ML20216F905
| ML20216F905 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/10/1997 |
| From: | Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| SECY-97-202, SECY-97-202-R, WIR-970905, NUDOCS 9709120131 | |
| Download: ML20216F905 (23) | |
Text
1 y Seotember 10. 1997 SECY 97- 202 fqt: The Comissioners E. tom: James L. Blaha, Assistant for Operations Office of the EDO Sub.iect: WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 5, 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 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 1 P Region 11 P Region 111 P' Region IV P Executive Director for Operations 0*
'i Congressional Affairs R I q U; '
- No input this week. g954 Ames James L. Blaha Assistant for Operations, OEDO
Contact:
D. Skeen,-DEDO M;M~b~
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1 UNITED STATE 8 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WA8HINGTON, D. C. 30666 INFORMATION REPORT
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, Spotember 10. 1997 SECY 97-202 l
f.qc: The Commissioners Erps: James L. Blaha Assistant for Operations. Office of the EDO Sub.iect : WEEKLY INFORMATION REPORT - WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 Contents Enclosure Nuclear Reactor Regulation A I
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 Officer H*
Human Resources 1 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 11 P Region 111 P Region IV P Executive Director for Operations 0*
Congressional Affairs R
- No input this week.
ames L. Blaha Assistant for Operations. OEDO
Contact:
D. Skaen. OEDO
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997
- Four Party Npelear Reaulatory Authorities Meetina on Diaital Instrumentation i and Control Systems Consensus ReDort i
On September 3 and 4. 1997, representatives from the nuclear power regulatory
' authorities of Canada (Atomic Energy Control Board). United Kingdom (Nuclear Installations Inspectorate). France (Direction de la Surete des Installations J
Nucleaires/Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaires) and the USNRC met at the NRC Rockville Offices to finalize the consensus report on the elements of a safety case for acceptance of computer based instrumentation and control (18C) systems in nuclear power plants. . The four party nuclear regulator ;
authorities group has been working on this document for over two years, yand it ~
represents a consensus of the four parties. The document describes the aspects of digital 18C systems necessary for a regulatory authority to evaluate in order to confirm their safe ap)lication. The document is anticipated to be available to the public )y the end of 1997.
Salem Nuclear Generatina Station. Units 1 and 2 Plant Status - On Saturday morning. August 30. 1997. Salem Unit 2 synchronized to the grid at 17% power level. On Saturday evening. after consulting with the Salem Assessment Panel the Regional Administrator informed the licensee that the NRC found it acceptable for Salem Unit 2 to proceed above 25% power, which was the first hold point. On Seatember 2. 1997, the plant reached 47%
power. The license intends to cycle t7e plant for about nine days to provide some of their licensed operator applicants the opportunity to obtain required control manipulations. The licensee intends to proceed above the next hold j point of approximately 50% power by September 14, 1997.
Commonwealth Edison Comoany Comed Announces Senior Management Changes and Restructuring On September 3. Commonwealth Edison announced senior management changes and a restructuring of the Nuclear Division. . The changes in organization structure are the re-establishment of the BWR and PWR vice presidents and the addition of a senior vice president of nuclear operations.
The following senior management changes were announced:
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-Harry Keiser. vice ) resident and chief nuclear operating officer, will become a consultant to the iuclear Division
-Gene Stanley. site vice president at Braidwood, will be the vice president for PWR operations
-Ed Kraft, site vice president at Quad Cities, will be the vice president for BWR operations
-Mike Wallace, senior vice president for corporate services, will be the Nuclear Division senior vice president John Mueller. site vice president at Zion, will be resigning from Comed SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE A l
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1 Jack Brons, nuclear support vice president. Will be the acting site vice president at Zion Tim Tulon, station manager at Braidwood, will be the site vice president at Braidwood
-Bill Pearce. station manager at Quad Cities, will be the site vice president at Quad Cities.
Commonwealth Euison Ordered a Stop Work on GE Analytical Services l An audit of GE nuclear services division, conducted by Comed with the assistance of contractors during the week of 08/18/97. raised numerous process and quality control concerns about GE engineering services. The concerns relate to compliance with GE's procedures documentation of inputs and assumptions. interconnections between calculations, and validation of software. The audit did not identify any significant technical deficiencies that would have eroded margins or raised immediate operability concerns.
