ML20236Q302

Weekly Info Rept for Wk Ending 980626

ML20236Q302
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/01/1998
From:	Blaha J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO)
To:
References
SECY-98-156, SECY-98-156-R, WIR-980626-01, WIR-980626-1, NUDOCS 9807200157
Download: ML20236Q302 (23)

Text

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98-15 f_qt: The Commissioners from- James L. Blaha. Assistant for Operations. Office of the EDO Subiect: WEEKLY INFORMATION REP 0RT - WEEK ENDING JUNE 26. 1998 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* 3 Administration F l Chief Information Officer G Chief Financial Officer H*

Human Resources I Small Business & Civil Rights J*

Enforcement K*

State Programs L*

Public Affairs M International Programs N*

Office of the Secretary 0 Region I P Region II P Region III P 1 Region IV P cx.

I Executive Director for Operations Congressional Affairs 0*

R*

1. lh Ik /

I

• No input this week. j. - i td u.

'p James L. Blaha Assistant for Operations. OEDO

Contact:

D. Lange, OEDO To be made publicly available in 5 working days from the date of this paper Jy4C00 ,

9007200157 980701 PDR 7

COMMS NRCC d WEEKLYINFOREPT PDR g

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Items of Interest Week Ending June 26. 1998 Dresden Units 2 and 3 On June 20. 1998, the licensee reported that Dresden. Unit P scrammed from 100 percent power when the electrohydraulic control (EHC) system lost pressure resulting in a turbine trip and reactor scram. The EHC system lost pressure when the standby EHC pump (2A) was manually started. Preliminary investigations failed to identify the cause and operational tests after the reactor scram found the EHC system operating normally. After discussions with the NRC. the licensee commenced Unit 2 restart at 0149 CDT on June 22. 1998, and, went critical at 0835 CDT. After further investigation, the licensee stated that the probable cause of the low EHC pressure was a failed air bleed valve on the 2A EHC pump. This mechanical failure allowed air to be introduced into the system and resulted in the occurrence of the low pressure condition when the 2A EHC pump was started. The licensee replaced the air bleed valve and centinues to monitor system performance.

The occurrence of this scram brings the total number of reactor scrams within the last 6 months to six. five were automatically initiated and one was manually initiated. Unit 2 experienced four automatic scrams. Unit 3 experienced one automatic scram and one manual scram.

San Oriofre Units 2 And 3 On June 19, 1998, the staff issued a license amendment for SONGS Units 2 and 3 for extension of allowed outage times (A0Ts) for safety injection tanks and the low pressure safety injection system. The action completed four licensing actions that were all greater than two years old. This amendment was the first for ABB/CE plants using risk information as part of the justification for the change in A0Ts. This amendment provides the basis for completing similar actions for other ABB/CE plants, including a number that are over two years old. The staff's safety evaluation provided both a deterministic as well as the risk basis for approving the change. The amendment included a configuration risk management program (CRMP) to ensure appropriate monitoring of the risk performance of the affected systems.

Manaaement Chances Larry D. Haab, the Chairman President, and CEO of Illinova Corp., the parent company of Illinois Power, is retiring. Charles E. Bayless will become the new President and CEO effective July 6.1998, and Chairman on August 12. 1998.

Mr. Bayless is 55 years old and is currently the Chairman. President, and CEO of Tucson Electric Power.

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE A

the culmination of a 3 year search inside and outside the e ectr c n st .

Mr. Bayless has previous nuclear experience, a Masters degree in Business j Administration, a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, and a Law dearee. '

