Thursday, July 24, 2014

Palisades: Back in the NRC’s Safety Culture Dog House

Our last Palisades post was on January 30, 2013 where we described the tortuous logic the NRC employed to conclude Palisades’ safety culture (SC) had become “adequate and improving.”  Or was it?  The NRC has recently parlayed an isolated Palisades incident into multiple requirements, one fleet-wide, to strengthen SC.  Details follow, taken from the resulting Confirmatory Order.*

The Incident

A Palisades security manager asked a security supervisor to cover a 2-hour partial shift because another supervisor had requested time off on Christmas Eve 2012.  Neither the manager nor the supervisor verified the supervisor had the necessary qualifications for the assignment.  He didn’t, which violated NRC regulations and the site security plan.  The problem came to light when two condition reports were written questioning the manager’s decision. (pp. 2-3)

How the Incident was Handled and Settled

Entergy requested Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), a process whereby the NRC and the licensee meet with a third party mediator to work out a resolution acceptable to both parties.

The Consequences

Entergy’s required corrective actions include what we’d expect, viz., action to improve and ensure adherence to security procedures.  In addition, Entergy is required to take multiple actions to strengthen SC.  These actions are spelled out in the Confirmatory Order and focus on several SC traits: (1) Leadership, Safety Values and Actions; (2) Problem Identification and Resolution; (3) Personal Accountability; (4) Work Processes; (5) Environment for Raising Concerns; and (6) Questioning Attitude and Proceeding In the Face of Uncertainty. (p. 4)

Specific requirements relate to (1) actions already implemented or to be implemented via Palisades’ Security Safety Conscious Work Environment Action Plan, (2) revising a Condition Review Group procedure to ensure the chairman considers whether the person assigned to a condition report is sufficiently independent, (3) developing and presenting a case study throughout the Entergy fleet that highlights the SC aspects of the event and (4) discussing the SC aspects of the issue with Palisades staff at three monthly tailgate meetings. (pp. 4-6, 11-12)

Our Perspective

The incident appears localized and the NRC said it had very low security significance.  Maybe Entergy thought they’d avoid any sort of penalty if they requested ADR.  Looks to us like they gambled and lost.  The NRC must think so, they are fairly gloating over the outcome.  In the associated press release, the Region III Administrator says: “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”.**

Is the NRC using an elephant gun to shoot a mouse?  Or is there some unstated belief that Palisades’ SC is not as good as it should be and/or Entergy as a whole doesn’t properly value SC*** and this is a warning shot?  Or is something else going on?  You be the judge.


*  C.D. Pederson (NRC) to A. Vitale (Entergy), “Confirmatory Order Related to NRC Report No. 05000255/2014406 and OI Report 3-2013-018; Palisades Nuclear Plant” (July 21, 2014).  ADAMS ML14203A082.

**  NRC Press Release “NRC Issues Confirmatory Order to Entergy Regarding Palisades Nuclear Plant,” No. III-14-031 (July 22, 2014).

***  Entergy has had SC issues at other plants.  Click on the Entergy label for our related commentary.

1 comment:

  1. Interesting set of commitments - definitely Safety Culture specific regulation in my judgment.

    I thought it interesting too that although Entergy id required to develop a Safety Culture Case Study for use fleet wide and industry wide, no one on the final distribution list appears to be in the Safety Culture HQ Group in NRC.

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