NRC TO HOLD PREDECISIONAL ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE
WITH ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO. FOR PALO VERDE
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials will hold a predecisional enforcement conference with representatives of Arizona Public Service Co. on Thursday, Feb 17, to discuss two apparent violations of NRC requirements at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. APS operates the facility, located near Wintersburg, Ariz.

The enforcement conference will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the NRC’s Region IV office in Arlington, Tex. The public is invited to observe the meeting and will have one or more opportunities to communicate with the NRC after the business portion, but before the meeting is adjourned. Certain portions of the meeting may be closed to the public if proprietary information is discussed. Persons interested in participating in the conference via telephone can do so by calling (800) 952-9677 and asking to be transferred to the meeting.

NRC conducted a special inspection last summer after operators at Palo Verde discovered air trapped in a section of piping that could interfere with the performance of pumps needed to supply water for emergency core cooling and containment spray during some accident conditions.

"APS officials corrected the problem when it was brought to their attention, but the NRC has identified two related apparent violations of potential safety significance that we want to discuss with them," said NRC Region IV Administrator Bruce S. Mallett.

The conference is an opportunity for APS to provide its perspective on the apparent violations and to offer any other information that they believe the NRC should take into consideration in making an enforcement decision. No decision on the apparent violations or any enforcement action will be made at the conference. Those decisions will be made later by NRC officials.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007