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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 2066b0001 r
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- MAY 1 B EM CHAIRMAN l
The Honorable Don Siegelman Governor of Alabama -
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-2751 l
Dear Governor Siegelman:
As you are well aware, a great deal of concern exists regarding the wide range of potential industrial and societal impacts of the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer problem (i.e., the inability of 3 some computer programs to correctly interpret dates beginning with January 1,2000).
Particular concerns have been expressed regarding the potentialimpacts of this problem on nuclear safety. As the new millennium approaches, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been working vigorously to ensure that any Y2K problems at licensed nuclear facilities will not endanger the public health and safety. We have been working with our licensees to ensure that they identify and remedy any Y2K problems, validate their correction through testing, and prepare contingency plans, well before January 1,2000. We also have ensured that our internal computer systems function properly, in fact, the NRC was one of the first Federal agencies to complete Y2K preparations earlier this year. These efforts are part of our comprehensive program for dealing with Y2K problems.
Enclosed for your information is an NRC status report describing the NRC program for ensuring -
that Y2K problems at licensed nuclear facilities do not pose safety hazards to workers or members of the public. We have shared this report with your State Liaison Officer in addition, the NRC Y2K Web page at: htto://www.ntc.cov/NRC/ NEWS /vear2000.html contains answers to frequently asked Y2K questions and includes information about NRC computer systems and contingency planning, NRC references and other relevant Y2K links, and the status of computer systems at nuclear power plants, fuel facilities and other nuclear material users. The NRC will post periodic updates to the enclosed report on the Y2K Web page.
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If the NRC can be of further assistance in addressing the Y2K problem, or if y*ou have additional l questions on this issue, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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Sincerely, w
Enclosure:
As stated
[ Identical letter to Governors on the attached list]
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CORRESPONDENCE PDR ;
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, List of Governors
<The Honorable Don Siegelman The Honorable Frank O' Bannon
/ Govemorof Alabama , . . Govemor of Indiana Montgomery, Alabama 36130 2751 ' Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 The Honorable Tony Knowles The Honorable Tom Vilsack Govemorof Alaska Govemor of Iowa Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001 Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0001 The Honorable Jane Dee Hull The Honorable Bill Graves Govemorof Arizona -
Govemorof Kansas Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Topeka, Kansas 66612-1590 The Honorable Mike Huckabee The Honorable Paul E. Patton Govemorof Arkansas Govemorof Kentucky
. Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 The Honorable Gray Davis The Honorable Mike Foster Govemor of Califomia - Govemorof Louisiana Sacramento,Califomia 95814 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9004 The Honorable Bill Owens The Honorable Angus S. King, Jr.
. Govemor of Colorado - Govemor of Maine -
Denver, Colorado 80203-1792 Augusta, Maine 04333 The Honorable John G. Rowland The Honorable Parris N. Glendening Govemorof Connecticut - Governor of Maryland Hartford, Connecticut 06106 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 The Honorable Thomas R. Carper The Honorable Argeo Paul Cellucci
' Govemor of Delaware - , Governorof Massachusetts, Dover, Delaware 19901 Boston, Massachusetts 02133 The Honorable Jeb Bush The Honorable John Engler Govemorof Florida .
, Governor of Michigan.
' Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001 Lansing, Michigan 48909 The Honorable Roy Bames The Honorable Jesse Ventura
- Govemor of Georgia' Govemor of Minnesota .
Atlanta, Georgia 30334 St. Paul, Minnesota 55155 The Honorable Benjamin J. Cayetano The Honorable Kirk Fordice Govemorof Hawaii . Govemor of Mississippi Honolulu, Hawall 96813 Jackson, Mississippi 39205 The Honorable Dirk Kempthome The Honorable Mel Camahan Govemor of Idaho . . Govemorof Missourl
. Boise, Idaho 83720 Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 The Honorable George H. Ryan The Honorable Marc Racicot
- Govemor of Illinois - ..
Governor of Montana Springfield, Illinois 62706 Helena, Montana 59620 The Honorable Mike Johanns The Honorable Jim Hodges Govemor of Nebraska, Governor of South Carolina Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4848 Columbia, South Carolina 29211
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, The Honorable Mike Johanns The Honorable Jim Hodges Govemor of Nebraska Govemor of South Carolina.
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4848 Columbia, South Carolina 29211 The Honorable Kenny C. Guinn The Honorable William J. Janklow
. Govemor of Nevada ,
Govemor of South Dakota
- Carson City, Nevada 89710 Pierre, South Dakota 57501 The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen . The Honorable Don Sundquist
- Govemor of New Hampshire Governor of Tennessee Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0001 The Honorable Christine T. Whitman The Honorable George W. Bush Govemorof NewJersey < . Govemorof Texas ~
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 - Austin, Texas 78711 The Honorable Gary E. Johnson The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
- Govemor of New Mexico Govemorof Utah.
