No. I-16-016 May 20, 2016 

Contact: Diane Screnci, 610-337-5330 

 Neil Sheehan, 610-337-5331 

NRC to Hold Meeting with Exelon on May 26 in Stafford Township, N.J., 

Regarding Performance of Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will share information on its annual assessment of safety 

performance at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant during a public meeting on Thursday, May 26, in 

the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, N.J.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Manahawkin, at 151 Route 72 

West, in Stafford. During the session, NRC staff will answer questions on the plant’s performance and 

the agency’s oversight activities at the Lacey Township, N.J., plant, which is owned and operated 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 Oyster Creek was operated safely during 

2015. As of the end of last year, the plant had no inspection findings or performance indicators that 

were greater than “green” (very low safety significance). As a result, the plant is currently under the 

NRC’s normal level of oversight. In 2015, the agency devoted approximately 6,150 hours of review at 

Oyster Creek.

However, an NRC inspection report issued on May 12 contained an inspection finding that has 

been preliminarily classified as “white,” or of low to moderate safety significance. The finding stems 

from the failure of a 3-inch hose that supplies water from a storage tank to a pump and in turn to one of 

the plant’s emergency diesel generators. The failure occurred during a regular test on Jan. 4. If it is 

finalized as “white,” the plant would move to the Regulatory Response Column of the agency’s Action 

Matrix and receive additional oversight from the agency.

“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 Oyster Creek, the plant is currently under our 

normal level of oversight, but that could change depending on the outcome of our enforcement process 
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for the preliminary ‘white’ finding. Our final decision will be made public once that review has reached 

its conclusion.”

The NRC issues reports on performance at each plant twice each year: during the midcycle, 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 two NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to Oyster 

Creek. 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 Oyster Creek are radiological safety, emergency 

preparedness and the plant’s problem identification and resolution program. In addition, the NRC will 

inspect the plant’s dry cask storage facility.

The Annual Assessment letter for Oyster Creek, as well as the notice for the May 26th meeting, 

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