No. II-11-016 April 1, 2011

CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 997-4417 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov

 Joey Ledford (404) 997-4416

NRC SCHEDULES MEETING TO DISCUSS 2010 PERFORMANCE 

OF ST. LUCIE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

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

April 13, with representatives of Florida Power and Light Co. to discuss the agency’s assessment 

of safety performance during 2010 at the St. Lucie nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by

FPL, is located in Jensen Beach, Fla., east of Port St. Lucie.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EDT at the St. 

Lucie Energy Encounter Facility on Hutchinson Island, located at 6501 S A1A in Jensen Beach, 

Fla. After the meeting, the NRC staff will be available to answer questions on the safety 

performance of the St. Lucie plant, as well as the agency’s role in ensuring safe plant operation. 

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

II Administrator Victor McCree said. “The oversight and inspections at St. Lucie verify that 

plant operations are conducted safely and in accordance with regulatory requirements, 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 web site at: www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/stl_2010q4.pdf.

The NRC found that the St. Lucie plant’s 2010 performance met all of the agency’s

safety objectives and was at a level that results in no additional NRC oversight. This year, the 

NRC plans to conduct the very detailed inspections required at those plants that are operating 

well. Unit 1 had been subject to increased oversight for the first three quarters of the assessment 

period due to a past failure to correct a problem with the system that uses water to cool some 

safety equipment. An NRC supplemental inspection related to the issue found that the licensee 

had addressed the problem and the NRC resumed normal inspections in that area.

All the inspection findings at both units during the most recent quarter had very low

safety significance and were classified as “green.”

 

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
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 web site (www.nrc.gov) each quarter. 

Current performance information for St. Lucie Unit 1 is available on the NRC web site at

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STL1/stl1_chart.html. Current performance 

information for Unit 2 is at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/STL2/stl2_chart.html.

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