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503 Salt Lake City, Utah 84114 The Honorable George E. Pataki The Honorable Howard Dean, M.D.
Govemor of New York ' Govemor of Vermont -
.. Albany, New York 12224 Montpelier, Vermont 05609 The Honorable James B. Hunt, Jr. The Honorable James S. Gilmore lli Governor of North Carolina- Govemorof Virginia Raleigh, North Carolina 27603-8001 Richmond, Virginia 23219 The Honorable Edward T. Schafer The Honorable Gary Locke Govemor of North Dakota < Govemor of Washington <
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0001 Olympia, Washington 98504 0002 The Honorable Bob Taft The Honorable Cecil H. Underwood Govemor of Ohio -
Govemor of West Virginia ,.
Columbus, Ohio 43266-0601 Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0370 The Honorable Frank Keating The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson Govemor of Oklahoma Governor of Wisconsin -
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105 Madison, Wisconsin 53707 The Honorable John A. Kitzhaber The Honorable Jim Geringer Govemor of Oregon - Governor of Wyoming Salem, Oregon 97310 Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002 The Honorable Tom Ridge Govemor of Pennsylvania' Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - 17120 -
The Honorable Pedro Rossell6
. Govemor of Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901 The Honorable Lincoln Almond Govemor of Rhode Island ,
Providence, Rhode Island 02903 '
. United States
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- Nuclear Regulatory Commission Status Report on Year 2000 Activities for April 1999 INTRODUCTION in September and October 1998 and in January 1999, the staff provided the Commission with status reports on Year 2C30 (Y2K) activities. These previous reports focused principally on .
agency Y2K activities for nuclear power plants. This report t uses more broadly on all agency Y2K activities. Attached to this report is a timeline of major NRC Y2K milestones and the Nuclear Utility Year 2000 Readiness March 1999 Survey Summary. The Nuclear Energy institute provided this summary to the NRC on April 8,1999. These reports, along with other detailed Y2K-related information on NRC Y2K activities, are available on NRC's Y2K website at htto://www.nrc.oov/NRC/N EWS/ve a r2000.html.
The NRC supports the efforts of the President's Council'on Year 2000 Conversion and is a ,
active member of the Council's Year 2000 Energy / Electric sector. Health Care sector, and Emergency Services sector workinn groups. NRC continues to work with representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy to share information regarding potential problems associated with the Year 2000. Additional information concerning the activities of the President's Council can be found on the Council's website at http://www.y2k. gov. )
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On February 11,1999, the Commission met with John Koskinen, Chair of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, members of the NRC staff, and representatives from the Nuclear Energy Institute and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) to discuss Y2K issues. On February 24,1999, Dr. William Travers, Executive Director for Operations, testified before the NRC's Senate oversight committee on NRC's Y2K activities.
NRC YEAR 2000 ACTIVITIES Over the past several years the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has been working with our licensees to prepare for the Y2K transliion. The NRC continues to maintain an appropriate regulatory framework for overseeing Y2K readiness efforts at all NRC-licensed facilities.
Since 1996, the NRC has been working with nuclear industry organizations and Ecensees to address the Y2K problem. To ensu,e that senior-level management at operating NRC-licensed facilities was aware of the Y2K issue, the NRC issued information Notice (IN) 96-70, " Year 2000 Effect on Computer System Software," on December 24,1996. IN 96 70 describes the potential problems that nuclear facility computer systems and software might encounter during i the transition to the new millennium. ' All U.S. nuclear power plants, fuel cycle facilities, and )
other 1,tateriallicensees were provided with copies of this document.
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POWER REACTORS In 1997, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) agreed to take the lead in developing industry-wide guidance for addressing the Y2K issue at nuclear power reactors. In November 1997, NEl
" issued a guidance document to all U.S. nuclear power plant licensees, titled " Nuclear Utility Year 2000 Readiness" (fEl/NUSMG 97-07).
In Generic Letter (GL) 9841, " Year 2000 Readiness of Computer Systems at Nuclear Power Plants," May 11,1998; the'NRC accepted the NEl/NUSMG 97-07 guidance as an appropriate program for nuclear power plant readiness and required that all operating U.S. nuclear power
' plant licensees submit written responses regarding their facility-specific Y2K readiness programs in order to obtain confirmation tha6 aensees are addressing the Y2K issue '
effectively. All licensees have responded to GL 98-01 stating that they have adopted plant-specific programs that are intended to make the plants Y2K ready by July 1,1999. GL 98-01 1 also requires a written response, no later than July 1,1999, confirming that these facilities are Y2K ready. Licensees who are not Y2K ready by July 1,1999, must provide a status ieport and schedule for remaining work to ensure timely Y2K readiness.
