NRC ISSUES SUPPLEMENTAL SAFETY EVALUATION FOR

PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a supplemental safety evaluation report 

(SER) for the license renewal application of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station near Plymouth, 

Mass., about 38 miles from Boston. The Supplement did not change the staff’s original 

conclusion that the applicant has identified actions that have been or will be taken to manage the 

effects of aging in the appropriate safety systems, structures and components of the plant, and 

that their functions will be maintained during the period of extended operation.

This supplement addresses information submitted by Entergy Nuclear Operations 

subsequent to the issuance of the original SER in November 2007. The information reviewed 

includes annual updates of license renewal information (required by 10 CFR 54.21(b) of NRC 

regulations) and updated information and commitments in response to industry operating 

experience since 2007. The NRC staff reviewed plant modifications that removed components 

from the scope of license renewal, as well as updates that pertain to the following management 

programs:

the inaccessible power cables not subject to the environmental qualification 

requirements; 

the aging management of socket and butt welds that join pipes; 

the larger sample sizes of the one-time inspection program; 

the larger sample sizes of the selective leaching program (This program ensures the 

integrity of components made of certain metals that are susceptible to loss of material 

and can lead to failures.); 

the new coating assessment program, which ensures operability of the plant’s reactor 

emergency core cooling system; and

the plant’s increased number of inspections of its underground piping and tanks. 

The supplemental safety evaluation report does not identify new open items. There are no 

new license conditions resulting from this supplement. The license renewal of the Pilgrim plant 

has taken several years due to ongoing hearing proceedings.

The lessons being learned from events at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station 

have prompted a comprehensive NRC review of our regulations and practices. The NRC will 

apply the recommendations from this review, as appropriate, for any changes deemed necessary 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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No. 11-124 July 6, 2011
to improve the safety of operating plants, regardless of whether the plants have been issued 

renewed operating licenses. Pilgrim, therefore, like all operating plants, will be subject to any 

rule or policy changes the NRC may make as a result of our post-Fukushima review. The task 

force reviewing lessons learned from the events in Japan expects to deliver its near-term report 

and recommendations to the Commission on July 12; a longer-term report is expected within 

approximately six months.

The supplement will be available on the NRC’s website on the Pilgrim license renewal 

page; more information is available on the license renewal process Web page. 

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