COURTESY PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION
PLYMOUTH – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Action Letter that documents the actions committed to by Entergy, in response to safety performance concerns that were identified at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth.
The letter points out that if the actions described are effectively implemented, Pilgrim’s performance deficiencies will be addressed.
There were 11 problem areas addressed in the filing.
The NRC will independently validate the progress being achieved through quarterly follow-up inspections.
“This is part of a very long process that dates back to 2015 that we followed every step of the way and this is all designed to make sure that they turn around the safety performance at that plant,” said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan.
Entergy submitted a recovery plan to the NRC that details planned performance improvement activities.
They include actions to improve the nuclear safety culture, improvements to the plan’s corrective action program and actions to fully address programs associated with engineering programs.
The plan responds to a series of earlier NRC inspections and reviews carried out after the plant came under heightened oversight in 2015.
Issuance of the letter does not preclude the NRC from taking additional steps.
Entergy must notify the NRC in writing upon completion of all the actions addressed in the letter.
“If they’re able to achieve this before they shut down, that means that they’ve adhered to these commitments, if not, then they’ll be under this level of greater scrutiny through the end of the plant operational life,” said Sheehan.
The company also must notify the agency if it cannot complete the actions within the specified schedule or if there are any changes or deviations.
Pilgrim began receiving heightened NRC oversight in September 2015.
By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter
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