NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 2443 Warrenville Road

 Lisle IL 60532

 Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov

No. III-06-033 December 4, 2006

CONTACT: Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 

Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662 

NRC RETURNS POINT BEACH TO ROUTINE OVERSIGHT

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has determined that the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant

has taken sufficient corrective actions to allow its return to routine agency oversight by the end of

December. The two-reactor plant, operated by Nuclear Management Co., was placed under heightened

NRC oversight in early 2003.

Point Beach, located near Two Rivers, Wisc., was placed under heightened oversight as a result

of three “red” findings, which means they were of high safety significance, and one “yellow” finding,

meaning it had moderate to high significance to safety.

All four findings were associated with problems in the auxiliary feedwater system. These

problems did not affect normal plant operations but could have diminished the plant’s ability to

mitigate the effects of an accident under certain abnormal circumstances.

The auxiliary feedwater system is used to safely cool the reactor if problems occur during plant

operations and to continue removing heat from the reactor after shutdown.

The utility took actions to correct problems with the auxiliary feedwater system shortly after

discovery.

NRC inspection findings are evaluated using a four-level scale of safety significance, ranging

from “green” for a finding of very low significance, through “white” and “yellow” to “red,” for a

finding of high safety significance. 

When the safety significance of findings increase, the NRC increases its oversight. This results

in such actions as more frequent and more in-depth inspections and more frequent public meetings

during which plant managers report on the status of corrective actions and answer questions from the

NRC.

As a result of increased oversight at Point Beach, the NRC performed a broad, in-depth

inspection from July to December 2003. The inspection reviewed the causes of auxiliary feedwater

system problems and took a broader look at other areas of plant operation that could be affected by

similar causes.
Following the inspection, the utility developed a plan to address the issues identified by the

NRC and to improve plant performance. The utility committed to make substantial and sustained

improvements in five areas: human performance, engineering design control, engineering/operations

interface, emergency preparedness and the corrective action program. 

In April 2004, the NRC issued a Confirmatory Action Letter which documented these

commitments and the NRC’s plans to conduct additional inspections to monitor the utility’s progress

in accomplishing their stated goals. The letter also stated that Point Beach would remain under

increased oversight until the NRC finds “demonstrated improved performance in the five areas listed

above.”

In early 2006, the NRC concluded that sufficient progress had been made in all areas of

commitment but engineering design control. On April 14, 2006, the NRC issued a revised

Confirmatory Action Letter documenting these conclusions.

The NRC continued to monitor the plant’s performance in engineering design control and is

satisfied that corrective actions in this area have demonstrated effectiveness and sustainability.

The plant will return to routine NRC oversight at the end of December 2006.

“Although Point Beach has operated safely, staff and management worked hard over the past

three and a half years to improve plant performance,” said James Caldwell, the NRC Regional

Administrator. “We recognize their efforts and expect the utility not only to sustain the positive

changes they had made but also to continue to improve.”

All documents related to this issue are available from the Region III Office of Public Affairs or

from the agency’s online document library at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html .

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