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Callaway Plant Media Guide
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AmerenUE’s Callaway Plant Web Site
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Callaway Photo Gallery
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Routine Media Inquiries
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For media inquiries:
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Michael B. (Mike) Cleary
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573.681.7137
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If he cannot be reached, call our toll-free media contact number at 866.246.4234.
After hours, and on weekends and holidays, call AmerenUE’s after-hours media hotline at 314.554.2182, to page our media contact person on duty.
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To contact the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC):
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Victor Dricks
NRC Regional Public Affairs Office
Arlington, TX
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817.860.8128
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Office of Public Affairs
NRC Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
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301.415.8200
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Media Visits to the Plant
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Emergency Communications and the Media
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Plant Access Requirements
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Media Briefings
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Records and Documents
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Media Visits to the Plant
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Due to enhanced security regulations and changing plant operating conditions, access to the plant for media and other visitors may be restricted. When media visits are allowed, some areas will be “off limits,” and there will be restrictions on photos and videotaping in certain areas. Therefore, if you wish to visit the plant, please call one of the AmerenUE media contact persons listed above to make arrangements before coming out.
NOTE: If a radiological emergency occurs, plant access for all visitors will be restricted for safety reasons. See Emergency Communications and the Media for details.
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Plant Access Requirements
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The following industrial safety and security requirements apply to all visitors:
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You must have a driver’s license or other photo ID. If you’re not a U.S. citizen, you should have a passport for identification.
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You may be subject to a hands-on “pat down” search by security personnel upon entering the plant.
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You must stay with your escort at all times.
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What to wear
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- Slacks or long pants and comfortable walking shoes.
- High heels, sandals and shoes with open toes are not permitted.
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Equipment limitations
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A considerable amount of walking and stair climbing may be necessary. Therefore, we suggest that you travel “light” and avoid bringing bulky equipment cases or heavy tripods into the plant. Since everything you bring in must be inspected by security personnel, the more you bring, the more delay you may encounter in getting into the plant to get your story.
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Radiological areas
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Federal regulations strictly limit access to radiological areas for people who are not trained in radiation safety procedures. Therefore, visitors are generally not permitted in these areas.
- Reporters who wish to enter a radiological area should be prepared to take considerable extra time to comply with special access requirements and record keeping.
- Cameras, recorders and other equipment should not be brought into radiological areas.
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Photos and Video
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Lighting inside the plant is generally adequate for today’s equipment, but a portable, battery-operated light is suggested for taping in some areas.
AmerenUE can provide high-quality video footage and digital photos of refuelings and other plant activities. Let us know what format you need.
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Records and Documents
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Copies of public records and documents related to the Callaway Plant and its construction are available on the Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/ and at the Ellis Library (Government Documents Section) on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia.
In April 2000, the NRC began posting quarterly plant safety performance indicators on the Internet. A color coding system (green, white, yellow, red) is used to show how well each nuclear plant’s performance met safety criteria during that period, with green indicating the highest level of safety performance and red the lowest. You can find the latest data for the Callaway Plant at: http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/CALL/call_chart.html
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Emergency Communications and the Media
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If a radiological emergency occurs at the Callaway Nuclear Plant, one of AmerenUE’s top priorities will be to provide timely, accurate information to the news media and allow media representatives to meet with and ask questions of AmerenUE personnel.
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How the media will be notified
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AmerenUE will provide initial notification of the emergency by fax or email to key media, including:
We will also post media releases on the Ameren Web site (www.ameren.com).
A radiological emergency at the Callaway Plant would be expected to generate an enormous amount of media interest. Therefore, our first priority will be to set up news briefings so large numbers of reporters can be accommodated and their questions answered at one, central location.
In the early stages of an emergency, we recommend that the media not try to call the plant or AmerenUE Corporate Communications personnel. Doing so will only delay our efforts to gather information and arrange news briefings to provide you with the most timely and accurate information possible!
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How nuclear plant emergencies are classified
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has established four emergency action levels for nuclear power plants. Each classification requires a different response from county, state and power plant personnel. The classes, in order of severity, are:
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1.
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Unusual Event—Under this category, events are in process or have occurred which indicate potential degradation in the level of safety of the plant. No release of radioactive material requiring offsite response or monitoring is expected unless further degradation occurs.
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Alert—If an alert is declared, events are in process or have occurred which involve an actual or potential substantial degradation in the level of safety of the plant. Any releases of radioactive material from the plant are expected to be limited to a small fraction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
For more details, view the EPA Protection Action Guides Web site. These guides are also called PAGs.
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3.
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Site Area Emergency—A site area emergency involves events in process or which have occurred that result in actual or likely major failures of plant functions needed for protection of the public. Any releases of radioactive material are not expected to exceed the EPA PAGs except near the site boundary.
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4.
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General Emergency—A general emergency involves actual or imminent substantial core damage or melting of reactor fuel with the potential for loss of containment integrity. Radioactive releases during a general emergency can reasonably be expected to exceed the EPA PAGs for more than the immediate site area.
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Media Briefings
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1.
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Since an Unusual Event is the least-significant of the four Emergency Action Levels for nuclear power plants, and presents no danger to the public, media inquiries for an Unusual Event will be handled through the normal communications channels (see Media Inquiries).
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If an Alert, Site Emergency or General Emergency is declared, a Joint Public Information Center (JPIC) will be established at the State Emergency Management Agency Headquarters, 2302 Militia Drive, Jefferson City, Missouri.
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To get to the JPIC from downtown Jefferson City, take U.S. Highway 50/63 East approximately 8 miles to the Militia Drive exit, turn left, and follow Militia Drive to the Missouri National Guard's Ike Skelton Training Site—the large brick building on top of the hill. AmerenUE and government officials will conduct news conferences and background briefings at that location. You will be asked to present up-to-date media credentials when you arrive. Check our Nuclear Terms for terms you may hear used in news briefings at the JPIC.
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