l JUNE 26. 1998 ENCLOSURE A l

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Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Deoartment of Enerav Selects Site for Mixed 0xide Fuel Fabrication On June 23, 1998, the Secretary of Energy announced the selection of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site in South Carolina as the preferred site for constructing a facility to fabricate mixed oxide (MOX) fuel to be irradiated in commercial power reactors. DOE expects to release a draft Environmental Impact Statement in support of the site selection within the next two weeks. DOE selected the Savannah River Site for MOX fuel fabrication because it would complement existing site missions and take advantage of existing facilities and staff at the site. Other candidate sites that were considered, but rejected, include Pantex (Texas). Hanford (Washington), and Idaho National Environmental Engineering Laboratory (Idaho). M0X fuel e fabrication is one part of DOE's two-part approach to disposition of approximately 50 metric tons of excess plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons. The second part of the approach involves the immobilization of plutonium in vitrified high-level radioactive waste. DOE selected the Savannah River Site in 1997 as the preferred site for immobilization. DOE also announced that it is considering both the Savannah River Site and Pantex as possible locations for a facility to disassemble the plutonium pits and convert the plutonium into a form suitable for use in MOX fuel. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff provides technical assistance to DOE under a reimbursable agreement on a variety of topics related to DOE's plutonium disposition initiative. Assuming the necessary legislation is enacted over the next several years. DOE intends to have its contractor submit a MOX fuel fabrication license application to NRC in the Fall of 2000.

Deoartment of Veterans Affairs Meetina On June 19. 1998. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Master Materials Review Team members from Headquarters and the regions met with Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) management and technical staff at DVA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. . to discuss issues resulting from NRC review of DVA's application for a Master Materials License (MML). The meeting focused on five global issues resulting from NRC's review that the team believed the DVA could not resolve without substantial philosophical and structural changes. Each issue was discussed; how the team reached its conclusions was reviewed; and the critical nature of each issue to the MML approval process was explained.

NRC and DVA agreed to meet prior to DVA's submission of a revised application to discuss questions arising from the revision process and coordinate MML review team site visits to review DVA's current scheduled inspet. tion and licensing programs.

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE B

Multi-Aaency Radiation Laboratory Protocols Manual Workarouo Meetina On June 15-18. 1998. Division of Waste Management (DWM) staff participated in the 13th Multi-Agency Radiation Laboratory Protocols (MARLAP) workgroup meeting. The meeting was conducted at the Department of Energy's (DOE)

Environmental Measurements Laboratory in New York, New York. MARLAP workgroup participants comprised representatives of Federal Agencies (e.g. .

Environmental Protection Agency. DOE Department of Defense. Department of Commerce. Department of the Interior, Food & Drug Administration, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. as well as Agreement States representatives (e.g., State of Kentucky and State of California). MARLAP's purpose is to promote consistency in radio analytical protocols, provide criteria for assessment of radio analytical results, provide guidance on evaluation of radio analytical laboratories, and promote high quality radio analytical work.

The overall meeting focused on several issues including: nuclear counting, measurement statistics, critical planning issues, selection of analytical method, radiochemical data validation, quality assurance / quality control, and MARLAP manual integration. MARLAP's workgroup target is to issue a first draft MARLAP document for Agency review by December 1998, and a revised version for public review by February 1999.

Office of Manaaement and Budaet Acoroves Sewer Survey On June 17. 1998, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the joint Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) survey of sewer sludge and ash at publicly-owned [ sewage] treatment works (PDTWs). Such approval is required under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The objectives of this survey are to: (1) obtain national estimates of high priority occurrences of elevated levels of radioactive materials (both naturally-occurring and man-made) in sludge and ash at POTWs: (2) estimate the extent to which radioactive contamination comes from either NRC/ State licensees or naturally-occurring radioactivity: and (3) support rulemaking decisions by NRC and EPA. if necessitated by the survey results. The survey consists of two components - a questionnaire survey and an analytical survey.

Questionnaires will be sent to POTWs associated with NRC and Agreement State licensees with the greatest potential to discharge radioactive materials and to POTWs in all areas of the country, including areas of relatively high background radiation. Using information from the questionnaires. NRC and EPA will select approximately 300 POTWs to be sampled. The samples will be analyzed by NRC's contractor, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, in Oak Ridge. Tennessee, and EPA's National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory in Montgomery. Alabama. It is expected that it will take several months to analyze the results of the questionnaire survey and a year to complete the analysis of samples to be received from the POTWs. The survey methods and analytical procedures were tested at nine POT 14s and a test site report is under development. The results of the full survey will be published as a joint NRC/ EPA report for use by POTW operators federal agencies, states, and local officials. The survey is being coordinated by the JUNE 26. 1998 ENCLOSURE B

Sewage Subcommittee of the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation Standards.

