NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region III

2443 Warrenville Road

Lisle IL 60532

Site: www.nrc.gov

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

No. III-11-018

Contact: Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662

 Prema Chandrathil (630) 829-9663

May 13, 2011

E-Mail: OPA3.RegionIII@nrc.gov 

NRC SCHEDULES PUBLIC MEETING FOR MAY 25 TO DISCUSS

POINT BEACH NUCLEAR PLANT PERFORMANCE AND NRC OVERSIGHT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials have scheduled a public meeting for 

Wednesday, May 25, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance for last year at 

the Point Beach Nuclear Plant and other NRC oversight activities. 

The Point Beach facility has two reactor units and is operated by NextEra Energy Point 

Beach. It is located near Two Rivers, Wis., about 13 miles NNW of Manitowoc.

The meeting, which will be open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. CDT at the 

Two Creeks Town Hall, 5128 E. Tapawingo Rd. at Highway 42 north of Two Rivers. The NRC 

staff will discuss the results of the 2010 assessment with NextEra Energy representatives, talk 

about the NRC and its range of activities, and be available to respond to questions or comments 

from the public before the close of the meeting. 

“The NRC continually reviews the performance of the Point Beach facility 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 meeting is to explain how the NRC works to 

protect people and the environment and to 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 2010 and will serve as the basis for the discussion. It is available on the NRC 

website at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/poin_2010q4.pdf. 

Overall, the NRC found that the Point Beach facility operated safely in 2010. 

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. Performance 

indicators are statistical measurements of plant and equipment performance.
All performance indicators and inspection findings for Point Beach during 2010 were 

determined to be “green.” 

Point Beach will continue to receive the detailed inspection regime required for plants 

that are operating well and require no additional oversight. 

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. In addition to the day-to-day inspections by the resident inspectors, areas of plant 

operations being inspected this year include security, in-service inspection of safety equipment 

and systems, fire protection, radiation protection, emergency preparedness, and dry cask spent 

fuel storage. 

The most current performance information for Point Beach is available on the NRC 

website at: (Unit 1) http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/POIN1/poin1_chart.html

and (Unit 2) http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/POIN2/poin2_chart.html.

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