Comed has ordered a stop to all work that has not begun. GE can continue work that is in progress, but must establish compensatory measures, including a management review of the work, to ensure it meets regulations and GE's process requirements. Comed will perform a more detailed review of work that is in progress, and plans to review all relatively recent calculations of record.
Comed plans to address the quality of older calculations as it performs design reviews as part of its 4 year design basis improvement program.
GE will present to Comed its plans to address the concerns.
Fort Calhoun Stat 1tc During the week of August 25 - 29. 1997, a special inspection was conducted at Fort Calhoun to determine the circumstances that resulted in the containment spray system being inoperable on August 21. 1997.
While performing a quarterly surveillance test of the safety injection and containment spray pumps and valves the licensee discovered that the control switches for the containment spray header isolation valves were in " override" and not in " auto" as required. The mispositioning of these valves made them inoperable and thereby rendered all three containment spray pumps inoperable.
This condition had existed for appro m tely 12.5 hours5.787037e-5 days <br />0.00139 hours <br />8.267196e-6 weeks <br />1.9025e-6 months <br />.
The preliminary inspection findings determined that: (1) test performer failed to follow procedures by placing containment spray valve control switches in override position (TS 5.8.1). (2) all three containment spray pumps rendered inoperable for 12.5 hours5.787037e-5 days <br />0.00139 hours <br />8.267196e-6 weeks <br />1.9025e-6 months <br /> (TS 2.4) (3) operators failed to appropriately log that containment spray valves were inoperable, that control switcles were in override, and when containment spray pumps were declared inoperable and operable (TS 5.8.1). and (4) operators failed to conduct adequate shift turnover since it was not identified by oncoming shift or briefed by off-going shift that the control switches for both containment spray valves were inoperable.
SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE A
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The ins)ection concluded that the event highlighted weaknesses in supervisory !
oversig1t. questioning attitude, knowledge, communications, procedures, and !
log keeping.
i The licensee's safety evaluation indicated that under actual conditions while ;
assuming appropriate accident scenarios the containment fan coolers would still have seen able to maintain containment pressure control. A review of engineering calculations during the inspection determined that the operators would have had time to return the containment spray pumps to operability prior to damaging the pumps and to perform recovery operations delineated in-FCS emergency procedures.
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SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE A
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards '
Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 Meetina with Sierra Nuclear Corooration ,
On August 28, 1997, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office (SFPO) met with ,
Sierra Nuclear Corporation (SNC), the Certificate of Compliance holder for the !
Ventilated Storage Cask (VSC 24) system design. This was the exit meeting for a special Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection of SNC which occurred on July 8 10. 1997. The special inspection investigated the circumstances surrounding undocumented welding p?rformed during the fabrication of VSC-24s ,
used at the Arkansas Nuclear One and Palisades Nuclear Power Plants. At the ;
meeting. SFP0 staff also discussed concerns related to overall poor performance in SNC's Quality Assurance (0A) Program. The SFP0 staff noted i' that repeated QA, deficiencies and poor 0A practices had been identified in hRC ins)ections dating back to 1992: and while SNC has corrected individual ;
pro)lems it has failed to improve overall 0A Program performance.
Activities at Nuclear Fuel Services Erwin. Tennessee On August 26. 1997. the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Resident Inspector anc NRC licensing staff observed as Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) initiated processing operations to remove highly enriched uranium (HEU) from UF.
cylinders by washing and solvent extraction.
NFS has also requested NRC review in support of the initiation of upcoming campaigns to: (1) process HEU contained in uranium-aluminum materials before the end of Seatember 1997, and (2) 3roduce low enriched uranium by downblending HEU before the end of October 1997. On August 26-27, 1997. NPC staff met with NFS to discuss NFS' )lans to develop an Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA). NFS also briefed NRC staff on a new naval fuel production process, which is scheduled for implementation in 1999. NFS-plans to submit a major license amendment request and supporting ISA results to NRC.
