ML20195J316

Weekly Info Rept for Wk Ending 990521

ML20195J316
Person / Time
Issue date:	05/27/1999
From:	Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:
References
SECY-99-144, SECY-99-144-R, WIR-990521, NUDOCS 9906180169
Download: ML20195J316 (24)

Text

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May 27.1999 SECY 99-144 l

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l Eor: The Commissioners From: James L. Blaha, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO Sublect: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING MAY 21,1999 l Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B Nuclear Regulatory Research C incident Response Operations D General Counsel E*

Administration F Chief Information Officer G Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources l Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State Program L*

Public Affal:s M International Programs N Office of the Secretary O Region l P Region ll P Q

Region 111 P l Region IV P Executive Director for Operations Q*

l Congressional Affairs R ff

• No input this week.

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,enp.- James L. Blaha

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Assistant for Operations, OEDO

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M. Tschiltz, OEDO

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COMMS NRCC i WEEKLYINFOREPT PDR

f-Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation l items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 )

Risk-Informed Technical Specification Task Force Activities On May 14,1999, the staff met with the industry's recently formed Risk-Informed Technical Specification Task Force (RITSTF) at NRC Headquarters. This meeting was the latest in a ,

series of meetings with industry on the subject of the creation of a fully risk-informed set of I l standard technical specifications (RI-STS). These meetings were held as a follow-up to the Licensing Mana0ers' Workshop held in July 1998. The issue of the creation of a Rl-STS was

! one of the issues that the NRC staff committed to pursue further with industry at that workshop. l

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The RITSTF consists of representatives from the four Nuclear Steam Supply System Owners Groups, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Electric Power Research Institute, and industry contractors. The RITSTF has identified seven risk-informed improvements that they intend to pursue as the first phase of developing RI-STS. These seven improvements are:

redefine the appropriate end state (mode) for STS action statements; l

extend the time to perform a missed surveillance requirement and enter the required actions;

- increase flexibility in mode restraints with inoperable equipment; l

optimize ~ allowed outage times; l

- eliminate surveillance requirements unrelated to safety functions and optimize surveillance test intervals;

- modify LCO 3.0.3 actions and timing; and l

- develop actions for inoperable equipment that is still functional.

The industry is working towards a schedule to submit several of these improvements in late summer 1999, and is requesting NPC review of these initial items by the end of 1999. The staff is working on an intamal review plan to support the industry's schedule to the extent possible. l The next meeting between the staff and the RITSTF is scheduled for July.14,1999.

NRC Information Notice 99-14: Unanticioated Reactor Water Draindown At Quad Cities Unit 2. Arkansas Nuclear One Unit 2. and Fitzoatrick. Dated May 5.1999 The NRC has issued this information notice to alert addressees to the potential for personnel errors during infrequently performed evolutions that result in, or contribute to, events such as the inadvertent draining of water from the reactor vessel during shutdown operations.

Staff Issues Oconee License Renewal Draft Suoolemental Generic Environmental Imoact Statement for Public Comment On Thursday, May 20,1999, the staff issued for public comment, NUREG-1437, Supplement 2,

! " Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 2, Oconee Nuclear Station." This supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) includes the staff's preliminary analysis that considers and weighs the environmental effects of the proposed action, the environmental impacts of alternatives to the proposed action, and May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE A

b mitigative measures available for reducing or avoiding adverse impacts. It also includes the staff's preliminary recommendation regarding the proposed action: the adverse environmental impacts of license renewal for the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1,2, and 3 are not so great that preserving the option of license renewal for energy planning decisionmakers would be unreasonable. The staff has scheduled a public meeting July 8,1999, in Clemson, SC, to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the draft SEIS.

Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant j On May 13,1999, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) convened a prehearing conference at the Orange County Southern Human Seuices Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The prehearing conference was held as a result of the Board of Commissioners of Orange County, North Carolina's February 12,1999, Request for a Hearing and Petition to ,

Intervene in the license amendment proceeding regarding the expansion of the spent fuel pool dorage capacity at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. On December 23,1998, the licensee submitted an amendment application to increase its spent fuel ste. age capacity by placing spent fuel pools 'C' and 'D' in service.

