing. Utah 98-158 NRC Issues Final Design Approval for Westinghouse AP600 Standard Nuclear Reactor Regions:

1-98-101 NRC Assesses Performance of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant: Overall Rating is ' Good ' With Decline Noted in Plant Support-I-98-102 NRC Terminates License of Schott Glass Technologies I-98-103 NRC Proposes $55.000 Civil Penalty Against BGE Company for Radiological Controls Violations at Calvert Cliffs Plant September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE M

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Office of In'ernational Programs Iterm of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 IAEA General Conference Resolution 0IP hSs taken the lead in drafting a resolution for this year's IAEA General Conference, which we hope will be co-sponsored with the Russian government. on the Year 2000 or " Millennium Bug" problem. The resolution notes that "many Member States are faced with the prospect of problems with digital systems in their civilian nuclear power plants, fuel cycle and/or medical facilities which use radioactive materials as a result of the Year 2000 problem." and l that the General Conference is " concerned with the prospect that many Member States may not be aware of actions being taken elsewhere to diagnose and

) remediate problems associated with the Year 2000 problem in nuclear power plants fuel cycle and medical facilities which use radioactive materials" and

" urges Member States to share information with the Secretariat regarding diagnostic and corrective actions being planned or implemented by operating and regulatory organizations at their nuclear power plants, fuel cycle and/or medical facilities which use radioactive materials to make those facilities Year 2000 ready." The resolution is currently out for interagency clearance, at which time we will seek support from the Russian Mission in Vienna.

Visitor from Mexico On September 3. 1998. Mr.Efrain DEL ANGEL Ramirez. Deputy Director for Cooperation. Directorate for Science and Relations. Secretariat of Foreign Relations in Mexico visited NRC to discuss bilateral cooperative programs in science and Technology. He met with RES where Dr. E. Vincent Holahan described ongoing NRC participation in cooperative international health  !

effects research projects involving atomic bomb survivors at Hiroshima and i Nagasaki. occupational workers at the Mayak Production Association in Russia and thyroid and leukemia epidemiological studies in Ukraine and Belarus in order to reduce the uncertainty of radiation risk assessment for human exposure to ionizing radiation. Dr. Robert A. Meck, RERS. presented a summary of technical work on " clearance" of materials and equipment (See SECY-98-028 and June 30, 1998. SRM providing direction). training for measurement of decommissioned lands and structures (MARSSIM), and the program to prevent

" orphan sources" from entering general commerce. These items appeared to be of mutual interest and of low cost. Mr. Carlton R. Stoiber. Director. OIP.

reviewed our bilateral relations with the Commission National de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias. He also suggest that areas of cooperation that could be explored would be nuclear safety radiological protection, and tracking and I controlling radiation sources. He emphasized any additional cooperation must be of mutual benefit and low cost.

l It was pointed out to Mr. Del Angel that in March 1997 Chairman Jackson l visited the National Institute for Nuclear Research. She suggested at that September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE N r

time that ININ advise us of areas of possible future cooperation. This was later followed up by a letter in April 1997; however. ININ has not responded.

Mr. Del Angel said he would follow up with ININ and the Mexican Department of Energy.

OIP Staff will Attend Export Controls Program Review. U.S. Department 0F Energy On Wednesday. September 16. 1998. OIP will attend the annual export controls Program Review by the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Transfer and Supplier Policy Division (NTSP). Discussions will focus on strategic direction for FY99. Briefings will be provided on each of NTSP's major areas of activity including: the Russia /NIS/ Second Line of Defense Cooperative Program on Smuggling Detection. Multilateral Affairs. Technology Security and Export Licensing.

Meeying of U.S./ Canada Radiological Emergency Prepared Working Group On September 8. OIP will meet Health Canada. Emergency Preparedness Canada and a number of other U.S. Government agencies at the Environmental Protection Agency to discuss Protective Action Guides the status of the CANATEX-3 Exercise that is to take place next year, and the consequences of a possible severe accident at FERMI 2.

