Responding to a request from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. Thursday (2/13) sent a report to the commission discussing the level of consistency among the Susquehanna nuclear power plant's design basis, its as-built configuration and the way the plant is operated.
The NRC made the request to all nuclear power plant operators in the United States as part of its safety oversight responsibility, said Herbert D. Woodeshick, PP&L's special assistant to the president for Susquehanna. The 150-page response was compiled as the result of a four-month study.
"As the result of our in-depth assessment, we have concluded that Susquehanna has a solid design basis; effective processes to assure that changes made at the plant are consistent with the design basis; and strong corrective action and quality assurance systems," said Woodeshick.
"The report also outlines some areas that require improvement. We are actively working to finalize our plans to address those areas," he said.
The NRC will review Susquehanna's report, along with the responses of all the other nuclear plants in the nation, and may schedule inspections to verify the information in the reports.
To compile its response, a team of PP&L employees reviewed the plant's design information, licensing documentation, current programs and procedures, and the many changes made since Susquehanna began operating.
Strong and effective oversight from the federal government is important to maintaining nuclear plant safety, Woodeshick added. PP&L cooperates fully with the NRC on all requests so the agency can carry out its watchdog role.
Safety has been, and will continue to be, PP&L's top priority in operating Susquehanna, Woodeshick said. Even before the NRC made its request in the fall of 1996 for information, PP&L had begun a thorough review of regulatory and safety compliance at Susquehanna.
The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about five miles north of Berwick, is operated by PP&L and owned jointly by PP&L and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc.