NRC schedules meeting on Limerick nuclear plant safety

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has scheduled an open house regarding the agency’s annual assessment of safety performance for Exelon Nuclear’s Limerick Generating Station.

The open house is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18, at the Limerick Township Municipal Building, 646 W. Ridge Pike, Limerick.

The public will have an opportunity to learn from NRC staff members about the plant’s safety performance during 2011 and the NRC’s oversight of the facility. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss plant-related topics on a one-on-one basis with NRC inspectors assigned to the plant and their NRC Region I supervisor.

From and NRC press release:

According to the NRC, the Limerick plant operated safely during 2011. Regarding Unit 1, all findings were of very low safety significance). Therefore, for the rest of 2012, Limerick Unit 1 will receive the very detailed inspection regime used by the NRC or plants that are operating well.

Limerick Unit 2, however, will receive additional oversight from the agency this year as a result of receiving a “white” (low-to-moderate safety significance) inspection finding involving inadequate procedures related to the operation of two main feedwater system valves.

“Our expectation is that Exelon will thoroughly address the issues that contributed to the ‘white’ inspection finding finalized for Limerick late last year. Ensuring that occurs will be a focus for the NRC in 2012,” NRC Region I Administrator Bill Dean said. “Looking back on 2011, our inspectors spent time checking on whether there were any immediate safety concerns at U.S. nuclear power plants following the March events at the Fukushima Daiichi facility in Japan. Those reviews indicated the plants remained safe for continued operation.”

An NRC team inspection is planned for the week of June 11 at the plant to review the company’s root cause and contributing cause evaluation for the problems; its assessment of potential similar issues; and its corrective actions to prevent a recurrence.

In 2011, the NRC devoted approximately 5,260 hours of inspection to the Limerick plant under its normal reviews.

Routine inspections are carried out by the two NRC resident inspectors assigned to the plant and by inspection specialists from the agency’s Region I Office in King of Prussia.

Among the areas of performance at Limerick to be inspected this year by NRC specialists are activities associated with radiological safety, the plant’s problem identification and resolution program, emergency preparedness and the facility’s implementation of a voluntary industry initiative to address potential degradation of underground piping.