The prehearing conference was convened so that the ASLB could hear arguments from counsel for the petitioner, Board of Commissioners of Orange County; the applicant, Carolina Power & Light Company; and the NRC staff regarding the issues of the petitioner's standing and the admissibility of its submitted contentions.

On the issue of standing, the NRC staff concluded that the petitioner had established standing to intervene, while the applicant contested the petitioner's standing. On the issue of admissibility of contentions, both the applicant and the NRC staff conctoded, in their May 5, 1999, responses to the eight contentions submitted by the petitioner on April 5,1999, that none of the contentions met the Commission's requirements for an admissible contention.

An ASLB decision on the issues is not exoected for several weeks. Approximately 60 members of the public attended the meeting.

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May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE A

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards items of Interest t Week Ending May 21,1999 Burnuo Credit Workshoo l I

On May 17,1999, the Spent Fuel Project Office conducted a public workshop at Nuclear  !

Regulatory Commission (NRC) Headquarters to discuss use of burnup credit in spent fuel {'

storage and transportation casks. Staff from the Nuclear Energy Institute; the Electric Power Research Institute; the Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE laboratories; and the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) attended. During the I workshop, the staff presented a discussion of the basis for the bumup credit described in the I staff's Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) and described the RES programs that will support future ,

revisions to the ISG. A follow-up meeting is expected to be held to address industry comments and recommendations on the ISG and NRC research progress and status on bumup credit.

Meetina with BNFL Fuel Solutions On May 18,1999, Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) management and staff met with DNFL Fuel Solutions (BFS) to discuss its recent acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company's nuclear power business. Through the acquisition, BFS has applicant responsibility for the Westflex l

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spent fuel dual-purpose cask design. BFS has two applications being reviewed by SFPO for two dual-purpose casks, the Westflex cask system and the TranStor cask system. The meeting also included several technical discussions, involving both cask designs, to resolve staff questions.

Meetina with Private Fuel Storace. Limited Liability Corooratig.r1

. On May 19,1999, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) and the Office of the General Counsel met with representatives of Private Fuel Storage (PFS), Limited Liability Corporation. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the PFS Chairman of the Board and their lead Counsel, from Shaw Pittman Potts & Trowbridge, an opportunity to meet with the new SFPO Director. The meeting included a general discussion of the schedule and status of Nuclear Regulatory Commission safety and environmental reviews.

Meetina with MDS Nordion On May 18,1999, Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety staff held a pre-application j meeting with MDS Nordion, of Canada, to discuss their latest horizontal source rack design for j food irradiators. The design is based on standard irradiation practices with some added I features to accommodate irradiation of meat packages located in a freezer. Since standard irradiators have undergone analyses in the past, Nordion focused their presentation on the ,

horizontal source rack design, and normal and abnormal operational conditions. Nordion l presented a fault tree and hazard analysis associated with the new design. However, no ,

quantitative risk analysis had been perfonned to date. After obtaining Food and Drug l Administration approval, Nordion will amend its sealed sources and devices registration and i seek a license from U.S. regulatory authorities. l l

May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE B I

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( Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Russian Core Conversion Project Members of the RES staff visited Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on May 10 and j 11 for a briefing and discussions on the Russian Core Conversion Project (CCP). The visit was in anticipation of an agreement between the NRC and the Russian reactor regulator, Gosatomnadzor (GAN). This agreement is intended to lead to consultations and assistance to l GAN's staff by the NRC staff in GAN's safety and licensing review of the converted designs of ,

i three reactors located in Siberia. Under an agreement between the U.S. and Russian l l Governments for cooperative threat reduction, these reactors are to be converted from ,

! plutonium / district heat / electricity producers; the roactors will stop producing weapon-grade plutonium, but will continue to produco disthet heat and electricity.

l NRC's Steering Group is compbsed of experts in the areas considered to be of the highest safety significance: M6 Cunningham and Brad Hardin for Probabilistic Risk Assessment, l Jennifer Uh!c for thLrmal hydraulics and reactor physics, Alan Notafrancesco for severe I

accident analysis, and T.Y. Chang for aged materials, structures, and components. The group is led by Don McPherson, NRC's Lead Scientist for the project.

