No. III-10-029

Contacts: 

Viktoria Mitlyng 630-829-9662

Prema Chandrathil 630-829-9663

 July 7, 2010

 E-Mail: opa3@nrc.gov

Web site: www.nrc.gov

NRC SCHEDULES OPEN HOUSE FOR JULY 13 TO DISCUSS MONTICELLO 

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PERFORMANCE AND NRC OVERSIGHT 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has scheduled an open house for Tuesday, 

July 13, to discuss with local residents the agency’s assessment of safety performance for last 

year at the Monticello nuclear power plant and other NRC oversight activities. The plant is 

operated by Northern States Power Company, Minnesota and is located in Monticello, Minn., 

about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis. 

The open house is informal and will begin at 2 p.m. CDT at the Monticello Community 

Center, Bridge Room, 505 Walnut St., in Monticello. NRC staff will be available to answer 

questions on the safety performance of the Monticello plant, as well as areas of plant safety and 

security not specifically associated with the Monticello station. 

 “The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Monticello plant and the nation’s 

other commercial nuclear power facilities,” said NRC Region III Administrator Mark Satorius. 

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

of the local community. The goal of this open house is to explain how the NRC works and 

answer questions from residents about nuclear regulation.” 

A letter sent from the NRC Region III office to plant officials addressed the performance 

of the plant during 2009 and will serve as the basis for the discussion. It is available on the NRC 

Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/mont_2009q4.pdf. 

Overall, the NRC found that the Monticello plant met all NRC safety objectives during 

2009, and its performance was at a level that resulted in no additional NRC oversight. 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 performance indicators and inspection findings for Monticello during 2009 were 

determined to be “green.” Performance indicators are a statistical measurement of plant and 

equipment performance. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region III 

2443 Warrenville Road 

Lisle IL 60532 
Monticello will continue to receive the detailed inspection regime used by the NRC for 

plants that require no additional oversight. 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 being inspected are license renewal, radiation protection, and a reactor power uprate. 

Current performance information for Monticello is available on the NRC website at: 

http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/MONT/mont_chart.html. 

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