NRC TO DISCUSS 2004 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
FOR FORT CALHOUN NUCLEAR PLANT
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of the Omaha Public Power District on May 10 to discuss the results of the agency’s assessment of safety performance at the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant during 2004. The plant is located north of Omaha, Neb.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Omaha Marriott, 10220 Regency Circle in Omaha. Before the session is adjourned, NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the plant’s safety performance, as well as the agency’s role in ensuring safe operation of the facility.

"Each year the NRC staff evaluates the performance of each of the nation’s commercial nuclear plants," said Region IV Administrator Bruce S. Mallett. "This meeting gives us a chance to discuss our assessment with the company, local officials and residents near the plant. We want to make this information available to the public and answer any questions people may have about the plant."

Overall, Fort Calhoun operated safely during 2004. The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear plant performance. The colors start with "green" and increase to "white," "yellow," and "red," according to the safety significance of the issues involved.

Fort Calhoun will receive the baseline, or normal level of inspections during 2005. The plant had one "white" inspection finding and one "white" performance indicator because an emergency diesel generator was unavailable for 28 days during the third quarter of 2004. As a result, in addition to baseline inspections which are conducted at every plant, the NRC plans to conduct a supplemental inspection to provide assurance that corrective actions have been taken to prevent recurrence

Baseline inspections are performed by the NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant and by inspection specialists from the Region IV office and the agency’s headquarters in Rockville, Md.

A letter sent from the NRC Region IV Office in Arlington, Texas, to plant officials will serve as the basis for the meeting. It is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/fcs_2004q4.pdf .

Current information for Ft. Calhoun is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/FCS/fcs_chart.html.

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Thursday, December 11, 2008