Acceotance of Uranium Mill Licensee Reauest to Process Alternate Feedstock Material On June 23, 1998, the Uranium Recovery Branch. Division of Waste Management (DWM) approv'ed the International Uranium Corporation's (IUSA's) request to receive and process uranium-bearing materials from the Ashland 2 site.

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) site, near Tonawanda.

l New York. The material in question, consisting of approximately 24.000 to

25.000 dry tons of uranium ore processing residues and contaminated soils that l are associated with activities conducted by the Manhattan Engineering District during the mid-1940s, will be received and processed at IUSA's White Mesa uranium mill. located near Blanding. Utah. The material is considered alternate feedstock, and the staff processing of such amendments was recently l discussed at a June 17, 1998. Commission meeting with the National Mining i

Association. The Ashland 2 site, as well as other FUSRAP sites, are under the management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In accepting this request, the DWM staff also is supporting the USACE's objective of a cost-effective method of cleaning up FUSRAP sites.

Meetino Reaardina Groundwater Cleanun at the Shirlev Basin Uranium Mill Site On June 23, 1998. Division of Waste Management staff met with representatives of the Petrotomics Company (Petrotomics). Wyoming Department of Environmental Ouality (WDE0), and the Department of Energy Grand Junction Project Office.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and resolve issues related to ground-water cleanup at Petrotomics' uranium mill site in Shirley Basin.  :

Wyoming. The main concern relates to the WDEO implementation of State of Wyoming ground-water standards as a result of the concurrent jurisdiction allowed under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978.

Petrotomics believes the WDE0 requirement for additional ground-water cleanup

.to meet WDE0 standards is inhibiting license termination. Unlike the Nuclear l Regulatory Commission, the WDE0 standards have no risk-based provision such as

. alternate concentration limits. Several options were discussed and WDE0 agreed to take these under consideration as well as look for other flexibility in its standards. Overall, all parties participating in the meeting agreed to look for ways to resolve this issue in a timely manner. Concurrent jurisdiction was recently discussed at a June 17. 1998. Commission briefing by the National Mining Association.

Meetina with Transnuclear West On June 16, 1998. Spent Fuel Project Office management met with Transnuclear West. Inc. (TNWest) to discuss planned fabrication activities and licensing submittals. TNWest discussed the resolution of Nuclear Regulatory Commission identified problems with the corrective actions and design control programs.

JUNE 26. 1998 ENCLOSURE B

TNWest also provided the status of the Nutech Horizontal Modular System (NUHOMS) dry shielded canister design reviews. TNWest is in the process of resuming fabrication of NUHOMS components, and discussed the scope of near-term fabrication plans. Finally, design changes and future licensing submittals were also discussed.

Meetina with Pacific Gas and Electric On June 17, 1998, staff from the Spent Fuel Project Office met with representatives of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to discuss the utility's plans for storage of spent nuclear fuel at its Diablo Canyon and Humboldt Bay facilities. Diablo Canyon is an operating power plant. Humboldt Bay has had a SAFSTOR license since 1988. If PG&E decides to go forward with development of independent spent fuel storage installations at the two facilities. the formal licensing process would probably begin with the submittal of a site-specific license for Humboldt Bay in 1998. PG&E has not decided whether a general or site-specific license would be preferred for Diablo Canyon. If a decision is made to seek a site-specific license for Diablo Canyon that would be submitted in 1998, as well. PG&E has not yet chosen cask vendor (s) for either facility. Both facilities would require casks certified for use in areas of high-seismic activity.

JUNE 26. 1998 ENCLOSURE B

Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Seotember 1.1998 - DS?.13 External Stakeholder Meetina on "The Role of Industrv~

In April 1998, the Commission directed the staff to conduct a public stakeholder meeting on issues related to the need to (1) evaluate possible use of industry initiatives as substitutes for regulatory action. (2) emphasize interaction with industry groups and professional codes and standards bodies, and (3) making improvements to the regulatory framework with emphasis on making licensec 'eporting requirements more risk-informed and simplified. The stakeholder meeting will be held September 1.1998, at the Hyatt Regency O' Hare Hotel near Chicago. Illinois. To prepare for the external stakeholder meeting, an internal meeting will be held on July 7, 1998 at Headquarters to discuss options regarding codes and standards development and endorsement /use.

The staff will present options on these topics to the Commission in a DSI-13 SECY due in January 1999.

Evaluatina Monitorina Strateaies for the Unsaturated Zone In response to an NMSS user need statement. RES funded a study to evaluate ,

monitoring strategies related to subsurface flow and transport above the water l table. The NMSS user need, originally focused on low-level waste facility and site reviews, ws later extended to incorporate decommissioning s.te issues.

The research study provides technical bases for review of monitoring programs which may be required at decommissioning sites involving restrictions to

. ensure stabilized waste conditions. Research results from this RES study will be presented on July 9,1998. in the NRC Headquarters Auditorium. The presentation entitled. " Evaluating Monitoring Strategies for the Unsaturated  !

Zone: Lessons Learned at the Maricopa Field Site" will be by Dr. Peter J.

Wierenga. Dr. Art Warrick Dr. Michael Young and Mr. Lon Hoffman from the University of Arizona's Department of Soil. Water and Environmental Sciences.

l The topics to be discusseu include: monitoring strategies and camponents tested: description of the Maricopa field site and water application experiments over a range of saturations: performance measures addressed in the field testing: advantages and disadvantages of the monitoring systems tested including reliability and durability; statistical tools available for l

analyzing the various monitoring datasets: and costs related to emplacement and servicing of the monitoring systems tested. The meeting which is open to l

the public will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Notification of this public meeting has t een provided to the U.S. Geological Survey, DOE. EPA.

Agricultural Research Service, ana the Agreement States.

JUNE 26,1998 ENCLOSURE C

4 1 Committee on Dosimetry On June 10 and 11. 1998, ar. RES staff member attended the National Academy of

-Science's Committee on Dosimetry for the Radiation Effects Research Founddtion l (RERF) meeting. The RERF,is a binational organization dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge about health effects among the survivors of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The results of RERF research form the primary basis for radiation protection standards throughout the world.

The Committee on Dosimetry was established to review the status of dosimetry.

for the a-bomb' survivors.

The current dosimetry system may underestimate the neutron exposure at Hiroshima. The impact of not resolving the neutron dosimetry is a probable over-estimate of gamma ray health risk and an inability to establish dose risk relationships at doses below 1 Gray. In response to these concerns, the committee discussed recent dosimetry measurements relevant to the so-called

" neutron discrepancy." In particular, the committee discussed recent results and planned experiments being conducted at the University of Utah using

-Accelerated Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) on copper-activated nickel samples.

recently obtained from Hiroshima. These experiments are significant because they may provide a basis to modify the current dosimetry system and thus prompt a revision of the risk coefficients for low dose gamma ray exposure.

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Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational [>ata Items of Interest Week Ending June 26. 1998 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATIONS

1. PNO-I-98-016A. Dept of the Army (Picatinny Arsenal). UPDATE:

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IDENTIFICATION OF CONTAMINATED MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

2. PNO-I-98-023. Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. (Susquehanna 2). UNPLANNED REACTOR SHUTDOWN GREATER THAN 72 HOURS

3. PNO-I-98-024. Private Residence. RADI0 ACTIVE SOURCES FOUND IN A NEW YORK CITY APARTMENT

4. PNO-III-035. Toledo Edison Co. (Davis Besse 1). ALERT DECLARED DUE TO LOSS OF 0FFSITE POWER

5. PNO-IV-98-028. University of Ca San Diego Med Ctr., THERAPEUTIC MISADMINP.,TRATION JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE D

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Office of Administration Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Contract Awards On June 19. 1996, contract No. NRC-26-98-264 entitled." Inspecting For Performance Course" was awarded to Performance Systems. This fixed-price requirements contract has a period of performance of October 26. 1998 through October 25, 2001, with two one-year option periods. The total contract amount is $210.000 inclusive of cptions. Award was made using the following streamlining initiatives: electronic transmittal of S0W: less than three SEP technical members; set deadline for proposer questions: limited the number of pages in the prcoosal: prohibited foldouts and sales brochures: conducted oral presentations; elcctronic coordination of the final evaluation report: and award without discussions.

