Core Research Capabilities

March 22, 1999

The Honorable Shirley Ann Jackson
Chairman
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

Dear Chairman Jackson:

SUBJECT: CORE RESEARCH CAPABILITIES

During the 460th meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, March 10-13, 1999, we discussed the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) proposal described in SECY-99- 064, "Core Research Capabilities." We had the benefit of the documents referenced.

In SECY-99-064 RES has proposed to make no further revisions to its core research capability document, SECY-98-076. RES has concluded that competing priorities, such as the RES self- assessment, will be of greater benefit for RES than investing resources at this time to modify the core capability study.

We agree with the RES proposal to cease further work to modify the core capability assessment described in SECY-98-076.

Sincerely,

/s/

Dana A. Powers
Chairman

References:

1. Report dated June 16, 1998, from R. L. Seale, Chairman, ACRS, to Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman, NRC, Subject: Review of SECY-98-076, "Core Research Capabilities."
2. SECY-98-076, Memorandum dated April 9, 1998, from L. Joseph Callan, Executive Director for Operations, NRC, for the Commissioners, Subject: Core Research Capabilities.
3. SECY-99-064, Memorandum dated March 2, 1999, from William D. Travers, Executive Director for Operations, NRC, for the Commissioners, Subject: Core Research Capabilities.