ML20199E981
| ML20199E981 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/19/1997 |
| From: | Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| SECY-97-269, SECY-97-269-R, WIR-971114, NUDOCS 9711240059 | |
| Download: ML20199E981 (22) | |
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k Novemtier 19. 1997
- SECY 97-269 Ear:
The Consnissioners From:.
James L. Blaha. Assistant for Operations Office of the EDO
/Suhle.ci:
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14, 1997 Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A
Nuclear Material 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- 0fficer H*
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
-Region _II P
Kegion III P
Region IV P
Executive-Director for Operations 0*
Congressional Affairs R*
- No input this week.
M
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James L. Blaha k
Assistant for Operations. OED0
Contact:
G. Tracy, OEDO 1 llll}gl
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=i UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON. D. C. 20065 INFORMATION REPORT November 19. 1997 SECY 97-269 For:
The Commissioners From:
James L. Blaha. Assistant for Operations. Office of the EDO Sub.iect:
WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 14. 1997 Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards B
Nuclear Regulatory Research C*
Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data D
Gencral Counsel E*
Administration F
Chief Information Officer G
Chief Financial Officer H*
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
Region II P
Region III P
Region IV P
Executive Director for Operations 0*
Congressional Affairs R*
- No input this week.
ames L.
aa Assistant for Operations. OEDO
["Tr SECY NOTE:
TO BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
- OEDO IN 5 WORKING DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PAPER
6 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Items of Interest Week Ending November 14. 1997 November 6. 1997 Meetina with WOG RE Fuel Claddino 0xidation/ 10 CFR 50.46(b)
On October 28, 1997. Westinghouse (W) notified NRC (by telecon) and its-licensees (36 plants, including Fort Calhoun, a CE design) that it had discovered a non conservatism in the oxi'Jation model for high burnup Zr-4 clad integral fuel burnable absorber (IFBA) fuel. The model was non-conservative-when compared to data for IFBA fuel with greater than about 39-40K MWD /MTV burnu).
Information provided by W indicates that tais is not a safety issue, but t1ere is a question of comaliance with 10 CFR 50.46 (b)(2) (> 17% local cladding oxidation). On Novem)er 6. 1997 the staff met with W and the W Owners Group (WOG) in a public meeting to verify its safety determination and discuss the compliance issue (present compliance for each )lant, continued
.near term compliance, including compensatory act ons for t1ose plants reaching i
burnups at which non-compliance was projected, and long term resolution).
At the meeting, the WOG identified that one plant was 3robably about to enter into non compliance, but was shutting down for a scleduled refueling outage.
For the remainder of the plants. E presented assessment criteria to identify plants and times at which it coulc no longer assure compliance.
The WOG committed to provide formally to the staff information presented at the meeting including a list of affected plants, the arojected dates of potential noncompliance, and plans for resolution. T1e WOG also indicated that each affected plant (the next plants would be affected in about one month to 6 weeks) would take appropriate actions per 10 CFR 50.46 (a)(3)(11) when it became affected, and indicated that compensatory actions could include peaking limitations or derating. W would continue to do more detailed assessments for plants, and make timel/ assessments with regard to the compliance issue.
In the longer term. W wili correct its model and begin implementing it, by August 1998.
The staff concluded that the W licensees are presently in compliance with 10 CFR 50.46 requirements and that the overall plan offered the licensees a means to show continued compliance with both the reporting and the analytical requirements of 10 CFR 50.46.
Palo Verde Unit 2 Steam Generator Tube Eddy Current Inspection Results Arizona Public Service Company (APS). the licensee for Palo Verde Unit 2 (PV-
- 2) has completed its steam generator (SG) tube eddy current (EC) inspections for the current refueling outage (end-of-cycle 7).
Through its bobbin coil 3 robe inspections. APS identified 54 pluggable wear indications in the Jatwing-stay cylinder area.
(The batwings are diagonal straps that provide support for the SG tubes. The stay cylinder region is an untubed area located in the center of the tube bundle.) The structural limit for SG tube wear is 75% throughwall, but the licensee implements a conservative plugging limit of NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE A 4
PV-2.
20%-throubhwalltoaccount'forhighgrowth'ratesinthisregion.l plug]able batwing
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reported indications in the #21-SG. -The licensee attributed the difference in number (of pluggable indications =in each SG to the shroud modifications made in the
resulting in increased wear rates. APS used an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Ap)endix H qualified technique to size the wear indications:
-the-largest of the Jatwing wear indications was sized at a depth of 70%
throughwall.
Lin an~RAI dated October 2. 1997, the staff requested the licensee to discuss i
APS' decision to not in sftu pressure test or pull the tube with the 70%
throughwall indication to ensure adequate leakage and structural integrity over the past operating cycle was maintained.
