Nuclear Regulatory Commission To Hold Open House At Limerick Plant

LIMERICK, PA -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold an open house at the Limerick nuclear power plant to inform the public on their annual review of the plant's safety performance, they announced in a press release Monday.

Staff from the NRC will be at the Limerick Township Building, on 646 W. Ridge Bike, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 23.

Agency employees responsible for inspections of the plant will be available to answer questions.

Based on 2015 reviews, the NRC found that the Exlon-owned Limerick plant operated safely last year.

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 5,300 hours of review at Limerick.

“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,” Acting NRC Region I Administrator David Lew said in a prepared statement “In the case of Limerick, 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, the NRC said.

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.

Among the areas to be inspected this year at Limerick are radiological safety, fire protection and the plant’s problem identification and resolution program.

In addition, the NRC will inspect the plant’s dry cask storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.