NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region III

2443 Warrenville Road

Lisle IL 60532

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

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

No. III-11-010

Contact: Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662

 Prema Chandrathil (630) 829-9663

April 21, 2011

E-Mail: OPA3.RegionIII@nrc.gov 

NRC SCHEDULES PUBLIC MEETING FOR MAY 5 TO DISCUSS

BYRON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PERFORMANCE AND NRC OVERSIGHT

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

May 5, to discuss the agency’s assessment of safety performance for last year at the Byron 

Nuclear Power Station and other NRC oversight activities. 

The Byron facility has two reactor units and is operated by Exelon Nuclear Generation

Company. It is located near Byron, Ill., about 17 miles southwest of Rockford, Ill.

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

Byron Station Training Building (Room 107), 4450 N. German Church Road, Byron. The NRC 

staff will discuss the results of the 2010 assessment with Exelon 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 Byron 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 

Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/byro_2010q4.pdf. 

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

determined to be “green.” 

Byron 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 in-service inspection of safety equipment and 

systems, problem identification and resolution, radiation protection, emergency preparedness and 

dry cask spent fuel storage. 

The most current performance information for Byron is available on the NRC website at: 

(Unit 1) http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BYRO1/byro1_chart.html and (Unit 

2) http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/BYRO1/byro2_chart.html.

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