No. I-16-013 May 10, 2016 

Contact: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 

 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 

NRC to Discuss Nine Mile Point Nuclear Plant Annual Assessment

in Conjunction with May 18 Oswego, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce Meeting

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will discuss the agency’s annual review of safety 

performance at the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant in conjunction with a meeting of the Greater 

Oswego-Fulton, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 18. Members of the public are 

invited to attend.

The chamber’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. at the Canal Commons building, at 

197 W. 1st St. in Oswego. Immediately following the Chamber’s meeting, NRC staff will deliver a 

short presentation and will be prepared to answer questions from the public about plant performance 

and the agency’s role in ensuring safe operations. The NRC resident inspectors assigned to the plant on 

a full-time basis will be among the agency staff on hand.

Nine Mile Point is located in nearby Scriba, N.Y. There are two operating boiling-water 

reactors at the site, which is owned by Exelon.

The NRC’s Reactor Oversight Process is the foundational program that enables the agency to 

successfully complete its mission of assessing plant safety. Under that program, the NRC 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.

Based on its 2015 reviews, the NRC determined that Nine Mile Point was operated safely 

during 2015. As of the end of last year, Units 1 and 2 had no inspection findings or performance 

indicators that were greater than “green” (very low safety significance). As a result, both units are 

currently under the NRC’s normal level of oversight.

In 2015, the agency devoted approximately 6,725 hours of review at Nine Mile Point.

“Our Annual Assessments allow us to step back at regular intervals and size up plant 

performance. However, we view oversight of each facility as an ongoing responsibility,” NRC Acting 

Region I Administrator David Lew said. “In the case of Nine Mile Point, the plant’s current 

performance qualifies for our normal level of oversight.”
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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 carried out by the three resident inspectors assigned to Nine Mile 

Point. Reviews are also performed 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 Nine Mile Point are emergency preparedness, 

radiological safety and permanent plant modifications. In addition, the NRC will inspect the plant’s dry 

cask storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.

The Annual Assessment letter for Nine Mile Point, as well as the meeting notice for the May 18 

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

Unit 1 and Unit 2.