In developing its response to the RAI. the licensee identified several significant issues associated with the EPRI qualification of the technique used to size wear indications. An assersment of these issues resulted in APS concluding the sizing technique
-used in past inspections may have been nonconservative.
The licensee plans to document its position in the RAI response including-an operability determination for PV-2 as well as similarly affected SGs in the othar Palo
(_
Verde units.
APS also notified EPRI and the Combustion Engineering Owners Group of its findings.
BWR Fall Outaae Issues Hope Creek Jet Pump Sensing Line Cracking and Core Spray Inlet Nozzle Cracking During RF07, the licensee found cracking indications on the jet pump sensing line (JPSL) lower brackets for Jet Pumps 8 and 15. and a failure of the same weld on Jet Pump 9.
No cracks or failures of the sensing lines were observed.
The sensing lines are 0.25-inch pipes which are welded to the jet pump diffuser by two 0.5-inch square support brackets, the lower of which were found to be cracked and failed. T1e licensee has installed semi-circular ring clamps to restrain the JPSL against their support brackets, replacing the original welds.
Similar cracks were observed at Susquehanna Unit 2 in 1994, and similar clamps were installed at that time.
Subsequent inspections of the clamps have shown that the clamps are still in place.
Additionally. We licensee found an SCC crack in the weld butter of the core spray inlet nozzle.
The licensee expanded its inspection to the other core c
spray nozzle and four other RCS nozzles, and did not find any additional 4
cracking.
lhe examinations were performed by qualified automated UT systems.
The staff is continuing to evaluate the licensee's evaluations.
Peach Bottom 3 Jet'Pumo Riser Elbow Crackina The licensee'has found cracks on the thermal sleeve to jet pump riser elbow-
-side of weld RS-1 in' the heat affected zone on three jet pump risers (jet pum)s-1-and 2. 9 and 10. and 13 and-14).
The cracks are 10.8. 1.7 and 12.7 incies. respectively. All other jet pump assemblies have been inspected at NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE A 4
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a jet pump riser-locations,' and no further cracking was detected. The other-welds on the risers were also inspected.- -
The licensee has completed a fracture mechanics evaluation of-the cracking-utilizing industry topical report BWRVIP-41, "BWR Jet Pump Assembly Inspection and Flaw Evaluation Guidelines," which is presently under staff review. Tne licensee has determined that continued operation (the unit is presently at
-100% power) is justified for several months "and that if flow is reduced to'-
80% of rated.(approximately 92% powcr), the licensee has stated that-fatigue 4
crack growth _will be bounded for operation as long as 8 months.
Further, the licensee has stated-that it plans on installing a repair to jet pumps 1 and 2, and to 13 and 14, within the time frame of the ar: lysis.
The2 staff is evaluating the licensee's evaluation, especially the technical significance of combining fatigue and SCC crack growth rates, and is reviewing if any; additional regulatory actions may be necessary.
Hatch 1 Core _ Plate Sucoort Rina and Jet Pumo Riser Crackino The licensee found a 0.3-inch long-vertical crack on the outside diameter of the core ) late support ring segment weld. The insoection scope was expanded to one otler weld (the additional four welds in th'is segment are inaccessible), and no other indications were found.
The licensee also found cracking in the heat affected zones of the elbow to thermal sleeve weld in two of the'10 jet pump inlet nozzles (N2B and N2D).
The cracks are 1.625 inches at the 12:00 position on the sleeve. side of nozzle N2B and 2.178 inches at the 12:00 position on the elbow side of nozzle N2D.
The licensee expanded its inspection scope to include the accessible portions of welds at the elbow to riser, riser to transition piece, riser brace, jet pump diffuser, and jet pump adaptor locations on the associated jet pumps, and found no additional tracking.
The licensee performed an evaluation of the above cracking, and determined that an additional cycle of operation was acceptable.
Further, the licensee committed to re-inspecting during the next outage to determine crack growth.
The staff is evaluating the licensee's evaluation, and is continuing discussions with the licensee on this issue.
Crvstal River 3 Restart Proaress
- Licensing Submittals Florida Power Corporation (FPC or the licensee) continues to maintain its target for completing the corrective actions and restarting the facility by December 1997.
FPC identified 37 potential licensing submittals that would require NRC approval prior to restart in December 1997.
Additionally, during its recent Safety? System Functional Inspection (SSFI), the staff identified -
several unresolved issues and the region submitted four Task Interface Agreements (TIAs).for NRR determination whether the issues must be resolved prior to restart The current status cf these issues is as follows:
- NOVEMBER 14, 1997-ENCLOSURE A a
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-, - - ~ - - -
y-r Status' of Licensina Submittals That Are Recu vi For Restart
- Total identified (including the four TIAs) 41 Awaiting initial submittal 6
JReceived and review in progress 18 Completed /. Closed 17 On November 6,1997, in a telephone conference with the staff.