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4 Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 Fuel Behavior in late 1993, a test with a high burnup fuel rod in a French test reactor (CABRI) failed under conditions far below those used in regulation for reactivity accidents. That test led to information Notice 94-64 and a hold on a> proving further burnup extensions in NRC-licensed plants. A concern abnut tlat result was that the test was performed with a power pulse that was l narrower than expected in a power )lant accident. Thus, on July 10 of this year, another test was run with a ) roader pulse on a similar high burnup rod.
and it did not fail as before. Unfortunately, important oxidation conditions on the two rods were not the same, and it is not possible to tell if the later result was because of the broader pulse or the different oxidation. The NRC has a formal agreement with the Institute for Protection and Nuclear Safety (IPSN) in France and has provided financial support for this now-completed test series. We have learned that a specimen is available that is almost identical to the original specimen and could be tested with a broad pulse in '
an inexpensive extension of the test series. The NRC staff is considering sending a letter to IPSN recommending this additional test.
Uncertainties in Estimatina Radionuclide Transoort in Food Chain Probabilistic risk analyses performed in the United States and abroad historically have not reflected the uncertainties associated with offsite consequence analysis parameters such as meteorological dis)ersion and health effects of radioactive exposures. RES, in cooperation wit 1 the Commission of European Communities (CEC), has been working for the past several years to remedy this situation and recently completed the latest in a series of technical studies on these uncertainties. NUREG/CR 6523. "Probabilistic Accident Consequence Uncertainty Analysis: Food Chain Uncertainty Assessment."
developed by the Sandia National Laboratories, describes the results of an assessment by European and U.S. experts of the uncertainties in food-chain-related input parameters for the probabilistic accident consequence codes MACCS (developed for the NRC) and COSYMA (developed for ths CEC). These codes estimate the risks presented by nuclear installations based on postulated frequencies and radioactive release magnitudes of potential accidents. An earlier report. NUREG/CR 6244, described uncertainties in meteorological dispersion and deposition parameters, lhe remaining reports in the series will describe uncertainties in parameters related to deposited material and related doses, early health effects, late health effects, and internal dosimetry. These parameter uncertainties are being propagated through MACCS and COSYMA and the uncertainties in the code predictions calculated, providing quantitative measure of the uncertainties in consequence estimates and the principal contributors to these uncertainties.
, Workshoo on Human Performance and Safe Plant Operations The Commission. ACRS, and senior NRC managers have voiced concerns over the influence of management and organizational factors, safety culture, and SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE C
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downsizing and deregulation on human performance and safe plant operations.
In response to these concerns. RES held a workshop. August 17-22. 1997, to l
address these issues. World leaders in management and safety issues, such as Dr. James Reason and Dr. Erik Hollnagle presented papers and results of current research. Other national and international participants included ,
ex3erts from academia, utilities, national laboratories, consulting companies.
00 NASA, and NRC. The products of this workshop will be used to (1) modify PRA/HRA models, as appropriate, to incorporate the influences of management and organizational factors: (2) develo) tools to assess safety culture in
-nuclear power plants: and (3) inform tie Commission of those safety related issues most susceptible to, downsizing and deregulation.
f& ordination Meetino to Initiate USGS/NRC Memorandum of Understandina On August 27. 1997. RE3 hosted a coordination meeting with the U. S.
Geological Survey (USGS) to initiate the implementation of the recently renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOV facilitates coo)eration and coordination on technical issues facing the NRC related to the aehavior of radionuclides in the environment--in particular, issues related to site remediation, site decommissioning, uranium in situ mining. and uranium mill I tailings. The meeting focused on how the USGS field and laboratory studies j will contribute to the RES pro ram on radionuclide transport in the many different hydrologic and geolo ic environments typical of licensee sites. Of particular interest are the US S field and laboratory studies of water and radionuclide transport at arid sites and field testing of surface c >m)lexation models of radionuclide sorption. The continued interactions be'. wee . RES and USGS and their cooperative research efforts will benefit the researt.h programs of both agencies in the areas of geochemistry and hydrogeology.
