ML20210L637

Weekly Info Rept for Wk Ending 990716

ML20210L637
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/23/1999
From:	Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:
References
SECY-99-189, SECY-99-189-C, WIR-990716, NUDOCS 9908090187
Download: ML20210L637 (21)

Text

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UNITE 3 ETATES o e NUCLEAR REZULATERY COMMfMSION [

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Eoc The Commissioners From: James L. Blaha, Assistant for Operations, Office of the EDO Subiect: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING JULY 16,1999 Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A Nuc! car Material Safety and Safeguards B L Nuclear Regulatory Research C incident Response Operations D General Counsel E* '

Administration F '

Chief Information Officer G Chief FinancialOfficer H* {'

Human Resources I Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State Program J L*  !

Public Affairs M '

intemational Programs N Office of the Secretary O Region i P Region ll P Region ill P Region IV P Executive Director for Operations Q*

Congressional Affairs R

• No input this week.

<d4K.Lo C s James L. Ptah Assistant for Operations, OEDO f

M. Satorius, OEDO dst 9 9908090187 990723 PDR COMMS NRCC WEEKLYINFOREPT PDR g 4 g _ {. j j

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation items of Interest Week Ending July.16,1999 Status of Hearina Activities on Shearon Harris' Soent Fuel Pool beansion Amendment On July 12, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLB) issued its Ruling on

> Standing and Contentions related to the petition to intervene filed by the Board of ,

Commissioners of Orange County, North Cuolina (BCOC). BCOC's February 12,1999, petition challenged Carolina Power & Lic'it Company's (CP&L's) December 23,1998, amendment request to increase the spent fuel storage capacity at its Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant by placing spent fuel pools (SFPs) 'C' and 'D' in service.

in its ruling, the ASLB concluded that BCOC does have standing and has submitted two etnissible contentions. The first admissible contention is related to General Design Criterion J.Z) 62 and has two bases. First, whether GDC 62 permits an applicant to take credit in enticality calculations for enrichment and bumup limits in fuel, limits that will ultimately be enforced by administrative controls. Second, whether a single fuel assembly misplacement, involving a fuel element of incorrect bumup or enrichment, could cause criticality in the fuel pool, or would more than one such misplacement or a misplacement coupled with some other error be needed to cause such criticality.

The second admissible contention relates to whether the licensee's proposed attemative plan,

• to demonstrate that the piping for the SFP 'C' and !D' cooling system meets the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code, is required to address and satisfy the quality assurance requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix B. The ASLB ruling also states that the proceeding li, ::ubject to the hybrid hearing process of 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart K, to the degree that any party wishes to invoke those procedures. If any party wishes to use the Subpart K procedures they must file a request within 10 days, by July 22,1999. Additionally, the ruling may be appealed to the Commission by any of the parties within 10 days.

Troian On July 12, plant staff began loading spent fuel into a fuel basket inside a transfer cask in the cask loading pit. This was the first transfer of fuel to a Part 72 licensed independent spent fuel storage installation at Trojan. A total of 8 fuel assemblies were transferred to the fuel basket.

NRC inspectors and the Portland General Electric (PGE) staff observed bubbles rising in the fuel basket. The bubbles were subsequently verified to contain hydrogen above the alarm level for the hydrogen monitor (>2.5%). One of the inspectors observed that the hydrogen generation rate appeared to exceed that for the VSC-24 casks. Turbidity due to corrosion of carbon steel basket intamals also developed and reduced visibility to the extent that it interfered with fuelloading. The loading of the basket / cask is currently on hold pending further review by the NRC and PGE technical staffs.

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE A

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Commonwealth Edison LaSalle Power Vorate Comed announced a decision to increase electric output at LaSalle Units 1 and 2 by more than 50 mW for each unit. The project, including modifications to the turbine generators, is expected to be completed by summer 2000 for Unit 1 and mid-2001 for Unit 2. The increased capacity will improve the utility's ability to provide power during the peak summer months which

' has been a problem in recent years. The NRC received a submittal on July 14 for a license amendment for the power uprate. Comed management stated that the decision to increase LaSalle's capacity demonstrates their confidence in the improved performance of the Comed nuclear program. Both units at LaSalle were shut down in September 1996 and Unit 1 restarted in July 1998 and Unit 2 in April 1999.

