NRC slates open house on Newport, Michigan, power plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said Tuesday it will conduct a open house June 18 on the 2014 performance of the Fermi Nuclear Power Plant in Newport, Michigan, operated by DTE Electronic Co. 

The open house is slated to run from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Monroe County Courthouse Board of Commissioners’ Chambers in Monroe, Michigan. At the open house. NRC staff will discuss the plant’s inspection record and safety performance for the past year.

While Fermi operated safely overall in 2014, inspectors did find one or more security violations in the first quarter, which led to a higher rate of inspections and more oversight for the rest of the year. The vulnerabilities have been addressed and the plant has been returned to normal NRC oversight, which will include inspections relating to license renewal, problem identification and resolution and radiation protection in the upcoming year.

“These open houses give the public a chance to talk informally with our staff about the plant and other NRC-related issues,” NRC Region III Administrator Cynthia D. Pederson said. “It is a great opportunity for people to meet our resident inspectors and other staff; and a great opportunity for us to interact with people who live near the plant.”