Press Release-I-15-028, NRC to Conduct Open House on June 11 in Berwick, Pa., to Discuss 2014 Performance of Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-I-15-028: NRC to Conduct Open House on June 11 in Berwick, Pa., to Discuss 2014 Performance of Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant

ML15153A139
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	06/02/2015
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-15-028
Download: ML15153A139 (1)

Text

No: I-15-028 June 2, 2015 CONTACT: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 E-mail: opa1.resource@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC to Conduct Open House on June 11 in Berwick, Pa.,

to Discuss 2014 Performance of Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public open house on June 11th to discuss the agencys annual review of safety performance at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant.

NRC staff will be on hand from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Susquehanna Energy Information Center, located at 634 Salem Blvd. in Berwick, Pa. Agency employees responsible for inspections of the Salem Township (Luzerne County), Pa., plant, including the Resident Inspectors based at the site on a full-time basis, will be available to discuss the facilitys performance in 2014 and the agencys oversight plans for 2015.

Under the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process, the agency gauges plant performance through the use of color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators, which are statistical measurements of plant performance that can trigger additional oversight if exceeded.

On an overall basis, Susquehanna, which is owned and operated by Susquehanna Nuclear LLC, operated safely in 2014. As of the conclusion of last year, the twin-reactor plant had no inspection findings or performance indicators that were greater than green (very low safety significance).

Therefore, Susquehanna Units 1 and 2 are currently under the NRCs normal level of oversight.

However, the NRC is still reviewing an inspection finding issued on April 17th for Susquehanna Units 1 and 2 that has been preliminarily classified as white, or of low to moderate safety significance. The finding involves the ability of plant personnel to make a timely emergency declaration in the event of a radioactive leak outside of the primary containment structures for the sites reactors. If that finding is finalized as white, it will result in additional NRC oversight for the plant. A summary of this issue and the associated inspection report can be found on the NRCs website.

The NRCs normal level of oversight at each U.S. nuclear power plant involves thousands of hours of inspection. In 2014, the agency devoted approximately 7,860 hours0.00995 days <br />0.239 hours <br />0.00142 weeks <br />3.2723e-4 months <br /> of review at Susquehanna.

By assessing each plants performance in a comprehensive manner, we are able to focus our inspection resources on those areas most in need of attention, NRC Region I Administrator Dan Dorman said. Because Susquehanna did not have any safety or security issues rising above very low significance open as of the end of 2014, we are not currently planning any inspections above and beyond our normal reviews. But the level of scrutiny applied may change depending on the outcome of our consideration of the inspection finding involving emergency preparedness.

The NRC 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 a quarterly basis on the agencys website. Following the release of the Annual Assessment letters each March, the NRC meets with the public in the vicinity of each plant to discuss the results.

Normal inspections are performed by two Resident Inspectors assigned to Susquehanna.

Reviews are also carried out at the sites by specialist inspectors assigned to the agencys Region I Office in King of Prussia, Pa. Among the areas to be inspected this year at Susquehanna are radiological safety, permanent plant modifications and emergency planning.

The Annual Assessment letter for Susquehanna, as well as the notice for the June 11th open house, are available on the NRC website. Current performance information is also available for Susquehanna Unit 1 and Susquehanna Unit 2.

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