The Department of Defense provides overall project direction from within its Defense Threat l

Reduction Office and PNNL provides technical and contracting support to the Russian parties involved. In this capacity, PNNL was able to provide the Steering Group with design information, discussions on design and safety issues, and details of the technical assistance it is providing to the Russian design team. Funding for NRC's efforts is provided through a DOD-NRC interagency cost-reimbursable work order.

Research Results on Lower Head Failure Experiments and Analyses l During the later phases of a severe accident, the lower head of the reactor pressure vessel

! (RPV) can be subject to significant thermal and pressure loads. An understanding of the mode, timing, and size of lower head failure is important in evaluating the consequences of a severe accident, because it defines the initial conditions for many of the subsequent challenges to l containment integrity. The lower head failure (LHF) tests and analyses were conducted at the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to understand LHF characteristics.

NUREG/CR-5582, " Lower Head Failure (LHF) Experiments and Analyses" was issued recently to document the results of the experimental and analytical work performed at SNL on the LHF characteristics. The experimental program consisted of eight tests. Each test was on a 1/5 scale model of a typical PWR lower head made from prototypic material (SA533B1 steel).

Each test was pressurized and heated from inside until failure. The test matrix addressed

! issues of heating patterns, lower head penetrations, lower head weldments, and system ,

j pressure. It was found that vessel rupture occurred in regions of non-uniform temperature for the localized heating patterns and to regions of non-uniform thickness for uniform heating patterns. The LHF database was used to assess the simple methodologies that are commonly employed in severe accident codes (e.g., MELCOR). Based on these assessments, it is May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE C t

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concluded that the LHF model needs to be modified. Extension to this LHF study is presently under way at SNL under the auspices of the OECD. Under this OECD program a series of tests will be carried out to investigate failure modes at lower vessel pressures and under more prototypic conditions.

! OECD Reactor Pressure Vessel Lower Head Failure Project The second project committee meeting on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) lower head failure program was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 6-7. Seven countries are participating in this project under the auspices of the OECD.

1 This program follows from the recently completed lower head failure project supported by NRC l and performed at Sandia National Laboratories. This program involves both experimental and . ;

analytical work, and its objective is to characterize the timing and the sizes of lower head failure

under more prototypic conditions. The experiments will be carried out in a 1

5 scaled model of l the lower head of the reactor pressure vessel. The purposes of the second committee meeting were (1) to establish the initial and boundary conditions on the first two experiments, (2) to start discussion on the third experiment, and (3) to establish the lower head steel material property test matrix. (The steel properties are needed for creep rupture modeling of the LHF.) The first .

LHF experiment is scheduled to run in December 1999. Experimental data from these l experiments will be used to assess and validate analytical models of LHF in the reactor pressure vessel.

Coooerative Severe Accident Research Proaram Meetina  :

The Offics of it!uclear Regulatory Research conducts its annual Cooperative Severe Accident Research Program (CSARP) technical review meeting every year in the Spring. This meeting serves as an international forum for exchange of technicalinformation in the field of severe accident research, specifically, information on progress made by the international community invohred in cooperative research activities. Over the years, the CSARP meeting has served an important role in fostering an intemational consensus on severe accident issues.

This year, the CSARP meeting was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from May 3 through 6.

The meeting was attended by nearly 100 research scientists, technical managers, and regulators from national laboratories, universities, and regulatory crganizations in 20 countries.