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE A

6 sC Office o' Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Development of a Material Protection. Control. and Accountina Interaoency Aoreement for Former Soviet Union On July 13, the Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards (FCSS) received a letter from the Department of Energy (DOE) providing a proposed material protection, control, and accounting Interagency Agreement (IA) for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's support program to Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. The staff is reviewing the letter and the -

attached IA, and evaluating the extent to which it addresses concems FCSS identified in previous correspondence to DOE. The staff is preparing a memorandum to the Commission which will update the Commission on the status and recommend a course of action.

Delav in BWX Technoloales Downblendina Schedule On July 14, BWX Technologies informed FCSS staff that it is having difficulties completing the calcining of Sapphire Phase ll material as scheduled. As a result, the processing schedule for the material will be delayed. Equipment problems and o int mandatory safety reviews are pushing the restart of blending operations beyond August. At present, approximately 40% of the material has been calcined. The staff has drafted a cable for interagency clearance informing the Intemational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of this delay, which impacts IAEA safeguards inspections.

Deoartment of Enerov's '.trJ6c on Retum of Foreion Reseerch Reedor Spent Nuclear Fuel The Spent Fuel Project Office staff and Region ll and IV offices participated in a meeting of DOE's Cross Country Transportation Working Group (CCTWQ , talt Lake City, Utah. This meeting constituted the third and final meeting of the CCTWG ine purpose of this meeting was to continue the development of an appropriate transportation and security plan for the first cross country shipment of foreign TRIGA spent fuel being retumed to the U.S. This shipment will consist of five casks of TRIGA spent fuel received from European research reactors (Romania, Slovenia, Italy, and Germany), which will be transported cross country to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

Interaoency Meetino on Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management On July 13, staff representatives of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Department of State, DOE, and the Environmental Protection Agency met to discuss strategies for implementing the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Management, adopted at a September 1997 Diplomatic Conference and signed by the U.S.,

but not yet submitted to the White House for ratification. DOE, which led the meeting, proposed a staff-level interagency steering group to develop a game plan for' ratification, and an interagency working group to informally assess the readiness of the U.S. to implement the Joint Convention. The staff will be an active participant in both groups and will keep the Commission informed, particular1y with respect to NRC's readiness to implement the Joint July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE B

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Convention while minimizirig any unnecessary new burdens if the Senate were to provide

. advice and consent to the President for ratification of the Joint Convention. (The Senate must provide its advice and consent to the President before he is able to sign the instrument and it enters into force in the U.S. Once it enters into force, the Joint Convention has the force of law in the U.S.) .

q Low-Level Radioactive Waste Summit Draft Report The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently issued a draft report of its Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) Summit held on April 9,1999, in Jacksonville, Florida. The

- primary purpose of the Summit was to obtain comments from legislators, LLW management experts, and stakeholders that will assist NCSL's LLW Working Group as it examines altamatives for future LLW disposal policy. The choices discussed by the more than 50 attendees included dissolving the compacts; using DOE's disposal sites; leaving the current system in place; and restoring incentives to encourage LLW site development. The report summarizes the wide range of views from the participants on these four options. It makes no recommendations, and will be discussed by NCSL's Working Group at its next meeting on July 25,1999. The report, dated July 2,1999, was received by the staff on July 13,1999, and comments were requested by July 14,1999.

A majority of the report addresses state and DOE disposal programs. In the discussion of the DOE disposal option, the report states, "There appeared to be general agreement that DOE disposal of commercial waste probably would be accompanied by extemal regulation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission." In addition, one paragraph in the 18 page report also addresses one participant's view that " reasonable assurance" that a facility will operate safely needs to be better defined. The staff does not intend to comment on the report.

Intemational Workshoo Entitled " Safety Masures to Address the Year 2000 lasue at Madic=!

Facilities which Use Radiatfon Generators and Radioactive Materials" A representative from the Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety attended an Intemational Workshop entitled " Safety Measures to Address the Year 2000 lasue at Medical Facilities which Use Radiation Generators and Radioactive Materials." The workshop was organized by the Intemational Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization.

