Press Release-I-13-022, NRC to Hold Open House, Meeting on May 14 in Tarrytown, N.Y. to Discuss Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment

Press Release-I-13-022: NRC to Hold Open House, Meeting on May 14 in Tarrytown, N.Y. to Discuss Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment

ML13127A424
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	05/07/2013
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-13-022
Download: ML13127A424 (1)

Text

No. I-13-022 May 7, 2013

Contact:

Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC to Hold Open House, Meeting on May 14 in Tarrytown, N.Y.

to Discuss Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a public open house and meeting, May 14 in Tarrytown, N.Y., to discuss the agencys annual review of safety performance at the Indian Point nuclear power plant.

The open house is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, at 455 South Broadway in Tarrytown. It will provide an opportunity for attendees to hold one-on-one discussions with NRC staff members about the plants 2012 performance and the agencys oversight of the facility.

Beginning at 7 p.m., the NRC staff will conduct a public meeting at the same location. It will consist of a formal question-and-answer session regarding plant performance and oversight topics.

Indian Point, which is the site of two operating pressurized-water reactors in Buchanan (Westchester County), N.Y., operated safely during 2012. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2012, the plant did not have any inspection findings that were greater than green (rising to the level requiring additional NRC oversight) or any performance indicators that were other than green (exceeding the threshold for the indicator and requiring additional NRC oversight). As a result, Indian Point will continue to receive the NRCs normal level of oversight during 2013.

Plants that meet criteria set out by the NRC receive the normal level of oversight, which still consists of a detailed regime involving thousands of hours of inspection. In 2012, the agency devoted approximately 11,400 hours0.00463 days <br />0.111 hours <br />6.613757e-4 weeks <br />1.522e-4 months <br /> of inspection to the Indian Point plant, which is owned by Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc.

When the time comes to evaluate a plants performance for the previous year, we take a fresh look at any and all issues that might be of concern. We then adjust our plans for assessing the facility accordingly, NRC Region I Administrator Bill Dean said. As we map out our inspection plans for the remainder of 2013, we remain focused on ensuring that safety is the foremost objective for all plant operators.

The NRC uses a combination of color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess plant performance. The colors begin with green and then increase to white, yellow or red, according to the risk significance of the issues involved. The agency issues reports on performance at

each plant twice a year: during the mid-cycle, or mid-point, of the year, and at the conclusion of the year. Inspection findings and performance indicators are also updated on the NRCs website each quarter. Following the release of the annual reports every March, the NRC meets with the public in the vicinity of each plant to discuss the results. The sessions are in keeping with the agencys commitment to transparency with respect to its activities.

The annual assessment letter for Indian Point and the public notice for the May 14 meeting are available on the NRC website.

Routine inspections are carried out by the NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to each plant and by inspection specialists from the agencys Region I office in King of Prussia, Pa. Among the areas of performance to be inspected at Indian Point this year by NRC specialists are activities associated with radiological safety; emergency planning; problem identification and resolution; the dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel; and underground piping and tanks.

Current performance information for Indian Point 2 is available on the NRC website, as is current performance information for Indian Point 3.

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