NL-06-2726, LER 06-S01-00 for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Re Contract Employee Failure to Self-Disclose Material Information for Unescorted Access

LER 06-S01-00 for Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant, Re Contract Employee Failure to Self-Disclose Material Information for Unescorted Access

ML063420363
Person / Time
Site:	Hatch
Issue date:	12/05/2006
From:	Stinson L Southern Nuclear Operating Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NL-06-2726 LER 06-S01-00
Download: ML063420363 (5)

Text

L M. Stinson (Mike) Southern Nuclear Vice President Operating Company, Inc.

40 lnverness Center Parkway Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham, Alabama 35201 Tel205.992.5181 Fax 205.992.0341 December 5, 2006 Energy t o Sewe Your World' Docket Nos.: 50-321 50-366 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATIN: Document Control Desk Washington, D. C. 20555-0001 Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Licensee Event Report 1-2006-SO1 Contract Employee Failure to Self-Disclose Material Information for Unescorted Access Ladies and Gentlemen:

In accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50.73, Southern Nuclear Operating Company hereby submits an Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant licensee event report for a condition that was determined to be reportable on October 11,2006.

This letter contains no NRC commitments. If you have any questions, please advise.

Sincerely,

&MA L. M. Stinson

Enclosures:

LER 1-2006-SO1 cc: Southern Nuclear Operating Company Mr. J. T. Gasser, Executive Vice President Mr. D. R. Madison, General Manager - Plant Hatch RTYPE: CHA02.004 U. S. Nuclear Rewlatorv Commission Dr. W. D. Travers, Regional Administrator Mr. R. E. Martin, NRR Project Manager - Hatch Mr. D. S. Simpkins, Senior Resident Inspector - Hatch

Enclosure Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant Licensee Event Report 1 -2006-SO 1 Contract Employee Failure to Self-Disclose Material Information for Unescorted Access

timated burden per response to comply with this mandatory collection request:

hours. Reported lessons learned are incorporated into the licensing process d fed back to industry. Send comments regarding burden estimate to the cords and FOlAlPrivacyService Branch (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory LICENSEE EVENT REPORT (LER) mmission, Washington, DC 205554001, or by internet e-mail to ollects@nn.gov, and to the Desk Officer, Office of Information and 31504104), Office of Managementand means used to impose an information (See reverse for required number of y valid OMB control number, the NRC may digitstcharactersfor each block) n is not required to respond to, the On October 11,2006 at approximately 1725 hours0.02 days <br />0.479 hours <br />0.00285 weeks <br />6.563625e-4 months <br /> (EDST), Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) determined that a contract employee failed to self-disclose material information in applying for unescorted access. The contract employee had been charged with aggravated assault on June 26,2005 but failed to self-disclose this information prior to being granted unescorted access to Hatch Nuclear Plant (HNP) in February 2006.

The subject contract employee had been badged at another nuclear plant less than 365 days before arriving at HNP and was not due for a background reinvestigation, which would have included a criminal history check. Based on the requisite Reinstatement review and issuance of a Certificate of Reliability, the contract employee was granted unescorted access at HNP from February 02,2006 to February 25,2006.

A detailed investigation by SNC Nuclear Fleet Security was performed on October 11,2006 and determined that the contract employee failed to disclose the assault charge. Had this information been disclosed during the background screening process, unescorted access would not have been granted.

A) REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT The report is submitted pursuant to 10 CFR 73.7 1 Section (b)(l) and Appendix G(I)(b).

B) UNIT STATUS AT TIME OF EVENT At the time of this event, Unit 1 was in Mode 1 at 99.8 % rated thermal power and Unit 2 was in Mode 1 at 99.7 % rated thermal power.

C) DESCRIPTION OF EVENT Personnel access authorization activities for Hatch Nuclear Plant (HNP) are performed by Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) Nuclear Fleet Security located in Birmingham, Alabama. As part of the background investigation, a Personnel History Questionnaire (PHQ) must be completed by an individual applying for an unescorted access authorization (UAA). The PHQ requires the individual to list any criminal charges pending. All individuals granted UAA are also made aware of their continuing reporting responsibility through the "Plant Access Training" program.

A contract employee, charged with aggravated assault on June 26,2005, failed to self-disclose this information prior to being granted unescorted access (UA) to HNP in February 2006. The subject contract employee completed a PHQ and signed a SNC background investigation consent form on January 25,2006. Since the subject contract employee had been badged at another nuclear plant less than 365 days before arriving at HNP, he was not due for a background reinvestigation, which would have included a criminal history check. Rather, the approved, UAA self-screening contractor performed the background screening for reinstatement, and issued SNC a Certificate of Reliability on February 02,2006, certifying the individual met the UAA Reinstatement requirements. Upon review by SNC Nuclear Fleet Security, the individual was granted UAA on February 02,2006, and HNP site Security granted UA on February 02,2006 to February 25,2006.

On October 11,2006, Turkey Point security personnel discovered that the subject contract employee had not self-disclosed material information regarding his assault charge prior to having UA to three nuclear facilities, two of which were SNC's HNP and Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. In turn, SNC Nuclear Fleet Security conducted a detailed investigation on October 11,2006 and determined that the subject contract employee failed, at both SNC nuclear facilities, to disclose the charge. Had this information been disclosed during the background screening process, UA to SNC's sites would not have been granted.

At approximately 1725 hours0.02 days <br />0.479 hours <br />0.00285 weeks <br />6.563625e-4 months <br /> (EDST), on October 11,2006, SNC Nuclear Fleet Security contacted HNP site Security regarding the failure of the subject contract employee to self-disclose the material information. A one-hour telephone notification to the NRC was made on October 11,2006 at

D. CAUSE OF EVENT The contract employee failed to disclose the criminal charge in order to gain UA. A review of SNC's and its approved contractor's access authorization process concluded that requirements and established processes were followed regarding the granting of authorization for UA in this case. The cause of this event was the omission or falsification of material information by the contract employee.

E. ANALYSIS OF EVENT Based on investigation of this event, no plant equipment or systems were harmed due to the failure of the contract employee to self-disclose the charge. During the time the contract employee had UA, no aberrant behavior was observed. There was no safety significance associated with this event, as there were no releases of radioactive materials, no personnel injuries, and no reportable equipment or system failures resulting from this event.

F. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS The subject individual has been denied UA at all SNC nuclear plants and has been identified in the shared, industry-sponsored Personnel Access Data System (PADS).

G. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Since this event involved the action of an individual applicant, previous corrective actions involving individual employees would not have prevented this event.

A review of plant documentation revealed no previous similar events occurred in the past 3 years.

This event is not considered reportable under the Equipment Performance and Information Exchange