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-11-019

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 26 TO DISCUSS

KEWAUNEE POWER STATION PERFORMANCE AND NRC OVERSIGHT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials have scheduled a public meeting for Thursday, 

May 26, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance for last year at the Kewaunee 

Power Station and other NRC oversight activities. 

The Kewaunee facility has one reactor unit and is operated by Dominion Energy 

Kewaunee, Inc. It is located near Kewaunee, Wis., about 27 miles ESE of Green Bay.

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

Kewaunee Municipal Building, Council Chamber Conference Room, 401 Fifth St., Kewaunee. 

The NRC staff will discuss the results of the 2010 assessment with Dominion 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 Kewaunee 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/kewa_2010q4.pdf.

Overall, the NRC found that the Kewaunee 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 Kewaunee during 2010 were 

determined to be “green.” 

Kewaunee 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 Kewaunee is available on the NRC 

website at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/KEWA/kewa_chart.html.

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