FPC indicated that it.has made preliminary assessments using the GL 91-18. Revision 1-guidance to determine operability for several identified Unreviewed Safety Questions (US0s).
Based on their preliminary assessments. FPC believes that its amendment requests.for 6 US0s would not require staff-approval prior to restart. The staff plans to independently review FPC's position on these six issues.
Salem Unit 1 Operational Status - Salem Unit 2 is operating at 100% power.
Salem Unit 1 is slut -down and defueled.
The licensee's target date for restart is February 1998.
Salem Assessment Panel - The next meeting of the Salem Assessment Panel will be held at the site on November 20, 1997.
Following the meeting, the Panel
' will meet with the licensee-to review the items that have to be closed prior to restart of Salem Unit 1.
Licensing Actions - One amendment is required to support restart of Salem Unit 1 to incorporate parameters from the Margin Recovery Program.
These parameters have been used in the Cha)ter 15 accident analyses in the 50.59 evaluations that were developed by tie licensee for the replacement of the steam generators.
Quad Cities. Units 1 and 2
' Inoperable Safe Shutdown Paths and Early Unit 2 Maintenance Outage
-On 09/26/97, the licensee entered a 67-day LC0 because all safe shutdown (SSD) paths were determined to be inoperable.
In the Quad Cities SSD analysis, all cables within a fire area are postulated to fall in the event of a fire, 1
except for those cables provided with passive fire protection.
The SSD analysis relies on the opposite unit equipment to help place and maintain the affected unit in a safe slutdown condition. This' assumes that the SSD equipment-is not affected by the fire and that the breakers for the non-SSD loads on the same bus as the SSD equipment would be opened or shed from the bus.
If the non-SSD load breakers are not shed from the bus and the cables for these loads pass through the fire zone, damage-to these cables could cause l_oss of power to the SSD equipment on that bus for the unaffected unit.
Upon review of the Fire Pror.ection Report (FPR) the station discovered two issues with the implementation of the SSD analysis.
The first issue discovered was that even though the SSD analysis assumes shedding non-SSD loads'the station procedures do not implement all of the assumed load
. NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE A 4
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V shedding. -The second discovery was that the analysis that addresses the ability to shutdown the unaffected unit after shedding of non-SSD loads could
.not ba located. The licensee did not have assurance that the SSD paths were operable. There-is no analysis in place that ensures that equipment used to safely shutdown the unaffected unit will not be affected by fire in the affected unit, therefore the licensee declared all SSD paths inoperable, Update: As of 11/12/97, the licensee is still completing review of the SSD 1
procedures for Unit 1.
Unit 1 is presently operatira in day 47 of the 67-day administrative LC0 while Unit 2 is shutdown.
Un;t 2 has completed Maintenance Outage 02P01: however, it will not start up until the procedures
~for Unit 2 have been reviewed / revised, as necessary.
Instead of revising the current SSD procedures to include load shedding on the o)posite unit, the licensee is now revising the SSD procedures to include tle Station Blackout diesel as an alternate power source. The licensee projects completing the
- n Unit I work prior to the expiration of the 67-day LCO.
Unit 2 startup is projected to be in late December.
There has been a meeting set up at the site on November 20 to address these issues with the licensee.
NRC staff participation will include Plant Systems, Projects. RIII, and the resident staff.
Braidwood Units 1 and_2 Waterhammer at Braidwood, Unit 2 J
Braidwood, Unit 2 is in startup following completion of a refueling _ outage, With the unit in Mode 3, the licensee was attempting to open an air operated i
control valve in a 6 inch feedwater tempering line to the upper steam generator nozzle on the'"D" steam generator.
The nozzle is also used for auxiliary feedwater. The valve did not respond, so the licensee increased the air 3ressure.
The valve suddenly opened. The piping downstream of the valve had 3een voided and a resulting water hammer occurred. The event happened at about 2:00 am (CST) on 11/10/97.
U)on immediate visual' inspection of the system, the licensee reported that t1ey found: (1) a spring can pipe support was damaged: (2) a box guide piae sunport was damaged and pulled out of the wall; and (3) two snubbers on t1e 16 inch main feedwater line were challenged.
So far the licensee-has used. magnetic particle and UT to ins)ect the steam generator nozzle.
Comed found no damage to the nozzle.
Comed is presently-inspecting the welds in the temaering line.
The spring can has been re) aired.
Most likely, the licensee will lave to drill new holes to reattach the aox guide.
The two snubbers on the main feedwater line were tested and were found
'to;be. operable. The licensee also tested two additional snubbers downstream of the two that were challenged and they also were found to be operable.
