NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA

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No. 00-026 February 18, 2000

NOTE TO EDITORS: NRC Plans For Leap Day Transition

The NRC will have a small response team in its headquarters Operations Center February 28 to March 1 to monitor any computer problems related to leap year transition and to support the Information Coordination Center established by the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. Public Affairs staff will be available to assist the news media during normal working hours at its headquarters offices in Rockville, Maryland, and in its four regions.

One of the Year 2000 (Y2K) computer-related problems that could occur at the end of February 28, is date-discontinuity-- that is, the date as expressed by a computer system does not successfully advance during the transition from one day to the next. Some computer systems and software applications may be incorrectly programmed with respect to leap year considerations and could potentially fail during the transition.

Owners of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities' have completed leap year testing as part of their Y2K readiness. Based on our regulatory oversight, independent inspections, and information from licensees, the NRC has not identified any Y2K problem that may adversely affect operating nuclear facilities to continue safe operation during the upcoming Y2K leap-day transition.

In addition to headquarters staffing, NRC resident inspectors will continue to be on site at all nuclear power plants during normal work hours. Staff also will be available in our four regions in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Lisle, Illinois; and Arlington, Texas. More detailed plans are available at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/Y2K/Y2kleapday2.pdf on NRC's Y2K web site.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), February 22, 2000

Answers

Are NRC resident inspectors always on site at nuclear plants or is this a special assignment part of their Y2K contingency planning?

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), February 22, 2000.