NRC suspends one of two US nuclear review Programs

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) said on Thursday it temporarily suspended one 
of its two programs used to review the operating and safety 
performance of nuclear power plants.

``The decision to suspend SALP (Systematic Assessment of 
Licensee Performance) is part of a larger plan to improve NRC's
regulatory effectiveness,'' the federal agency said in a statement.

The program will remain suspended until its staff completes 
evaluation of the review process, the commission said.

SALP evaluations have been conducted for almost 20 years by 
regional and headquarters NRC staff every 12 to 24 months to
assess each licensed nuclear power plant.

There are 104 nuclear power units operating in the U.S., according 
to a spokesman for the NRC.

At the end of the evaluation process, the NRC will decide whether 
to resume the SALP program or substitute something regarded as 
more effective, it said.

``Resources saved by suspending the SALP program will be used 
to accelerate the staff's effort to redesign its regulatory practices to 
reflect in a more timely and efficient manner the performance of a 
mature nuclear industry,'' it said.

The NRC said its staff is expected to make recommendations to 
the commission early next year on whether SALP should continue.

Meanwhile, the NRC said it will utilize the results of its other plant 
performance review program to provide nuclear power plant 
performance information to licensees, state and local officials, and 
the public.

The agency explained that these plant reviews, conducted more 
frequently than SALP, provide similar information and address
many of the same objectives as SALP.

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Sandy Perle
Technical Director
ICN Dosimetry Division
ICN Plaza
3300 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
Fax:    (714) 668-3149
  
sandyfl@earthlink.net
sperle@icnpharm.com

ICN Dosimetry Website:
http://www.dosimetry.com

Personal Website:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
              - G. K. Chesterton -

The opinions expressed are solely, absolutely, positively, definitely those of the author, and NOT my employer
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