IR 05000458/2025090
| ML25345A164 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | River Bend  (NPF-047) |
| Issue date: | 01/27/2026 |
| From: | Patricia Vossmar NRC/RGN-IV/ORA/ACES |
| To: | Hansett P Entergy Operations |
| References | |
| EAF-RIV-2025-0232 4-2024-001, IR 2025090 | |
| Download: ML25345A164 (0) | |
Text
January 27, 2026
SUBJECT:
RIVER BEND STATION - NRC INSPECTION REPORT 05000458/2025090 AND NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT 4-2024-001
Dear Mr. Hansett,
This letter refers to the investigation completed on September 25, 2024, by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC) Office of Investigations at River Bend Station (RBS). The investigation was conducted, in part, to determine whether: 1) a licensed senior reactor operator (SRO) willfully stood watch as the Control Room Supervisor (CRS) while unqualified for three days, 2) a licensed SRO willfully failed to perform required procedural actions, resulting in an unqualified SRO performing licensed activities, and if 3) two SROs willfully falsified logs by logging in as the CRS while performing other duties outside the control room. A factual summary of the investigation is provided as an enclosure to this letter. The issue was discussed with Johns Giddens, and other members of your staff, during a telephone conversation on January 15, 2026.
Based on the results of this investigation, the NRC has determined that two Severity Level IV violations of NRC requirements occurred. Because you identified the violations and took prompt action to restore compliance, because the violations did not constitute deliberate misconduct based on the information developed during the NRCs investigation, and because the violations were not repetitive, the two violations are being treated as Non-Cited Violations (NCVs)
consistent with Section 2.3.2 of the Enforcement Policy. These NCVs are described in the enclosed factual summary. If you contest the violations or significance of these NCVs, you should provide a response withing 30 days of the date of this investigation report, with the basis for your denial, to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ATTN: Document Control Desk, Washington DC 20555-0001, with copies to: (1) the Regional Administrator, Region IV, 1600 Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX 76001; and (2) the Director, Office of Enforcement, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter, the enclosure, and your response, if you choose to provide one, will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or in the NRCs ADAMS, accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To the extent possible, your response should not include any personal privacy or proprietary information so that it can be made available to the public without redaction. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Doug Dodson of my staff at (817) 200-1148.
Sincerely, Patricia J. Vossmar, Acting Director Division of Operating Reactor Safety Docket No. 05000458 License No. NPF-47
Enclosures:
1.
Factual Summary 2.
Inspection Report 05000458/2025090
Inspection Report
Docket Number:
05000458
License Number:
Report Number:
Enterprise Identifier:
I-2025-090-0010
Licensee:
Entergy Operations, Inc.
Facility:
River Bend Station
Location:
St. Francisville, LA
Inspection Dates:
September 25, 2024 to January 15, 2026
Inspectors:
R. Kumana, Senior Project Engineer
Approved By:
Patricia J. Vossmar, Acting Director
Division of Operating Reactor Safety
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SUMMARY
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued monitoring the licensees
performance by conducting a NRC inspection at River Bend Station, in accordance with the
Reactor Oversight Process. The Reactor Oversight Process is the NRCs program for
overseeing the safe operation of commercial nuclear power reactors. Refer to
https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/oversight.html for more information. Licensee-identified
non-cited violations are documented in report section: 71111.11Q.
List of Findings and Violations
No findings or violations of more than minor significance were identified.
Additional Tracking Items
None.
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INSPECTION SCOPES
Inspections were conducted using the appropriate portions of the inspection procedures (IPs) in
effect at the beginning of the inspection unless otherwise noted. Currently approved IPs with
their attached revision histories are located on the public website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-
rm/doc-collections/insp-manual/inspection-procedure/index.html. Samples were declared
complete when the IP requirements most appropriate to the inspection activity were met
consistent with Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 2515, Light-Water Reactor Inspection
Program - Operations Phase. The inspectors reviewed selected procedures and records,
observed activities, and interviewed personnel to assess licensee performance and compliance
with Commission rules and regulations, license conditions, site procedures, and standards.
INSPECTION RESULTS
Licensee-Identified Non-Cited Violation
This violation of very low safety significance was identified by the licensee and has been
entered into the licensee corrective action program and is being treated as a non-cited
violation, consistent with Section 2.3.2 of the Enforcement Policy.
Violation: Technical Specification 5.2.2 requires, in part, that while the unit is in MODE 1, 2, or
3, at least one licensed Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) shall be present in the control room.