Presentations on Y2K activities were provided by several member states. A presentation on ,

the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Y2K activities was given and copies of Y2K information 1

- notices were provided to attendees. After the presentations, the workshop participants drafted a Y2K document. The document will provide more detailed information and supplement IAEA-TECDOC-1074, " Safety Measures to Address the Year 2000 issues at Medical Facilities which Use Radiation Generators and Radioactive Materials," dated March 1999. The document and IAEA-TECDOC-1074 will be sent to member states, professional societies, and, if possible, directly to medical institutions. i July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE B

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Items of interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Pressurized Thermal Shock Re-Evaluation Project On July 14, an Office of Research management team from all divisions briefed, the ACRS on

. an ongoing project to re-evaluate the regulatory guidance and criteria for pressurized thermal shock (PTS) for PWRs. RES initiated this project earlier in 1999 as a cooperative effort with industry through the PWR Materials Reliability Project, Reactor Vessel Integrity issues Task Group. . This project is significant because it relates to: (1) recent developments in materials

. (flaw distribution and fracture mechanics) that indicate a potential for significant relaxation of the PTS screening criteria contained in 10 CFR 50.61, and (2) re-evaluation of the PTS acceptance criteria in light of the effort to produce a risk-informed 10 CFR 50.

This presentation was the first opportunity for the staff to brief the ACRS on this project. The briefing was to present the overall outline of the project, elaborate on certain details, and obtain initial technical and process feedback from the Committee. The initial technical feedback at the meeting was very positive. The ACRS complimented the staff on a "well thought out effort" and were particularly pleased that the staff was undertaking a revised look at the PTS acceptance criteria, which date back to 1982. The Committee also reacted favorably to a discussion of plans for an expert elicitation to objectively determine the bases for a generic flaw density and distribution for reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials. The flaw density and distribution have been shown to be key factors in the probabilistic determination for RPV failure under PTS transients.

The staff considered this briefing to be particularly important as it involved the ACRS early in the process. Further ACRS briefings are anticipated as the project progresses toward an .

expected completion in December 2001.  !

Restructurina the French Cabri Test Reactor Proaram In late June, the French Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety (IPSN) announced that it had altered plans for the proposed Water Loop in the Cabri test reactor. The NRC has been counting on this Cabri program to yield data under more typical conditions to serve as a basis for new criteria in Regulatory Guide 1.77, " Assumptions Used for Evaluating a Control Rod Ejection Accident for Pressurized Water Reactors," for high-bumup fuel. Testing in the Water Loop, which was to begin in 2002, will now be delayed until 2005. However, an additional short series of tests is planned in the old Sodium Loop during the year 2002. As a practical matter, this change in schedule probably means that industry submittals for bumup extensions will be based on data from the atypical Sodium Loop, with the possibility for confirmation at a later date with data from the more typical Water Loop. This change in plans was discussed at an IPSN meeting on June 30,1999, with representatives from nine countries, including two i representatives from the U.S. (NRC and EPRI). Restructuring of the Cabri test program was said to be the result of requirements for the relicensing of the Cabri reactor.

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE C

Draft Reaulatory Guide on Financial Assurance for Decommissionina A proposed Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide 3.66 is being developed and it has been issued as Draft Regulatory Guide DG-3014, " Standard Format and Content of Financial Assurance Mechanisms Required for Decommissioning Under 10 CFR Parts 30,40,70, and 72." This Revision 1 is being developed to provide updated guidance to NRC licensees and applicants on how to demonstrate financial assurance for decommissioning. The guide will also present a standard format for presenting the information to the NRC.

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July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE C

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l Incident Response Operations items of Interest Week Ending July.16,1999 Y2K Tabletoo Exercise On July 14, IRO conducted a Year 2000 Training and Tabletop Exercise at the Doubletree Hotelin Rockville, Maryland._ Chairman Greta Joy Dicus made opening remarks. The tabletop objectives were to share information regarding State, local and NRC plans for dealing with the potential consequences of a Y2K initiated event. Results of the exercise will also assist the NRC in refining its Y2K Contingency Plan in preparation for the full scale Y2K exercise to be conducted on October 15,1999. Participants in the tabletop exercise included NRC (HQ and regions), FEMA, National Communications System, the State of Maryland, St. Mary's and Calvert counties, and Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (Calvert Cliffs Power Plant). All objects were successfully met. Results of the tabletop, along with a list of identified issues, will be posted on the NRC Y2K web site. This exercise was conducted as part of a continuing process designed to prepare the NRC, utilities, and State and local govemments for the Year 2000 transition period.

PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATIONS:

1. PNO-l-99-032, Howard University, LOSS OF A PACKAGE CONTAINING 2 MILLICURIES OF IODINE-125 (1-125) 1 July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE D

20 Office of Administration items of Interest .

Week Ending July 16,1999 AceMitian Trainina On July 15, the Division of Contracts and Property Management conducted its Acquisition for Project Managers module, " Preparing Statements of Work." This module provides project managers with practical exercises in developing succinct and complete Statements of Work that ensure contractors and DOE laboratories fully understand project scope, achieve work objectives, and deliver useful products in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.

Physical Security The Division of Facilities and Security (DFS) is evaluating measures to enhance security for personnel, property, the buildings, and classified and sensitive unclassified information. Two of these measures affecting employee movement within the White Flint Complex are:

1. The garage entrance guard has been directed to briefly stop each vehicle entering the garage and compare the occupant's ID badge and face. This measure was put into effect on Wednesday, July 14,1999. DFS staff has monitored and observed this process and there have been no traffic back-ups or other concems.

2. The TWFN guard post (ID check point) has been repositioned to afford the guard better peripheral vision of personnel coming into the building, as well as personnel going towards the fitness center or cafeteria. in addition, the sign requesting that ID badges be displayed at all time whila in the building has been repositioned to better funnel personnel in and out of the lobby. Since the lobby elevator opening is so large, it was observed that personnel were often entering the lobby at such a distance from the guard that the guard could not adequately compare the ID badge with the face of the person displaying it .

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July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE F I

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s Chief information Officer items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Reauests received durina the 5-Day Period of July 9.1999 throuah July 15.1999:

- BP Research facility in Warrensville Hts., OH.- (FOIA/PA 99-285)

MLTS database,3 sites in TX. (FOIA/PA 99-286)

MLTS database, specific program codes related to medical uses. (FOIA/PA 99-287)

Bridgeport Brass, National Distillers, and/or Reactive Metals located at 15 Franklin St.,

Seymour, CT (FOIA/PA 99-288)

Operational Safegua;ds Response Evaluation (OSRE) Program, 3/18/99 meeting.

(FOIA/PA 99-289)

Reauests Completed (None)  !

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' July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE G

Office of Human Resources items of Interest Week Ending July.16,1999 Stroke Workshoc Held at NRC On July 15,1999, Natalie Smith, representative from Life Scan, gave a presentation to NRC employees on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of stroke, a " brain attack," which occurs when blood flow and oxygen fail to reach the brain. They were given information on the three types of strokes, told how to prevent stroke by controlling risk factors, and told how to recognize the symptoms of stroke should they occur. Employees were also informed of new technologies, such as digital ultrasound screening, used to determine an individual's risk of stroke from blocked arteries. Approximately 75 employees attended the workshop.

Arrimis AZlZIEH, Max SUMMER CLERICAL Rlli BRISTOR, Joel INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYST NMSS BURTNER, Jennifer SUMMER CLERICAL NMSS ELWOOD, Mary SUMMER CLERICAL HR ROBERTS,Myma SUMMER CLERICAL OClO SMITH, Theodore ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER NMSS TITHERINGTON, Sherry ACCOUNTANT OCFO Retirements None Departures 7

FITZ, Mary TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANT RIV JACKSON, Shirley Ann CHAIRMAN OCM July 16,1999 ENCLOSUREI

Office of Public Affairs items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Media Interest Region I reported media interest in the sale of the Pilgrim plant. '

Media representatives attended the Oconee meeting on the Environmental Impact Statement forlicense renewal.

The Associated Press is preparing a story on the 20* anniversary of a uranium mill tailing l impoundment pond incident in Church Rock, NM.