' One of a number of initiatives undertaken by the NRC staff to address the Y2K problem was the conduct of 12 sample audits of licensee Y2K readiness programs. A sample audit approach was determined by the NRC staff to be an appropr: ate means of oversight of licensee Y2K readiness efforts based on the fact that 1) all licensees had committed to the nuclear power
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industry Y2K readiness guidance (NEl/NUSMG 97-07) in their first response to GL 98-01 and 2) I the NRC staff had not identified any Y2K problems in safety-related actuation systems. The 12-licensee sample included large utilities such as Commonwealth Edison and Tennessee Valley i Authority (TVA) as well as small single unit licensees such as North Atlantic Energy (Seabrook) and Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation. Because licensee Y2K programs are ,
corporate-wide, many of the NRC staff audits included more than a single nuclear power plant site since many utilities own more than one nuclear power plant. In all, a total of 42 of 103 operating nuclear power plant units were associated with the Y2K readiness program audits of 12 utilities. The NRC staff selected a variety of types of plants of different ages and locations in this sample in order to obtain the necessaiy assurance that nuclear power industry Y2K ;
readiness programs are being effectively implemented and that licensees are on schedule to meet the readiness target date of July 1,1999, established in GL 98-01, in late January 1999, we completed the 12 audits. Based on the results of these audits, we concluded that the audited licensees were effectively addressing Y2K issues and were undertaking the actions necessary to achieve Y2K readiness per the GL 98-01 target date. We did not identify an} issues that would preclude these licensees from achieving readiness.
These findings are consistent with those recently reported by the Department of Energy in the report prepared by the North American Electric Reliability Council on the status of Y2K readiness of the electric power grid.
The mWority of commercial nuclear power plants have protection systems that are analog rather than digital. Since Y2K concerns are associated with digital systems, analog reactor protection system functions are not impacted by Y2K istves. Digital systems are being addressed as part of the licensee Y2K readiness programs. Errors such as incorrect dates in print-outs, logs or displays have been identified by licensees in safety-related devices, but the 1
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errors do not affect the functions performed by the devices or systems. Most Y2K issues are in balance-of-plant and other systems such as security and plant monitoring systems which support day-to day plant operation but have no direct functions necessary for safe operation of the reactor. These systems are being addressed in the licensee Y2K readiness programs consistent with the industry guldence and GL 98-01 schedule. To date, the NRC staff has not identified any Y2K prdblems in miclear power plant systems that directly impact actuation of safety functions. .
We have noted from the completed audits that licensee Y2K contingency planning efforts have
- not progressed far enough for a complete NRC staff review, and, therefore, additional oversight
' of this area is planned for the Spring of 1999. The NRC staff currently plans to review the contingency plannbg efforts of six different licensees from those included in the initial 12 sample Y2K readiness audits, beginning in May 1999 and ending in June 1999. Licensee Y2K programs are corporate-wide and many utilities own more than one nuclear power plant.
Therefore, a total of 18 operating nuclear power plant units will be associated with these six licensee reviews. These reviews will focus on the licensee's approach to addressing both intomal and extemal Y2K risks to safe plant operations based on the guidance in NEl/NUSMG 98-07, " Nuclear Utility Year 2000 Readiness Contingency Planning." Headquarters staff will perform the 2-3 day audit with assistance from the applicable region and/or resident inspector.
The following sites were selected and the corresponding licensees were informed of these future audits: ,
Oconee Indian Point 2 Palo Verde Turkey Point -
Duane Amold Diablo Canyon in addition to the NRC staff activities addressed above, NRC inspectors will review plant-specific Y2K program implementation activities at all nuclear power plant facilities. The inspectors will be using guidance prepared by the NRC headquarters staff who conducted the 12 sample audits. The results of these plant-specific Y2K program reviews will be documsnted in publically available documents which will be posted on the NRC Year 2000 website. In April 1999, the staff plans to issue an information notice (lN) regarding the results of the 12-plant sample audit.~
The NRC staff will continue its oversight of the Y2K issue in nuclear power plants through the remainder of 1999. In July 1999, we will review all licensee responses to GL 98-01 and address any responses that raise concems. By September 1999, we will determine the need for issuing orders to address Y2K readiness issues, including, if warranted, shutdown of a plant.
At this time, we believe that aillicensees will be able to operate their plants safely during the transition from 1999 to 2000 and do not believe that significant plant-specific action directed by the NRC is likely to be needed.
