Press Release-I-13-020, NRC to Hold Open House, Question-and-Answer Session on May 15th in Stafford Township, N.J., to Discuss Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment

Press Release-I-13-020: NRC to Hold Open House, Question-and-Answer Session on May 15th in Stafford Township, N.J., to Discuss Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment

ML13126A345
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	05/03/2013
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-13-020
Download: ML13126A345 (2)

Text

No. I-13-020 May 3, 2013

Contact:

Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 E-mail: opa1.resource@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC to Hold Open House, Question-and-Answer Session On May 15th in Stafford Township, N.J., to Discuss Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant Annual Assessment The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a public open house, followed by a question-and-answer session, on May 15 to discuss the agencys annual review of safety performance at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant.

The open house is scheduled for 6 to7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 151 Route 72 West in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, N.J. 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. Then, beginning at 7 p.m. at the same location, the NRC staff will hold a formal question-and-answer session regarding plant performance and oversight topics.

Overall, Oyster Creek, which is a single boiling-water reactor located in Lacey Township (Ocean County), N.J., 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, Oyster Creek 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 6,500 hours0.00579 days <br />0.139 hours <br />8.267196e-4 weeks <br />1.9025e-4 months <br /> of inspection to the Oyster Creek plant, which is owned by Exelon Generation Co. LLC. This included inspections focused on the plants performance during Hurricane Sandy, which thoroughly assessed the reasons for an Alert declaration during the storm.

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, 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 web site, 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.

The annual assessment letter for Oyster Creek is available on the NRC website at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/oc_2012q4.pdf . The notice for the open house is available in the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) under accession number ML13057A284. ADAMS is available at:

http://adams.nrc.gov/wba/ . Help in using ADAMS can be obtained via the NRCs Public Document Room at 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, or by e-mail at:

PDR.Resource@NRC.GOV .

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 Oyster Creek this year by NRC specialists are activities associated with radiological safety, emergency planning, control room operator requalification testing and underground piping and tanks.

Current performance information for Oyster Creek is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/OC/oc_chart.html .

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