Press Release-07-048, NRC Denies Entergy'S Request for a Second Deadline Extension for an Order Requiring Siren Back-Up Power

Press Release-07-048: NRC Denies Entergy'S Request for a Second Deadline Extension for an Order Requiring Siren Back-Up Power

ML071060031
Person / Time
Site:	Indian Point
Issue date:	04/13/2007
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
References
Press Release-07-048
Download: ML071060031 (2)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov No.07-048 April 13, 2007

Contact:

Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC DENIES ENTERGY'S REQUEST FOR A SECOND DEADLINE EXTENSION FOR AN ORDER REQUIRING SIREN BACK-UP POWER The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has denied a request from Entergy to extend for a second time the deadline to meet an Order requiring the installation of back-up power for the alert and notification system at the Indian Point Energy Center. The Orders original deadline was Jan. 30, which the NRC extended to April 15. Entergy requested a new deadline of August 31.

The NRC letter to Entergy said that the company has not demonstrated good cause in their extension request and that the NRC will consider action under the NRCs Enforcement Policy. The letter also outlined that the NRC will continue enhanced oversight of the existing system.

Indian Point's existing alert and notification system has been maintained and tested, and remains operable, providing reasonable assurance that the public would be alerted in the event of a radiological emergency at the plant.

Entergy officials told the NRC that the extension request was needed in light of unexpected results of tests on the new sirens. In its letter, Entergy committed to determine the causes of the performance failure of the new sirens and to address other issues that had been raised, including the loudness of the sirens in some locations, and stakeholder concerns about training and other usability issues.

The Order was issued to fulfill a 2005 Energy Policy Act provision that directed the NRC to require nuclear power plants located within certain population densities to have back-up power for their emergency notification systems, including sirens. Indian Point is the only nuclear plant that fell within the requirement.

The NRC letter to Entergy denying a second extension will be posted on this page:

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/plant-specific-items/indian-point-issues.html .

NRC news releases are available through a free list server subscription at the following Web address:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.