A
-root cause analysis is underway. The licensee is expecting-to have all actions related to this event completed within the next few days.
Region III has sent an specialist inspector to the site and will send one or two on 11/13/97 to monitor and evaluate the licensee's activities.
NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE A-
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Items of Interest Week Ending November 14, 1997 International Atomic Eneroy Aaency Safety Guide On November 3-7. 1997, a Division of Industrial. Medical and Nuclear Safety senior staff member chaired an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Advisory Group meeting in Vienna, Austria. to finalize Safety Series No. 41.
' Source and Environmental Monitoring for Radiation Protection of the Public."
Participi.its included representatives from the European Commission. Finland.
Germany, Japan. South Africa. the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The objective of the IAEA Safety Guide is to give practical guidance to regulatory authorities and collaborating national and professional organizations on compliance with the IAEA's Basic Safety Standards in this area. The Safety Guide includes source and environmental monitoring for radiation protection of the public under normal conditions, as well as assessment of long-term exposure from widespread contamination of the environment following a radiation accident.
Material Protection. Control and Accountina Suncort On November 3-6', 1997, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff member conducted a Material Protection. Control and Accounting (MPC&A) regulatory issues meeting with officials of GOSATOMNADZOR (GAN) of Russia at NRC Headquarters.
This meeting, conducted under the Lisbon Initiative, addressed development and implementation of NRC's guidance documents, and resulted in a general description of long-term project areas between NRC and GAN.
A draft agenda was developed by NRC and GAN for Priority 6 (MPC&A) to be discussed at the December 1997 Lisbon In'tiative 7.nnual meeting.
A Department of Energy (00E) representative, who works with GAN under DOE-GAN MPC&A Project 1 (Regulatory Development), also attended the meeting to coordinate NRC/ DOE regulatory assistance being provided to GAN in the MPC&A area.
tieetina with International Oraanizations on Dry Cask Storaae On October 30, 1997. Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) staff members met with the International Atomic Energy Agency's Program Manager for Storage of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste to-exchange information on dry cask storage of spent fuel, particularly the recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection findings related to fabrication of VSC-24 spent fuel cask components.
From November 3-6.-1997. SFP0 staff members met with representatives of the Nuclear Regulatory Administration (NRA) of the Ukraine, the Zaporozhe power plant, and the E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute to discuss these same NRC inspection findings.
Representatives from Duke Engineering Services and the Department of Energy also attended the meeting.
The Ukrainians the VSC-24 design for interim storage of spent power plant fuel, plan to use and NRA noted that it will follow VSC-24 fabrication activities in the Ukraine closely.
NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE B
F.
Intearated Safety Analyses Workshoo On November 3-7, 1997. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff and representatives of General Electric Nuclear Energy (GE) conducted a workshop on Integrated Safety Analyses (ISA) at GE's nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Wilmington.
North Carolina.- The purpose of the workshop was to assess the methodology, information,:and results of an ISA, as well as to identify how the performance and maintenance of an ISA and the ISA results can best be incorporated into the regulatory process.
Development and maintenance of-ISAs are keystones in NRC staff plans to implement risk-informed -performance-based regulations for fuel cycle facilities, including the development of draft proposed revisions to NRC licensing requirements for fuel fabrication facilities in 10 CFR Part 70. The ISA workshop raised a number of regulatory and technical issues that will need to be resolved as the NRC and fuel cycle licensees move forward with ISA' development and implementation.
For exam)le, workshop participants identified issues associated with integration of t1e conventional " double contingency" approach to nuclear criticality safety with the risk analysis to be performed as part of the ISA.
Although the workshop was not open to the public, due to the proprietary
-information involved, the NRC staff is developing a point paper to summarize the principal-observations and conclusions from the workshop, along with recommendations on how to proceed. When completed, the point paper will be released to the public, and will support revisions to the draft Standard Review Plan for fuel fabrication facilities. GE plans to discuss the observations and issues identified in the workshop with other members of the fuel fabrication industry which may lead to follow-on discussions with the NRC.
Deoartment of Eneray/ Nuclear Reaulatory Commission Technical Exchanae On November 5-6, 1997. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Department of Energy (00E) staff conducted a technical exchange to discuss and comment on their respective staff approaches to total-system performance assessments (TSPAs)
-for Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
Also attending-the technical exchange were representatives from the State of Nevada: the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force:
Clark and Nye Counties, Nevads: NRC's Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste: and
. members and staff from the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
A goal of this technical exchange was for NRC staff to provide DOE with early feed-back on the sufficiency of the TSPA to be submitted as part of DOE's forthcoming Viability Assessment (VA).