Steam Generator Coooerative Research The RES efforts to evaluate steam generator tube integrity and to expand cooperative. research efforts with the industry came together during a public meeting held at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) offices on August 28 and
- 29. The result of the meeting was agreement in principle on an initial cooperative program addressing the development of realistic sample sets for nondestructive examination (NDE) research and for inspection qualification and cooperation in developing a library of tubes pulled from steam generators.
The meeting was attended by 24 people representing the NRC NEI. EPRI DOE.
the three PWR vendors and their Owners' groups, five utilities, and ASME.
Presentations on the ongoing research programs from each of the major organizations were followed by discussion of areas of mutual interest and potential-mechanisms for cooperation. A protocol was agreed upon for
-conducting cooperative research on developing NDE sample sets and on gathering pulled tubes. This protocol is consistent with the draft umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (M0J) between RES and EPRI addressing cooperative research.
An interim technical coordination group was-formed to develop the details and preliminary work scope for these two areas. In parallel, the staff will work with EPRI to develop language for a program-specific MOV to implement the cooperative program.
SEPTEMBER 5.-1997 ENCLOSURE C
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Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 Nuclear Emeraency Plannino Course at Harvard I During the week of August 18-22. an IRD staff member participated as a speaker in the Harvard School of Public Health course entitled " Nuclear Emergency l Planning." He was joined by a staff member for Region 11 for a presentation
' and discussion of emergency preparedness in severe weather. He also presented a paper on emergency response and the public entitled "How the NRC Interfaces with the Media During Emergencies." Commissioner Dicus was a guest lecturer i on emergency planning issues as well, and her remarks were greatly appreciated by all in attendance. The courses were attended by licensees and State and international visitors. The sessions were very well received and there were lively discussions by presenters and students.
Visit to Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant The Director. IRD, and an IRD staff member visited the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant on August 28-29 to familiarize themselves on the plant layout and key emergency response features in preparation for the Portsmouth exercise 7
on September 12.
Federal Aaency Meetina IRD staff coordinated a senior management meeting on August 27 with EPA. DOE.
and NMSS to discuss EPA's role in a major emergency at an NRC-licensed facility which involves chemical as well as radioactive material. The meeting was informative and will lay the groundwork for further discussions of Federal agency roles.
The meeting was extremely useful to NRC insofar as NRC learned about EPA's role under the executive order that identiiies EPA as an On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) for any hazardous material release not owned by DOE or D00. (DOE is the OSC for the two gaseous diffusion plant sites when DOE's material is involved. ) The participants at the meeting concluded that EPA Region V will be playing the role of OSC for the Portsmouth exercise on September 12 and will also participate in the decision making process regarding the level of Federal response for the exercise. It was agreed that the OSC and the NRC site team would arrange to meet near the Portsmouth site to exchange information about the nature of the emergency. Following the Portsmouth exercise these procedures will be finalized and will be the basis for response to any accident involving a chemical release at an NRC-licensed facility.
Federal Response Plan Succort Aaency Retreat On August 21 and 22. 1997, an IRD staff member participated-in the annual Federal Response Plan (FRP) Support Agency Retreat at which Federal response planning activities for the coming year were outlined. FEMA is planning to publish a revised FRP by December 1997. following approval of all support SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE D
agencies, including the NRC. Federal planning for response to terrorism is high on the Federal agenda.
FRPCC PAG Meetina An AE00 staff member participated in the FRPCC's Subcommittee on Ingestion Protective Action Guides (PAGs) held at and chaired by EPA. The Subcommittee reviewed the draft proposed ingestion PAGs developed by the FDA. The proposed approach in determining the level of contamination in food and the associated intervention action is a ma developed in the mid 1980s.jor improvement over the existing approachThe Subc draft document which FDA will docorporate in the version that will be published for public coment.
PREllMINARY NOTIFICAT10ftS._@ tis.1
- a. -PNO 1-97-054. Koch Engineering Company. Inc.. Tru-Tec Division. (Koch Engineering Co.). SEALED SOURCES AT MEMPHIS FEDERAL EXPRESS
- c. PN0-1-97 056. Royal Green Metal Recyclers. RUPTURED AMERICIUM SOURCE
- d. PNO II 97-046. University of Puerto Rico. MEDIA INTEREST IN A RADI0 ACTIVE .
