NRC releases 2014 nuclear plant assessments

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has released their annual performance review letters for the nation’s 100 commercial nuclear power plants.

As of Dec. 2014, 94 of the 100 assessed plants placed within the two highest performance categories, with 75 plants meeting all safety and security performance goals.

“These assessment letters provide the results of a systematic NRC review of performance indicators and inspection findings at each domestic power reactor facility,” said Bill Dean, director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. “In addition to ensuring that the nation’s nuclear power plants are safe by inspecting them and evaluating their performance regularly, our goal in issuing these letters is to ensure that all of our stakeholders clearly understand the basis for our assessments of plant performance, our future inspection plans and the actions we are taking to address any notable deficiencies.”

The Monticello (Minn.), Pilgrim (Mass.) and Point Beach 1 (Wis.) nuclear operating stations fell within the third performance category, due to a degraded level of performance; as a result, each will be subjected to increased NRC oversight and inspections. Arkansas Nuclear One 1 and 2 were placed in the fourth performance category, and both will require significant oversight and several additional inspections in order to meet the performance standards for operation.

Later this year, the NRC will host a public meeting in each plant's location, in order to further discuss the findings of the annual assessment.