![]() In addition, the NRC conducts both periodic and annual reviews of the effectiveness of each utility's programs to identify and correct problems. Monitoring and inspection closely focus on those plant activities having the greatest impact on safety and overall risk. The NRC measures nuclear plant performance by monitoring objective performance indicators and by conducting the NRC inspection program. Measuring and Inspecting Nuclear Plant Performance The NRC communicates the results of its performance assessment and its inspection plans and other planned actions in publicly available correspondence, on the NRC Web site, and through public meetings with each licensee. Response can include supplemental inspections for selected issues or enforcement actions on significant inspection findings. The agency then assesses the resulting information and determines an appropriate response using the guidelines in an action matrix. The NRC evaluates inspection findings for safety significance using a significance determination process and compares performance indicators against prescribed risk-informed thresholds. For each cornerstone, the NRC develops findings from inspections, and licensees collect performance indicator data. The figure below gives an overview of the ROP. The review and assessment of these cross-cutting elements have an important role in the new program. Safety-Conscious Work Environment: This element monitors an environment in which workers feel free to raise nuclear safety concerns without fear of harassment, intimidation, retaliation, or discrimination. Problem Identification and Resolution: This element monitors the licensee's corrective action and operating experience programs, and the licensee's self- and independent- assessments. Human Performance: This element monitors the licensee's decisionmaking process, availability and adequacy of resources to ensure nuclear safety, coordination of work activities, and personnel work practices. In addition to the cornerstones, the ROP features three "cross-cutting" elements, so named because they affect and are therefore part of each of the cornerstones: See the Inspection Manual by Cornerstone page for more information. To measure plant performance, the oversight program focuses on seven specific "cornerstones", which support the safety of plant operations in the three broad strategic areas. Protection of the plant against sabotage or other security threats ![]() Radiation safety for both plant workers and the public during routine operations Reactor safety (avoiding accidents and reducing the consequences of accidents if they occur) ![]() The objective is to monitor performance in three broad areas: (1) That will always remain the agency's overarching responsibility. The ROP is anchored in the NRC's mission to ensure public health and safety in the operation of commercial power plants. Within this framework, the NRC's ROP provides a means to collect information about licensee performance, assess the information for its safety significance, and provide for appropriate licensee and NRC response. Within each strategic performance area are cornerstones that reflect the essential safety aspects of facility operation. There are three key strategic performance areas: reactor safety, radiation safety, and safeguards. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) regulatory framework for reactor oversight is a risk-informed, tiered approach to ensuring plant safety. Communications & Making Information Available to the Public.Measuring and Inspecting Nuclear Plant Performance.The following information describes the framework of the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP).
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