SPILL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO'S MEDICAL SCIENCES CAMPUS
- e. PNO III 97-071. Commonwealth Edison Company, MANAGEMENT CHANGES AND REORGANIZATION
- f. PNO IV-97 047. Syncor International Corp. FUME HOOD FAILURE
- g. PNO IV-97-048. Rone Engineers Inc. (Troxler Electronic Labs). POSSESSION OF A STOLEN NUCLEAR MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE BY AN UNLICENSED PERSON
- h. PNO-IV-97-049. San Francisco VA Medical Center. IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF VIAL CONTAINING PH0SPHOROUS-32 IS0 TOPE l
SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE D w ew ---
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li Office of Administration Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 i
Statement of Princioles and Policy 'or the Aareement State Proaram: Policy j Statement on AdeauaCy and ComDatib1'1tv of Aareement State Proarams 4
The NR: )ublished a document containing two final policy statements in the Federal Register on September 3. 1997 (62 FR 46517). The two final policy statements are entitled " Statement of principles and Policy for the Agreement State Program" and " Policy Statement on Adequacy and Compatibility of Agreement State Programs." The policy statements became effective September 3. 1997.
GSA Meetina On Seatember 3.1997. Chief. Facilities Branch. DFS. attended a meeting of the Real >roperty Executives Interagency Advisory Group which is co chaired by the General Services Administration (GSA) and consists of major Government
! agencies who manage and operate Federal buildings. GSA presented the
- background of their $680M shortfall in FY 1997 in the Federal Buildings Fund J
which uses RENT paid by Government agencies to pay for new building i
construction and repairs to existing Federal buildings. GSA discovered the shortfall in FY 1996 when they realized that they would not recover enough REN1 to cover projects that have been approved by Congress and were in the i
planning stage at GSA. GSA is currently reevaluating their RENT policy.
which, they believe is under current market value and is taking ste)s to reduce their operating expenses, in FY 1998, for example. GSA will lave no
- funds to perform new construction or major building modernization (this was funded at $118M in FY 1997) and only 523M to perform minor building renovations, for example, roof repairs (this was funded at $79M in FY 1997).
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (GDP) Security InsDection DFS will complete its first major security inspection for the classified matter at the Portsmouth GDP on September 5.1997. protection Three DFSof staff r members and one from IRM ins)ected the GDP to assure compliance with NRC security regulations in 10 C R Part 95 and with the commitments in Portsmouth's approved " Security Plan for the Protection of Classified Matter."
An exit briefing is scheduled for September 9. 1997, i
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Chief Information Officer I Items of Interest c j Week Ending September 5, 1997
! Notice Sioned by C10
- On September 3, 1997, the Chief Information Officer (C10) approved a notice
, that proposes to revise Privacy Act System of Records NRC 21. " Payroll .
Accounting Records- NRC " The revisions will enable NRC to comply with certain provisions of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) which require all Federal agencies to '
-i begin transmitting "new hire" and " quarterly wage" information to the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH) on October 1,1997, and January 31, 1998.
i
' respectively. The Office of Child Support Enforcement. Department of Health and Human Services is providing technical assistance to all agencies in i meeting the NDNH requirements. The proposed revisions to NRC 21 will add -
o three new routine uses permitting NRC to make the disclosures required by the PRWORA. add one new routine use enabling NRC to make disclosures to the National Archives and Records Administration and the General Services Administration for required records management inspections, and update other sections of NRC's Payroll Accounting Privacy Act system of records.
This notice informs the Commission that in acrordance with the authority delegated to the CIO. the CIO has signed this notice and has forcrded it to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.
Sionificant F0IA/PA Reauests Received durina the 5-Day Period of Auaust 29 -
Seotember 4. 1997:
Relap Modeling contract. RS-RES 97 046, awarded to Purdue Research Foundation.
(F01A/PA-97-331)
Accountability Report.- Fiscal Year 1996. (F01A/PA 97-332)
LLRW Policy Act and Solid Waste Disposal Act. (F01A/PA-97-333)
USS Ticonderoga 12/5/65 incident involving a B43 nuclear weapon.