Progress in severe accident research was discussed in the areas of accident progression (e.g.,

direct containment heating, core reflood), in-vessel cooling and lower head integrity, fission product behavior, fuel-coolant interactions and debris coolability, hydrogen behavior, and severe accident codes. Technical presentations were indicative that, in many countries, insights from severe accident research were being factored into the formulation of accident mitigation and prevent;on strategies. Experimental programs were still under way in some countries, though the thrust of research appears to be on developing analytical toob and their applications to reactor safety analysis and accident management. A'so, there appears to be a giowing emphasis on cooperative research programs, in particular, experimental programs l

addressing the residual uncertainties associated with severe accident phenomena. A forum was held on the last day of the meeting, during which the participants expressed continued interest in CSARP and offered recommendations on the subjects and the conduct of future CSARP meetings.

May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE C L-_-

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Melt Attack And Coolability Experiment Lona-term Plannino Subcommittee Meetina The Melt Attack and Coolability Experiment (MACE) program is investigating whether, in the i i

event of reactor pressure vessel failure, the ex-vessel core debris can be cooled by an overlying )

water pool, thereby arresting core-concrete interactions and consequent breach of containment l Integrity as well as resultant fission product release into the environment. It is a cooperative program with sponsorship from the NRC, DOE, EPRI, and a number of regulatory and utility t organizations overseas. The MACE experiments performed to dato at the Argonne National Laboratory have demonstrated limited coolability, but they revealed several potential cooling mechanisms. However, the issue of ex-vessel debris coolability remains unresolved. For higher power reactors, in-vessel retention of core melt is not assured; it is therefore important that the issue of ex-vessel coolability by an overlying water pool be investigated further to determine the efficacy of this accident management measure. With this in mind, a long-term . j planning subcommittee was formed to determine the scope of additional experiments i necessary for a definitive resolution of the issue.

The subcommittee met on May 5,1999, in Albuquerque to discuss its assignment under the 1' Chairmanship of Dr. Salomon Levy. Sudhamay Basu and Charles G. Tinkler from RES attended the meeting. There was a consensus at the meeting that future experiments should focus on understanding the various cooling mechanisms through well-designed separate effects experiments. These experiments can be conducted on a relatively small scale, using both simulated any prototypic materi$, thereby making the program more cost effective.

There was also a general understa&,ng that, once the individual cooling mechanisms were ,

better understood through separate effects experiments, there would be a need to conduct a limited number of integral experiments. Preferably these experiments would be performed at a larger scale to demonstrate the combined effect of the cooling mechanisms as well as to verify the scalability of the phenomena observed in separate effects experiments. It is worth noting that there is a substantial interest within many of the panicipating organizationc to continue the MACE program.

Burnuo Credit A public meeting was held on May 17-18,1999, with representatives from the NRC, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), and other industry representatives to discuss issues related to bumup credit for transportation. Burnup credit is the process of accounting for the reduced reactivity of spent nuclear fuel as compared to fresh fuel of the same initial enrichment.

I The first day, the NMSS Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) provided an overview of the physics issues related to burnup credit in spent fuel casks and related the technical bases for issuing SFPO Interim Staff Guidance 8 (ISG-8) on May 13,1999. ISG-8 provides a limited burnup credit (50%of the fuel burnup) in the criticality safety analyses of PWR spent fuel transport and storage casks. ISG-8 is applicable for intact PWR fuel, actinides-only bumup, and UO2 fuel with initial enrichments up to 4.0 percent with assembly-average bumup levels up to 45 GWD/MTU. NMSS further stated that the review of additional data and analyses would be required to grant more burnup credit. RES presented the research program that includes the use of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to assess the risk significance of criticality for transportation, as well as the use of the Phenomene htlSahn and Ranking Table (PIRT) to May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE C l

i identify phenomena and processes that are important for determining burnup credit for l transportation, thereby directing resources to maximize outcomes.

l NEl took exception to the allowed 50% burnup credit and the requirement for measurement to i establish burnup value. NEl stated that the industry needs 100% actinides-only burnup credit because 50% credit of actinides-only burnup would allow only a small amount of the existing

