Press Release-II-06-028, NRC to Discuss 2005 Performance at Turkey Point Nuclear Plant

Press Release-II-06-028: NRC to Discuss 2005 Performance at Turkey Point Nuclear Plant

ML061220638
Person / Time
Site:	Turkey Point
Issue date:	05/02/2006
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-06-028:
Download: ML061220638 (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-06-028 May 2, 2006 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO DISCUSS 2005 PERFORMANCE AT TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is scheduled to meet with Florida Power & Light Company officials on Wednesday, May 17, to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance last year at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant, located south of Miami near Homestead, Fla.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in Homesteads City Hall. 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 Turkey Point 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 March 2nd letter 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/tp_2005q4.pdf .

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.

The Turkey Point plant operated safely during 2005, but Unit 4 crossed the threshold from green to white for the Unplanned Scrams per 7000 Critical Hours performance indicator in last years 3rd quarter. A supplemental inspection in December 2005 identified one green finding, meaning it was of very low safety significance.

In addition, both units had a white performance indicator for Heat Removal System Unavailability in the 4th quarter of 2005. A preliminary white finding involving an auxiliary feedwater pump is also still under review and the NRC will conduct a supplemental inspection on that issue sometime this year.

With the exception of that supplemental inspection, the NRC plans to conduct routine baseline inspections at the plant for the rest of 2006. In addition, the NRC staff will conduct an inspection of containment sump blockage that is part of a generic inspection across plants.

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.

Current information for the Turkey Point plant is available on the NRC web site at:

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TP1/tp1_chart.html and www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TP2/tp2_chart.html .