Nevertheless, the nuclear utility industry and the NRC are developing comprehensive contingency plans to cope with any unanticipated problems should they arise during the Year 2000 transition. This approach is consistent with the defense in-depth philosophy applied to assuring nuclear safety.-
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,' Since the last periodic report on Y2K activities the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation has re-organized and the responsibility for reactor-related Y2K activities has been transferred to the Division of Engineering. Richard Wessman, Deputy Director of the DMalon of Engineering, is the lead management point of contact for reactor-related Y2K activities. Jared Wermlel has assumed a new position as Chief, Reactor Systems Branch.
At the NRC Regulatory information Conference which was held from March 3 through March 5, '
1999, in Washington D.C., the staff discussed Y2K related issues with NEl and nuclear power plant owners.
The staff has developed a Temporary Instruction (TI) and review checklist and completed training of inspectors to support review of Y2K activities at all power reactors. The Ti has been placed on the NRC web site. All day training sessions on the Ti and the site reviews were conducted on March 25 and March 31,1999. Regional Offices were connected via video conference and the appropriate resident or regional inspectors attended the subject sessions.
A video tape based upon the training sessions will be made available for other regional personnel.
The comment period for the three Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) rulemaking petitions ended on March 28,1999 and the staff is preparing its response. The staff has initiated a dialogue with NIRS and invited NIRS to participate in a public meeting with NEl.
The staff will continue to engage NIRS in future public meetings and workshops.
The staff has been invited and plans to participate in the EPRI Y2K Embedded Systems Workshop to be held from April 26 through 30,1999. The staff has also been invited and plans to participate in the Nuclear Utility Software Man ~ agement Group (NUSMG) Conference on Y2K <
lasues, to be held on April 28 and 29,1999.
The industry is actively engaged in addressing the Y2K problem. The North American Electric I Reliability Council (NERC) established recommended industry-wide milestones for ensuring that U.S. electric systems are ready for the Year 2000. The recommended completion date for the remediation/ testing phase of Y2K preparations is May 1999. Mission-critical systems and components (e.g., power production, energy management systems, telecommunications, substation controls and system protection, and distribution systems) are to be made Y2K ready by June 30,1999. NEl has collected data from the industry regarding Y2K progress provided the NRC with a summary report on April 8,1999. This summary report is attached. NEl has encouraged licensees to make a public announcement when their intamal review has been completed and they have concluded that their plants are Y2K ready.
FUEL CYCLE FACILITIES AND MATERIALS LICENSEE in order to gather Y2K information regarding fuel cycle facilities and materials licensees, the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) formed a Y2K Team. From September 1997 through December 1997, the NMSS Y2K Team visited a cross-section of materials licensees and fuel cycle facilities and conducted Y2K interviews. Each licensee or facility visited by the team indicated that they were aware of the Y2K issue and were in various
' stages of implementing their Year 2000 readiness programs. Also, telephone interviews were conducted with device manufacturers and distributors. From the interviews and site visits, Page 4 of 12 l
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.l NRC was assured by licensees that health and safety at materials facilities and fuel facilities
- would not be compromised due to Y2K problems. Further, NRC determined that few materials licensees use processes that are computer-controlled. From the interviews, NRC loamed that early versions of some treatment planning systems (computer systems for calculating dose to medical patients being treated with radiation or radioactive material) have Y2K problems and that upgrades for. treatment planning systems were available. However, treatment planning systems are not regulated by the NRC, b6cause they do not contain licensed material. NRC has shared information on non-Y2K compliant treatment planning systems with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For materials licensees, no Y2K issues for NRC regulated material were identified. For fuel cycle facilities, one database was identified that had a Y2K problem, and the facility indicated that they would convert it to a Y2K compliant database as part of their Y2K Readiness Program. As a result of the interviews and site visits, NRC's focus has been to determine if any commercially-available devices (medical and industrial) are Y2K vulnerable, j
j and to assure that licensees evaluate self-developed r ptoms, commercial off the shelf j
software and hardware, and safety systems. 1 Since November 17,1997, materials and fuel cycle inspectors have been instructed to confirm 4
receipt of NRC's Y2K Information Notices by materials and fuel cycle licensees and certificate
~ holders; determine whether the licensees and certificate holders have identified any potential problems associated with the Y2K issue; and note any corrective actions taken by the licensees and certificate holders. Generic Year 2000 information, received from inspectors, will be l passed on to NRC licensees. To date, only treatment planning systems, dose calibrators, and a tote position display for an irradiator have been found to have Y2K problems. As stated above, NRC has informed the FDA of all treatment planning systems and dose calibrators that materials licensees have found to have Y2K problems. Upgrades for these treatment planning systems and dose calibrators are available from manufacturers. Materials inspectors have indicated that licensees are aware of these upgrades and that the licensees will complete the upgrades before the end of 1999. The irradiator tote position display is not a safety system.
