NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS -- REGION I

 475 Allendale Road

 King of Prussia, PA 19406

No. I-03-022 March 28, 2003

CONTACT: Diane Screnci, (610) 337-5330 E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov

Neil A. Sheehan, (610) 337-5331

NRC TO DISCUSS ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

OF LIMERICK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

 Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of Exelon Generation

Company on Thursday, April 3, to discuss the results of the agency’s annual assessment of safety

performance at the Limerick nuclear power plant. The twin-reactor facility is located in Limerick

Township, Pa., and operated by Exelon.

 The meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

at the Limerick Township Municipal Building, 646 W. Ridge Pike in Limerick. Before the session is

adjourned, NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the safety performance

of the Limerick plant, as well as the role of the NRC in ensuring safe plant operation.

 The performance period to be discussed is January 1 to December 31, 2002. In addition, NRC

staff will provide an overview of how the agency’s Reactor Oversight Process works.

 A letter sent from the NRC Region I Office to plant officials addresses the performance of the

facility during the 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/lim_2002q4.pdf

 "Overall, both of the units at Limerick operated in a manner that preserved public health and

safety and fully met all cornerstone objectives," the letter states. As a result, the NRC plans to conduct

only baseline inspections at the plant through March 31, 2004. During the last assessment period, the

NRC conducted supplemental inspections in response to two issues of low to moderate safety

significance ("white") identified in 2001. One involved an inadequate critique of an emergency

preparedness drill that affected both units. The other finding involving inadequate measures to identify

a degraded safety-relief valve that affected only Unit 2. The supplemental inspections determined that

the actions taken by Exelon in response to the issues were effective and appropriate.

 The letter also notes: "As you are aware, since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the

NRC has issued several Orders and threat advisories to enhance security capabilities and improve

guard force readiness. We have conducted inspections to review your implementation of these

requirements and have monitored your actions in response to changing threat conditions. For calendar
year 2003, we plan to continue these inspections, conduct portions of the security baseline inspection

program, as well as perform additional inspections to evaluate your compliance with new requirements

that may be ordered."

 Current performance information for Limerick 1 is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LIM1/lim1_chart.html

 Current performance information for Limerick 2 is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LIM2/lim2_chart.html

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