Nuclear power plants are among the safest and most regulated industrial facilities in the world.
As with all U.S. nuclear plants, FPL's plants are independently regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as well as several other local, state and federal agencies. In turn, the NRC coordinates with the following:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- National Counterterrorism Center
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Infrastructure Protection Office
- Federal Aviation Administration
- North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Like all U.S. nuclear plants, FPL's Turkey Point and St. Lucie nuclear power plants each have multiple full-time, onsite NRC inspectors assigned to the sites. These inspectors have complete, access to all plant facilities, 24 hours a day. They serve as the NRC's eyes and ears at the facility, conducting inspections, interacting with plant workers and reviewing day-to-day activities and programs.
Additional NRC inspectors conduct both regularly scheduled and surprise inspections of specific areas and programs each year. And all proposed changes in plant design and operations are reviewed to assure they meet safety standards and comply with NRC regulations.
Internally, FPL also has an extensive oversight processes, including a dedicated, full-time, independent oversight organization. This team does not report to the site's management team to ensure objectivity.