The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a Confirmatory Order to Constellation Nuclear Generation LLC, outlining a set of agreed-upon actions to address apparent violations of NRC requirements at the Quad Cities Nuclear Power Station in Cordova.
The NRC inspected the facility after an incident where valves in a system connected to the reactor were left in incorrect positions, which resulted in coolant water draining from the reactor and spraying two workers. The NRC also conducted two investigations into possible misconduct, including whether personnel deliberately gave incomplete or inaccurate information to the NRC and whether a senior manager intentionally entered said information into plant records. The inspection report and investigation reports give details of the apparent violations.
The reports say there were no exposures exceeding NRC limits for the workers or the public. The drain-down event was determined to have very low safety significance because multiple sources of water were available and used to maintain a safe water level in the reactor. The apparent violations were screened through a different process due to the impact on the NRC’s ability to perform its regulatory oversight function.
The company requested Alternative Dispute Resolution, a process that uses a neutral mediator to help the NRC and Constellation reach an agreement on the scope of the company’s corrective and preventive actions.
Constellation took corrective actions before the ADR session, including a fleet-wide meeting emphasizing the importance of proper conduct and accurate record-keeping. It also launched an investigation into the root causes of the incident and employee misconduct.
The order shows Constellation’s intent to implement more measures to improve performance, such as including a third-party Nuclear Safety Culture Assessment at Quad Cities and a fleetwide survey to determine if site-specific action plans are needed. Training for employees and leaders on safety culture, willful misconduct, the importance of accurate information and human performance expectations will be offered.
The NRC has also issued notices of violations against two individuals involved in the incident, both of whom are no longer licensed or employed by Quad Cities. One violation involves a reactor operator’s willful failure to follow procedures. The other pertains to a senior reactor operator’s willful failure to maintain complete and accurate records related to the incident.
Constellation must notify the NRC of its progress in completing the actions outlined in the legally binding agreement between the company and the agency as part of the Confirmatory Order.