ML12116A249

Press Release-II-12-021: NRC Schedules Open House to Discuss Annual Assessment of Catawba Nuclear Power Plant

ML12116A249
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	04/16/2012
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
References
Press Release-II-12-021
Download: ML12116A249 (2)

See also: see also:Press Release-II-12-021

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-12-021 April 16, 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 CATAWBA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

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

Tuesday, April 24 to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance during 2011 for the

Catawba nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by Duke Energy, is located near York, S.C.,

about 18 miles south of Charlotte, N.C.

The session, which will be open to the public, is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. EDT in the

Rock Hill City Hall Rotunda, 155 Johnston St. in Rock Hill. A formal presentation will begin at

6:30 p.m.

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

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

Overall, the NRC staff concluded that the Catawba plant operated safely in 2011 and will

receive normal detailed baseline oversight and inspection efforts. All inspection findings and

performance indicators at the plant were green, meaning they had very low safety significance.

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.

Our inspectors have worked many hours ensuring that the Catawba plant met NRC

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

Region II Administrator Victor McCree said.

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

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 Catawba plant is available on the NRC web site at

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/cat_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

Catawba plant to be inspected this year by NRC specialists are operator licensing examinations

and underground piping and tanks.

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

at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT1/cat1_chart.html. Current performance

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

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT2/cat2_chart.html.

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