ML14204A210
| ML14204A210 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 07/22/2014 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs Region II |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Press Release-III-14-031 | |
| Download: ML14204A210 (1) | |
See also: see also:Press Release-III-14-031
Text
No: III-14-031
July 22, 2014
CONTACT: Viktoria Mitlyng 630-829-9662
Prema Chandrathil 630-829-9663
NRC Issues Confirmatory Order to Entergy Regarding Palisades Nuclear Plant
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Order related to the Palisades
nuclear plant, which has agreed to a series of corrective actions for failure to follow procedures to verify a
security supervisors qualifications to perform specific security duties. The plant is located in Covert,
Mich., five miles south of South Haven.
The Order stems from a settlement that was reached under the NRCs Alternative Dispute
Resolution process, requested by plant-owner Entergy to address the December 2012 incident. The
violation occurred when a security manager assigned a security supervisor to perform security duties
without verifying the supervisors qualifications. The supervisor also failed to ensure he was qualified to
perform his assigned security duties. The NRC evaluated the security significance of the matter and
determined it was of very low significance.
The NRCs ADR process includes mediation facilitated by a neutral third party, with no decision-
making authority, who assists the NRC and a licensee in reaching an agreement when there are differences
regarding an enforcement action.
A mediation session between the NRC staff and Entergy was held on May 15 and a settlement was
reached. A confirmatory order, issued on July 22, outlines the corrective actions and steps Entergy has
agreed to take to address the violation.
Those steps include actions such as ensuring proper verification of training credentials for staff and
management across the Entergy fleet; taking a wide range of actions to strengthen safety culture; making
presentations on this event to the reactor community; creating specific requirements for selection and
development of security managers; and conducting an effectiveness review of the corrective actions.
Using the ADR process allowed us to achieve not only compliance with NRC requirements, but a
wide range of corrective actions that go beyond those the agency may get through the traditional
enforcement process, said NRC Region III Administrator Cynthia Pederson. The company will be
reporting to the NRC as it implements the corrective actions and is required to provide us with a letter
discussing the basis for concluding that the company has fully met the conditions of the order.
A copy of the Confirmatory Order will be available on the NRCs website.