NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS -- REGION I

 475 Allendale Road

 King of Prussia, PA 19406

No. I-03-025 April 3, 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 THREE MILE ISLAND 1 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

 Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of AmerGen Energy

Company, LLC, on Wednesday, April 9, to discuss the results of the agency’s annual assessment of

safety performance at the Three Mile Island (TMI) 1 nuclear power plant. The facility is located in

Middletown, Pa., and operated by AmerGen.

 The meeting, which will be open to the public for observation, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

at Middletown Borough Hall, 60 W. Emaus St. in Middletown. Before the session is adjourned, NRC

staff will be available to answer questions from the public on the safety performance of Three Mile

Island 1, 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/tmi_2002q4.pdf

 “Overall, TMI 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 baseline inspections at

the plant through March 31, 2004. The agency also plans to conduct an inspection of the upcoming

reactor vessel head replacement at TMI 1.

 During the last assessment period, the NRC conducted a supplemental inspection at TMI in

response to an issue of low to moderate safety significance (“white”) identified in 2001. This issue

involved inadequate corrective actions and an inadequate operability assessment for an emergency

feedwater pump oil leak. The inspection determined that the company’s response was satisfactory and

the issue was closed. In addition, the NRC reviewed a substantive cross-cutting issue in the area of

human performance, involving duties related to equipment performance monitoring. The agency

concluded that the issue had also been adequately addressed.
 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 TMI 1 is available on the NRC web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/TMI1/tmi1_chart.html

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