Press Release-I-13-014, NRC to Hold Open House April 11 in Shippingport, Pa., to Discuss Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant Annual Assessment

Press Release-I-13-014: NRC to Hold Open House April 11 in Shippingport, Pa., to Discuss Beaver Valley Nuclear Plant Annual Assessment

ML13095A155
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley
Issue date:	04/04/2013
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-13-014
Download: ML13095A155 (2)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 2100 Renaissance Blvd., King of Prussia, Pa. 19406-2713 E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov Site: www.nrc.gov Blog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov No. I-13-014 April 4, 2013

Contact:

Diane Screnci, (610) 337-5330 Email: opa1.resource@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan, (610) 337-5331 NRC TO HOLD OPEN HOUSE APRIL 11 IN SHIPPINGPORT, PA.,

TO DISCUSS BEAVER VALLEY NUCLEAR PLANT ANNUAL ASSESSMENT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public open house on Thursday, April 11, to discuss the agencys annual review of safety performance at the Beaver Valley nuclear power plant.

During the open house, which is scheduled for 6:30 - 8 p.m. at the Shippingport Community and Municipal Building, at 164 State Road 3016 in Shippingport (Beaver County),

Pa., attendees will have an opportunity to hold one-on-one discussions with NRC staff members about the plants 2012 performance and the agencys oversight of the facility. NRC staff on hand will include the inspectors assigned to the plants on a full-time basis and their supervisors.

Overall, the Beaver Valley plant consisting of two pressurized-water reactors located in Shippingport and owned by FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. operated safely during 2012. However, the facility is currently under additional NRC oversight because of one or more greater than green security-related inspection findings identified in the third quarter of 2012. The plant will receive additional scrutiny until the NRC is satisfied the relevant issues have been properly evaluated and satisfactory corrective actions have been developed and implemented.

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 6,400 hours0.00463 days <br />0.111 hours <br />6.613757e-4 weeks <br />1.522e-4 months <br /> of inspection to the Beaver Valley plant.

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. With respect to Beaver Valley, our Reactor Oversight Process dictates that further attention is needed at that site until the root causes of the security-related issues that were identified have been fully addressed.

The NRC utilizes 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, commensurate with 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, www.nrc.gov , 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.

Routine inspections are carried out by the two 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 Beaver Valley this year by NRC specialists are activities associated with radiological safety, the dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel, problem identification and resolution, and underground tanks and piping.

The annual assessment letter for the Beaver Valley plant, the meeting notice for the April 11 open house, as well as current performance information for Unit 1 and Unit 2, are available on the NRC website.

News releases are available through a free listserv subscription or by clicking on the EMAIL UPDATES link on the NRC homepage (www.nrc.gov). E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's website. For the latest news, follow the NRC on www.twitter.com/NRCgov.