Press Release-II-03-016, Note: Change in Location from Previous News Release Issued March 19. NRC to Meet with Progress Energy Officials to Discuss Safety Performance at Harris Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-II-03-016: Note: Change in Location from Previous News Release Issued March 19. NRC to Meet with Progress Energy Officials to Discuss Safety Performance at Harris Nuclear Power Plant

ML030800382
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	03/21/2003
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-03-016
Download: ML030800382 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION II 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta GA 30303 Web Site: www.nrc.gov No. II-03-016 March 21, 2003 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 Note: Change in location from previous news release issued March 19 NRC TO MEET WITH PROGRESS ENERGY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS SAFETY PERFORMANCE AT HARRIS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with Progress Energy officials on Tuesday, March 25, to discuss the results of NRCs annual assessment of safety performance at the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant southwest of Raleigh, North Carolina.

The meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. in the Summit Room of the Apex Community Center, 53 Hunter Street in Apex (The meeting was previously scheduled at the Harris Energy and Environmental Center Board Room, 3932 New Hill-Holleman Road near the plant). The public is invited to observe the meeting, and NRC officials will be available before the conclusion of the meeting to answer any questions.

A letter from the NRC to Progress Energy addresses plant safety performance during the previous year and forms the basis for the meeting discussions. The letter states that, overall, Harris operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and that the plant fully met all objectives.

The letter, which is available from Region II Public Affairs and on the NRC web site at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/har_2002q4.pdf , says the NRC staff is considering some unresolved items identified during NRC fire protection inspections. If the NRC determines that any of these items are greater than very low safety significance, additional inspections in the fire protection area may be conducted. The letter also mentions two inspections planned for the coming year beyond the baseline, or routine, NRC inspections. Those inspections involve a review of the plants implementation of measures required by an NRC Security Order, dated February 25, 2002, and a review of the plant staffs activities in response to an NRC Bulletin on reactor vessel heads and vessel head penetrations.

Current performance indicators for the Harris plant are available at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/HAR1/har1_chart.html