A cost-plus-fixed fee contract NRC-02-98-007 was awarded to Southwest desearch Institute (SwRI). The total estimated cost of this contract is $113.596. The work, entitled. " West Valley Demonstration Project" is a " work for othert."

award to SwRI to maintain essential capabilities at the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNNRA). The period of performance is June 8.1998 through March 31. 1999. The following streamlining metnods were used: S0W electronically transmitted; proposal preparation time reduced; and waiver of audit requirements.

Petition from International Enerav Consultants. Inc. Extension of Comment Patiggi (PRM-71-12)

A document that extends the public comment period on a petition for rulemaking submitted by the International Energy Consultants. Inc. was published in the Federal Register on June 24. 1998 (63 FR 34335). The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations that govern the packaging and transportation of radioactive material to eliminate special requirements for plutonium. The extended comment period on this action closes July 31, 1998.

J.Dformation Security Oversicht Office (1500) Meeting Two DFS representatives met with IS00 representatives, at their request, regarding the NRC's actions to implement the provisions of Executive Order 12829. " National Industrial Security Program (NISP)." Issues addressed were NRC's actions to implement the reciprocity provisions of the program, including both personnel and physical security provisions, and the NRC's status in providing implementing guidance to field elements actually conducting inspections. These discussions were a follow up to 1500 discussions with various industry representatives (some regulated by NRC) to determine their perspectives on how the Government is implementing the requirements of the NISP. 1500 was impressed with NRC's reciprocity JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE F

agreements with DOE and D0D, and with NRC's efforts in amending its internal and excernal guidance documents to reflect the provisions of the NISP. The results of both sets of interviews (with industry and with agencies) will be combined in a report to the President regarding the successes and shortfalls of Government implementation of the NISP. DFS agreed to provide 1500 with a brief written discussion of our implementation actions and copies of guidance documents published to date.

Garaae Reoair Proiect The OWFN garage repair contract is scheduled to start on will start July 1, 1998, with the installation of the protective barrier for the first phase of the project. A network announcement will be issued providing specific information about the project. Floor plans of the garage depicting the work areas will be displayed in the Administrative Service Center and the TWFN exhibit area.

Soeed Bumos From time to time ADM has received complaints from day-care parents and others about the speed of vehicles being driven past the day-care area, especially in the afternoon when children are being picked up. To help with the traffic flow and in a effort to curb the speed, ADM has in the past painted a yellow center stripe to delineate lanes, placed orange cones in the middle of the roadway as " caution" indicators, placed signs on stanchions, and when possible

- stationed a security officer in the area to help control speed. None of these methods were fully effective. The idea of installing bumps as a more permanent solution to control the speed was reinforced by recent employee suggestion that ADM endorsed. This method has been the m et effective thus far. Mcwever, in response to critical comments on the use of speed bumps ADM will seek the advice and assistance of Montgomery County traffic control officials to evaluate other effective means of slowing traffic in this area.

ADM will also take a look at the larger issue of vehicles traveling too fast anywhere on complex, including in the garage.

