NRC: News Release - Region II - 2001-050 - NRC Determines Surry Nuclear Plant Diesel Generator Issue To Be of Low to Moderate Safety Significance

				Search Options
Index \| Site Map \| FAQ \| Facility Info \| Reading Rm \| New \| Help \| Glossary \| Contact Us

NRC NEWS
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region II
61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
www.nrc.gov

No. II-01-050		December 26, 2001
CONTACT:	Ken Clark (404) 562-4416 Roger D. Hannah (404) 562-4417 Joey Ledford (404) 562-4487	E-mail: opa2@nrc.gov
NRC DETERMINES SURRY NUCLEAR PLANT DIESEL GENERATOR ISSUE TO BE OF LOW TO MODERATE SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has completed its significance determination of an inspection finding at Virginia Power's Surry nuclear plant near Surry, Virginia, and concluded that the finding was White (low to moderate safety significance). The inspection finding relates to the Surry plant staff's discovery of failed components in one emergency diesel generator and degraded components in another. The NRC staff had characterized the finding as Yellow (substantial importance to safety) on a preliminary basis. At a regulatory conference with the NRC staff in late November, Virginia Power officials presented their position on the issue and their assessment of its significance. The company presented information covering the availability of an alternate diesel, plant staff inspections of the equipment, differences in risk analyses and other factors. After reviewing all the information, the NRC staff determined that its preliminary assessment was overly conservative and the issue should be characterized as White. The safety significance of each NRC inspection finding is characterized by a color -- green, white, yellow, or red. The agency response to the inspection findings is based on the significance of the items. A green finding receives normal NRC oversight, while white, yellow, or red assessments result in increasing NRC involvement, including additional inspections. The NRC staff will inform Virginia Power of the specific additional inspections or other actions to be taken at the Surry plant at a later date.
NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.