NRC, FERC COMMISSIONERS TO DISCUSS GRID RELIABILITY APRIL 8 IN WASHINGTON
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Commissioners and staff from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will meet on April 8 in FERC Headquarters offices in Washington, D.C. to discuss and make presentations on grid reliability activities affecting nuclear power plants, planning for new reactors and cyber security.  This will be the fourth time they have met to discuss issues with the electrical grid as it pertains to nuclear power plants.

The blackout of Aug. 14, 2003, was the largest in the history of the United States interrupting power for more then 50 million people, and causing nine U.S. nuclear power plants to shut down. Similar to non-nuclear facilities, when the grid is lost or significantly degraded, the protective circuits of the nuclear reactor and the turbine generator automatically shut down the plant to protect equipment. Nuclear facilities are designed with backup power sources, typically emergency diesel generators, to provide power to essential safety systems. During the blackout, diesel generators kept the nine plants in a safe condition.

Both the NRC and FERC participated in a joint U.S.-Canada task force that reviewed the blackout. The agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement on Sept. 1, 2004, to facilitate their collaboration concerning the nation’s electric grid reliability, as well as addressing the task force’s recommendations.

During the April 8 meeting, they will discuss the status of new reactors; the regional grid planning process to address the new reactors; reliability standards activities affecting nuclear power plants and grid operations; cyber security; and future NRC/FERC coordination.

The meeting will run from  10 a.m. to noon in FERC’s Commission Meeting Room at 888 First St. NE, Washington, D.C.

Anyone with questions should contact R. Michelle Schroll, NRC Office of the Secretary 301-415-1662 or Sarah McKinley, FERC State Relations, Office of External Affairs  at 202-502-8368. The public is invited to attend the meeting, which will also be available on FERC’s Web site, http://www.ferc.gov.

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Tuesday, April 08, 2008