Press Release-II-04-035, NRC to Meet with Duke Energy Officials to Discuss Safety Performance at Catawba Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-II-04-035: NRC to Meet with Duke Energy Officials to Discuss Safety Performance at Catawba Nuclear Power Plant

ML041100746
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	04/19/2004
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-04-035
Download: ML041100746 (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-04-035 April 19, 2004 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO MEET WITH DUKE ENERGY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS SAFETY PERFORMANCE AT CATAWBA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with Duke Energy officials on Wednesday, May 12, to discuss the results of NRCs annual assessment of safety performance at the Catawba nuclear power plant near York, South Carolina.

The meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at the Rock Hill City Hall.

The public is invited to observe the meeting, and NRC officials will be available before the conclusion of the meeting to answer any questions.

The NRC said both Catawba reactors were operated safely and met all objectives during the evaluation period which covered the calendar year 2003. As a result, the NRC plans to conduct only routine inspections at the Catawba plant in 2004. A letter from the NRC to Duke Energy outlining the results of the most recent evaluation is available from Region II Public Affairs and on the NRC web site at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/cat_2003q4.pdf .

The NRC staff will also conduct inspections this year at Catawba (not specifically related to the plants performance) related to operator licensing examinations, inspections of the planned spent nuclear fuel storage installation, and safety issues concerning reactor pressure vessel lower head penetration nozzles and the reactor containment sump.

The agency will also continue to monitor plant actions in response to NRC security orders and any newly developed portions of the plant security program.

Current performance indicators for the two units at the Catawba plant are available at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT1/cat1_chart.html and www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT2/cat2_chart.html .