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NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406

NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING ON CHANGES IN REACTOR OVERSIGHT PROGRAM AT INDIAN POINT PLANTS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled a public meeting for Wednesday, October 11, in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., to discuss the agency's new reactor oversight process. Indian Point Units 2 & 3, two of the nation's 103 operating commercial nuclear power plants, are located in Buchanan, N.Y.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., at the Cortlandt Town Hall, 1 Heady Street. Members of the public will have the opportunity to ask questions about the new program of NRC staff during and after the meeting.

The new oversight process, which began at Indian Point in April, uses more objective, timely and safety-significant criteria in assessing performance while seeking to more effectively and efficiently regulate the industry. Under the new process, inspections by NRC resident inspectors and regional office-based personnel are supplemented by statistical measures of plant activities called performance indicators. These performance indicators measure important safety aspects of plant operations, including the viability of redundant safety systems, emergency planning, radiation protection and security measures.

Inspection findings and performance indicators for each nuclear power plant are posted on the NRC's web site every three months. The safety significance of each inspection finding or performance indicator is characterized by a color -- green, white, yellow or red.

The NRC response to the inspection finding and performance indicators will be based on the significance of the items. A green finding receives normal NRC oversight, while white, yellow or red assessments receive increasing NRC involvement. Multiple red findings could result in a plant shutdown.

A plain language summary of the reactor oversight process is available from the NRC Office of Public Affairs or on the web site at: www.nrc.gov/OPA/primer.htm . Detailed information regarding the reactor oversight process is available at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/index.html .

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