Further, the irradiator tote position display system that had the Y2K problem was made susceptible by a one-of a-kind modification made by the licensee. The licensee was authorized by NRC to make the modifications and is updating the display system. To date, no generic Y2K issues for NRC regulated material used by materials licensees have been identified.
In addition to Y2K inquiries during routine inspections, NRC is monitoring several list servers, manufacturer webshes, news media, Congressional reports, and Presidents' Y2K Council reports for Y2K issues that may affect materials licensees. If Y2K issues that will affect materials licensees are discovered, the information will be sent to licensees through generic communications and placed on the NRC Y2K webpage.
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To alert licensees and certificate holders to the Y2K problem, NRC issued information Notice (lN) 96-70, " Year 2000 Effect on Computer System Software," on December 24,1996, IN 97-61,"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Letter, to Medical Device Manufacturers, on the Year 2000 Problem," on August 6,1997, and IN 98-30,"Effect of the Year 2000 Computer Problem on NRC Licensees and Certificate Holders," on August 12,1998. In IN 96-70, the staff described the potential problems that computer systems and software may encounter as a result of the change from the year 1999 to the year 2000 and how the Y2K issue may affect NRC licensees and certificate holders. IN 96-70 encouraged licensees and Page 5 ef 12 r
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- certificate holders to examine their uses of computer systems and software well before the year 2000 and suggested that they consider appropriate actions to examine and evaluate their computer systems for Y2K vulnerabilities, in IN 97-61, the NRC staff forwarded to licensees a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, to medical device manufacturers, regarding the Y2K problem. In a letter dated June 25,1997, the FDA reminded medical device manufacturers that some computer systems and software applications currently used in medical devices, including embedded microprocessors, may experience problems as a result of the tum to the new century. In addition, the letter indicated that computer controlled design, production, or quality control processes could be adversely affected. In IN 98-30, the staff alerted licensees and certificate holders to systems that were known to be or may be affected by Y2K problems, encouraged licensees and certificate holders to contact vendors and test their systems for Y2K problems, and provided elements of a sample Y2K readiness program. All Y2K related Information Notices and Generic Letters that were sent to licensees have been placed on the NRC's external Web site.
In an effort to provide our medical licensees with Y2K Information, NRC has been working with
- he FDA. NRC and FDA will continue to share Y2K information. ,
in order to obtain confirmation that fuel cycle licensees and certificate holders are effectively addressing the Y2K issue, NRC issued GL 98-03, "NMSS Licensees' and Certificate Holders' Year 2000 Readiness Programs," in June 1998. Similar to GL 98-01 for nuclear power plants, GL 98-03 required that fuel cycle facilities submit written responses regarding their facility- l specific Y2K readiness program, in the first of three required responses to GL 98-03, all ten {
fuel cycle facilities (nine fuel cycle licensees and certificate holders) responded that they have adopted facility-specific Y2K readiness programs. In the second of three required responses to ,
GL 98-03, all ten fuel cycle facilities responded. One facility will be Y2K ready by April 1999, six facilities will be Y2K ready by July 1999, two facilities will be Y2K ready by October 1999, and one facility reported that they will be Y2K compliant by December 1999. However, in subsequent communications, the licensee for the facility reporting Y2K compliance by December 1999 informed the NRC that although they will not be Y2K compliant until December 1999, they are currently Y2K ready. The third of three required responses to GL 98-03 is due by July 1,1999, and requires confirmation that the facility is Y2K ready. Fue! cycle facilities which are not Y2K ready by July 1,1999, must provide a status report and schedule for remaining work to become Y2K ready.
Between September 1997 and October 1998, the ten major fuel cyd factlit;es were, in conjunction with other inspection activities, inspected for Y2K concems. Bar.ed on these Y2K inspections, the facilities were aware of the Y2K problem and were adequately addressing Y2K issues.
in support of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, NRC has participated in and provided information to the Health Care Sector and the Environmental Protection Sector.
Further, NRC participated in the Y2K medical event (exercise) et George Washington University Hospital.
Recently, NMSS participated in Y2K Health Care Sector meetings, led by Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), to plan Y2K Action week, March 29 though April 2. HCFA sponsored Y2K events in 12 cities. ' HCFA, FDA, Veterans Administration, and Department of Defense and guests from local utilities, telecommunications, banking, transportation, emergency services, State Medicaid agencies, and other Health and Human Services Page 6 of 12
, agencies participated in the events. Professional associations notified membsrs of the Y2K events. NRC attended planning meetings, but did not participate in the events because the materiais licensee community is relatively small, with a narrow scope of health care operations, and the Y2K events were aimed at a broader health care and public audience.
NMSS is currently updating the materials and fuel cycle Y2K webpage. The front page will include more information regarding NRC Y2K activities. Additionally, usefullinks to other Y2K.
websites will be added.
