Press Release-I-16-010, NRC to Hold Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant on April 13 in Plymouth, Mass

Press Release-I-16-010: NRC to Hold Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant on April 13 in Plymouth, Mass

ML16096A395
Person / Time
Site:	Pilgrim
Issue date:	04/05/2016
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-16-010
Download: ML16096A395 (1)

Text

No: I-16-010 April 5, 2016

Contact:

Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC to Hold Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant on April 13 in Plymouth, Mass.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will share information on its annual assessment of safety performance at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant during a public meeting on Wednesday, April 13, in Plymouth, Mass.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor, 180 Water St. in Plymouth. Prior to the end of the session, NRC staff will answer questions on the plants performance and the agencys oversight activities at the Plymouth plant, which is owned by Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc.

Determinations on performance are based on a combination of inspection findings and performance indicators utilized by the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process, the foundational program used by the agency to complete its mission of assessing plant safety. The findings and indicators are classified by color, ranging from green, for an issue of very low safety or security significance, to white, yellow or red, representing high safety or security significance.

While Pilgrim operated safely during 2015, the plant was under additional NRC scrutiny. On Sept. 2, 2015, the NRC finalized a white (low to moderate safety significance) inspection finding for the plant stemming from a winter storm-induced shutdown in January 2015 and involving the facility's safety relief valves. As a result of the action, in combination with two earlier "white" findings received by the plant, Pilgrim moved to the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone, or Column 4, of the agency's Action Matrix, which dictates the agency's level of oversight at plants.

In response to the plant's change in status, Pilgrim is undergoing an NRC review focused on the areas in need of improvement. Phase A of that three-step review process took place in January, while Phase B began on April 4. The final phase will be scheduled after the company notifies the NRC of its readiness.

The NRC still has a significant amount of work to do to assess whether the Pilgrim nuclear power plant has appropriately addressed the issues that triggered additional oversight, Acting NRC Region I Administrator David Lew said. With one phase done, one currently under way and more inspections planned, this process will shed light on the progress of the improvement activities at the plant and inform our inspections going forward.

In 2015, the NRC performed approximately 10,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of inspection at Pilgrim.

The NRC issues reports on performance at each plant twice each year: during the midcycle, 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.

The Annual Assessment letter for Pilgrim, as well as the notice for the April 13th meeting, are available on the NRC website. Current performance information is also available for the plant.

More information about the Pilgrim plants performance can be found on an NRC webpage devoted to the subject.

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No: I-16-010 April 5, 2016

Contact:

Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 NRC to Hold Regulatory Performance Public Meeting Regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant on April 13 in Plymouth, Mass.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will share information on its annual assessment of safety performance at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant during a public meeting on Wednesday, April 13, in Plymouth, Mass.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor, 180 Water St. in Plymouth. Prior to the end of the session, NRC staff will answer questions on the plants performance and the agencys oversight activities at the Plymouth plant, which is owned by Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc.

Determinations on performance are based on a combination of inspection findings and performance indicators utilized by the NRCs Reactor Oversight Process, the foundational program used by the agency to complete its mission of assessing plant safety. The findings and indicators are classified by color, ranging from green, for an issue of very low safety or security significance, to white, yellow or red, representing high safety or security significance.

While Pilgrim operated safely during 2015, the plant was under additional NRC scrutiny. On Sept. 2, 2015, the NRC finalized a white (low to moderate safety significance) inspection finding for the plant stemming from a winter storm-induced shutdown in January 2015 and involving the facility's safety relief valves. As a result of the action, in combination with two earlier "white" findings received by the plant, Pilgrim moved to the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone, or Column 4, of the agency's Action Matrix, which dictates the agency's level of oversight at plants.

In response to the plant's change in status, Pilgrim is undergoing an NRC review focused on the areas in need of improvement. Phase A of that three-step review process took place in January, while Phase B began on April 4. The final phase will be scheduled after the company notifies the NRC of its readiness.

The NRC still has a significant amount of work to do to assess whether the Pilgrim nuclear power plant has appropriately addressed the issues that triggered additional oversight, Acting NRC Region I Administrator David Lew said. With one phase done, one currently under way and more inspections planned, this process will shed light on the progress of the improvement activities at the plant and inform our inspections going forward.

In 2015, the NRC performed approximately 10,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of inspection at Pilgrim.

The NRC issues reports on performance at each plant twice each year: during the midcycle, 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.

The Annual Assessment letter for Pilgrim, as well as the notice for the April 13th meeting, are available on the NRC website. Current performance information is also available for the plant.

More information about the Pilgrim plants performance can be found on an NRC webpage devoted to the subject.

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