JUNE 26, 1998 l ENCLOSURE F

Chief Information Officer Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Reauests Received durina the 5-Day Period of June 19.139]L- June 25 1998:

Disciplinary actions, seventeen categories of records. (F01A/PA-98-242)

Contracts, furniture purchases for FY97 and FY98. (F01A/PA-98-243)

Florida Power and Light, investigation regarding blacklisting claim filed with DOL. (F01A/PA-98-244)

Aerial map surveys of contamination for GA reactors & NFS Erwin in TN FOIA/PA 98-219. (F01A/PA-98-245)

Stepan Chemical Co.. license STC-1333. (F01A/PA-98-246)

Allegation report 1-97-A-0145 and Susquehanna inspection reports 97-09 and 97-

10. (F01A/PA-98-247)

Violations issued to power plants 1/1/95 through 12/31/97. (FOIA/PA-98-248)

AE0D report of power plant performance indicators for 4th quarter 1997.

(F01A/PA-98-249) ,

I IMPAC listing. (F01A/PA-98-250)

Self. IG report 98-44G. (FOIA/PA-98-251)

Northeast Utilities, meetings with Commissioners referenced in IG report 98-02S. (F01A/PA-98-252)

Radio-luminescent exit signs, active licenses list for manufacturing / distributing and transfer records 5/86 through 5/98.

(FOIA/PA-98-253) i I

JUNE 26. 1998 FNCLOSURE G

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! Office of Human Resources Items of Interest )

Week Ending June 26, 1998 I i

~

l Arrivals i KANELLOS. Athamandia ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OPA i

LOZA, Lucy CRIM HISTORY PROGRAM ASST ADM i

SOCHOR, Cynthia GENERAL ENGINEER NRR Departures r

SCHLEIDT, Susan SECRETARY RI i WENCK. Thomas CHEMICAL ENGINEER NMSS i

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Office of Public Affairs Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Media Interest-The afternoon of the Millstone press release announcing the Commission's decision to allow the plant to restart at staff's recommendation. Chairman Jackson was interviewed via telephone by The New York Times. The Wall Street Journal. The New London Dav, and The Hartford Courant. The next day she was interviewed on camera by the NBC outlet in Hartford.

There was press interest in the tornado which triggered an Alert declaration at Davis-Besse.

School Volunteers Proaram NRC hosted 35 Montgomery County teachers for a day, and were welcomed by

. Commissioner Diaz. NRC staff gave various presentations on: radioactivity

-(Joe DeCicco, NMSS) reactor safety and the operations center (Joe Giitter.

AEOD), and skills needed for NRC' recruitment (Eileen Mason. HR).

Press Releases Headquarters:

98-96 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet in Rockville Maryland, July 8-10 98-97 NRC Order to the Toledo Edison Confirms Agreement To Complete Fire Barrier Corrective Actions at Davis-Besse i Nuclear Plant 98-98 Note to Editors: ACRS Meetings 98-99 NRC_ Order to Southern Nuclear Operating Co. Confirms Fire Barrier Corrective Actions at Hatch 1 and 2 Nuclear Plants98-100 NRC Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste to Meet July 20-22 in Rockville, MD 98-101 NRC Staff tc liold Workshop on Status of Efforts to Improve the Regulatory Process98-102 NRC'SeeksPublicInputforEnvironmentalStatem0nton Proposed Calvert Cliffs License Renewal 98-103 NRC to Hold Public Meeting in Chicago Ar2a on Nuclear Industry Role in Regulation JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE M

98-104 Note to Editors: ACRS Meeting Regions:

I-98-72 NRC GPU to Discuss Oyster Creek Apparent Violations on May 29 I-98-73 NRC to Meet With Public on Peach Bottom 1 Decommissioning I-98-74 Note to Editors: NRC Reschedules Millstone Meeting 11-98-39 ' E Staff Proposes $4.400 Civil Penalty Against Pnysician for Violations of NRC Requirements in Puerto Rico 111-98-39 NRC, Dairyland Power Cooperative Officials to Discuss 1 Apparent Violations at La Crosse Plant III-98-40 hRC Team Dispatched to Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant III-98-40a NRC Inspection Team Monitoring Davis-Besse Plant j Response to Tornado Damage and Loss of Offsite Power i IV-98-26 NRC Rates Diablo Canyon " Superior" in Two Areas " Good" in Two Others in Latest Report JUNE 26. 1998 ENCLOSURE M

