ML102440535
| ML102440535 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/01/2010 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-10-155 | |
| Download: ML102440535 (2) | |
See also: see also:Press Release-10-155
Text
NRC ISSUES MID-CYCLE ASSESSMENTS FOR NATIONS NUCLEAR PLANTS
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued mid-cycle assessment letters to the
nations 104 operating commercial nuclear power plants. The agencys most recent assessments
show that all plants continue to operate safely.
We ensure nuclear power plants are safe, inspecting them and rating their performance
regularly, as part of our mission to protect people and the environment, said Cynthia Pederson,
acting deputy director for reactor safety programs in the NRCs Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
The mid-cycle assessment period concluded on June 30, with 97 of the 104 plants in the
two highest performance categories. There are five levels of plant performance based on a
detailed assessment of inspection findings and performance indicators (e.g. safety system
availability and reliability, control of radiation exposure and unplanned shutdowns). Levels
range from meeting all safety cornerstone objectives (highest level) to unacceptable
performance (lowest level).
If a nuclear power plants performance declines, the NRC increases the level of
inspection and oversight to ensure the plant operator is taking the steps necessary to correct the
situation. The additional amount of inspection is commensurate with the level of plant
performance. Additional information on the Reactor Oversight Process is available at :
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1649/r4/.
The latest round of assessments shows that 85 of the plants were performing at the
highest level require normal NRC inspection and oversight. Twelve plants were performing at
the next highest level, needing to resolve items of low to moderate safety significance and
receive additional NRC inspection and attention to follow up on corrective actions. These plants
were: Braidwood Unit 1 (Ill.); Callaway (Mo.); Davis-Besse (Ohio); Dresden Unit 3 (Ill.); Farley
Unit 1(Ala.); North Anna Unit 2 (Va.); Palisades (Mich.); Prairie Island Unit 2 (Minn.); San
Onofre Unit 2 (Calif.); Seabrook (N.H.); Turkey Point Unit 3(Fla.), and Waterford Unit 3 (La.).
NRC NEWS
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200
Washington, D.C. 20555-0001
E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov
Site: http://www.nrc.gov
No.10-155
September 3, 2010
Seven plants were performing at the third level of performance with one degraded safety
cornerstone, needing even more NRC inspections, senior management attention, and oversight
focused on the cause of the degraded performance. These plants were: Browns Ferry Units 1, 2,
and 3 (Ala.); Ginna (N.Y.); Hatch Unit 2 (Ga.); Saint Lucie Unit 1(Fla.), and Wolf Creek
Unit 1(Kan.).
Every six months each plant receives either a mid-cycle review letter or an annual
assessment letter, along with an NRC inspection plan. The next annual assessment letters will be
issued in March 2011.
Some plants ratings may have changed since the last day of the assessment period. A list
of each plants current performance rating is available on the NRC website at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/actionmatrix_summary.html. Updated
information on plant performance is posted to the NRC website as it becomes available. The
mid-cycle assessment letters sent to each licensee are available at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/index.html.
News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:
http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE
link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.