NRC TO DISCUSS 2004 PERFORMANCE AT ST. LUCIE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
Printable Version

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is scheduled to meet with Florida Power & Light officials May 16 to discuss the NRC’s annual assessment of safety performance for 2004 at the St. Lucie nuclear power plant, located in Jensen Beach, Fla.

The 3:00 p.m. meeting at the St. Lucie Plant Visitor’s Center is open to public observation. Before the meeting ends, NRC staff will be available to answer public questions on the plant’s safety performance, as well as the agency’s role in ensuring safe operation of the facility.

"Each year the NRC staff rates the performance of the St. Lucie plant and all of the nation’s other commercial nuclear power plants," NRC Region II Administrator William Travers said. "This meeting gives us a chance to discuss our assessment with the company, local officials and residents near the plant. Our aim is to make this information available to the public and answer any questions people may have about our oversight."

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess performance. The colors start with "green" and increase to "white," "yellow" or "red," commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved.

Overall, the St. Lucie plant operated safely during 2004, but the NRC said the plant did have one "white" performance indicator for unplanned shutdowns that carried over into early 2004 from the previous year. A subsequent NRC inspection found no further issues in that area. As a result of that performance, the NRC plans to conduct only routine inspections at the plant with the exception of activities related to reactor head replacement.

A letter sent from the NRC Region II Office to plant officials addresses the performance of the plant during the period 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/stl_2004q4.pdf .

Routine inspections are performed by NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant and by specialists from the Region II Office in Atlanta, and the agency’s headquarters in Rockville, Md.

Current information for the St. Lucie plant is available on the NRC web site at:
www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STL1/stl1_chart.html and www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STL2/stl2_chart.html.

Privacy Policy | Site Disclaimer
Thursday, February 22, 2007