No: I-16-009 April 5, 2016 

Contact: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 

 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 

NRC to Hold Open House on April 12 in Ontario, N.Y.,

to Discuss 2015 Performance of R.E. Ginna Nuclear Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will conduct a public open house on Tuesday, April 12, in 

Ontario, N.Y., to discuss the agency’s annual review of safety performance at the R.E. Ginna nuclear 

power plant.

NRC staff will be at Ontario Town Hall, at 1850 Ridge Road in Ontario, from 4 - 6 p.m. to 

discuss the plant’s performance in 2015 and the agency’s oversight plans for the remainder of 2016. On 

hand will be agency employees responsible for inspections of the plant, including the Resident 

Inspectors based at the Ontario pressurized-water reactor on a full-time basis.

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 Ginna operated safely during 2015. As of 

the end of last year, the Exelon-owned and -operated plant had no inspection findings or performance 

indicators that were greater than “green” (very low safety significance). Therefore, the plant is 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 2015, the agency devoted approximately 5,160 hours of review at Ginna.

“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 Region I 

Administrator Dan Dorman said. “In the case of Ginna, the plant’s current performance qualifies for 

our normal level of oversight.”

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 Resident Inspectors assigned to Ginna. Each plant has 

two Resident Inspectors. Reviews are also carried out at the sites by specialist inspectors assigned to 

the agency’s Region I Office in King of Prussia, Pa. 
Page | 2

Among the areas to be inspected this year at Ginna are the plant’s problem identification and 

resolution program, radiological safety and emergency preparedness. In addition, the NRC will perform 

an inspection of the plant’s Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) and the site’s 

implementation of NRC post-Fukushima requirements.

The Annual Assessment letter for Ginna, as well as the notice for the April 12th open house, are 

available on the NRC website. Current performance information is also available for Ginna.