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1 Office of the Secretary Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Documents Released Date Subject to Public

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Decision Documents

1. SECY-98-068 4/3/98 Consideration of Application of Federal Government-Wide Conflict of Interest or Ethics Requirements and NRC Enforcement Policy on Licensee Integrity Issues to Agreement State

_ Programs SRM on 98-068 6/12/98 (same) l Comm.. Voting Record 6/12/98 (same) on 98-068

2. SECY-98-074 4/9/98 Process for the Declassification and Releam O' Ir.rct~'y Dt fference Data SRM on 98-074 6/11/98 (same)

Comm. Voting Record 6/11/98 (same) on 98-074

3. SECY-98-127 6/4/98 Draft Proposed Policy Statement on the Medical Use of Byproduct  !

Material

4. SECY-98-128 6/4/90 Proposed Rule: Revision of 10 CFR Part 35. Medical Use of Byproduct Material

- 5. SECY-98-077 4/13/98 Proposed Rule: " Respiratory Protection and Controls to Restrict Internal Exposures. 10 CFR Part 20" '

SRM on 98-077 6/18/98 (same)

Comm. Voting Record 6/18/98 (same) on 98-077

6. SECY-98-110 5/20/98 Report on Inspection and Programmatic Findings Relating to the Carl C. Drega Incident SRM on 98-110 l 6/18/98 (same) -

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE 0 l

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t Comm. Voting decord 6/18/98 (same) on 98-110 Information Papers

1. SECY-98-129 6/8/98 Impact Statement Regarding Elimination of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Funds for Credibility Assessment Team Support for the Federal Bureau of Investigation

2. SECY-98-134 6/11/98 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending June 5. 1998

3. SECY-98-138 6/11/98 Risk-Informed. Performance-Based and Risk-Informed. Less-Prescriptive Regulation in the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards

4. SECY-98-139 6/11/98 Trial Use of Application-Specific Regulatory Guide and Standard Review Plan for Risk-Informed Inservice Inspecticn of Piping

5. SECY-98-142 6/18/98 Weekly Information Report - Week Ending June 12. 1998

6. SECY-98-143 6/22/98 Litigation Report - 1998 - 2

7. SECY-98-137 6/10/98 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Briefing Memoranda

1. M980617A 6/23/98 Staff Requirements - Briefing by National Mining Association on the Regulation of the Uranium Recovery Industry. Wednesday. June 17. 1998

2. M98?617B 6/23/98 Staff Requirements: Meeting with I the Advisory Committee on Medical i Uses of isotopes (ACMUI) and l Briefing on Part 35 OM Rule. i Wednesday. June 17. 1998 1 Commission Correspondence

1. Letter to Representative Richard Burr. dated June 16, 1998. concerns possible changes to the 10 CFR Part 35 regulations on medical use of byproduct material (incoming of April 10. 1998, also released).

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE 0

2. Letter to Representative Sue Myrick, dated June 16. 1998, concerns possible changes to the 10 CFR Part 35 regulations on medical use of byproduct material (incoming of May 13, 1998, also released). l

3. Letter to cc:,ator Susan M. Collins, dated June 16, 1998, concerns posc % e changes to the 10 CFR ? art 35 regulations on medical use of oyproduct material (incoming of May 19. 1998, also released).

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4. Letter to Katie Sweeney National Mining Association, dated June 16. i

'1998, coiicerns a White Paper entitled " Recommendations for a Coordinated I Approach to Regulating the Uranium Recovery Industry." )

Federal Reaister Notices Issued

1. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Plant License Renewal: Notice of Meeting on July 16. 1998.  ;

2. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment: Notice of Meeting on July 17. 1998.

3. Advisory Comittee on Nuclear Waste: Notice of Meeting on July 20-22.

1998.

