[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3139-3140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1199]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Contingency Plan for the Year 2000 Issue in the Nuclear Industry
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is making
available a draft document entitled, ``Contingency Plan for the Year
2000 Issue in the Nuclear Industry.'' This document describes the
current plan and approach the NRC staff expects to use in addressing
contingencies resulting from potential unanticipated events due to the
Year 2000 (Y2K) problem. The NRC staff believes prudent contingency
planning for the Y2K problem is appropriate in addition to actions
being taken by NRC licensees to achieve Y2K readiness of their
facilities. The staff further recognizes the importance of a broader
focus that will help to ensure that Y2K concerns regarding the national
infrastructure are identified and resolved.
DATES: Public input is solicited on the overall scope and direction of
the NRC Contingency Plan. To be most helpful, comments should be
received no later than February 15, 1999. Comments received after this
date may be considered in the further development of the Contingency
Plan if practical to do so.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the draft Contingency Plan can be obtained via the
World Wide Web at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/Y2K/Y2KCP.html or from the
NRC's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW. (Lower Level),
Washington, DC 20555; telephone 202-634-3273; fax 202-634-3343.
Mail Comments to: Chief, Rules and Directives Branch, Division of
Administrative Services, Mail Stop T-6D59, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001 or fax to 301-415-5144. Comments
may be hand-delivered to 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland
between 7:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Federal workdays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph G. Giitter; Mail Stop T-4A43,
Office for Evaluation and Analysis of Operational Data, Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone 301-415-
7485; E-mail [email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NRC is working with its licensees to
ensure that their potential Year 2000 (Y2K) issues have been identified
and corrected, and that the agency's own computer-based systems will
continue to function properly during the transition from 1999 into
2000.
Nuclear power plant licensees indicate no significant Year 2000
problems with computer systems
[[Page 3140]]
required for safe operation or shutdown of plants, since most are
controlled by analog equipment that does not use computers. However,
other non-safety computer systems used in such areas as control room
displays, radiation monitoring and security functions may have
potential problems. For this reason, and to be able to respond to
potential unanticipated Y2K problems, the NRC is developing a
contingency plan for ensuring that public health and safety and the
environment will continue to be protected.
The Contingency Plan for the Year 2000 Issue, built around a
reasonably conservative planning scenario, would establish NRC
expectations for staff coordination with external stakeholders and
staff actions to be taken during the transition period.
The staff considers the NRC Year 2000 Contingency Plan to be a
rapidly evolving product, subject to anticipated but very necessary
coordination efforts with other Federal agencies and with NRC
licensees. In its current form, the plan discusses actions and
approaches involving potential policy issues that may require more
formal Commission review and approval. However, the Commission has
determined that the plan should be made available to the public at this
time in order to promote communication and dialogue regarding the
proposals discussed therein.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 13th day of January, 1999.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Frank J. Congel,
Director, Incident Response.
[FR Doc. 99-1199 Filed 1-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
