NRC TO MEET WITH ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE TO DISCUSS PERFORMANCE
OF PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION
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The meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Estrella Mountain Community College, Community Room, 2nd Floor of Estrella Hall, 3000 North Dysart Road, Avondale, AZ. Before the session is adjourned, NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the safety performance of the plant, 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 IV Office to Arizona Public Service Co. 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: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/palo_2002q4.pdf

“Overall, Palo Verde operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives,” the letter says. Therefore, the NRC plans to conduct only baseline inspections at the site through March 31, 2004, although some additional inspections are planned in conjunction with steam generator replacement activities at Palo Verde Unit 2.

In addition, the letter 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 advisories. For calendar Year 2003, we plan to continue these inspections and 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 Palo Verde Unit 1 is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/PALO1/palo1_chart.html. Unit 2 information is at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/PALO2/palo2_chart.html. Unit 3 is at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/PALO3/palo3_chart.html.

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Monday, December 08, 2008