I l

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i September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE N f

Office of the Secretary Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Documents Released Date Subject  !'

to Public Decision Documents

1. SECY-98-176 7/21/98 Proposed Options for Assessing a Licensee's Safety Conscious Work Environment SRM on 98-176 9/1/98 (same)

Commission Voting 9/1/98 (same)

Record on 98-176

2. SECY-98-164 7/2/98 Final Rule on Financial Assurance Requirements for Decommissioning Nuclear Power Reactors SRM on 98-164 9/2/98 (same)

Commission Voting 9/2/98 (same)

Record on 98-164

3. COMSECY-98-025 8/28/98 Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER) and Final Design Approval (FDA) for the AP600 SRM on 98-025 9/3/98 (same)

Chairman Jackson's 9/1/98 (same) vote on 98-025 Commissioner Diaz' 9/3/98 (same) vote on 98-025 Commissioner 9/2/98 (same)

McGaffigan's vote on 98-025

4. SRM on SECY-98-158 9/4/98 Rulemaking Plan for Implementation of Revised Source Term at Operating Reactors Commissicn Voting 9/4/98 (same)

Record on 98-158 September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE O

5. SRM on SECY-98-165 9/3/98 Proposed Revision to 10 CFR 50.65(a)(3) to Require Licensees to Perform Safety Assessments Commission Voting 9/3/98 (same)

Record on 98-165

6. SECY-98-175 7/17/98 Proposed Guidelines for Appendix C.

"Other Events of Interest," to the Abnormal Occurrence Report to Congress SRM on 98-175 9/4/98 (same)

Commission Voting 9/4/98 (same)

Record on 98-175

7. SECY-98-188 8/3/98 A Proposed Simplification of the Rulemaking Process for Certificate of Compliance Rulemakings SRM on 98-188 9/3/98 (same)

Commission Voting 9/3/98 A Proposed Simplification of the Record on 98-188 Rulemaking Process for Certificate of Compliance Rulemakings

8. SECY-98-197 8/14/98 Proposed Rule - Revision to Part 2 Establishing Subpart M to Govern Requests for License Transfer Approval and Associated Requests for Hearings SRM on 98-197 9/4/98 (same)

Commission Voting 9/4/98 (same)

Record on 98-197 Negative Consent Documents

1. SECY-98-195 8/13/98 Removal of the Cabot Boyertown Site from the Site Decommissioning Management Plan SRM on 98-195 9/1/98 (same)

2. SECY-98-196 8/13/98 Removal of Clevite Corporation Site from the Site Decommissioning Management Plan SRM on 98-196 9/1/98 (same)

Information Papers '

September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE 0

4

1. SECY-98-200 8/20/98 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending August 14. 1998 Memoranda

2. M980806 9/3/98 Staff Requirements - Research -- A Look Into the Future. Thursday.

August 6. 1998 and SECY-98-076 -

, Core Research Capabilities Commission Correspondence Released to the Public

1. Letter to Ohio Governor George V. Voinovich, dated August 21. 1998.

concerns an agreement between the NRC and the State of Ohio (inconing of June 22, 1998 also released).

2. Letter to New Jersey Governor Todd Whitman, dated August 24, 1998.

concerns generally licensed devices containing radioactive material (incoming of July 28, 1998 also released).

3. Letter to Dr. Mohammad Ridwan. Indonesian Nuclear Energy Control Board, dated August 25, 1998, concerns the establishment of the Indonesian Nuclear Energy Control Board (incoming of August 3. 1998 also released).

4. Letter to Dr. Young Sik Chang. Korea Electric Power Corporation dated August 27. 1998, wishes continued success in his new position (incoming of July 20. 1998 also released).

Federal Register Notices Issued

1. 10 CFR Part 60: Clarification of the Assessment Requirements for the Siting Criteria and Performance Objectives: Proposed Rule: Withdrawal.

2. Commonwealth Edison Company (Zion Nuclear Power Station): Docket Nos.

50-295/304-LA-2: Establishment of Atomic Safety and~ Licensing Board (Moore /Kline/Shon).

3. Notice of meeting of the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste to be held on October 20-22. 1998.

4. Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment, to be held on September 24, 1998.