AGREEMENT STATES in February 1998, NRC provided information to Agreement States to increase their awareness of the Y2K problem. (Ref. All Agreement States Letter SP-98-008). Through the letter, States were provided information on the nature and scope of the Y2K problem, potential problems for materials licensees, and the actions. NRC was taking to encourage NRC materials licensees to examine their computer systems and software. In the letter, we recommended that Agreement States also encourage their licensees to conduct similar examinations to assure they are Y2K compliant. NRC also requested Agreement States to share information with NRC on any Y2K problems identified by Agreement State licensees that could impact NRC, other Agreement States, or otherlicensees.
To help provide further information to Agreement States, a link was established on the Office of State Programs (OSP) home page directly to the NRC Y2K website to help States obtain access to NRC information. We also provided the Agreement States with information on how to subscribe to the NRC year 2000 list server that would automatically E-MAIL information to subscribers as it became available.
On January 26,1999, all Agreement States were contacted again through the OSP list server referring them to the earlier February 6,1998 letter, and asking that they be sure to share with us any information on Y2K problems that may have been idr. mite.d by their licensees. We also asked for information on the status of their efforts to address Y2K issues.
State responses, although limited in number, indlcated that Y2K was being addressed through State wide efforts and anticipated completion t?efore the year 2000. No licensee problems were identified.~
In addition, during Management Review Board (MRB) meetings for the Integrated Material Performance Evaluation Program over the past 18 months, the MRB Chair has questioned Agreement State managers about their State's Y2K activities. The managers have indicated that Y2K issues in their programs were being addressed as part of statewide efforts.
CONTINGENCY PLANNING The NRC Y2K Contingency Planning Task Force is an interoffice, multi-disciplinary team constituted to provide recommendations and guidance to help ensure that the agency can appropriately respond to unanticipated Y2K problems at our licensed facilities. To support this Page 7 of 12
3 goal, the Task Force has developed a draft Contingency Plan that will be used to deal with unforseen Y2K problems that may affect NRC licensed facilities. This draft plan was placed on the NRC's extemal Y2K web site (http//www.nrc. gov /NRC/ NEWS / year 2000.html) to facilitate extemal stakeholder coordination and to solicit input. The staff is also developing a one-time
. " interim Policy Statement on Enforcement Discretion for Y2K" that will be forwarded to the Commission for review.
After extemal stakeholder input has been incorporated into the contingency plan, it will be submitted to the Commission for formal a'pproval. The NRC is also actively participating in several Inter-Agency working groups that are planning for Y2K contingencies. These groups include the Catastrophic Disaster Response Group and the President's Council Y2K Emergency Services Sector working group. The NRC plans to conduct exercises in preparation for potential Y2K problems.
The Task Force continued to develop and refine the NRC Y2K continge;ay plan based on stakeholder feedback and the February 19,1999 Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM).
Comments on the draft contingency plan were received from several Federal Agencies, from NEl and several utilities, from public citizen groups (e.g., NIRS, Massachusetts Citizens for Safe Energy, Global Resource Action Center for the Environment) and from private citizens.
Major milestones are summarized below.
Exercises The task force is presently considering two different exercises. The first exercise would be a Table Top exercise sometime this summer that would involve NRC (Headquarters and the Regions), a utility, a State, and a county. The purpose of this exercise would be to talk through how contingency plans for each organization would be used in response to a number of scenarios (e.g., loss of telecommunications, loss of power). Both BG&E and the State of Maryland are interested in participating in this exercise. The second exercise would be a larger scale exercise. During this exercise, the NRC would test the Y2K contingency plan in its entirety, including the inic mation sharing and regulatory response aspects of the contingency plan. To date, about a half-dozen utilities have expressed an interest in participating in this exercise.
Coordination and Communication The staff is working closely with FEMA and the President's Council on the Y2K issue. The staff supported regional FEMA workshops by providing input on the NRC Y2K program as part of the workshop package. The purpose of workshops is to communicate to regional Federal agencies, States, and local govemment officials, the status of Y2K lasues associated with the major sectors of the infmstructure (transportation, energy, food supplies, health care, etc.) and
' to assist them in conting ency planning efforts. The staff is also working closely with FEMA on their plans to conduct Y2K workshops for the State and local radiological emergency preparedness (REP) community. These workshops will also include participation by NRC and our nuclear power plant licensees.
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Tho' staff has also worked closely with the National Communication Sycem (NCS) regarding the Naticaal Telecommunications Coordination Network (NTCN) that is being developed to provide for emergency communications in the event of a widespread telecommunications outage. In addition, the staff has consulted Booz Allen to provide recommendations for portable satellite equipment to support the Y2K contingency plan and to augment the NRC Emergency Telecommunications System. One of the requirements of this equipmentis compatibility with the NTCN. At the request of NRC, the NCS has contacted telecommunications companies, that provide service to NRC nuclear power plant licensees regarding Y2K readiness.
