nuclear-news

A cautionary tale about nuclear whistleblowing

Feds warn PSEG about ‘chilling effect’ of whistleblower case on nuclear plant employees  By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger  July 26, 2013 The federal agency that regulates nuclear reactors on Friday cautioned Public Service Enterprise Group about the potential “chilling effect” on employees and contractors at its three plants in Salem County, following a whistleblower case that involved a security manager who was fired for addressing safety concerns there.

In June, Robert Scull won a $400,000 verdict in federal court in Camden after getting fired from his job at the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear plants in October 2009.

Scull, of Pittsgrove, said he was terminated days after complaining to a supervisor that his shift team was understaffed compared to other plant security teams the company operated.

According to his civil court complaint, Scull, 49 at the time, said initial efforts to report the problem to his direct supervisors were unsuccessful. He then advised the company he would take his complaint to “alternative approved channels established for the purpose of making safety issues known and corrected,” the complaint said………..

In a letter sent Friday, Nuclear Regulatory Commission regional administrator William Dean advised PSE&G Nuclear that the jury verdict “is of concern to the NRC…Wackenhut’s retaliatory action may have a chilling effect” on employees and contractors who want to raise safety or regulatory concerns at the two nuclear plants at Salem and one at Hope Creek, he wrote………… http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/regulator_warns_pseg_about_chi.html

July 27, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | civil liberties, USA