NRC says GPU( GPU Inc ) to comply with safety requests

NEW YORK, March 6 (Reuter) - GPU Nuclear Corp, following inspection of two of its facilities by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), has agreed to comply with several commission requests aimed at ensuring safer procedures for replacing parts at the plants, the NRC said Thursday in a statement.

The requests are outlined in a confirmation letter sent by the NRC to the utility, the NRC said.

Following inspections from Jan 6 through March 6, the NRC determined changes were needed in the way GPU classified replacement equipment at its Three Mile Island and Oyster Creek plants in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, respectively.

"As a result of the NRC review, (GPU Nuclear) determined that a number of safety-related components were downgraded from safety-related to a lower tier classification without the needed supporting engineering documentation," the NRC said.

Addressing the NRC's concerns, GPU Nuclear agreed to improve training and review procedures to prevent what the commission called "inappropriate equipment classification downgrades."

GPU Nuclear also said it would submit a report to the NRC by April 30 detailing the impact of the equipment classification downgrade program at both plants.

These steps are to be followed by a performance assessment of its equipment classification downgrading process, which it plans to hand to the NRC by July 1, ahead of a July 18 meeting.

GPU Nuclear Corp, a subsidiary of General Public Utilities Corp., owns and operates the 786 megawatt Three Mile Island and 610 MW Oyster Creek nuclear units.

Both units are currently operating at full power.