The two staffs continued their earlier discussions on the significance of matrix diffusion in flow and trans) ort in the saturated zone, and the abstraction and modeling of the waste paccage.
New discussions began with respect to the treatment of scenarios and disruptive. events, and biosphere modeling activities.
Although there are a-number of strengths to DOE's overall TSPA VA approach. NRC staff identified s)ecific areas in the forthcoming TSPA VA that may be potential weaknesses in tie' analysis and are 1. aly to receive further NRC staff review.
i NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE B
Meetina with Holtec International and Pacific Gas and Electric On Hovember 6. 1997. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff members met with Holtec International (Holtec) and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to discuss Holtec's proposal to submit a topical report on use of its Hi-Star and Hi-Storm dual purpose cask systems in high seismic areas.
Re3resentatives of Northern States Power. Private Fuel Storage. Booz Allen, tie Ibex Group, and a member of the Jublic also attended the meeting.
Holtec believes that it has design approacles which will allow its cask systems to meet the rigorous regulatory standards for high seismic areas contained in 10 CFR Part 72.
PG&E has assisted Holtec in this effort using their experience with the Humboldt Bay and Diablo Canyon power plants.
Holtec anticipates submitting the report
-to the NRC in August 1998.
NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE B ry h
Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data Items of Interest Week Ending November 14. 1997 Ukrainian Priority 2.1 and Russian Priority 5.1 As part of Ukrainian Priority 2.1 and Russian Priority 5.1 (Analytical Simulator) of the Lisbon Initiative two members of the Technical Training Division (TTD) staff participated in the kick off meeting for the second phase of the project, development of an RBMK simulation model for the Analytical Simulator. November 10-14. 1997 at the contractor's facility in Columbia MD.
The Analytical Simulators that will be installed in the offices of the Ukrainian Nuclear Regulatory Agency and Gosatomnadzor of Russia later this year will provide a tool for inspector training and operational assessment.
The second phase of the project will include some additional training for the Russians and Ukrainians as well as development of the RBMK models and an extensive testing program.
The objectives of the meeting were to begin work on the preliminary design specifications and to establish the phase two project schedule.
Draft Soecial Study:
Doeratina Exoerience Feedback from Service Water System Failures and Dearadations (1986 - 1995)
SPD issued a draft special study on the operating experience of service water systems (SWS) for the period of 1986 through 1995 for internal NRC review and comments.
The major findings of the study include that there were no total SWS losses resulting in failure of equipment needed for core cooling during the period.
Licensee activities in response to Generic Letter (GL) 89-13 appear to have been successful in identifying programmatic and design related issues affecting SWS performance.
Licensee GL 89-13 efforts primarily identified problems of the potential failure / degradation type rather than actual failures.
The frequency and severity of the SWS events reported during the period are consistent with the risk contributions of SWS in IPE and ASP analyses.
Events affecting SWS performance were observable but not dominant contributors to risk.
A meeting will be held on December 16 to discuss comments on the draft study.
Guidance for Reoortina Reliability Information to the Eauioment Performance and Information Exchance (EPIX) System INPO has provided NRC staff their draft " Reliability Data Collection Guidance" for review and comment.
The draft provides detailed guidance to utilities for reporting demand data, run times, and unplanned unavailability information to EPIX as agreed to in NRC's acceptance of the voluntary approach for aroviding reliability data.
NRC staff will be discussing the guidance with IN)0 staff this month and providing comments on the technical quality cf the guidance i
Pre-exercise Trainina for Maryland Resoonders On November 6. 1997, two members of AE00 staff provided three hours of training on NRC's concept of operation and post-accident environmental assessment techniques to reprcsentatives from the State of Maryland. This was NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE D
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in response to a request by the State of Maryland in preparation for their upcoming ingestion pathway exercise.
Region I Emergency Response Coordinator also participated in the training and provided added information to the participants.
PRELIMINARY-NOTIFICATIONS 1.
PNO-I-97-06SA. Geocore Environmental Services, RECOVERY OF A STOLEN PORTABLE GA1JGE 2.
PN0 III-97-089. Leroy L.
Schroeder, M.D., RADI0 PHARMACEUTICAL THERAPY MISADMINISTRATION (UNDERDOSE) 3.
PNO-III-97-090. Mclaren Regional Medical Center, REPORT OF RADI0 PHARMACEUTICAL M)$ ADMINISTRATION 4.
PNO-III-97-091. Midwest Engineering Services. Inc., STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE 3
NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE D.
' Office of Administration items of Interest Week Ending November 14, 1997 Facilities Security Sucoort The Office of Administration provided administrative and security support for the Annual Federal Employees' Health Fair in the NRC auditorium sponsored by Congresswoman Morella.
The Fair was held November 12. 1997. beginning at 7:30 pm.