. reactor spent fuel to be shipped in dual purpose spent fuel casks that have been redesigned for 32 fuel assemblies (by removing the flux trap in existing 24-assembly casks). NEl also believed that the reactor records are excellent and hence measurements are not required. NRC expressed its reservation on the reliability of reactor records. NEl said it would solicit comments from the industry by June 11,1999, on ISG-8, and would provide NMSS with the industry's response. In the next round of discussions with SFPO, NEl intends to provide the data necessary to support its request for 100% antinides-only bumup credit. ,

The second day, RES focused on discussions of RES burnup credit research. RES described a program tha.t will result in additional burnup credit as technical issues are resolved. Sensitivity analyses will be used to guide the program to ensure that resources are focused on those issues whose resolution will result in the greatest reduction in unnecessary burden. In the next six months, RES will assess the data available as to whether any relaxation of the ISG-8 requirements could be made. In the long term (2 to 3 years), RES would obtain additional information to provide insights on ISG-8 issues that would allow providing greater levels of transportation burnup credit (e.g., greater than >45 GWD/MTU, >4% enrichment). RES agreed to provide (in two months) a baseline document for NEl's review that would assemble and assess the data and knowledge bases, as well as identify major issues for analysis and uncertainties for considering greater levels of transportation bumup credit. This document would provide the technical basis for PIRT activity as well as identify the area of expertise required for PIRT. NEl said it will participate in PIRT activity and agreed to meet with NRC and discuss the transportation burnup credit issues in the near future.

IAEA Technical Committee Meetina on Manaaina Safety Asoects of NPP Aaina Jit Vora of RES participated in the Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) sponsored by the IAEA on managing safety aspects of nuclear power plant aging. The overall objectives of this specific IAEA's Safety Division program are (1) to promote awareness of needs for aging management to maintain safety in operating NPPs, (2) to develop aging management guidelines for member states, (3) to disseminate information and guidelines, and (4) provide assistance to the member states on emerging issues related to aging. The objective of the TCM was to exchange information on the methods used and experience gained in prioritizing aging management actions and to give advice to IAEA on the development of appropriate methodology.

Thirty-five representatives from 19 countries discussed their country's respective programs related to plant aging and aging management actions. The major topics discussed at the TCM included regulatory perspectives, safety-based prioritization for aging management, aging-management programs, and aging assessment and management of nuclear power plant components. in addition to the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, and Switzerland have implemented comprehensive programs for understanding and managing NPP aging. Other participating countries do recognize a need for a systematic aging management May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE C

[ O program for their aged operating nuclear power plants but they lack resources. Their primary focus remains on aging of some limited primary system pressure boundary components.

These countries have benefitted significantly from the ongoing and completed NRC research and license renewal programs. They have extensively used the results from the U.S. programs to build their version of aging management programs suitable to their immediate needs and within available resources. They are seeklog guidance on focus and priorities for their aging management actions, in this regard, the participants showed considerable interest in NRC's initiatives on risk-informed performance-based research and regulatory programs and how this overall concept can be used to set priorities for aging management.

In addition, the European Commission (EC) has implemented a program on the Safety Aspects of Aging of Nuclear Power Plants. The staff's continuing interactions with these international organizations and with the IAEA member states are beneficial to our own programs so as to ,

avoid duplication and maximize resources for programs related to the safety aspects of nuclear power plant aging.

I May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE C

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l Incident Response Operations Items of interest i Week Ending May 21,1999 State Outreach - California On May 11 - 13,1999, the Deputy Director of Incident Response Operations and a staff member conducted a State Outreach session in Irvin, California. This session was conducted in preparation for Federal participation in the San Onofre post plume phase exercise scheduled l for October 27 - 29,1999. The first day's session included presentations on (1) the status and I history of NRC activities as they relate to the use of Potassium lodide as a prophylaxis for the  ;

general public and (2) the NRC Y2K initiative. The second day was devoted to State outreach  !

focusing on Federal support to the State and local governments following a major radiological ,

i event where the NRC is Lead Federal agency. The third day was a Tabletop exercise for the post plume phase conducted by the State and NRC. The session was well received by the 70 participants representing the State of California, Orange County, utilities and other Federal organizations. The outreach session was conducted as part of the annual California nuclear ,

power plant conference, l

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l May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE D

m Office of Administration items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Revision of NRC Enforcement Policy A document that amends the NRC's Enforcement Policy to conform it to amendments to the NRC's regulations governing operators' licenses was published in the Federal Register on l May 19,1999 (64 FR 27310). The Enforcement Policy is being amended to add examples of

