NRC TO DISCUSS 2006 PERFORMANCE AT HARRIS NUCLEAR PLANT
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff is scheduled to meet with Progress Energy officials and the public on Wednesday, May 23, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance last year and other issues at the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant, located southwest of Raleigh, N.C.

The meeting, which begins with an open house and poster session from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., will be at New Horizons Fellowship, 820 E. Williams Street (Highway 55), in Apex. During the open house, NRC staff will be available to answer questions and provide information about the Harris plant. There will also be displays discussing various aspects of NRC regulations and activities.

At 7:15, the NRC staff will present an overview of the plant’s performance during 2006 and allow Progress Energy officials to comment. After that presentation, the NRC staff will answer written questions, and that question and answer session is scheduled to end at about 9:00 p.m.

“The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Harris plant and other commercial nuclear power facilities,” NRC Region II Administrator William Travers said. “This meeting allows us to discuss that performance with the company, local officials and people living near the plant.”

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 http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/har_2006q4.pdf.

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear plant performance. The colors start with “green” and then increase to “white,” “yellow” or “red,” depending on the safety significance of the issues involved.

The NRC said the Harris plant operated safely during 2006 with all inspection findings being “green,” or of very low safety significance, and all performance indicators also indicating performance at levels requiring no additional NRC oversight.

As a result, the NRC plans to conduct only routine baseline inspections at the plant for the rest of 2006. The NRC staff will also conduct several non-routine inspections, including license renewal and the containment emergency re-circulation sump temporary instruction.
Current information for the Harris plant is available on the NRC web site at:
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/HAR1/har1_chart.html.

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