4. ACRS Subcommittee Meeting on Advanced Reactor Designs: Revised (from two-day to one-day meeting - July 7. 1998).

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JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE O i l

Region I Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 1

Meetina with Aberdeen Provino Ground i J

On June 23, 1998, the Chief. Nuclear Materials Safety Branch No. 2, met with representatives of the Commander, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and three  ;

tenant licensees, the Army Research Laboratory, the Army Test Command and the l Industrial Operations Command, to discuss procedures for accounting for items I containing depleted uranium. The Army representatives agreed to provide a written descrintic; ;f Li,eir eview of procedures at APG and to describe how they w111 assure that it is clear in the future which licensee is in possession of and responsible for licensed items.

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JUNE 26,1998 ENCLOSURE P i'

t Region II Items of Interest Week Ending June 26. 1998 Duke Enercy Corocration - Oconee On June 22 representatives from Duke Energy Corporation met in the Regional Office for a Predecisional Enforcement Conference regarding Oconee's apparent violations associated w!th the Units 1., 2. and 3 borated water storage tanks (BWSTs) and reactor building emergency sumps. The licensee presented information on the circumstances which resulted in the incorrect calibration of all BWST level transmitters since 1989 as well as a wnflict between containment sump instrument readings and the E0Ps due to instrument uncertain'.ies. These issues were identified as a result of a self-initiated technical audit performed by the licensee in December 1997.

Florida Power Corocration - Crystal River 3 On June 26, 1998, the Maintenance Rule Implementation inspection was completed at Crystal River 3. This inspection was the final implementation inspection in Region II. The Director. Division of Reactor Safety attended the exit meeting.

Tennessee Vallev Authority - Seouovah Sequoyah completed their root cause evaluation of the 480-volt breaker failure that caused the Unit I reactor trip of May 19. 1998. The Westinghouse DS-532 breaker contact compression was inadequately set (about 8 the required compression). The contact compression for the breaker was set with the breaker closing springs charged. The compression should have been set with the closing spring not charged. The licensee has determined that 27 breakers may have the improper contact compression setting, of which 16 are safety-related. The 16 breakers are associated with the eight 480-volt shutdown boards (normal and alternate breakers). The licensee is developing a procedure to correct the problem. The licensee has tagged out the alternate breakers to prevent inadvertent operation until they are inspected and properly set. Thermography on the normal breakers indicated that the breaker  !

contacts are making good contact.  !

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLOSURE P

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l Region III I Items of Interest i Week Ending June 26, 1998  ;

l Manaaement Meetina with Illinois Power Comoany - Clinton l On June 23, 1998, a management meeting was conducted at the Clinton Nuclear l Power Plant's Energy and Environmental Center Clinton, Illinois, between management representatives from Illinois Power Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting discussed the startup activities at the plant. The utility discussed its work in management improve,nents, maintenance, engineering, and its corrective action program. The utility indicated at the meeting that the fourth quarter of this year was a realistic startup date for the plant.

Manaaement Meetina with American Electric Power Comoarv - D.C. Cook On June 25, 1998, a management meeting was conducted in the D.C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant's Training Building. Bridgman. Michigan, between management representatives from American Electric Power Company and members of the NRC staff. The meeting discussed the status and effectiveness of performance improvement activities implemented as part of the D.C. Cook plant's restart plan.

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Region IV Items of Interest Week Ending June 26, 1998 Predecisional Enforcement Conference with River Bend Station On Friday, June 26, 1998, the Regional Administrator and members of Region IV met with representatives of River Bend Station to conduct a predecisional enforcement conference. T62 purpose of the predecisional enforcement conference was to discuss the apparent violation of 10 CFR 50.9 involving a failure of a licensee official at the River Bend Station to provide the NRC with information that is complete and accurate in all material respects.

Washinoton Nuclear Plant Unit 2 Restart Status WNP-2 remains in Mode 4 while the licensee evaluates the root cause and develops corrective actions for the flooding event that occurred on June 17.

Short-term corrective actions are expected to be completed as early as July 1.

Region IV has dispatched a three-member inspection team to review those actions and the licensee s readiness for restart. A public meeting is planned for the licensee to present its root cause and corrective actions to the agency, prior to plant restart. A date for that meeting has not yet been finalized.

JUNE 26, 1998 ENCLO3URE P

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