10 CFR 55.53(e) requires, in part, that if a licensee has not been actively performing the
functions of an operator or senior operator, the licensee may not resume activities authorized
by a license issued under Part 55 except as permitted by 10 CFR 55.53(f). To maintain active
status, the licensee shall actively perform the functions of an operator or senior operator on a
minimum of seven 8-hour or five 12-hour shifts per calendar quarter.
Contrary to the above, from July 9 to July 11, 2023, the licensee resumed activities
authorized by a license issued under Part 55 and did not maintain active status by actively
performing the functions of an operator or senior operator on a minimum of five 12-hour shifts
per calendar quarter, and one licensed SRO was not always present in the control room while
the unit was in MODE 1, 2, or 3. Specifically, the facility licensee scheduled a senior operator
to stand watch as Control Room Supervisor when not in an active status, and the individual
licensee had failed to maintain an active status by actively performing the functions of a
senior operator on a minimum of five 12-hour shifts during the calendar quarter.
Subsequently, the individual licensee inappropriately assumed the duties of the CRS on July
9, 10, and 11, 2023, while not maintaining an active license, and the individual with the
inactive license was the only senior operator in the control room at various points on July 9,
10, and 11, 2023, while the unit was in MODE 1.
Significance/Severity: Severity Level IV. The ROPs significance determination process does
not specifically consider the regulatory process impact in its assessment of licensee
performance. Therefore, it is necessary to address this violation which impedes the NRCs
ability to regulate using traditional enforcement to adequately deter non-compliance.
The violation was evaluated under the NRCs traditional enforcement process as set forth in
the NRC Enforcement Policy (the Policy). This violation meets the definition of a Severity
Level IV violation in the Policyless serious, but of more than minor concern, which resulted
in no or relatively inappreciable potential safety or security consequences (e.g., violations that
created the potential of more than minor safety or security consequences). Additionally, after
considering the factors set forth in Section 2.3.2.a of the Policy, this violation is being treated
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as a non-cited violation (NCV), because the issue is non-repetitive and non-willful, has been
entered in your corrective action program, and compliance was restored within a reasonable
period of time
Corrective Action References: CR-RBS-2026-00183
Licensee-Identified Non-Cited Violation
This violation of very low safety significance was identified by the licensee and has been
entered into the licensee corrective action program and is being treated as a non-cited
violation, consistent with Section 2.3.2 of the Enforcement Policy.
Violation: 10 CFR 50.9(a) requires, in part, that information required by the Commissions
regulations, orders, or license conditions to be maintained by the licensee shall be complete
and accurate in all material respects.
10 CFR Part 50, Appendix B, Criterion V, requires, in part, that activities affecting quality shall
be prescribed by documented instructions, procedures, or drawings, of a type appropriate to
the circumstances and shall be accomplished in accordance with these instructions,
procedures, or drawings.
Procedure EN-OP-115-09, Maintaining the Station Narrative Log, a quality-related
procedure, requires, in part, that shift management review the logs to ensure logs are
accurate and appropriate and condition reports have been initiated for log entries as
warranted.
Contrary to the above, from July 9 to July 11, 2023, shift management review of the logs did
not ensure logs were accurate and appropriate and condition reports initiated for log entries
as warranted. Specifically, the narrative logs were inaccurate and inappropriate because two
individuals signed in as the Control Room Supervisor while not present in the control room
and while another individual actively performed the functions of the Control Room Supervisor
(CRS) without an active license.
Significance/Severity: Severity Level IV. The ROPs significance determination process does
not specifically consider the regulatory process impact in its assessment of licensee
performance. Therefore, it is necessary to address this violation which impedes the NRCs
ability to regulate using traditional enforcement to adequately deter non-compliance.
This violation meets the definition of a Severity Level IV violation in the Policyless serious,
but of more than minor concern, which resulted in no or relatively inappreciable potential
safety or security consequences (e.g., violations that created the potential of more than minor
safety or security consequences). Additionally, after considering the factors set forth in
Section 2.3.2.a of the Policy, this violation is being treated as a non-cited violation (NCV)
because the issue is non-repetitive and non-willful, has been entered in your corrective action
program, and compliance was restored within a reasonable period of time.
Corrective Action References: CR-RBS-2026-00184
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EXIT MEETINGS AND DEBRIEFS
The inspectors verified no proprietary information was retained or documented in this report.
On January 15, 2026, the inspectors presented the NRC inspection results to John
Giddens, Senior Manager Regulatory Compliance.