(F01A/PA 97-334)
Walnut Creek Field Office, from 1/1/97 through 9/2/97. (F01A/PA 97-335)
Vacancy Announcement 9758005, rating and selection process method records.
(F01A/PA-97 336)
SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE G
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Office of Human Resources items of Interest Week Ending September 5, 1997
- Review of Reaion IV's Office of Workers Compensation Proaram Conducted i
On September 3.1997. Henry Rubin traveled to Arlington, Texas, to conduct a review of Region IV's Office of Workers Com>ensation Program (0WCP). He met
, with the Regional Personnel Officer, Karen eague, and the Personnel Assistant. Connie Lane, to discuss their current OWCP cases. Mr. Rubin also reviewed their active files to assure the accuracy and validity of the OWCP claims.
Arrivals ROHRER Shannon GRADUATE FELLOW RIl
- Retirements i POTAPOVS, Uldis SR REACTOR ENGINEER NRR SHEEHAN, Margaret TECHNICAL PUB SPEC 1RM Denartures LEW, Patricia GENERAL ENGINEER RES KELLER, Lee SR RESIDENT INSPECTOR RIV RADCLIFFE. William RADIATION SPEC RIV VANDENBURGH, Chris ENGINEERING BRANCH CHIEF RIV s
SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE I
4-Office of Enforcement Items of Interest Week Ending September 5, 1997 l Safety-Conscious Work Environment i
On September 3, 1997, members of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) met with the Director, Office of Enforcement and NRC staff to discuss the Safety-Conscious Work Environment " Request for public comment," published in the Federal Register on February 26, 1997. The list of attendees is attached.
Everyone agreed that safety culture was very im>ortant in maintaining safety at Nuclear Power Plants. NEl discussed steps tlat NEl and INPO were taking to address safety culture issues. NEl uses the term " safety culture," which includes the NRC staff's term " Safety Conscious Work Environment."
The NEl members stated that the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of nuclear utilities believe that the Commission has more than adequate authority to enforce the Commission's regulations to ensure that the expectations in the 1996 Policy Statement, " Freedom of-Employees in the Nuclear Industry to Raise Safety Concerns Without Fear of Retaliation," are met. The CE0s also have a lack of confidence that the safety culture can be measured objectively, In addition, NEl and the staff discussed the dual track nature of discrimination complaints raised to both the Department of Labor and to the NRC. NEl requested further discussion on this dual track issue.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE K
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l l Office of Public Affairs i Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 l Media Interest
, There was )ress interest in the Conmission's decision to remand one issue s involving .ouisiana Energy Servicest proposed enrichment facility back to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
i i Press Releases j Headouarters: ;
4 I 97 127 NRC to Close California Field Office in 1998 i Reaions: I
! l-97 114 NRC Accepting Comment on Haddam Neck Post Shutdown ,
j Decommissioning Activities Report '
I.97 115 NRC Staff, Consolidated Edison Company of New York to Discuss Apparent Violations at Indian Point 2 Plant 11 97-63 NRC Staff Proposes $55.000 Fine Against Surry Nuclear Power '
Plant 111 97 79 NRC Staff Proposes $330.000 Fine Against Commonwealth Edison
- for Violations of NRC Requirements at Zion Nuclear Station i 111 97 80 NRC Staff Proposes $2.500 Fine Against H.H. Holmes Testing Laboratories. Inc. for a Radiation Safety Violation ,
.i 111-97 81 NRC Names New Resident Inspectors at Dresden Nuclear Power
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111 97-82 NRC to Hold Predecisional Enforcement Conference With Commonwealth Edison on Apparent Violations at Byron and
- i Braidwood Stations l.
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Office of International Programs Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 South Africa During the period Au i Director for Energy.Ministry gust 28of- MineralsSeptember and3. 1997.ofDr.
Energy South Gordon Sibiya.
Africa 1 eld De>uty i
discussions with the Commirsioners and senior staff on a wide range of nuclear '
safety governance topics. South Africa is in the process of revising its !
Atomic Energ Act, and Dr.y Act. Nuclear Safety Act, and developing a new Waste Management i Sibiya sought information on the U.S. approach to these subjects.
