Significance and Enforcement Review Panel
The Significance and Enforcement Review Panel (SERP) provides management review and a preliminary decision regarding the proposed finding, significance characterization, and enforcement recommendations for all inspection findings in which the sponsor proposes a significance characterization of White, Yellow, Red, or GTG.
An official agency preliminary significance determination of White, Yellow, Red, or GTG can only be made by a SERP. When necessary, based on the results of a Regulatory Conference or written response provided by the licensee (see 0609.01-03 for more details), the SERP provides the management review and a final decision regarding the finding, a significance determination of Green, White, Yellow, or Red, and enforcement action as applicable. During the SERP, panel members will discuss the merits of the case and reach consensus on:
- a. the inspection finding and how the deficient licensee performance was the proximate cause of the degraded condition(s),
- b. the safety or security significance of the finding, as determined by the degraded condition, including the assignment of a preliminary or final color,
- c. the apparent violation (AV) and the regulatory requirement(s) that should be cited, as applicable.
In all cases, the regions or NRC office conducting the inspection are responsible for the overall management and processing of inspection findings. Although some findings may be referred to other technical areas of the NRC, the regions or office must maintain full awareness of the status of those findings to ensure that the findings are processed in a timely manner.