NRC and IAEA are coordinating contingency plans for direct NRC-IAEA communications in case of a U.S. nuclear emergency. In February 1999 OlP met with the IAEA's emergency response team and discussed coor6 nation of Y2K contingency plans. Further discussions will be held in May 1999 during the visit of an IAEA emergency response team member to the NRC INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS The Office of Intemational Programs (OlP) participates in intomational multilateral information exchange and coordination fora such as the Intemational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in preparation for the 42nd lAEA General Conference in September 1998, the NRC took the lead in drafting a resolution on Y2K readiness for the safety of nuclear power plants, fuel cycle
' facilities, and other enterprises using radioactive materials. That resolution urged, among other things, that Member States submit information to the IAEA on activities underway to inventory and remediate Y2K problems at their nuclear facilities, and that the IAEA act as a central coordination point in disseminating information about member state Y2K activities.
- During numerous bilateral meetings with countries such as Argentina, Lithuania, Russia, and the Ukraine, the NRC presented the draft resolution and urged their support. Ultimately,28 member states co-sponsored the resolution, including a number of countries that have nuclear facilities whose safety are of particular concern to the U.S. Government.
In response, the IAEA has created a special project to address nuc! ear Y2K-related safety concems and contingency planning for nuclear power plants and research reactors, and is in the process of holding several Y2K workshops. The IAEA also conducted a survey of its
~ Member State's Y2K programs in which the NRC participated (see http://www.iaea.org/ns/nusafe/y2000/y2kinfor.htm).
Since the General Conference, the NRC has worked with the IAEA to formulate a Y2K program that would address nuclear safety aspects ot Y2K lasues, particularly those at Soviet-designed reactors in the WJw independent States (NIS) and Central and Eastem Europe (CEE).
Page 9 of 12
The U.S. also provided a cost-free expert to the IAEA to assist in the establishment of IAEA Y2K guidelines and Y2K contingency planning.
The IAEA Department of Safeguards established a project in 1996 for Y2K conversion activities. The project covers assessment, conversion and testing of the software applications, instrument evaluation software, embedded systems, PC hardware attached to various
- equipment and computer infrastructure. In addition, the IAEA is working closely with Member States and the State's systems of accounting for control of nuclear material and on the conversion of systems used jointly with Member States at nuclear facilities.
- In February 1999 OIP participated in an intomational seminar on Y2K and safeguards and -
. physical protection sponsored by the IAEA. The seminar was attended by 47 IAEA Member States and OlP presented a progress report on the NRC's Y2K efforts. A working group was established and issued recomrnendations to regulatory authorities and facility operators on how to remediate Y2K problems in the area of physical protection.
NudearEnergyAgency(NEA) in February 1998, the NEA sent a Y2K questionnaire to members of its Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Agencies (CNRA). The responses showed that participating regulatory bodies were taking aggressive steps with licensees to identify and solve Y2K issues. In August 1998, the NEA finished its work on an intemational e-mail notification system, enabling CNRA members to rapidly and confidentially exchange Y2K Information. The CNRA members are Belgium,
' Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, IAEA, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.
The NEA also organized a Intemational Workshop on the impact of the Year 2000 on the Nuclear Industry which was held in Ottawa, Canada in February 1999 (co-sponsored by the IAEA). This workshop was also attended by regulators from the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastem Europe. On February 9,1999, NRC Chairman Jackson provided a keynote address and invited countries to participate in a Y2K contingency plan exercise later this year.
NRC and NEA are in the process of creating a Y2K Early Waming System (YEWS). Countries in earlier time zones, which will experience any Y2K-related problems before the U.S. does, l have been invited to relate information about Y2K issues to YEWS in the quickest possible !
manner to enable licensees in participating countries avoid common-cause failures. This effort includes mainly Far Eastem countries, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, which operate U.S.-style reactors, as well as certain European countries and Canada and Mexico. The time
' difference for these countries vs. EST or PST ranges from plus 12 to 15 hours1.736111e-4 days <br />0.00417 hours <br />2.480159e-5 weeks <br />5.7075e-6 months <br /> (Far East) to 6 to 9 hours1.041667e-4 days <br />0.0025 hours <br />1.488095e-5 weeks <br />3.4245e-6 months <br /> (Europe). To the extent feasible YEWS will also be coordinated with the Departments olState and Energy.
NRC's main focus of bilateral contingency planning efforts is on Canada and Mexico. The NRC enjoys close bilateral ties with both countries and special emergency procedures are already in place permitting rapid and redundant communicatiore should an emergency arise.
