NRC Finds Performance 'Acceptable' at North Anna in Latest Review


NRC Seal NRC NEWS

U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION II

61 Forsyth Street, Suite 23T85, Atlanta, GA 30303

 

No: II-99-23
April 5, 1999

CONTACT: Ken Clark (Phone: 404/562-4416, E-mail: kmc2@nrc.gov )
Roger Hannah (Phone 404/562-4417, E-mail: rdh1@nrc.gov )

 

NRC FINDS PERFORMANCE 'ACCEPTABLE' AT NORTH ANNA IN LATEST REVIEW

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has found that safety performance remains acceptable in the NRC's latest plant performance review at the North Anna nuclear power plant, operated by Virginia Power Company near Mineral, Virginia.

Officials of the NRC and Virginia Power will discuss the review during a meeting set for Tuesday, April 13, at the North Anna plant site in the Information Center. The meeting will be open for public observation. NRC officials will be available afterwards to speak with reporters, state and local officials, and members of the public.

In a letter to Virginia Power, Robert C. Haag, an official in the NRC regional office in Atlanta, said "overall performance at North Anna was acceptable" during the period of review from January 1997 through January 1999. He said regulatory performance at North Anna was "consistent" in the areas of operations, maintenance, engineering and plant support. The NRC staff will continue normal inspection programs at North Anna during the next period of review.

The text of the plant performance review letter is available from the NRC Region II Office of Public Affairs and on the NRC web site.

NRC reviews safety performance twice a year at every licensed nuclear power plant in the nation. These reviews give the agency staff an integrated assessment of plant performance and provide a basis for planning inspection activities.

Plant performance reviews are an interim measure NRC is utilizing to monitor nuclear power plant safety. The agency began using it for this purpose after suspending the Systematic Assessment of License Performance (SALP) process until a new assessment program is developed. Previously, SALP reports were issued every 12 to 24 months.

The new reactor oversight and assessment program being developed will provide quarterly performance reports, based on a number of performance indicators and on inspection findings. This program will be tested at eight sites beginning in June and will be extended to all plants next January. A full description of the new program is available on the NRC web site.

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