No. II-10-022 April 12, 2010 

CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 977-4417 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov

 Joey Ledford (404) 977-4416 

NRC SCHEDULES MEETING TO DISCUSS 

2009 PERFORMANCE OF HATCH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials have scheduled a meeting on Wednesday, 

April 21 to provide information on the agency’s annual assessment of safety performance for the 

Hatch nuclear power plant during 2009. 

The NRC will host an open house from 6 to 7 p.m. followed by a presentation and 

question and answer session in the Appling County Courthouse Annex at 69 Tippins Street in 

Baxley, Ga. The open house and meeting provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the 

plant’s performance last year as well as NRC oversight and inspection. 

The Hatch plant, which has two boiling-water reactors, is located in south Georgia near 

Baxley, about 20 miles south of Vidalia. It is owned and operated by Southern Nuclear 

Operating Co. 

Overall, the NRC staff concluded that the Hatch plant operated safely in 2009, but an 

inspection finding related to one of the plant’s emergency diesel generators led to increased 

oversight and a supplemental inspection in November 2009. That inspection found no significant 

weaknesses. 

Based on the plant’s performance, the NRC staff plans to continue the detailed routine or 

baseline inspections all nuclear power plants receive. However, the NRC is still evaluating the 

significance of a finding related to preventive maintenance on some of the plant’s capacitors and 

that final determination could lead to additional oversight and inspection. 

“Every year, the NRC evaluates the safety performance of nuclear plants in a systematic 

and detailed way. These reviews allow us to respond to ongoing issues, if needed, and to plan our 

future inspections,” NRC Region II Administrator Luis Reyes said. “This meeting gives local 

officials and citizens an opportunity to learn more about our oversight and is consistent with our 

commitment to openness and transparency.” 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region II 

Marquis One Tower 

245 Peachtree Center Ave., NE Suite 1200 

Atlanta, GA 30303-1257 

Web Site: www.nrc.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. 

The annual assessment letter for the Hatch plant is available on the NRC web site at 

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/hat_2009q4.pdf. 

Routine inspections are carried out by the NRC resident inspectors assigned to the plant 

and by inspection specialists from the Region II office in Atlanta. Among the areas at the Hatch 

plant to be inspected this year by NRC specialists are fire protection, modifications, groundwater 

protection and operator licensing exams. 

Current performance information for Hatch Unit 1 is available on the NRC web site 

at www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/HAT1/hat1_chart.html. Current performance 

information for Hatch Unit 2 is available on the NRC web site at 

www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/HAT2/hat2_chart.html. 

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