Special security arrangements were made to allow public parking in the WFN garage and easy access from there to the auditorium.
Special instructions were provided to NRC employees. alerting them to the temporary two-way traffic patterns in U:h of the TWF garages.
Protest A protest to the NRC Contracting Officer was received from Scientech. Inc.
under RFP No. RS-AED-97-269 for the procurement of real time risk software.
On November 12, 1997. Scientech submitted, as part of its proposal on the subject RFP a protest alleging that the agency failed "to treat Scientech fairly by 'aolding discussions with one of Scientech's competitors... but refusing to hold similar discussions with Scientech." Also. Scientech alleges that certain requirements in the RFP are overly restrictive and not necessary to meet the agency's minimum needs.
NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE F
/
- I 9 :
Chief!Information Officer ~
Items of Interest-Week Ending November.14,.1997
- J' ' -
reeaom of-Information and Privacy Act Reauests Received durina the 4-Day r
)eriod of October 7 - November 13. 1997:
- 01
- reports.ialleged harassment, discrimination..and violations.
(F01A/PA-97-437)-
Mattingly-Testing Services.'Inc.. 01 reports since.1993.
(F0IA/PA-97 438)
Airborne survey on 11/7/97 in Northeast. Ohio.
(F01A/PA-97-439)
S)ent nuclear fuel. 9/11/97 meeting between NRC and Department of Navy.
. ( 01A/PA-97-440)
Storage of hazardous or= radioactive materials within identified Louisiana-zip
-codes.
(F01A/PA-97-441)
- Vacancy job offer rescinded.
(F01A/PA-97-442)
Comments on. identifled proposed rules.
(FOIA/PA-97-443)
Westinghouse Electric Corp., inspections, violations, corrective actions.
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(F01A/PA-97-444)
Vogtle, memo regarding RPS and ESFAS, TIA 97-07 on trip setpoints.
(FOIA/PA-97-445)
Medi-Physics Inc., inspection reports, (F01A/PA-97-446) i
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NOVEMBER 14 1997-ENCLOSURE G
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4 Office of Human Resources Items of Interest Week Ending November 14, 1997 Savinas Bonds Camojian Award Ceremony Attended On November 13, 1997. Janice Clemens and Henry Rubin attended the 1997 Annual Federal Savings Bonds Campaign Awards Ceremony held at the U.S. De)artment of Justice Building Also in attendance were Attorney General Janet Reno.
1 Treasurer Mary Eilen Withrow, and Dino De Concini, Executive Director of the U S. Savings Bonds Marketing Office.
Arrivals PURSEL. Robert CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR (PFT)
OTG SMITH. Raymond OUALITY OPERATIONS ENGINEER (PFT)
NRR WARNICK. Gregory PROJECT ENGINEER (PFT)
RII Retirements None Departures BUCHAN. Scott SR MANAGEMENT ANALYST (PFT)
OIG KENDRICK. Connie OFC AUTOMATION ASST (0PFT)
OGC SLOSSON. Marylee SPECIAL ASST TO DIRECTOR (PFT)
NRR THOMAS. Charles PROJECT MANAGER (PFT)
NRR A
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NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE I
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-Office of Public Affairs.
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= Items of Interest-
- Week Ending November 14, 1997 Media Interest The Advocate, in Baton Rouge, is planning a story on arrangements for the.-
exchange of classified information between URENCO:and-its U.S. partners with regard to the' proposed Louisiana Enrichment Services facility.
=Five reporters attended a decommissioning meeting at Big Rock Point.
School Volunteers Proaram Louise Lovell IRM, has been invited to serve on the Advisory Comittee 'for.
~
Network Operation's and Programming at Thoms Edison H.S. of Technology.
Phil Justus NMSS, discussed rocks and minerals with first graders at Sally K.
-Ride E.S.
Bret Leslie,1NMSS, discussed geology with first graders at Galway E.S.
Press Releases Regions:
I-97-148 NRC. Boston Edison to Discuss Apparent Violations at Pilgrim 11-97-76 NRC Schedules Meeting in Atlanta With Duke Energy to Discuss Recent Performance of Oconee Plant 11-97-77 NRC Officials to Meet With FPC on November 20 to Discuss Status of Crystal River Restart
.II-97-78 NRC Staff to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference With TVA on November 19 to Discuss Sequoyah Nuclear Issue 11-97-79 NRC Chairman to Visit St. Lucie Nuclear Plant E
III 97-96 ~
NRC to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference With Detroit Edison Company on an Apparent Violation at Fermi
.III-97-97 NRC-to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference With B.P.
