No: I-15-011 April 1, 2015

CONTACT: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 E-mail: opa1.resource@nrc.gov

 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 

NRC to Conduct Open House on April 9th in Shippingport, Pa.,

to Discuss 2014 Performance of Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public open house on April 9 in Shippingport, 

Pa., to discuss the agency’s annual review of safety performance at the Beaver Valley nuclear power 

plant.

NRC staff will be on hand from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Shippingport Community and Municipal 

Building, located at 163 State Road 3016. Agency employees responsible for inspections of the plant, 

including the Resident Inspectors based at the Shippingport (Beaver County), Pa., site on a full-time 

basis, will be available to discuss the facility’s performance in 2014 and the agency’s oversight plans 

for 2015.

Under the NRC’s Reactor Oversight Process, the agency gauges plant performance through the 

use of color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators, which are statistical measurements 

of plant performance that can trigger additional oversight if exceeded.

On an overall basis, Beaver Valley, which is owned and operated by FirstEnergy, operated 

safely in 2014. As of the end of last year, the twin-reactor plant had no inspection findings or 

performance indicators that were greater than “green” (very low safety significance). Therefore, Beaver 

Valley Units 1 and 2 are currently under the NRC’s normal level of oversight.

The NRC’s normal level of oversight at each U.S. nuclear power plant involves thousands of 

hours of inspection. In 2014, the agency devoted approximately 5,840 hours of review at Beaver 

Valley.

“By assessing each plant’s performance in a comprehensive manner, we are able to focus our 

inspection resources on those areas most in need of attention,” NRC Region I Administrator Dan 

Dorman said. “Because Beaver Valley did not have any safety or security issues rising above very low 

significance in 2014, we are not currently planning any inspections above and beyond our normal 

reviews.”

The NRC issues reports on performance at each plant twice a year: during the mid-cycle, or 

mid-point, of the year, and at the conclusion of the year. Inspection findings and performance indicators

are also updated on a quarterly basis on the agency’s website. Following the release of the Annual 

Assessment letters each March, the NRC meets with the public in the vicinity of each plant to discuss 

the results.

Normal inspections are performed by two Resident Inspectors assigned to Beaver Valley. 

Reviews are also carried out at the sites by specialist inspectors assigned to the agency’s Region I 
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Office in King of Prussia, Pa. Among the areas to be inspected this year at Beaver Valley are the dry 

cask storage of spent nuclear fuel, emergency preparedness, radiological safety and fire protection.

The Annual Assessment letter for Beaver Valley, as well as the notice for the April 9th open 

house, are available on the NRC website. Current performance information is also available for Beaver 

Valley Unit 1 and Beaver Valley Unit 2.

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