Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff will host an open-house meeting next week concerning its 2015 safety-performance review of Florida Power & Light Co.’s St. Lucie nuclear plant, near Jensen Beach.
The open house will take place 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Energy Encounter, located adjacent to the plant at 6501 South Ocean Drive, Highway A1A, Gate B, in Jensen Beach. Attendees will be able to ask NRC staff and the plant’s resident inspectors questions and will have access to informational posters.
The commission found that St. Lucie performed safely during 2015, though the plant did receive additional oversight throughout the first half of the year after failing to maintain the water-tight integrity of the reactor auxiliary building. This has since been corrected, and the facility received a low-to-moderate safety significance rating.
Currently, both of St. Lucie’s reactors are operating under the NRC’s baseline oversight, which still involves thousands of hours of inspections.
“We invite the public to visit with us and find out what we’re doing to ensure St. Lucie and other nuclear plants are operated safely,” NRC Region II Administrator Cathy Haney said. “These annual meetings offer an opportunity for everyone, and especially people who live near the plant, to learn about our inspection and oversight programs.”
