Pilot Program

The NRC tested the revised reactor oversight process (ROP) during a six month pilot program at 13 plants at 9 sites across the country, beginning in June 1999. The plants represented a cross section of the nuclear industry, featuring different plant designs and varying levels of performance. In this program, utilities voluntarily collected performance indicator data and reported it to the NRC, and the NRC inspected and assessed the plants the plants using the new oversight process. In addition, the NRC took appropriate enforcement action using the new enforcement policy guidelines.

The pilot program was intended to test how effectively the revised ROP worked and to identify possible problems. The program measured the resources required by the NRC and by the industry to implement the new system. A panel of senior NRC managers and external stakeholders assessed the pilot program for readiness for full implementation. Based on lessons learned from the pilot, the NRC made revisions to the process before extending the oversight process to all commercial nuclear power plants in April 2000. The NRC staff reported the results of the pilot program to the Commission in SECY-00-049, "Results of the Revised Reactor Oversight Process Pilot Program"; the Commission approved the staff's recommendation to implement the revised ROP for all plants in SRM for SECY-00-049. The plants in the pilot program are listed below.