ML12110A322

Press Release-II-12-023: NRC Schedules Open House to Discuss Annual Assessment of Surry Nuclear Power Plant

ML12110A322
Person / Time
Site:	Surry
Issue date:	04/17/2012
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
References
Press Release-II-12-023
Download: ML12110A322 (2)

See also: see also:Press Release-II-12-023

Text

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region II

245 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Suite 1200

Atlanta, GA 30303-1257

Web Site: www.nrc.gov

No. II-12-023 April 17, 2012

CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 997-4417 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov

Joey Ledford (404) 997-4416

NRC SCHEDULES OPEN HOUSE TO DISCUSS ANNUAL

ASSESSMENT OF SURRY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled an open house for

Wednesday, April 25 to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance during 2011 for

the Surry nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by Dominion, is near Surry, Va., about 17

miles northwest of Newport News.

The session, which will be open to the public, is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. EDT in the

lobby of the General District Courtroom at the Surry Government Center, 45 School Street in

Surry.

NRC staff will be available to answer questions on the safety performance of the Surry

plant, as well as the NRC role in ensuring safe plant operations.

Overall, the NRC staff concluded that the Surry plant operated safely in 2011 and is

currently receiving normal detailed baseline oversight and inspection efforts. However, the NRC

has not finalized the significance of an inspection finding related to measurements of reactor

coolant levels during some maintenance activities. That determination could affect the NRC

assessment and inspection level.

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess plant

performance. The colors start with green, and escalate to white, yellow or red, based on

the significance of the issues. Inspection findings and performance indicators are updated on the

NRCs web site (www.nrc.gov) each quarter.

During 2011, our inspectors spent many hours ensuring that the Surry plant met NRC

safety requirements and protected both people living near the plant and the environment, NRC

Region II Administrator Victor McCree said.

NRC inspectors also looked at whether there were immediate safety concerns at Surry

and other U.S. plants after the March 2011 events at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. Those

reviews found that the plants remained safe.

The annual assessment letter for the Surry plant is available on the NRC web site at

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/sur_2011q4.pdf.

Routine inspections are carried out by the NRC resident inspectors assigned to the plant

and by inspection specialists from the Region II office in Atlanta. Among the areas at the Surry

plant to be inspected this year by NRC specialists are underground piping, post-license renewal

items and operator licensing examinations.

Current performance information for Surry Unit 1 is available on the NRC web site

at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SUR1/sur1_chart.html. Current performance

information for Surry Unit 2 is available on the NRC web site at

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SUR2/sur2_chart.html.

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