Press Release-99-271, NRC Staffing for Media Assistance During Y2K Transition
| ML003696581 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/23/1999 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| Category:Press Release | |
| References | |
| Press Release-99-271 | |
| Download: ML003696581 (1) | |
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United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Public Affairs Washington, DC 20555 Phone 301-415-8200 Fax 301-415-2234 Internet:opa@nrc.gov No.99-271 December 23, 1999 NOTE TO EDITORS:
NRC STAFFING FOR MEDIA ASSISTANCE DURING Y2K TRANSITION The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will have staff available to assist the news media with its coverage of the millennium rollover, December 31st through New Years Day.
From 10 a.m. December 31 through 9 a.m. January 1, NRC Public Affairs staff and an agency spokesperson will be available at the Joint Public Information Center (JPIC) in Washington, D.C. The Presidents Council on Year 2000 Conversion established the JPIC to provide reporters with news about Y2K-related developments across the Federal Government, State, local and tribal governments, critical areas of the private sector and countries around the world. Only pre-badged reporters will be allowed into the JPIC. Any television interviews with NRC will be conducted at the JPIC throughout the Y2K transition. NRC staff can be reached at the JPIC for Y2K information on U.S. nuclear facilities by calling (202) 535-3009 or (202) 456-7010.
Public Affairs staff also will be available at NRC headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, from 9 p.m. December 31 to 5 p.m. New Years Day, to handle inquiries and to distribute periodic press releases on the status of nuclear power plants across the country. Press releases from headquarters will be issued as soon after midnight as possible corresponding to each of the four U.S. time zones and will be available on the Web at www.nrc.gov/OPA/. Public affairs staff can be reached at (301) 415-8200 and on the internet at opa@nrc.gov.
Public Affairs staff will be available at each of the NRCs four regional incident response centers from 10 p.m. New Years Eve through 9 a.m. New Years Day in order to respond to events at plants in their regions, if the need arises. They will be located at centers in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Lisle, Illinois; and Arlington, Texas.
The NRC plans to issue at least four cumulative press releases corresponding closely to the four time zones in the U.S. The first news release will report on the status of 60 operating nuclear power plants and one gaseous diffusion plant (GDP) in the Eastern Time Zone, the second press release will add the status of 35 nuclear plants and one GDP in the Central Time Zone, the next one will add the three nuclear plants in the Mountain Time Zone, and the fourth
press release will cover all plants, adding the five nuclear plants in the Pacific Time Zone. Other news releases will be issued as the need arises.
A map showing the location of all 103 operating nuclear power plants is attached, along with a list of the plants in each time zone.
All operating nuclear plants areY2K-ready. Based on our review of responses from the nuclear power industry concerning Y2K readiness, our independent inspections at all plants, and our ongoing regulatory oversight activities, we believe that Y2K problems will not adversely affect the continued safe operation of U.S. nuclear power plants through the Y2K transition and beyond, and should contribute to electric grid stability. Although the need for NRC action during the Y2K transition is considered unlikely, the NRC will have an inspector stationed at each nuclear power plant site and gaseous diffusion plant site to augment staff in headquarters and regional incident response centers.