NRC TO DISCUSS 2007 PERFORMANCE OF
TURKEY POINT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a meeting for Friday, April 11, with representatives of Florida Power & Light Company to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance during 2007 at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant.  The plant, operated by FPL, is about 25 miles south of Miami, Fla.

The meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Homestead City Hall, 790 N. Homestead Blvd., Homestead, Fla.

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

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

The NRC said the Turkey Point plant operated safely during the 2007 assessment period, from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.  All inspection findings for Unit 4 were of very low safety significance and all its performance indicators showed the plant operating at a level that does not require additional NRC oversight.

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,” commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved.  Unit 3 was in the Regulatory Response Column of the NRC’s Action Matrix during the first two quarters of 2007 due to a “white” inspection finding related to decay heat removal.  An April 2007 NRC inspection identified no significant findings in that area, and Unit 3 moved into the Licensee Response Column for the last two quarters of 2007.   As a result, the NRC plans to conduct routine baseline inspections at the plant during 2008.

In addition, the NRC has requested that FPL conduct an independent assessment of problem identification and resolution as well as corrective actions.  NRC inspectors will evaluate the scope and results of that review this year, and continue to evaluate the effectiveness of new programs in those areas.  

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/tp_2007q4.pdf .

Current performance information for the two units at Turkey Point plant is available on the NRC web site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TP3/tp3_chart.html and  www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TP4/tp4_chart.html . 

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Wednesday, April 16, 2008