ML15065A348

Press Release-15-013: NRC Issues Annual Assessments for Nation'S Nuclear Plants

ML15065A348
Person / Time
Issue date:	03/06/2015
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
References
Press Release-15-013
Download: ML15065A348 (2)

See also: see also:Press Release-15-013

Text

No: 15-013 March 6, 2015

CONTACT: David McIntyre, 301-415-8200

NRC Issues Annual Assessments for Nations Nuclear Plants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued annual letters to the nations 100 commercial

nuclear power plants operating in 2014 regarding their performance throughout the year. As of the end

of December, 94 plants were in the two highest performance categories.

These assessment letters provide the results of a systematic NRC review of performance

indicators and inspection findings at each domestic power reactor facility, said Bill Dean, director of

the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. In addition to ensuring that the nations nuclear power

plants are safe by inspecting them and evaluating their performance regularly, our goal in issuing these

letters is to ensure that all of our stakeholders clearly understand the basis for our assessments of plant

performance, our future inspection plans, and the actions we are taking to address any notable

deficiencies.

Of the 94 highest-performing reactors, 75 fully met all safety and security performance

objectives and were inspected by the NRC using the normal baseline inspection program. (This group

includes the Vermont Yankee plant, which permanently shut down in late December and is now

transitioning to decommissioning status.)

Nineteen reactors were assessed as needing to resolve one or two items of low safety

significance. For this performance level, regulatory oversight includes additional inspection and follow-

up of corrective actions. Plants in this level are: Calvert Cliffs 2 (Maryland); Clinton (Illinois); Davis-

Besse (Ohio); Diablo Canyon 1 and 2 (California); Fermi 2 (Michigan); Fitzpatrick (New York);

Limerick 1 and 2 (Pennsylvania); Millstone 3 (Connecticut); Oconee 1 (South Carolina); Oyster Creek

(New Jersey); Palisades (Michigan); Point Beach 2 (Wisconsin); River Bend (Louisiana.); Salem 1

(New Jersey); St. Lucie 1 (Florida); Waterford (Louisiana) and Wolf Creek (Kansas).

Fermi, Oyster Creek, and Wolf Creek have resolved their issues since the reporting period

ended and have transitioned to the highest performing level.

Three nuclear reactors were in the third performance category with a degraded level of

performance. For this category, regulatory oversight includes more NRC inspections, senior

management attention and oversight focused on the cause(s) of the degraded performance. These plants

were Monticello (Minnesota); Pilgrim (Massachusetts) and Point Beach 1 (Wisconsin). Monticello has

resolved some of its issues since the reporting period ended and has transitioned to the second highest

performing level.

Two reactors, Arkansas Nuclear One 1 and 2, were in the fourth performance category,

requiring increased oversight because of two safety findings of substantial significance. This oversight

will include several additional inspections and frequent NRC management involvement to confirm the

performance issues are being addressed.

The Fort Calhoun plant in Nebraska is currently under a special NRC oversight program distinct

from the normal performance levels because of an extended shutdown associated with significant

performance issues. In December 2013, the NRC oversight panel cleared the unit to resume operations,

but the plant will remain under special oversight until the panel recommends, and senior NRC

management approves, returning it to regular oversight. Therefore, the plant will not receive an annual

assessment letter. Further details on NRCs oversight activities at Fort Calhoun are available on the

NRCs webpage on Special NRC Oversight at Fort Calhoun Station.

Later this spring and summer, the NRC will host a public meeting or other event in the vicinity

of each plant to discuss the details of the annual assessment results. A separate announcement will be

issued for each public assessment meeting. In addition to the annual assessment letters, plants also

receive an NRC inspection plan for the coming year.

The NRC routinely updates information on each plants current performance and posts the latest

information as it becomes available to the action matrix summary. The annual assessment letters sent to

each operating reactor are also available through the NRCs webpage on the Reactor Oversight Process.

Annual construction oversight assessments for new reactors at the Vogtle and Summer sites and at

Watts Bar 2 are also on the NRC website. The letters are designated 4Q/2014 under Assessment

Reports/Inspection Plans on each reactors webpage.

Every six months each plant receives either a mid-cycle or annual assessment letter along with

an NRC inspection plan.

Page l 2