Chemicals. Lima. Ohio. on Apparent Violations r
- IV-97-68' NRC Proposes $2.750 Fine Against Frontier Production Logging for Violation of Safety Requirements d
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NOVEMBER 1-4. 1997 ENCLOSURE M 4
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Office of International Programs Items of Interest Week Ending November 14, 1997-Visit of Andre-Claude lac 23_td Andre-Claude Lacoste, Director of the French Directorate for the Safety of
' Nuclear Installations, led a five-person delegation for meetings with the NRR staff. November 12-13.
The meetings consisted of mutual exchange discussions on high burn up f"el and control rod issues, inspection procedures, recent events of regulatory significance, application of PSA in the regulatory process, and engineering excellence. Also, Mr Lacoste visited the research reactor facilities at NIST on November 10.
In addition to the meetings with the staff, Mr. Lacoste met with Chairman Jackson and Commissioners Diaz ond McGaffigan to discuss broad policy issues that may effect the regulatory situation in the two countries.
NOVEMBER 14, 1997 ENCLOSURE N
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1 Office of the-Secretary
-Items of Interest:
Week Ending November-14, 1997.
j Commission Corresoondence Released to'the Public 1.
Letter to Senator 01 m ia J. Snow, dated 11/5/97, concerns idecommissioning of the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Station 12.
- Letter to President of
- the United States Senate Albert Gore and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives: Newt Gingrich, dated ll/4/97.. submits the quarterly report on nondisclosure of safeguards 1
information Federal Reaister Notices Issued 1.
4' plication for-a License to Export Special Nuclear Material J(Transnuclear. Inc-)
- 2.
Advisory-Committee _ on' Reactor. Safeguards: Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Plant Operations: Notice of Meeting on December-2,1997
- 3.
Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards: Subcommittee Meeting on Planning and Procedures; Notice of Meeting on-December 3. 1997 u
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' Advisory Committee on Reactor ~ Safeguards: Meeting Notice for December 3-
-6, 1997
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Region I T
' Items of Interest Week Ending November-14, 1997-Presentation on NRC Role in Reaulhtion of Radioactive Material On November 12, 1997 ?DNMS representative Ms. Betsy Ullrich, spoke to graduate students enrolled in the Temple University / College of-Engineering Masters in W
Environmental-Health and Safety program. Ms. Ullrich saoke at Temple's
" Environmental Seminar".'a series of.one-hour meetings >etween the students and a speaker from a regulatory agency, The seminar provides students the opportunity to learn about the laws that form the basis for the regulatory y
agency's authority. the. scope of the agency's jurisdiction, and the types of.
activities performed by employees of the agency.
Stroh Bi'ewery Dredicisional Enforcement Conference ApredecisionalenforcementconferencewasheldonNovember 12. 1997 with the Stroh Brewery Compan to discuss the unauthorized disposal of a 100-m1111 curie. generall licensed, americium-241 sealed source.
Stroh representatives discussed corrective actions, which include the hiring of Alaron Corporation to assess and properly dispose of a trailer full of contaminated shredded material at Royal Green Recylers. Temple Pennsylvania.
In addition. Stroh representatives discussed their plans to further search for a 100-millicurie americium-241 sealed source that remains unaccounted for.
Enforcement action is pending.
Pilarim On November 13.'1997. NRC met with Boston Edison Company officials in Plymouth, MA.. for a SALP management meeting.
The SALP report, issued by Region I on November 4. recognized overall good performance but noted a need for continued management attention to address issues in several areas.
In preparation for the management meeting, the Region I Administrator, the Director of Reactor Safety. Region I staff from the Division of Reactor -
Projects and NRR managers took plant tours and conducted personnel interviews on. November 12 and 13.
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! Region II Items of Interest Week Ending November =14,-1997; Duke Enerav Corocration -- McGuire On November 12, 1997, representatives of Duke Energy's McGuire facility were in Region'If to provide an assessment of their'recent performance.
The
' licensee representatives discussed initiatives and remaining challenges in.the areas of human performance equipment reliability and corrective action program.
[ht e Enerav Corooration -- Oconee k
.On November 13. 1997, Region II held a bi-monthly performance meeting with-Oconee Nuclear Station Management-The licensee presented the status of their efforts to implement the Oconee Nuclear Site Recovery Plan.
Included in the discussion were topics such as ste)s to upgrade plant equipment reliability, l studies to address certain design )ases, communications of-expectations to al employees, and activities to improve use of self-assessments and audits.
Reaion II - Annual Trainina Manaaers' Conference On November 12-13,'1997. Region II-Operator Licensing and Human Performance Branch held the Annual Training Manager's Conference in Atlanta. Georgia at the Atlanta Federal Center. The one and a half day conference was attended by training managers from each of the Region 11 power reactor facilities. The meeting included discussions -lead by the DRS Division Director, the acting Deputy Region Administrator and the NRR-Branch Chief of Operator Licensing.
