NRC TO DISCUSS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
OF THREE MILE ISLAND 1 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
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The meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Middletown Borough Hall, 60 W. Emaus St. in Middletown. Before the session is adjourned, NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the safety performance of Three Mile Island 1, as well as the role of the NRC in ensuring safe plant operation.

The performance period to be discussed is January 1 to December 31, 2002. In addition, NRC staff will provide an overview of how the agency’s Reactor Oversight Process works.

A letter sent from the NRC Region I Office to plant officials addresses the performance of the facility during the period and will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/tmi_2002q4.pdf

“Overall, TMI operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives,” the letter states. As a result, the NRC plans to conduct baseline inspections at the plant through March 31, 2004. The agency also plans to conduct an inspection of the upcoming reactor vessel head replacement at TMI 1.

During the last assessment period, the NRC conducted a supplemental inspection at TMI in response to an issue of low to moderate safety significance (“white”) identified in 2001. This issue involved inadequate corrective actions and an inadequate operability assessment for an emergency feedwater pump oil leak. The inspection determined that the company’s response was satisfactory and the issue was closed. In addition, the NRC reviewed a substantive cross-cutting issue in the area of human performance, involving duties related to equipment performance monitoring. The agency concluded that the issue had also been adequately addressed.

The letter also notes: “As you are aware, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the NRC has issued several Orders and threat advisories to enhance security capabilities and improve guard force readiness. We have conducted inspections to review your implementation of these requirements and have monitored your actions in response to changing threat conditions. For calendar year 2003, we plan to continue these inspections, conduct portions of the security baseline inspection program, as well as perform additional inspections to evaluate your compliance with new requirements that may be ordered. “

Current performance information for TMI 1 is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TMI1/tmi1_chart.html

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Thursday, February 22, 2007