ML040850352
| ML040850352 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/25/2004 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs Region I |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-I-04-015 | |
| Download: ML040850352 (1) | |
See also: see also:Press Release-I-04-015
Text
NRC NEWS
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs, Region I
475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406
www.nrc.gov
No. I-04-015 March 25, 2004
CONTACT:
Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330
Email: opa1@nrc.gov
Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331
NRC TO HOLD MEETINGS ON VERMONT YANKEE NUCLEAR PLANT
PERFORMANCE AND POWER UPRATE REVIEW
Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of Entergy
Nuclear on Wednesday, March 31, to discuss the results of the agencys annual assessment of
safety performance at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. Agency staff will also discuss,
in a subsequent separate meeting with the public, its review of a power uprate application for the
plant, which is operated by Entergy Nuclear and located in Vernon, Vt.
The annual assessment meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is
scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Vernon Elementary School, 381 Governor Hunt Road in
Vernon. NRC staff will discuss plant performance for the period from January 1 to December
31, 2003, as well as provide a brief overview of agencys Reactor Oversight Process. Before the
session is adjourned, the staff will be available to answer questions from the public on plant
performance issues.
Following the assessment meeting and a short break, the NRC will meet with the
public at approximately 8 p.m. to discuss the status of the agencys review of Entergy Nuclears
request for a power uprate at Vermont Yankee. The NRCs review of that request is still in the
early stages. NRC staff will start this meeting with a brief presentation describing the agencys
review of power uprate applications. Afterwards, the staff will answer questions related to
NRCs power uprate review process.
With regard to the NRCs annual assessment of Vermont Yankee, the agency found
that overall, the plant operated safely and met all cornerstone objectives during the period.
(Cornerstones are measures of plant performance.) A letter sent from the NRC Region I Office
to plant officials addresses the performance of the plant during the period and will serve as the
basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on the NRC web site at:
www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/vy_2003q4.pdf .
On the topic of security issues, the NRC has issued several orders and threat advisories
to enhance security capabilities and improve guard force readiness since the terrorist attacks on
September 11, 2001. The agency has also conducted inspections to review the implementation of
these requirements and has monitored the action of plant operators in response to changing threat
conditions. The NRC will continue security inspections in 2004.
Current performance information for Vermont Yankee is available on the NRC web
site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/VY/vy_chart.html .
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