) violations that may be used as guidance in determining the appropriate severity level for violations involving the compromise of applications, tests, and examinations. The action became effective May 19,1999. Comments may be submitted by June 18,1999.

l AP600 Desion Certification (Part 52)

A proposed rule tnat would certify the AP600 standard p ant design, submitted by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, under 10 CFR Part 52, Subpart B, was published in the Federal Register on May 20,1999 (64 FR 27626). The proposed action would permit applicants or licensees who intend to construct and operate an AP600 design to do so by referencing the AP600 desian certification rule. The comment period on this action closes August 3,1999.

CORRECTION TO WlR WEEK ENDING MAY 14.1999 DATED MAY 20.1999 Governmes in the Sunshine Act Reoulations (Part 9)

A document announcing the NRC's intent to implement a final rule, published and made effective in 1985, that amended regulations applying the Govemment in the Sunshine Act was published in the Federal Register. The Commission is providing an opportunity for public comment on its intent because of the time that has passed since the Commission last addressed inis issue. The comment period on this action closes June 9,1999. Unless the Commission takes further action, non-Sunshine Act discussions may be held beginning June 1, 1999.

June 1,1999 is incorrect. The right date should be July 1,1999, i

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t Chief Information Officer items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Reauests received durina the 5-Dav Period of '

May 14.1999 throuah May 20.1999:

Stauffer Chemical Co., products provided from Tarpon Springs, FL or Mt. Pleasant, TN 1960 through 1975. (FOINPA 99 227)

Operator licensing tracking system, listing by facility. (FOINPA 99-228)

Violation notices related to safety of power plants against terrorist attacks. (FOINPA 99-229) ,

Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority (KVWPCA) in Armstrong County, PA, all sources of contamination to waste water treatment facilities. (FOlA/PA 99-230) 4 Self, Ol report no. 99-01. (FOINPA 99 231)

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i MLTS database and General Licensees database for Region Ill. (FOIA/PA 99-232)

VA Nuclear Medicine Clinic,2/99 through 4/99, all correspondence between NRC and State of California Dept. of Health Services regarding VA operations at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. (FOlA/PA 99-233) j l

FOIA/A 99-234: San Onofre Ol reports 4-98-041,4-98-043, and 4-98-045. (FOINPA 99-234) i MLTS database, portable nuclear density moisture gauges. (FOIA/PA 99-235)-

Calvert Cliffs, inspectio6 Followup' System (IFS) records since 1987. (FOIA/PA 99-236) l May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE G

r-Office of Human Resources l Items of Interest i Week Ending May 21,1999 Arrivals BADER, Wendy AT)ORNEY OGC BUCCI, Veronica CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR OlG POGUE, Eric GENERAL SCIENTIST (INTERN) NMSS REITER, Stuart DEPUTY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER OClO MAGEE, Thomas SR COMPUTER SPECIALIST Rill Departures MILLER, Brett PHYSICAL PROTECTION SPEC NMSS RODGERS, Mary Jo INVESTIGATOR Rl/OI May 21,1999 ENCLOSUREl

Office of Public Affairs items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Media Interest Stu Richards, NRR, was interviewed by BBC Radio regarding the decommissioning of Maine Yankee, Yankee Rowe and Haddam Neck. The story will deal with disposal of spent fuel.

Region I reported press interest in Maine Yankee discussions with British Nuclear Fuels on spent fuel storage.

