No: I-15-028 June 2, 2015

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

 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 

 

NRC to Conduct Open House on June 11 in Berwick, Pa.,

to Discuss 2014 Performance of Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public open house on June 11th to discuss the 

agency’s annual review of safety performance at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant.

NRC staff will be on hand from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Susquehanna Energy Information Center, 

located at 634 Salem Blvd. in Berwick, Pa. Agency employees responsible for inspections of the Salem 

Township (Luzerne County), Pa., plant, including the Resident Inspectors based at the site on a fulltime 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, Susquehanna, which is owned and operated by Susquehanna Nuclear LLC, 

operated safely in 2014. As of the conclusion of last year, the twin-reactor plant had no inspection 

findings or performance indicators that were greater than “green” (very low safety significance). 

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

However, the NRC is still reviewing an inspection finding issued on April 17th for Susquehanna 

Units 1 and 2 that has been preliminarily classified as “white,” or of low to moderate safety 

significance. The finding involves the ability of plant personnel to make a timely emergency 

declaration in the event of a radioactive leak outside of the primary containment structures for the site’s 

reactors. If that finding is finalized as “white,” it will result in additional NRC oversight for the plant. A 

summary of this issue and the associated inspection report can be found on the NRC’s website.

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 7,860 hours of review at Susquehanna.
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“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 Susquehanna did not have any safety or security issues rising above very low 

significance open as of the end of 2014, we are not currently planning any inspections above and 

beyond our normal reviews. But the level of scrutiny applied may change depending on the outcome of 

our consideration of the inspection finding involving emergency preparedness.”

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 Susquehanna. 

Reviews are also carried out at the sites by specialist inspectors assigned to the agency’s Region I 

Office in King of Prussia, Pa. Among the areas to be inspected this year at Susquehanna are 

radiological safety, permanent plant modifications and emergency planning.

The Annual Assessment letter for Susquehanna, as well as the notice for the June 11th open 

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

Susquehanna Unit 1 and Susquehanna Unit 2.