464th Meeting - July 16, 1999

                       UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                     NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
               ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS
                                  ***
     464TH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REACTOR SAFEGUARDS (ACRS)
                             OPEN SESSION
     
                        U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
                        Two White Flint North
                        Conference Room 2B3
                        11545 Rockville Pike
                        Rockville, Maryland
                        Friday, July 16, 1999
         The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 8:31 a.m.
     MEMBERS PRESENT:
         DANA POWERS, Chairman, ACRS
         ROBERT SEALE, Member, ACRS
         GEORGE APOSTOLAKIS, Member, ACRS
         MARIO BONACA, Member, ACRS
         ROBERT UHRIG, Member, ACRS
         GRAHAM WALLIS, Member, ACRS
         WILLIAM  SHACK, Member, ACRS
         THOMAS KRESS, Member, ACRS
         JACK SIEBER, Member, ACRS.                         P R O C E E D I N G S
                                                      [8:30 a.m.]
         DR. POWERS:  The meeting will now come to order.  This is
     the third day of the 464th meeting of the Advisory Committee on Reactor
     Safeguards.  During today's meeting, the committee will consider the
     following, Highlights from the Incident Report System, Future ACRS
     Activities, Report of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee,
     Reconciliation of ACRS Comments and Recommendations.
         Portions of today's meeting will be closed to discuss
     information provided in confidence by a foreign source.  Organizational
     and personnel matters that relate solely to the Internal Personnel Rules
     and Practices of the Advisory Committee and matters, the release of
     which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal
     privacy.
         The meeting is being conducted in accordance with the
     provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  Dr. John T. Larkins
     is the designated federal official for the initial portion of the
     meeting.
         We have received no written statements or requests for time
     to make oral statements from members of the public regarding today's
     session.
         A transcript of portions of the meeting is being kept and it
     is requested the speakers use one of the microphones, identify
     themselves and speak with sufficient clarify and volume so they can be
     readily heard.
         The first order of business today is to discuss some
     disciplinary actions that we have to take, and I want to call the
     Executive Director of the ACRS before us to straighten him out severely
     on some serious considerations here.
         DR. SEALE:  Flogging will cease when morale increases.
         DR. POWERS:  John, if you will come forward, we have to
     discuss this serious problem you have of showing up for now almost 30
     years.
         Maybe I can walk up here.  He is getting so decrepit he
     can't move around.
         [Laughter.]
         DR. POWERS:  Interestingly enough, for one of her last acts
     as the Chairman, Shirley Jackson said, boy, I have got to honor this guy
     for 30 years of service to the government, and I hasten to add -- what,
     the last -- how long have you been here?
         DR. LARKINS:  At the NRC?
         DR. POWERS:  No, at the ACRS.  Too long.
         DR. SEALE:  Six years.
         DR. LARKINS:  Since '93.
         DR. POWERS:  Exemplary service to the ACRS.  The plaque and
     then the little diamond weight.
         DR. WALLIS:  Only diamond like.
         DR. POWERS:  And my heartiest congratulations.
         [Applause.]
         [Pause.]
         DR. SEALE:  John had his "gotcha" smile on there.  Very
     good, John.
         DR. POWERS:  I think the ACRS is truthfully lucky to have an
     individual of the technical competence and dedication that we have in
     John, and it is a pleasure to work with you, John.
         Now, we will turn to another very interesting area, the
     Incident Reporting System, and, Mario, I think you are the cognizant
     member.
         DR. BONACA:  Yes.
         DR. POWERS:  And introduce our honored speaker, whom none of
     us know very well and hardly recognize.
         [Whereupon, at 8:35 a.m., the open session was recessed, to
     reconvene in closed session at 8:35 p.m., this same day.]