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Press Releases i Headquarters:

99-143 Note to Editors: Demand for information From Owner of Envirocare of Utah 99-144 NRC Order to Florida Power & Light Co. Confirms Barrier Corrective Actions at Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 99-145 NRC to Hold Workshop this Week in Maryland on Spent Fuel Pools at Closed Nuclear Power Plants99-146 Pilot Plant Evaluation Panel to Meet in Rockville, Maryland 99-147 Note to Editoa: Licensing Board Ruling in Shearon Harris Case 99-148- NRC to Require Nuclear Power Plants to Assess and Manage Increases in Plant Risk Before Performing Maintenance 99-149 Commission Directs NRC Staff to Prepare a New Rule Upgrading Security Requirements at Nuclear Power Plants j

99-150 NRC Hosted Tabletop Exercise in Preparation for Y2K Regions:

1-99-61 NRC Proposes $2,750 Fine Against Pennsylvania Firm for Gauge-Use Violations ll-99-43 NRC Staff Sets Enforcement Conference With Duke Energy to Discuss Apparent Violations at Catawba Nuclear Station  :

ll-99-44 NRC Staff to Hold Performance Evaluation Meeting at Brunswick 111-99-40 NRC Staff Proposes $5,500 Fine Against Testing Engineers &

Consultants, Inc., for Violations of NRC Safety Requirements July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE M

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Office of Intemational Programs items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Meetina with Jaoanese Deleoation On Friday, staff from the Division of Reactor Controls and Human Factors, NRR, and Kevin Burke, OlP, met with a delegation from the Japan Thermal and Nuclear Power Engineering

, Society to discuss operator training in Japan and in the U.S. The delegation was accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Intemational Trade and Industry, Kansai Electric Company, Tokyo Electric Company, BWR Operator Training Center, Nuclear Power Training Center, and the Federation of Electric Power Companies. The Japanese power utilities have adopted a lifetime employment system for their nuclear power plant operators who receive a rigorous curriculum of training.

i Julyi 6,999 ENCLOSURE N 4

Office of the Secretary j ltems of Interest j Week Ending July.16,1999 Document Released Date Subject to Public j

Decision Documents

1. SECY-99-162 6/22/99 Policy for Regulatory Actions for Licensees of Nuclear Power Plants that have not Completed Year 2000 Readiness Activities Negative Consent Documents None information Papers

1. SECY-99-163 6/23/99 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending I June 18,1999 f

2. SECY-99-164 6/24/99 Litigation Report- 1999 -3

3. SECY-99-167 6/30/99 Weekly information Report - Week Ending June 25,1999 Memoranda

1. M990614 7/9/99 Staff Requirements - Briefing on 10 CFR Part 70 - Proposed Rule for Revised Requirements for the Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material, Monday, June 14, 1999

2. Caputo,01 7/13/99 Memo fm Guy P. Caputo, Director, Office of Investigations to Office of Investigations Personnel, subject: Director's Guidance 99-001: Recommendations of the MIRT Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to the Honorable Albert Gore, Jr., dated June 28,1999, transmitting the Annual Report for the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

2. Letter to Susan L. Hiatt, dated June 28,1999, concems NRC's recent action conceming the possible use of potassium iodide (KI) as supplemental protection for the public in case of a severe accident at a nuclear power plant

3. Letter to Dr. B. John Garrick, dated June 28,1999, concems reappointment to a four-year term on the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE O

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4. Letter to Dr. William D. Magwood, DOE, dated June 28,1999, regarding the ambitious and beneficial nuclear energy research program of the Department of Energy

5. Letter to Senator James M. Inhofe, dated June 29,1999, providing NRC's monthly report on the status of its licensing and regulatory duties

6. Letter to Chairman Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg, Jr. of the Committee on Planning and Environmental Protection, dated June 29,1999, concems the accidental firing of depleted uranium ammunition on Vieques Island, Puerto Rico

7. Letter to Deidre A. Lee, OMB, dated June 29,1999, designating NRC employee for

" Greening the Govemment through Efficient Energy Management"

8. Letter to Ser ator Rick Santorum, dated June 30,1999, regarding Freedom of information Act request = to Federal agencies form the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

