Press Release-II-06-004, NRC to Discuss 2005 Performance Assessment for Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-II-06-004: NRC to Discuss 2005 Performance Assessment for Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant

ML060810097
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle
Issue date:	03/22/2006
From:	Clark K, Roger Hannah Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-06-004
Download: ML060810097 (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-06-004 March 22, 2006 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO DISCUSS 2005 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FOR VOGTLE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of Southern Nuclear Operating Company on Wednesday, March 29, to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance last year at the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant, located 26 miles southeast of Augusta, Ga.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 12 noon at the Burke County Courthouse in Waynesboro, Ga. The NRC staff will present the results of the assessment and be available to respond to questions or comments from the public before the close of the meeting.

The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Vogtle plant and the nations other commercial nuclear power facilities, NRC Region II Administrator William Travers said. This meeting is a chance for us to discuss that safety performance with the company, with local officials and with people living near the plant.

A letter sent from the NRC Region II Office to plant officials addresses the performance of the plant during the period 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/vog_2005q4.pdf .

The NRCs assessment concluded that the Vogtle plant operated safely during the period. The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear plant performance. The colors start with green and then increase to white, yellow or red, depending on the safety significance of the issues involved.

All of the inspection findings and performance indicators for Vogtle during 2005 were determined to be green. As a result of this performance, the NRC is conducting the normal or baseline level of inspections this year.

Routine inspections are performed by two NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant and by inspection specialists from the Region II Office in Atlanta, and the agencys headquarters in Rockville, Md. Among the areas to be inspected during 2006 by NRC specialists are containment emergency recirculation sump blockage and reactor vessel head penetrations.

Current performance information for the two units at the Vogtle plant is available on the NRCs web site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/VOG1/vog1_chart.html and www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/VOG2/vog2_chart.html .