No: III-14-033 July 28, 2014

CONTACT: Viktoria Mitlyng 630-829-9662

 Prema Chandrathil 630-829-9663

NRC Schedules Open House August 7 to Discuss 

Performance of Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public open house Aug.7 to discuss the 

agency’s annual safety performance of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. The plant is operated by 

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co., and is located in Oak Harbor, Ohio, about 21 miles southeast of 

Toledo.

The open house is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. at the Carroll Township Service Complex, 11080 

W. Toussaint East Road, in Oak Harbor. Attendees can have one-on-one discussions with NRC staff 

members about the plant’s 2013 performance and the agency’s oversight of the facility. NRC staff on 

hand will include the inspectors assigned to the plant on a full-time basis, and staff from the Region III 

Office in Lisle, Ill. In addition, NRC staff responsible for the steam generator replacement and shield 

building inspections at the plant will be available to talk about their activities and conclusions.

“NRC inspectors spend a significant amount of time monitoring a wide range of plant activities 

to ensure the plant operates safely. Our hands-on approach is a key factor in protecting the public and 

environment,” said NRC Region III Administrator Cynthia D. Pederson. “We hold public meetings near 

the plant every year to make our inspectors available and accessible to answer questions and have open 

discussions about NRC oversight with those who live near the plant.”

The annual assessment letter sent from the NRC Region III office to the company addresses the 

performance of the plant during 2013 and is available on the NRC website.

Overall, the Davis-Besse plant operated safely in 2013. 

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess nuclear 

plant performance. The colors start with “green” and then increase to white, yellow, or red,

commensurate with the safety significance of the issues involved. Performance indicators are statistical 

measurements of plant and equipment performance. The NRC’s action matrix reflects overall plant 

performance and agency response. There are five columns in the matrix with Column 1 requiring a 

baseline level of inspections. A move to another column results in an increased level of NRC oversight 

and inspections.
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For the first three quarters of last year, Davis-Besse was in Column 2 due to a greater than green 

security finding. The NRC conducted a follow-up inspection which concluded that the plant has taken 

sufficient corrective action to prevent recurrence of the problem. As a result, the plant returned to 

Column 1 in December 2013. 

This year, Davis-Besse will receive the detailed baseline inspection regime used for all U.S. 

nuclear plants. Routine inspections are performed by two NRC Resident Inspectors assigned to the plant 

and by inspection specialists from the Region III Office in Lisle, Ill., and the agency’s headquarters in 

Rockville, Md. Some of the performance areas to be inspected this year include radiation protection, 

steam generator replacement and licensed operator requalification program.

The most current performance information for Davis-Besse is available on the NRC website.