Press Release-II-08-022, NRC to Discuss 2007 Performance of Catawba Nuclear Station

Press Release-II-08-022: NRC to Discuss 2007 Performance of Catawba Nuclear Station

ML081010575
Person / Time
Site:	Catawba
Issue date:	04/10/2008
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-08-022
Download: ML081010575 (2)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region II 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta GA 30303 Web Site: www.nrc.gov No: II-08-022 April 10, 2008 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO DISCUSS 2007 PERFORMANCE OF CATAWBA NUCLEAR STATION The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a meeting for Monday, April 21, with representatives of Duke Energy to discuss the agencys assessment of safety performance during 2007 at the Catawba nuclear station, operated by the company near York, S.C.

The meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Rock Hill City Hall, 155 Johnston Street in Rock Hill, S.C.

After the formal presentation, NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the safety performance of Catawba, as well as the NRCs role in ensuring safe plant operation.

The NRC continually inspects and reviews the performance of Catawba and all commercial nuclear plants, issuing inspection reports throughout the year and an overall assessment at years end, NRC Region II Administrator Victor McCree said. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss our assessment with the company, local officials and people living near the plant, and to answer any questions they may have.

The NRC said Catawba operated safely during the 2007 assessment period, from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. All inspection findings for Units 1 and 2 were green and of very low safety significance, and all performance indicators showed the plant operating at a level that does not require additional NRC oversight. Therefore, the NRC will be conducting only its regular, baseline inspections at the plant during 2008.

When assessing nuclear plant performance, the NRC uses color-coded performance indicators and inspection findings. The colors start with green and then increase to white, yellow or red based on the safety significance of the issues involved.

A letter sent from the NRC Region II office to plant officials addresses the performance of the plant during 2007 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/cat_2007q4.pdf .

Current performance information for the two units at the Catawba station is available on the NRC web site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT1/cat1_chart.html and www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CAT2/cat2_chart.html .

News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.