September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE O

Region I Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Schott Glass Technologies - Termination of NRC license and Removal from the 5DMP On September 2. 1998. Region I staff, at the request of the licensee, terminated the source material license for Schott Glass Technologies (Schott) of Duryea, Pennsylvania. The Schott facility manufactured glass containing natural thorium with concentrations up to a few percent. The Schott facility was listed on the Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) due to the presence of the thorium glass scrap in a landfill on the site. Following review of final licensee surveys and based on NRC confirmatory measurements, staff determined that the facility met the criteria in the SDMP Action Plan for release for unrestricted use. In addition to terminating the license. the site has also been removed from the SDMP.

September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE P

O Region II Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 Duke Energy Systems. Inc.

On Septembei 1-2, 1998, the Regional State Liaison Officer participated in the Annual Government Training program sponsored by the Duke Energy Systems. Inc.

Officials from the States of North Carolina.. South Carolina, and the local governments within the Ten-Mile EPZ of a Duke nuclear facility were in attendance. A representative of FEMA IV also participated in these proceedings.

Hurricane Earl Hurricane Earl passed near the Farley site on September 3 with wind gusts to approximately 50 mph. The site was not affected by the storm. The licensee had completed severe weather preparations prior to the storm's arrival. i Downed trees and power lines did temporarily delay personnel access to the  :

site.

I Subsequent to the storm's passing, the applicable local County Emergency Management Agencies in the States of Alabama and Georgia certified to the l Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Region IV, that all of the primary evacuation routes in the Farley ten-mile EPZ were clear of debris and water, and were passible. FEMA had no outstanding concerns as related to the offsite emergency preparedness for the Farley Nuclear Station.

Briefing of Commissioner Diaz on Ice-Condenser On September 1,1998, managers aid staff in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. Region III. and Region II briefed Commissioner Diaz on the status of NRC follow up for ice-condenser problems at nuclear power plants. The ,

discussion included problems found at the D.C. Cook plant in Region III and Region II inspections to determine whether similar issues exist at Region II sites. The discussion also included the strengths and challenges identified from the NRC inspections during outages at the Catawba and McGuire sites.

Briefing af the ACRS On September 3.1998, the Chief of the Engineering Branch in Region II briefed the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards. The subject was a May,7. 1998 Condensate / Auxiliary Feedwater (AFW) event that occurred at the Catawba nuclear power plant. The discussion included the licensee's actions in response to the event. NRC follow up, including the formation of an Augmented Inspection Team (AIT), and findings of the AIT.

! -September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE P

,n- ---n,

4 Region III Items of Interest Week Ending September 4, 1998 Management Meeting with Centerior Service Company - Perry On September 1, 1998, two management meetings were conducted in the NRC Region III Office, Lisle, Illinois, between management representatives from Centerior Service Company and members of the NRC staff. The first meeting discussion focused on the upcoming plans for the Perry Nuclear Power Station's Refueling Outage 7. The second meeting discussed potential changes to the Perry plant's Emergency Plan. Centerior Service Company also introduced new Emergency Planning oversight personnel to the NRC staff. NRC Region III Acting Regional Administrator James Caldwell participated in the first meeting.

l September 4, 1998 ENCLOSURE P

l<

1 Region IV 1

Items of Interest j Week Ending September'4. 1998 i

Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS) Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) Meeting On September 3. NRC Region IV managers met with managers from the Nebraska Public Power. District (NPPD) to discuss the results of the recent SALP for CNS. The discussion was held during a public meeting at CNS in Brownville.

Nebraska. The NRC Region IV Regional Administrator, the Deputy Director.

Division of Reactor Projects, and other NRC Region IV and NRR staff discussed the assessment with the NPPD President and Chief Executive Officer, members of the NPPD Board of Directors, the Senior Vice President of Energy Supply, the +

Vice President of Nuclear Energy Supply, and other members of the CNS staff.

After the meeting, the agency managers met with members of the press. and representatives from state and local government authorities were in attendance.

September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE P

Office of Congressional Affairs Items of Interest Week Ending September 4. 1998 .

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE. NO. 27

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_. weds Gerke 09/09/98 10:00 HUD & HHS IG's. Inspectors General Act of Senators Thompson /Glenn 342 DSOB OMB 1978 3overnmental Affairs The House is in recess until September 9.

September 4. 1998 ENCLOSURE R

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