Multiple/Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column
NRC uses its Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) to measure plant performance within the three broad areas of (1) reactor safety, (2) radiation safety, and (3) security. Within these areas, NRC looks at seven cornerstones: (1) Initiating Events, (2) Mitigating Systems, (3) Barrier Integrity, (4) Emergency Preparedness, (5) Occupational Radiation Safety, (6) Public Radiation Safety, and (7) Physical Protection.
If, from an assessment of inspection findings and performance indicators
for a nuclear plant, NRC identifies repetitive degradation in a single
cornerstone, NRC documents this plant degradation on an ROP matrix (see
Inspection
Manual Chapter 0305 
, “Operating
Reactor Assessment Program”) in the Multiple/Repetitive
Degraded Cornerstone column. As a result of several failures associated
in the cornerstone for Mitigating Systems at Point Beach Nuclear
Power Station Units 1 and 2, NRC gave this plant such a rating and,
therefore,
will conduct a diagnostic inspection, following Inspection
Procedure 95003 .
