NRC TO DISCUSS PERFORMANCE
OF SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT NUCLEAR PLANT JUNE 3
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company on June 3 to discuss the results of the agency’s assessment of safety performance at the South Texas Project nuclear power plant during 2003. The plant is located in Bay City, Texas.

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Bay City Civic Center, 201 Seventh Street, Bay City. The public is invited to observe the meeting and NRC officials will be available before the conclusion of the meeting to answer questions from the public.

The performance period to be discussed is January 1 to December 31, 2003. In addition, the NRC staff will provide an overview of how the agency Reactor Oversight Process works.

A letter from the NRC to South Texas Project officials addresses the performance of the plant during this period and will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/stp_2003q4.pdf .

The NRC concluded that the plant operated safely last year. “However because the number of automatic shutdowns crossed a critical threshold during the first quarter of 2003, the NRC conducted a supplemental inspection, which concluded that appropriate corrective actions had been taken,” said Arthur T. Howell III, Director of Region IV’s Division of Reactor Projects. Routine inspections will continue in 2004.

With regard to security issues, the letter points out that the NRC has issued several orders and threat advisories to enhance security capabilities at all nuclear power plants and improve guard force readiness since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The agency has also conducted inspections to review the implementation of these requirements and has monitored the action of plant operators in response to changing plant conditions. The NRC will continue security inspections during 2004.

Current performance indicators for Unit 1 are available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STP1/stp1_chart.html.

Current performance indicators for Unit 2 are available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STP2/stp2_chart.html.

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Last revised Thursday, May 27, 2004