Discussions were' held on the current Initial Examination process, including examples of good and bad written and walkthrough questions.
Brunswick Nuclear Station On November 14, 1997, a meeting was conducted with representatives of Carolina Power and Light-Company's Brunswick Nuclear Plant to discuss the status of corrective actions for the site's Environmental Qualification Program. The licensee indicated that the corrective actions are on schedule with the exception of the issuing.of revised Qualification Data Packages (0DPs).
The-licensee will require additional time to. complete the ODP revisions.
Tennessee Valley Authority - Watts Bar On November 14, 1997, Watts Bar management met with NRC regional management in the Region II office to discuss the results of the plant's first refueling outage. - The licensee discussed-their objectives, how they were accomplished.
-successes, resolution of emergent issues, and lessons learned.
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Region III Items of Interest Week Ending November 14. 1997 Public Meetina on Bia Rock Point Decommissionina On November 13. 1997. NRC staff from the Headquarters Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Region III conducted a public meeting in Charlevoix, Michigan, to discuss Consumer Energy's decision to immediately dismantle the Big Rock Point Nuclear Power Plant -- a change from the utility's original plans to leave the plant in safe storage for about 26 years prior to dismantlement.
The facility permanently shut down on August 29. 1997.
On September 19, 1997, the utility informed the NRC of its plans to forgo the original decommissioning plan and to proceed to dismantlement and decontamination.
lignaaement Meetina with Illinois Power Comoany - Clinton Plant On November 14. 1997, a management meeting was conducted at the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant, Clinton. Illinois, between management representatives Illinois Power Company and members of the NRC staff.
The utility discussed its plan for excellence. The utility stated that the Clinton p'lant won't be restarted until after March 1998.
lianaaement,Meetina with Commonwealth Edison Comoany - Zion On November 14, 1997, a management meeting was conducted in the Region III Office, Lisle, Illinois, between management representatives from Commonwealth Edison Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting discursion focused on the utility's progress in plant improvement actions.
The utility indicated that Zion's startup may take place in late December.
Manaaement Visit to NRC Reaion II NRC Region III's Acting Director of the Divisioil of Administration B.J. Holt and other members of the regional staff visited NRC Region II. Atlanta, Georgia to review the information technology processes used by Region II.
NOVEMBER 14. 1997 ENCLOSURE P
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-Region IVi Items of-Interest W~ek'Ending November 14, 1997 Swedish Nuclear Power Insoectorate (SKI) Week-of 11/3/97 l
1 n-November 5; 1997, the Senior Resident-Inspector at WNP-2 met with Ms. Anna 0
Lekberg of the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI) to discuss the role of-1the resident inspector in the NRC's reactor ins)ection program.
The meeting
-focused upon the resident inspector's role as t1e on-site inspector in both
' evaluating the licensee's regulatory performance and in responding to potential emergencies at the facility.
Ms. Lekberg is a technical advisor in SKI's Department of Man, Technology Organization and was visiting the WNP-2 facility and the Richland. Washington area as a representative of SKI-to work with Batelle's Pacific--Northwest National-Laboratory (PNNL).
p Waterford-3 Performance Imorovement Plan (PIP)-Meetina On November 13, 1997, an open public meeting was held between NRC and the Waterford 3 licensee to discuss recent inspection results and the progress the licensee has made in improving engineering performance at the plant..The
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meeting focused on the operability determin'ation 3rocess and engineering staffing at the facility. The next meeting will )e in conjunction with the quality assurance program review (IP 40500) and will be conducted in early 1998-I deetina with Wolf Creek Nuclear Ooeratina Corocration On November 14. 1997, the. Region IV Regional Administrator, and members of thes Region IV and NRR staffs, met with representatives of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation at the Wolf Creek Generating Station.
The meeting was part of the ongoing dialogue between the licensee and Region IV in res)onse to
. performance weaknesses identified in Wolf Creek's last SALP report.
T11s meeting focused on human performance problems and the licensee's efforts to Regional and Headquarters personnel,pection on this to)ic, supported by improve in this area. A special ins was conducted in.0ctober-(IR 50-482/97-19)..-The licensee described their recently instituted improvement initiatives.
They included a new cause-coding system, improved training, and increased managerial focus. = Additionally, the Performance Indicators used by the engineering de)artment were reviewed. The next meeting will be in conjunction with t1e quality assurance program review (IPC 40500) and will be u
. conducted in early 1998.
Eqpj;ji.no with Wolf Creek Reoresentatives c
On November 13, 1997. RIV and Wolf Creek representatives met at the site to
= discuss licensee identification of-the root causes and proposed corrective 4-actions for the 500 failure rate and less-than-expected examination quality for the most recent operator license examinations, administered in August 1997.
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