9. Letter to Senator John Chafee, dated June 30,1999, concems significant change to NRC's process for overseeing the safety performance of commercial nuclear power plants

10. Letter to Ross Morres, dated July 7,1999, addressing the Commission at the March 26, 1999 meeting regarding the Department of Energy viability assessment of Yucca Mountain

11. Letter to Govemor Michael O. Leavitt, dated July 7,1999, regarding the regulation of uranium recovery operations Federal Reaister Notices issued

1. Department of the Army, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland (Denial of Materials License for M22/GIDL 3 Automatic Chemical Agent Detecter / Alarm); docket No. 030-34610-ML, Notice of Hearing

2. 10 CFR Part 50; Monitoring the Effectiveness of Maintenance at Nuclear Power Plants; Final Rule 3._ Molycorp, Inc; Docket Nos. 40-8794-MLA and 40-8778-MLA; Designation of Presiding Officer (Peter B. Bloch)

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE O

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Region i ltems of Interest Week Ending July.16,1999 Pilorim The formal transfer of ownership of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (PNPS) from the BEC Energy Company to the Entergy Nuclear Company occurred on July 13. The NRC had issued an Order approving the transfer of the operating license. Pilgrim station is the first U.S.

nuclear plant to be sold through a competitive bid. The only immediate organizational change involves Theodore Sullivan, currently the senior site manager, who now will report to Michael Bellamy of Entergy Nuclear, who will be the new senior site manager. Entergy retained almost all of the existing workforce at the PNPS. A joint BEC Energy and Entergy Nuclear press conference was held onsite on July 13. Members of the press and local and state politicians attended the transfer-of-ownership ceremony.

.Susouehanna i On July 14, the NRC held a public meeting to discuss the results of the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Plant Performance Review. The principal Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L) representatives included the Senior Vice President Generation and Chief Nuclear Officer and the Vice President Nuclear Site Operations. The principal NRC representatives included: the Regional Administrator, the Division of Reactor Safety Director, and the Branch Chief for the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. There were a number of local politicians present at the public meeting. PP&L responded positively to the NRC presentation and discussed actions taken or planned to improve station performance and the safety conscious work environment at Susquehanna. Prior to the public meeting, the Regional Administrator and other NRC representatives toured the site and interviewed members of the station staff.

Millstone On July 15, the NRC held a public exit meeting at the Millstone site to present findings and conclusions from a Corrective Action and Employee Concems Program / Safety Conscious Work Environment Team inspection. At 7:30 p.m. on July 15, at the Waterford Town Hall, the NRC and the Connecticut Nuclear Energy Advisory Council hosted a joint public meeting to discuss the safety conscious work environment at Millstone. A presentation was also made by Little Harbor Consultants, who performed an independent, third-party assessment of the safety conscious work environment at Millstone.

Visit by Commissioner Merrifield to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

On July 12, Commissioner Merrifield visited the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. NIH management and staff presented the Commissioner with an overview of the NRC-licensed program and provided a tour of selected clinical and research facilities operated under the license. Commissioner Merrifield was accompanied during the visit by Region I Division of Nuclear Materials Safety (DNMS) management and technical staff.

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE P

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Safety Licht On July 13, the Regional Administrator, along with Region i DNMS staff, met with licensee representatives at the Safety Light site in Bloomsburg, PA to discuss license renewal and tour the site. Additionally, individuals from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, including the Deputy Secretary for Air, Waste, and Radiation Protection, accompanied the Regional Administrator. The Bloomsburg facility was utilized for the manufacture of various types of radioactive products such as watch dials and deck markers. Currently the facility produces products containing tritium, such as exit signs. The 1 tour of the facility included those buildings and areas the licensee proposes to remediate, as I well as the tritium products production facilities. Discussions focused on the license renewal and the schedule for remediation work on the underground waste storage silos.

