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NRC NEWS
U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION IV
611 Ryan Plaza Drive - Suite 400
Arlington, Texas 76011-8064 |
| CONTACT: |
Breck Henderson (817) 860-8128 |
RIV: 96-49 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Breck Henderson August 22, 1996
OFFICE: 817/860-8128
PAGER: (800) 443-7243 (065477)
ARKANSAS PLANTS RATED "SUPERIOR" IN THREE AREAS
"GOOD" IN ONE IN LATEST NRC ASSESSMENT
The Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant has received performance ratings
of "superior" in plant operations, engineering and plant support, and "good" in
maintenance in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's latest systematic assessment of
licensee performance (SALP).
The SALP report was sent Aug. 2 to Entergy Operations, Inc., operator of the twin
reactor facility situated near Russellville, Arkansas. It evaluates plant safety performance
from January 8, 1995, through July 6, 1996.
NRC and Entergy officials will discuss the report during a meeting set for 11 a.m.
August 29 in the Reeves E. Ritchie Training Facility in Russellville. The meeting will be
open for public observation. NRC officials will be available afterwards to speak with
reporters, state and local officials, and members of the public.
NRC systematic assessment reports rate licensees in four functional areas--plant
operations, maintenance, engineering, and plant support--and assigns ratings of Category
1, 2, or 3 corresponding to superior, good or adequate safety performance. The ANO
report rates the plant "Category 1" in plant operations, engineering and plant support,
indicating superior performance. It rates maintenance as "Category 2" indicating good
safety performance.
In his cover letter to the report, NRC Regional Administrator L. Joe Callan said
continued strong performance by licensed operators was noteworthy in the operations
area. He also attributed improvements in the plant's engineering activities to strong self
assessments and more thorough design control and operations support work.
.
Discussing the plant's rating decline in maintenance since the previous report, Mr.
Callan said:
"Although performance in the maintenance area remained strong, several
significant performance exceptions posed the potential for common-mode failures at the
facility and impacted safety-system performance. Taken together, these exceptions were
considered sufficient to warrant a decline in category rating."
But he said that overall performance in the plant support area remained superior
with continued progress apparent in reducing occupational radiation exposures.
In conclusion, Mr. Callan wrote, "The self-assessments conducted by quality, line
and corporate organizations improved and played a significant role in the overall strong
performance at the ANO facility."
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Editors: A copy of the full SALP report is available from this office on request. It also
will be available in electronic format on the NRC Office of Public Affairs Internet home
page at http://www.nrc.gov/OPA.
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