His interest included NRC authorities and responsibilities and the associated }
legal mandates. '
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Office of the Secretary items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 i
Decision Documents Re*, eased to the Public
, Document Dalg Subiect COMSECY COMSAJ-97 008 July 9. 1997 Discussion on Safety and Compliance SRM on August 25, 1997 -(same) l COMSAJ 97 008 l Comr. 01cus July 25, 1997 (same) vote on 97-008 Comr. Diaz July 18, 1997 (same) memo on 97 008 Comr. McGaffigan July 30. 1997 (same) memo on 97-008 Commission Corresoondence Released to the Public
- 1. Letter to David W. Joos. Consumer Energy Company, dtd 8/28/97 concerns the August 29, 1997 Big Rock Point shutdown celebration
- 2. Letter to Randall 0. Taylor Nuclear Information and Records Management
-Association, Inc.,-dtd 8/25/97 concerns his interest in the International Nuclear Regulators Association
- 3. Letter to Joe F. Colvin NEl. dtd 8/23/97-concerns pilot projects faderal Reaister Notices issued
- 1. Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes: Meeting Notice for September 25-26, 1997
- 2. 10 CFR Part 9: Electronic Freedom of Information Act: Implementation:
Proposed Rule
- 3. Applications for Licenses to Import / Export Nuclear Waste
- 4. 10 CFR Part 50: Financial Assurance Requirements for Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants: Proposed Rule SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE 0
Region I Items of Interest Week Ending September 5, 1997 Defense Loaistics Acencv/ Defense Distribution Reaion East j On Thursday. August 28 representatives of the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Distribution Region East (DLA/DDRE). License No. 37-30062 01. reported that seven 3 curie tritium light sources were missing and believed stolen from l the Letterkenny Army Depot in.Chambersburg. Pennsylvania. The sources were removed from M139 and M139 and M140 gunsight alignment devices by slicing the silicon gaskets which held the sources in the devices. No contamination was identified in the sour:e holders or on the devices. On Wednesday September 3 during a followup inspection at Letterkenny Army Depot an individual admitted taking the sources for use as supplemental outdoor lighting at the individual's home. The individual stated that one source was broken and had been disposed of in the normal trash. Survey's at the inoividual's home
-indicated guidelinesa small amountfor for release of unrestricted removable contemination use). (much less than the NRC's Based on this fact and the fact that the source contained gaseous tritium, the dis)osal to the normal trash did not constitute a significant safety concern. )LA/DDRE personnel retrieved the and remaining yard. Region six sources and are surveying and sampling'the individual's home I will continue to review the licensee s ongoing activities related to this event.
SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE P
Region 11 Items of Interest Week Ending September 5, 1997 j
Carolina Power and Licht Comoany'c Brunswick Representatives from the Carolina Power and Light Company's Brunswick Plant were in Region 11 for a management meeting on September 4,1997. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the following issues: Status of the Brunswick Environmental Qualification Program Reconstitution Effort, Brunswick Control Building Ventilation System Upgrade. Brunswick Unit 2 Outage Progress.
Brunswick Generic Letter 96 01 Review Status, and Recent Management Changes at Brunswick.
Marshall Miller & Associates Confirmatory Action letter (CAL)
The Region issued a Confirmatory Action Letter on September 5,1997, documenting the licensee's commitments to limit licensed activities to two loggers until other log reviewed with the NRC. gers were requalified and the requalification is The CAL was issued as a result of inspection findings that certain staff were not adequately qualified. The inspection reviewed the circumstances surrounding an event in which a 125 millicurie cesium 137 source became dislodged from its holder and was placed, unshielded in a tool box, where it remained-for several days.
General Electric Elevated Stack Samole On September 5,1997, the licensee re)orted an unexpected elevated air sample taken from the stack of the Hydrogen luoride Building exhaust stack. This building receives input from the Dry Conversion Facility (DCF): line 1 of the DCF was starting up at the time after a maintenance outage. The offsite dose from the release was approximately 0.05 millirem at the site boundary. The DCF activities were shutdown until the licensee determines root cause and implements corrective actions, including evaluation and addition of nuclear criticality controls.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE P
Region III Items of Interest Week Ending September 5, 1997 Manaement Chances At Commonwealth Edison Comoany On September 3, 1997, Commonwealth Edison announced a series of management changes and restructuring of its nuclear division organization. The principal changes include: Harry Keiser, vice president and chief nuclear operating officer, has resigned and will become a consultant to the utility:
John Mueller, site vice president at Zion, has resigned; and Jack Brons, currently nuclear support vice president, will be the acting site vice president at Zion.
