NRC SCHEDULES PUBLIC MEETING FOR MAY 31

TO DISCUSS PERFORMANCE OF BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, 

May 31, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance during 2010 at the Browns 

Ferry nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is in Athens, 

Ala., about 32 miles west of Huntsville.

The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. CDT with a presentation on the safety performance of 

the Browns Ferry plant during 2010, as well as a brief discussion of the NRC’s oversight and 

inspection program. After the presentation, there will be a question and answer session. The 

meeting will be in the Browns Ferry Training Center Auditorium at the plant site, located at 

10833 Shaw Road in Athens.

“The NRC evaluates nuclear power plants in a systematic and detailed way every year,” 

NRC Region II Administrator Victor McCree said. “The inspections and oversight at Browns 

Ferry ensure that the plant is operated in a way that protects people and the environment.”

A letter sent from the NRC Region II office to plant officials addresses the performance 

of the plant during 2010 and will serve as the basis for the meeting discussion. It is available on 

the NRC website at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/bf_2010q4.pdf.

The NRC found that the Browns Ferry plant overall operated safely during 2010. 

However, plant performance for all three units required additional NRC oversight during the 

most recent quarter of the 2010 assessment period. In October, the NRC successfully completed 

a supplemental inspection and closed two violations, one of substantial safety significance

(“yellow”) and the other of low to moderate significance (“white”).

Also in October, an issue with a failed low pressure coolant injection valve in Unit 1 was 

identified. The valve was repaired prior to placing the plant back into operation. At the end of the 

2010 performance period, the NRC had not determined the final safety significance of the issue. 

It has recently been designated as “red,” or having high safety significance, and will result in

significantly increased NRC oversight, including a comprehensive inspection of the issues 

surrounding that valve failure. These inspections will be conducted after TVA takes additional 

corrective actions.

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region II

245 Peachtree Center Ave., NE, Suite 1200

Atlanta, GA 30303-1257

Site: www.nrc.gov

Blog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov

No: II-11-037

CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 997-4417

Joey Ledford (404) 997-4416 

 May 18, 2011

E-mail: OPA2.Resource@nrc.gov
In addition, the NRC continues to have a concern with the plant’s progress in addressing 

the area of problem identification and resolution. TVA has entered the issue in its corrective 

action program and the NRC will continue to monitor the plant’s progress.

During 2010, the NRC also identified an issue in the area of human performance and 

error prevention. TVA has completed a root cause analysis and is implementing a range of 

actions to address the concerns. The NRC staff will continue to monitor efforts and progress in 

that area.

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

performance. The colors start with “green,” which has very low safety significance, to “white,” 

“yellow” or “red,” based on the significance of the issues. Inspection findings and performance 

indicators are updated on the NRC’s website (www.nrc.gov) each quarter. 

Current performance information for the three Browns Ferry units is available on the 

NRC website at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF1/bf1_chart.html and 

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF2/bf2_chart.html and 

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BF3/bf3_chart.html.

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