Press Releases -

Headquarters:

99-101 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet in Rockville, Maryland 99-102 Note to Editors: ACRS Meetings at Two Separate Locations99-103 NRC Chairman Jackson Receives Honors From Seven Academic Institutes99-104 Note to Editors: ACRS Reports99-105 Galante, Chief information Officer, to Retire; Reiter Hired as Deputy Regions:

111-99-30 NRC Staff to Meet With Commonwealth Edison Officials to Discuss Pedormance at Braidwood Nuclear Plant l

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I May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE M

Office of International Programs licms of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 BN-350 Shutdown in Kazakhstan The Commission was informed this week of the decision of the Government of Kazakhstan that it had decided permanently to close the BN-350 fast reactor at Aktau. The decision is significant from both safety and nonproliferation viewpoints.

To support the near-term decommissioning effort (about five years), an international effort is being organized to assist with financial and technical resources. Following an IAEA workshop on decommissioning in Almaty last week, a meeting was held among potentially interested ,

parties to develop a strategy. OIP represented NRC at the strategy meeting in Almaty. Further discussions were held later in Vienna on how the IAEA might facilitate the international effort.

Visit of French Y2K Team ,

On Tuesday, May 18, four members of the French national Y2K committee met with OIP, NRR, and IRO to discuss Y2K issues regarding nuclear safety and grid stability and contingency planning. The French team is on a tour in the U.S. to discuss Y2K issues with private organizations and other govemment agencies.

Czech Govemment Votes to Comolete the Temelin NPP Two Temelin NPP Units were begun in 1983, with work slowing in the late 1980s, when the Czech Republic shed its socialist system. Work was resumed in 1990 with new management and with Westinghouse contracts for fuel and instrumentation and control (l&C) upgrades.

Following a period of indecision an.d reevaluation, the Czech Govemment decided on May 12 to complete both units. The majority of Ministers backed a Ministry of Industry & Trade plan for completion while rejecting a proposal from the Environmental Ministry, which wanted to convert Temelin into an industrial zone. The current schedule for commercial operation for Unit #1 is May 2001.

May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE N

Office of the Secretary items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Document Released Date Subject to Public Decision Documents

1. SECY-99-038 2/3/99 Staff Efforts to Address Orphan Source issues

2. SECY-99-104 4/2/99 Modification of the NRC Personnel Security Program -

SRM on SECY-99-104 5/19/99 (Same)

Commission Voting Record 5/19/99 (Same) on SECY-99-104

3. COMSECY-99-013 4/23/99 Development of Branch Technical Position on a Performance Assessment Methodology for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities (NUR6G-1573) WITS 9600106 SRM on COMSECY 5/19/99 (same) 013 Chairman Jackson vote 5/3/99 (same) on COMSECY-99-013 Cmr Dieus vote on 5/9/99 (same)

COMSECY-99-013 Crnr Diaz vote on 4/27/99 (same)

COMSECY-99-013 Cmr McGaffigan vote on 4/29/99 (same)

COMSECY-99-013 Cmr Merrifield vote on 5/5/99 (same)

COMSECY-99-013

4. SECY-99-107 (with 4/8/99 Potential Modification of the DOE /NRC Correction Notice dtd MOU Due to Changes in the Hanford Tank 4/16/99) Waste Remediation System Privatization SRM on SECY-99-107 5/20/99 (same)

Commission Voting 5/20/99 (same)

Record on SECY-99-107 May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE O W j

Negative Consent Documents

1. SECY-99-065 3/2/99 Revision of Management Directive 10.159, Differing Professional Views or Opinions SRM on 99-065 5/18/99 (same)

Information Papers

1. SECY-99-127 5/5/99 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending April 30,1999 Memoranda

1. Memo fm Comm. Diaz to 5/17/99 Scrutability of Commission Policy Decision l K. Cyr, OGC

2. M990506 5/20/99 Staff Requirements Memorandum - Briefing on Operating Reactors and Fuel Facilities, May 6,1999 Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Representative Stephen Horn, Senators Richard F. Bennett and Christopher J.

Dodd, and OMB Director Jacob J. Lew, dated May 13,1999, provides the quarterly status report on the Year 2000 program.

