No. III-08-019 

Contacts: 

Viktoria Mitlyng 630-829-9662 

Prema Chandrathil 630-829-9663 

 May 9, 2008 

 E-Mail: opa3@nrc.gov 

Web site: www.nrc.gov

 

NRC TO DISCUSS 2007 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT 

FOR CLINTON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of AmerGen 

Energy Co. Thursday, May 15, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance for last 

year at the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant. The plant is located in Clinton, Ill. 

 The meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. CDT at 

Warner Library, 31 North Quincy Street, Clinton. 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 Clinton plant and the nation’s 

other commercial nuclear power facilities,” NRC Region III Administrator James Caldwell said. 

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

company and with local officials and area residents. Our goal is to explain how the NRC works 

and make sure the public understands our regulation of these facilities.” 

 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/clin_2007q4.pdf.

 The NRC’s assessment concluded that the Clinton plant operated safely during the period. 

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear 

plant performance. The colors start with “green” and then increase to “white,” “yellow” or “red,” 

commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved. 

 All of the inspection findings and performance indicators for Clinton during 2007 were 

determined to be “green.” As a result of this performance, the NRC will conduct the normal, 

baseline level of inspections during the upcoming year. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region III 

2443 Warrenville Road 

Lisle IL 60532 
 The NRC letter identified one “white” finding, meaning it had a low to moderate 

significance that occurred in 2006. The finding was associated with improper design margins for 

the high pressure core spray system. The high pressure core spray system is used to provide water 

to the reactor in certain accident conditions. The utility took corrective actions to address the 

problem. Based upon on the NRC review and inspection of the utility’s corrective actions no 

significant issues were identified. 

 Routine inspections are performed by two NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant 

and by inspection specialists from the Region III Office in Lisle, Ill., and the agency’s 

headquarters in Rockville, Md. Among the areas of plant operations to be inspected this year by 

NRC specialists are fire protection, radiation protection, and reactor system operations. 

 Current performance information for Clinton is available on the NRC’s web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CLIN/clin_chart.html. 

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