Press Release-II-07-009, - NRC to Discuss 2006 Performance at Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-II-07-009 - NRC to Discuss 2006 Performance at Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant

ML070940469
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	04/04/2007
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region II
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-II-07-009
Download: ML070940469 (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-07-009 April 4, 2007 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 NRC TO DISCUSS 2006 PERFORMANCE AT SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is scheduled to meet with Tennessee Valley Authority officials April 10 to discuss the NRCs annual assessment of safety performance at the Sequoyah nuclear power plant, located near Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., for the calendar year 2006.

The 1:00 p.m. meeting will be held at the Soddy-Daisy Municipal Building, located at 9835 Dayton Pike in Soddy-Daisy, and is open to public observation. Before the meeting ends, NRC staff will be available to answer public questions on the plants safety performance, as well as the agencys role in ensuring safe operation of the facility.

Each year the NRC staff assesses the performance of the Sequoyah plant and all of the nations other commercial nuclear power plants, NRC Region II Administrator William Travers said.

This meeting gives us a chance to discuss our assessment with the company, with local officials and with residents near the plant. Our aim is to make this information available to the public and answer any questions people may have about our oversight.

The report says the Sequoyah plant operated safely during 2006. The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear plant performance. The colors start with green and increase to white, yellow or red, commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved. Both Sequoyah reactors received green inspection findings from the NRC during 2006, which means that all were of low safety significance. As a result, Sequoyah will receive the baseline, or normal, level of NRC inspections during 2007. NRC inspectors will also conduct non-routine inspections of the plants independent spent fuel (dry cask) storage facility, containment emergency recirculation sump blockage modifications, and reactor pressure vessel head and penetration nozzle examinations.

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/seq_2006q4.pdf .

Current performance information for Sequoyah Unit 1 is available on the NRCs web site at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SEQ1/seq1_chart.html and at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/SEQ1/seq2_chart.html for Sequoyah Unit 2 .

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