Contingency planning for these countries involves, amcng other things, the examination of Page 10 of 12 s,,,,,,-
p
- existing procedures and communications channels for Y2K compliance. In addition, Canada and Mexico will participate in YEWS.
' The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada is addressing the Y2K issue at Canadian nuclear power plants and hopes to have all plants Y2K compliant by June 30,1999. Members l of the NRC's contingency planning team met with the AECB in December 1998 and again in February 1999 to discuss coordination of their respective Y2K contingency plans.
On April 5, representatives from the OlP discussed Y2K lasues, among other topics, with the Mexican regulators in Mexico City. OlF has issued a formal invitation to the Mexican regulator to discuss Y2K contingency plan coordination and expects to take up work in this area soon.
Other countries with which the NRC has technical information exchange arrangements are being individually contacted by NRC regarding Y2K issues as part of the ongoing emergency -
preparedness information exchange. NRC is exploring the possibility of using existing bilateral means of communications as redundant communications channels should the regular international emergency response system fall during the Y2k transition period, t The Office of the Chief Information Officer prepared an information package to describe NRC's intamal Y2K readiness program. OIP subsequently forwarded the information package to all countries with whom the NRC has bilateral safety cooperation arrangsments. !
CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS Congressional interest in Y2K issues remains high. New letters this month include: 1) Senator Bennett (R-UT) of the Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem wrote requesting the status of the NRC's mission critical systems; 2) that same Committee jointly with
{
i the Senate Appropriations Committee wrote inquiring about NRC's continuity of operations and I contingency planning,3) Rep. Markey (D-MA) wrote suggesting additional actions the NRC should take with its licensees regarding Y2K, and 4) Senator Snowe (R ME) wrote regarding NRC's Y2K requirements for licensees. Additionally, Rep. Luther's (D MN) office called requesting basic NRC Y2K contacts in preparation for a town meeting he held in late March on Y2K at which he wants to distribute information on government-wide contacts. The Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem is planning a hearing for late April on "Y2K and Nuclear issues" at which DOE and DOD will testify, focusing on nuclear concerns involving the U.S. and Russia. Lastly, that Committee issued a report, circulated on March 3, summarizing its findings following a series of Y2K hearings last year. The report recommended that the NRC expand its detailed Y2K assessments to include all nuclear plants and broaden the scope of its assessments to include operational issues.
The STAR (Standing for Truth About Radiation) Foundation held a " Nuclear Y2K" symposium in .
Washington D.C. on March 0,1999. The NRC staff provided a perspective on the Y2K issue.
Other participants were the Union of Concemed Scientists, Nuclear Information and Resource Services, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Environmental Coalition on Nuclear Power and Congressman Edward Markey, who sponsored the symposium, l
Page 11 of 12 i
i
PUBUC AFFAIRS AND Y2K COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES ' ,
As of mid-March, the NRC Web site was responding to approximately 5,800 page-requests per week for Year 2000 information. The most frequently-requested pages were:
NRC Year 2000 Page 33 percent of Y2K requests Nuclear Reactors Y2K Page 15 percent of Y2K requests Y2K Contingency Planning Page 10 percent of Y2K requests NRC Y2K Contingency Plan 7 percent of Y2K requests January 1999 EDO Y2K Status Report 4 percent of Y2K requests NRC Y2K References Page 4 percent of Y2K requests The Office of Public Affairs (OPA) has developed a list of frequently asked questions and responses that have been posted to NRC's Y2K website and forwarded to the President's Council on Y2K Conversion for posting to its website that provides consumer information. In addition, a Y2K communications plan has been developed to keep both the public and employees apprized of Y2K activities of the agency.
Cable News Network (CNN) interviewed members of the NRC staff on March 8 and March 29, l
~ 1999. The questions centered around the NRC's oversight of nuclear power plant licensee's Y2K remediation effortc.
On March 23,1999, the agency issued a press release announcing NRC plans to review Y2K programs at all 103 nuclear plants and to conduct special contingency plan audits at six plants.
The inspection results will be made publically available after the completion of the reviews At the recent training session, OPA briefed inspectors on public affairs aspects of Y2K.
The staff issued an intamal yellow announcement to make employees aware of NRC's Y2K contingency plan, particularly with regard to staffing our emergency operations centers and expectations for facility site staffing on December 31,1999. The announcement was signed by q the EDO and posted on the LAN for all NRC employees. 1 l
' Attachments:
- 1. Timeline of NRC Y2K Oversight Efforts
- 2. NEl Nuclear Utility Y2K Readiness
. March 1999 Survey Summary I
l I
. Page 12 of 12 1
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