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U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION III

801 Warrenville Road, Lisle IL 60532

CONTACT:    Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663/e-mail: rjs2@nrc.gov
Angela Greenman (630) 829-9662/e-mail: opa3@nrc.gov




NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT:  RIII-96-55            September 17, 1996
CONTACT:  Jan Strasma 630/829-9663
          Angela Dauginas 630/829-9662
          E-mail:  opa3@nrc.gov


     NRC STAFF TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT SAFETY INSPECTION
              AT DRESDEN NUCLEAR POWER STATION


     The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will conduct an Independent Safety
Inspection beginning September 30 to evaluate the performance of the Dresden
Nuclear Power Station.  The Dresden Station, operated by Commonwealth Edison
Company, is near Morris, Illinois.

     The 20-member inspection team will meet at 10 a.m. September 30 with
representatives of Commonwealth Edison to open the onsite phase of the inspection. 
This meeting is open to public observation.  It will be in the Training Building at the
Dresden plant, which is located on Dresden Road just north of Lorenzo Road in
Grundy County, Illinois.

     The Dresden Station has been on the NRC's "Watch List" of nuclear power
plants with performance problems since 1992.  It also was on the "Watch List" in 1987
and 1988.

     This special independent team inspection will evaluate the current performance
of the Dresden Station and the effectiveness of corrective actions taken by the utility. 
It will also focus on the maintenance activities and the conformance of the plant to
design and licensing criteria.  The findings of the team will provide a basis for further
NRC actions, including the next "Watch List" review in January 1997.
     
     The Independent Safety Inspection Team is headed by Samuel J. Collins, who
is Deputy Regional Administrator of the NRC's Region IV Office in Arlington, Texas. 
Arthur T. Howell, Deputy Director of the Division of Reactor Projects in Region IV,
has been designated as team leader.  The team members are drawn from NRC
personnel who have not had recent regulatory responsibilities for the Dresden facility. 
The team also includes several outside consultants.

     The inspection schedule calls for the team to be onsite September 30 - October
11 and October 28 - November 8.  The team will present its findings in a meeting,
open to the public, in December.  The schedule for the meeting will be announced
later.

     A written report will be issued following the meeting.

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