LACEY – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently issued another violation notice to Holtec Decommissioning International LLC (HDI) over security violations at Oyster Creek Generating Station.
The NRC found that a now-former security superintendent, who was also assigned armorer duties, deliberately failed to properly perform required annual material-condition inspections of response unit rifles and falsified related records.
Once HDI completes certain corrective actions, the NRC will issue a civil penalty of $50,000 for the violations, which is a reduction from the base civil penalty of $150,000.
“This agreement will result in a number of significant actions that can be expected to improve the security programs not only at Oyster Creek but also at the other nuclear plants being decommissioned by HDI,” NRC Region I Deputy Administrator Raymond Lorson said.
According to the NRC, the corrective actions are intended to address two violations and related performance aspects found during an NRC investigation at Oyster Creek that concluded on March 11, 2021.
Corrective actions agreed to by HDI include making the corporate security director a standalone position; the use of external experts to conduct independent assessments of security at Oyster Creek and other Holtec-owned decommissioning nuclear power plants; and the implementation of training and communications related to the issue.
A copy of the confirmatory order will be made available in the NRC’s electronic documents
system, ADAMS. The agency will also be issuing a Severity Level III Notice of Violation to the former superintendent.
The NRC clarified that “these enforcement actions are separate and distinct from the NRC’s issuance of a $150,000 civil penalty to HDI issued on December 22, 2021, for other security-related violations at Oyster Creek.
