United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of Public Affairs, Region I

475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406

Fax: 610/337-5241

Internet: dps@nrc.gov or nas@nrc.gov

I-99-31 April 12, 1999

Contact: Diane Screnci (610/337-5330) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Neil A. Sheehan (610/337-5331)

NRC ISSUES PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR SALEM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff, in its latest

review of performance at the Salem nuclear power plant, has found

that safety performance at the facility remains acceptable. The

twin-reactor plant, located in Hancocks Bridge, N.J., is operated

by Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) Co.

In a letter to the company outlining the results of a review

covering the period of April 1998 through January 1999, A.

Randolph Blough, director of the NRC Region I Division of Reactor

Projects, wrote that while “PSE&G faced significant challenges in

recovering both units from extended shutdowns, operational

results were positive and management established high standards

of performance.”

The material condition of the plant was good, he said, and

management provided strong oversight of activities. Also,

problems were promptly identified and corrected, with the program

used to identify and fix problems continuing to be effective. In

the area of human performance, a number of errors and

inconsistencies surfaced that required attention.

Blough said the plant was operated well. Maintenance

activities continued to be performed acceptably. Engineering

benefitted from strong oversight, with notable improvements in

the implementation of programs. Performance in the plant support

area continued to be good.

Based on this performance, the NRC staff will conduct

normal inspections during the next evaluation period, with a

supplemental inspection planned in the engineering area to review

progress on the fire wrap issue.

Beginning in June, Salem will be a voluntary pilot plant for

the NRC’s new assessment process. The associated program is

still under development.

The text of the plant performance review (PPR) letter is

available from the NRC Region I Office of Public Affairs and on

the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/ppr.
NRC reviews safety performance twice a year at every

licensed nuclear power plant in the nation. These reviews give

the agency staff an integrated assessment of plant performance

and provide a basis for planning inspection activities.

PPRs are being used by the NRC as an interim measure to

monitor nuclear power plant safety. The agency began using PPRs

for this purpose after suspending the Systematic Assessment of

Licensee Performance (SALP) process until a new assessment

program is developed. Previously, SALP reports were issued every

12 to 24 months.

The new reactor oversight and assessment program being

developed will provide quarterly performance reports, based on a

number of performance indicators and on inspection findings. This

program will be tested at eight sites beginning in June and will

be extended to all plants next January. A full description of the

new program is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/primer.htm.

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