NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS -- REGION I

 475 Allendale Road

 King of Prussia, PA 19406

No. I-03-018 March 24, 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 CALVERT CLIFFS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

 Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear

Power Plant, Inc., on Monday, March 31, to discuss the results of the agency’s annual assessment of

safety performance at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant. The twin-reactor facility, which is owned

by Constellation Generation Group, LLC, is located in Lusby, Md.

 The meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

at the Holiday Inn Select Solomons, 155 Holiday Drive in Solomons, Md. Before the session is

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

of the Calvert Cliffs 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/calv_2002q4:pdf

 "Overall, Calvert Cliffs operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and fully

met all cornerstone objectives," the letter states. However, there were two inspection findings of low

to moderate safety significance ("white") identified last year that apply to both Calvert Cliffs Units 1

and 2. One involved the improper preparation of a package of radioactive materials for shipping,

resulting in Department of Transportation external radiation dose rate limits being exceeded. A

supplemental inspection last December found that sufficient actions had been taken to prevent a

recurrence. The other finding stemmed from the inability to operate emergency sirens in Calvert

County in a timely manner for 84 days. A second supplemental inspection determined that the

problem had been successfully addressed.

 In addition, the letter 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 Calvert Cliffs Unit 1 is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CALV1/calv1_chart.html

 Current performance information for Calvert Cliffs Unit 2 is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CALV2/calv2_chart.html

 

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