NRC TO DISCUSS 2007 PERFORMANCE OF
MCGUIRE NUCLEAR STATION
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, April 22, with representatives of Duke Energy to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance during 2007 at the McGuire nuclear station, operated by the company north of Charlotte near Huntersville, N.C.

The meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. in the Energy Explorium at the McGuire site, 13339 Hagers Ferry Road in Huntersville.

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

“The NRC continually inspects and reviews the performance of McGuire 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 our assessment with the company, local officials and people living near the plant, and to answer any questions they may have.”

The NRC said McGuire 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/mcg_2007q4.pdf.

Current performance information for the two units at the McGuire station is available on the NRC web site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/MCG1/mcg1_chart.html and  www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/MCG2/mcg2_chart.html.

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Tuesday, April 15, 2008