[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