2. Letter to Congress, dated May 13,1999, provides legislative proposals in tne form of an omnibus draft bill.

3. Letter to A.W.K. Kyere, Gha,na Atomic Energy Commission, dated May 11,1999, concerns a request for technical assistance for the Kumasi Radiotherapy Project at the Komfo. '

Anokye Teaching Hospital (incoming fax dated March 25,1999, also released).

4. Letter to Congress, dated May 11,1999, provides a Year 2000 status report, which is available on the NRC Web page.

5. Letter ici Representatives James Sensenbrenner, Jr., and Ken Calvert, dated May 10, 1999, concems H.i;.1656, the " Department of F.nergy Commercial Application of Energy Technology Authorization of 1999"

6. Letter to Steven C. Collins, Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc., dated May 6,,1999, concems NRC staff proposals to revise rege' <Jons for uranium recovery facilities (incoming letter dated April 8,1999 also released).

7. Letter to' Carl Johnson, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, dated May 6,1999, concems a request for a public comment period of SECY-99-057, regarding decommissioning criteria for West Valley (incoming letter dated March 30,1999, also released).

May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE O

Federal Reaister Notices issued '

1. Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Subcommittee Meeting on Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena; Revised Meeting Agenda for May 26,1999

2. International Uranium (USA) Corporation; Docket No. 40-8681-MLA-6; Designation of ,

Presiding Officer (Peter B. Bloch) I i

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I May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE O

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Ngion l l Items of Interest Week Ending May 21,1999 Failure of Fuel Handlina Tool at Yankee Rowe j l

During requalification training of certified fuel handlers on May 17,1999, a chain link broke on a fuel handling tool being used in the spent fuel pool. The tool was being used above a portion of the pool where no spent fuel or other components are stored. The chain had been replaced {

during preventive maintenance in late 1998, and had or,1y been used once since that time, I without incident. One link broke during the requalification, which was a breakaway link designed to be removed after the chain was replaced. The operator was able to physically grab j the tool after the breakaway link failed. There were no radiological consequences. Licensee is , i evaluating why the breakaway link was not replaced as required. A regionalinspector was onsite for a site survey radiological inspection and is following the licensee actions.

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9 May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE P

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1 Region ll {

ltems of Interest J Week Ending May 21,1999 Q)mmissioner Diaz Visits the Reaion 11 Office On May 18, Commissioner Diez visited the Region ll Office and met with the Regional ~

.. Administrator and the principal staff. Issues discussed included both NRC and licensee initiatives.

New Baseline Reactor Insoection Proaram Workshoo - Communication Activities On May 17-20, Region 11 managers and inspectors attended the Reguistory Oversight Process ,

Pilot conference in Philadelphia. The inspection plans for the Region ll pilot plants, Harris and Sequoyah, were presented during the conference.

May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE P

l Region 111 l ltems of Interest i Week Ending May 21,1999 Management Meetina with AlliedSlanal. Inc

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On May 19,1999, a management meeting was conducted in Metropolis, Illinois, between management representatives from AlliedSignal, Inc.,'and members of the NRC staff. The-meeting discussion focused on the recent Licensee Performance Review of the AlliedSignal, Inc., f acility.

MADagement Meetina with American Electric Power Comoany - D.C. Cook On May 20,1999, a management meeting was conducted in the Region lli Office, Lisle, Illinois, l

l between management representatives from American Electric Power Company and members  ;

. of the NRC staff. The meeting discussion focused on technical issues at the D.C. Cook plant, including containment liner pitting, ice condenser issues, and instrument uncertainty.

'l May 21,1999 ENCLOSURE P l

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! Region IV l Items of Interest -

Week Ending May 21,1999 Closed Meetinas - Arwil Corooration A Predecisional Enforcement Conference was held m the Reg!on IV office the afternoon of May 20,1999. The meeting was held between the Deputy Reg'onal Administrator and other members of the Region IV staff and the Anvil Corporation President and members of his staff.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss apparent violations described in Inspection Report l No. 030-32816/98-03 and Investigation Report No. 41998-055. The conference was preceded l by a predecisional enforcement conference with an Anvil Corporation radiographer. The l meetings were closed to members of the genemi public.

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