Press Release-II-05-011, NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance at North Anna Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-II-05-011: NRC to Discuss 2004 Performance at North Anna Nuclear Power Plant

ML050820138
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	03/23/2005
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-05-011
Download: ML050820138 (2)

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-05-011 March 23, 2005 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO DISCUSS 2004 PERFORMANCE AT NORTH ANNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with Virginia Electric and Power Company officials on March 29 to discuss the NRCs annual assessment of safety performance at the North Anna nuclear power plant, located near Mineral, Va. The period covered is the calendar year 2004.

The meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. (EST) in the main auditorium of the North Anna Nuclear Information Center, located at 1022 Haley Drive in Mineral. It is open to public observation. Before the end of the meeting, the NRC staff will be available to answer questions from interested observers related to the plants safety performance, as well as the NRCs role in ensuring safe operation of the facility.

Dr. William Travers, Administrator of the NRCs Region II office in Atlanta, said the NRC staff rates the performance of each of the nations licensed, commercial nuclear power plants each year. He said the public meeting with the company gives the NRC a chance to discuss the assessment with company and local officials and interested residents living near the plant. He said NRC officials will answer any questions people may have related to the agencys oversight of safety and operations at North Anna.

A letter sent from the NRC Region II office in Atlanta to plant officials addresses the plants performance during 2004 and will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on the NRC web site at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/na_2004q4.pdf .

The NRC uses color coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear power plant performance. The colors start with green and increase to white, yellow, or red, commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved.

North Anna Units 1 and 2 operated safely during 2004, the NRC report said. The NRC report said all inspection findings and performance indications for the plant in 2004 were classified as green (of very low safety significance), and the agency will conduct only normal reactor oversight safety inspections during the next evaluation period.

Routine Inspections are performed by NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant and by specialists from the Region II office in Atlanta and the agencys headquarters in Rockville, Md. In addition to baseline inspections in 2005, the NRC plans inspections of the plants pressurizer nozzles and steam space pipe connections and of its Independent Spent Fuel (Dry Cask) Storage Installation.

Current information for the North Anna plant is available on the NRC web site at:

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/NA1/na1_chart.html www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/NA2/na2_chart.html