No. III-09-022 

Contacts: 

Viktoria Mitlyng 630-829-9662 

Prema Chandrathil 630-829-9663 

 July 09, 2009 

 E-Mail: opa3@nrc.gov 

Web site: www.nrc.gov

NRC TO DISCUSS 2008 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT 

FOR DAVIS-BESSE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT JULY 15

 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of FirstEnergy 

Nuclear Operating Company on Wednesday, July 15, to discuss the agency’s assessment of 

safety performance last year at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. The plant is located in 

Oak Harbor, Ohio, roughly 40 miles southeast of Toledo. 

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

Davis-Besse Energy Education Center, 5501 North State Route 2, in Oak Harbor. The NRC staff 

will present the results of the assessment, talk about the NRC and its range of activities, and be 

available to respond to questions or comments from the public before the close of the meeting. 

 “The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Davis-Besse plant and the nation’s 

other commercial nuclear power facilities,” NRC Region III Administrator Mark Satorius said. 

“This meeting allows us to discuss our annual assessment of safety performance with the 

company and area residents. One of the NRC’s main goals is to explain to people in the 

community how the agency regulates nuclear power plants.” 

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

of the plant 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/davi_2008q4.pdf. 

The NRC utilizes a combination of color-coded inspection findings and performance 

indicators to measure plant performance. The colors go from “green” to “white,” “yellow” or 

“red,” commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved. 

 

 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region III 

2443 Warrenville Road 

Lisle IL 60532 
 The NRC’s assessment concluded that Davis-Besse operated safely in 2008. All of the 

inspection findings and performance indicators for Davis-Besse during 2008 were determined to 

be “green.” 

 FirstEnergy has been conducting annual independent assessments of Engineering, 

Corrective Actions, Operations and Safety Culture at the plant since 2004 under the terms of an 

NRC Confirmatory Order. The NRC has been conducting inspection activities to review these 

assessments, in addition to the baseline inspection program. In May 2009 the NRC received a 

letter from FirstEnergy concluding that they have fulfilled the conditions of the Confirmatory 

Order. The NRC is reviewing the utility’s assessment. 

 The NRC will continue to conduct the very detailed routine inspections for plants that are 

performing well. Inspections are performed by two NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the 

plant, and inspection specialists from the Region III Office in Lisle, Ill. Among the areas of plant 

operations to be inspected this year by NRC specialists are initial operator license examinations 

and emergency response preparedness. 

 Current performance information for Davis-Besse is available on the NRC’s Web site at: 

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/DAVI/davi_chart.html. 

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