Press Release-II-10-079, NRC Issues Confirmatory Order to Nuclear Fuel Services
| ML103220068 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/18/2010 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs Region II |
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| Category:Press Release | |
| References | |
| Press Release-II-10-079 | |
| Download: ML103220068 (1) | |
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No. II-10-079 November 18, 2010 CONTACT: Roger Hannah (404) 997-4417 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov Joey Ledford (404) 997-4416 NRC ISSUES CONFIRMATORY ORDER TO NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a Confirmatory Order to Nuclear Fuel Services, a nuclear fuel processing facility in Erwin, Tenn., which has agreed to a series of corrective actions related to the companys failure to provide the NRC with complete and accurate inspection information.
The order stems from a settlement achieved under the NRCs Alternative Dispute Resolution process, which was initiated at the request of NFS to address violations linked to fire damper inspections. On July 20, the NRC notified NFS that an agency investigation had substantiated that a former NFS Industrial Safety Specialist had on two occasions willfully provided the NRC with incomplete and inaccurate information about the inspections.
NFS had documented to the NRC, on Nov. 22, 2008, that all of the fire dampers included in a specific procedure had passed inspection. In fact, 12 of the dampers had not been inspected, including three which had been designated as items relied upon for safety. The NRC investigation concluded that the former safety specialists actions had been willful.
A mediation session was held on Oct. 4 and a settlement was reached. A Confirmatory Order, issued Wednesday, outlines a number of corrective actions and enhancements NFS has agreed to take to ensure the NRC is provided with complete and accurate information in the future.
As part of the order, NFS is required to submit a license amendment request that will incorporate its enhanced corrective action program into its license. The company also must develop and implement an appropriate safety culture improvement plan and conduct periodic independent safety culture assessments.
The company took disciplinary action against the employee involved in the incident and that employee is no longer employed at the facility.
Copies of the Confirmatory Order will be posted on the NRC web site at www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/enforcement/actions.
News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:
http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's website.
NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region II 245 Peachtree Center Ave. NE, Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30303-1257 Web Site: www.nrc.gov