Confirmatory Samolino at Former Arsenal (MA) Site Watertown 1

On July 14, Region I, using contract support from Oak Ridge institute for Science and j Education, conducted confirmatory sampling in the sewer line that connected to a buried drain line at the Formerly Utilized Defense Site (FUDS) Property at the former Watertown Arsenal in Watertown, MA. The FUDS Property is an NRC Site Decommissioning Management Plan l (SDMP) site, which is licensed by the NRC to the U.S. Army. Management of the FUDS program is provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

NRC reviewed the USACE's risk assessments that were performed to support the termination of the license and removal of the FUDS property from the SDMP list. NRC requested additional information regarding the potential dose impacts from residual contamination that may remain in a buried drain line which had not been completely characterized. Based on the sampling results, USACE will model the site and perform a dose assessment to support either license termination or identify a need for additional remediation.

The sampling effort was also supported by the Watertown Public Works Department and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Environmental Protection. f 1

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Region II -

Items of Interest Week Ending July.16,1999 Duke Eneroy Corporeiion Catawba On July 12, representatives from Duke Energy Corporation attended a Predecisional Enforcement Conference concoming apparent violations associated with the Catawba Standby Shutdown System.- As the result of mispositioned breakers, the system was inoperative for 13 days. The Technical Specifications require action after 7 days of inoperability. The licensee presented their risk analysis which indicated that this condition was of low risk and below the accident precursor threshold. A final enforcement decision has not been concluded.

McGuire On July 15, the results of the most recent McGuire Plant Performance Review were presented during a public meeting held at the McGuire facility. Licensee attendance at the meeting consisted of senior station management and the Executive Vice President for Nuclear Generation. Two State and local public officials also attended the meeting. No members of the media were present.

i Carolina Power and Liaht Companv- Harris I Senior managers from Region ll, along with NRR staff, conducted a public meeting in Cary, 3 North Carolina on July 13 describing the NRC's new regulatory oversight process that is being

- conducted at the Harris facility as part of a pilot program.

BWX Technoloaies The Deputy Regional Administrator and the Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards met with licensee representatives on July 16, to discuss the results of the recent NRC Licensee Performance Review.

South Carolina IMPEP A team consisting of headquarters, regional staff, and a representative from the State of Califomia conducted an Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program review of the South Carolina Agreement State Program.

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July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE P l l

r Region lli items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Manaoement Meetino with Commonwealth Edison Company On July 13, a management meeting was conducted in the Region ill Office, between management representatives from Commonwealth Edison Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting discussion focused on the utility's performance as it relates to actions it has taken in response to the NRC's January 27,1997, letter regarding safety performance at the utility's nuclear facilities. Some of the specific agenda items included discussion about Comed's Strategic Reform initiative Step 3 Effectiveness Review Process and corrective actions including strengthening of overtime controls. The Region 111 Regional Administrator participated in the meeting.

Manaaement Meetino with Illinois Power Company - Clinton On July 14, a management meeting was conducted in Clinton, Illinois, between management j representatives from lilinois Power Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting j

- discussion focused on the results of the restart inspection at the Clinton Nuclear Power Station '

and the utility's progress in addressing the remaining long term corrective actions to sustain performance improvements at the plant. The Region 111 Regional Administrator participated in the meeting.

Manacement Meetino with American Electric Power Company - D. C. Cook On July 15, a management meeting was conducted in Bridgman, Michigan, between

- management representatives from American Electric Power Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting discussion focused on the results of Functional Area Assessments conducted in Operations, Maintenance, Radiological Protection, Work Control, and other performance areas by the utility at the D.C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant.

Plant Performance Meetino - Duane Amold Members of the Region lil staff met on July 15, with officials of Alliant, IES Utilities, Inc., to discuss the most recent plant performance review for the Duane Amold Energy Center. The meeting, which was open to public observation, was at the plant site. The Region lil Deputy Regional Administrator participated in the meeting, i

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Region IV Items of Interest Week Ending July 16,1999 Droo-in Visit by AmerenUE and Callaway '

On July 14, the Vice President and. Chief Nuclear Officer of AmerenUE and the Callaway Plant

. Manager visited with the Regional Administrator.

Manaoement Meetina with MidAmerican Enerav Officials On July 15, the Regional Administrator and members of his staff met with MidAmerican Energy Company. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss matters of mutualinterest, including the pilot Risk Informed Baseline Inspection Program recently implemented at Cooper Nuclear Station and Fort Culhoun Station.

July 16,1999 ENCLOSURE P i

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