Two group vice presidents were namei -- Gene Stanley, currently site vice president at Braidwood, will be tho PWR vice president, and Edward Kraft, currently site vice president at Quad Cities will be the BWR vice president. ;
Michael Wallace, currently senior vice president for corporate services, will '
become Nuclear Division senior vice president, responsible for engineering. l corporate and generation support, security, and change management. Messrs.
Stanley, Kraft, and Wallace will report to Robert Manning, executive vice president of generation.
The new site vice presidents at Braidwood and Quad Cities were the former plant managers Timothy Tulon at Braidwood and William Pearce at Quad Cities.
Manaaement Chance At Illinois Power Comoany Illinois Power Company announced the following management change involving the Clinton Nuclear Power Station: Mr. D. Thompson, engineering manager at Clinton, has left that position to accept a position as plant manager at two of Illinois Power's fossil fuel electrical generating stations. Mr. L.
Wigley, Thompson's assistant, is currently the acting engineering manager pending identification of a permanent replacement.
Predecisional Enforcement Conference with PSI On September 4, 1997, a Predecisional Enforcement Conference was conducted in the Region III Office Lisle, Illinois, between representatives of PSI, Lombard, Illinois, and members of the Region III staff. The conference was '
held to discuss the findings from a routine safety inspection conducted on July 18 and 19, 1997, at the company's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania facility and a New Palastine. Ohio, temporary jobsite, and which identified numerous apparent violations. The apparent violations that were discussed included the failure of radiographers, on several occasions, to properly supervise radiographic personnel and the failure to issue personnel dosimetry to a radiography trainee who engaged in radiographic operations.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE P
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Coninonwealth Edison Enaineerina Manaament Meetin.g I 4
- r On September 5, 1997, a management meeting was conducted in the Region 111 '
Office. Lisle. Illinois, between management representatives from Commonwealth j Edison Company and members of the NRC staff to discuss engineering issues.
j The issues discussed included: the utility's Parts Replacement Program:
LaSalle and Zion Nuclear Power Station restart engineering activities; and new i utility engineering initiatives for 1998, L
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Region IV r items of Interest '
Week Ending September 5. 1997 Palo Verde Manaaemont Meetina held in Reaion IV Palo Verde senior management met with Region IV senior managers and other NRC I personnel at the Region IV office in Arlington, Texas on September 2,1997. l The meeting, which was open to the public, was held to discuss self <
assessments that have been performed by the licensee and other initiatives that have been implemented to improve performance. Specific points of emphasis addressed during the meeting included health physics performance !
initiatives. the implementation of shift supervisor mini-assessments, the transition to the site crew concept, and the results of the licensee's Plant Assessment-Team review.
SEPTEMBER 5, 1997 ENCLOSURE P
Office of Congressional Affairs Items of Interest Week Ending September 5. 1997 CONGRESSIONAL HEARING SCHEDULE. No. 30
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CONTACT & ' TIME WITNESS' SUBJECT COMNITTEE
.FLACE-Gerke 09/10 10:00 TBA Emplornent Discrimination Reps. Mica /Cummings 2154 RHOB in the Federal Workplace Civil Service Government Reform & Oversight Gerke 09/12 10:00 TBA S. 981. Revise Federal Sen. Thompson /Glenn 342 DSOB Rule-Making Procedures Governmental Affairs Combs 09/18 TBA Markup S. 8. Superfund Sen. Chafee/Baucus 406 0508 Reauthorization Environment & Public Works Gerke 09/19 10:00 TBA S. 981. Revise Federal Sen. Thompson /Glenn 342 D508 Rule-Making Procedures Governmental Affairs SEPTEMBER 5. 1997 ENCLOSURE R u- - - - - - -