Inept cover-up of faulty nuclear work – Nuclear Regulatory Commission gives no penalty

This one has to be read to be believed. An @NRCgov investigation has found that two former technicians at the Grand Gulf #nuclear plant in #Mississippi installed an incorrectly manufactured gasket on an important valve–and then staged an inept cover-up.

NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT 4-2019-021 – DATED DECEMBER 15, 2021 RidsOpaMail Resource; RidsOgcMailCenter R

Mr. Maurice Omaits [NOTE: HOME ADDRESS DELETED UNDER 10 CFR 2.390] SUBJECT: NOTICE OF VIOLATION, NRC INVESTIGATION REPORT 4-2019-021 Dear Mr. Omaits: This letter refers to the investigation completed on September 14, 2020, by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Investigations at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. The investigation was conducted, in part, to determine whether you, a senior engineering training instructor employed by Entergy Operations, Inc. (licensee) at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, willfully compromised an engineering support qualification exam by providing additional information to students in the form of diagrams and verbal cues.A factual summary of the investigation, as it pertains to your actions, was issued as an enclosure to our letter dated February 24, 2021, Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML21055A000.

In the letter transmitting the factual summary of the Office of Investigations report, we provided you with the opportunity to address the apparent violation identified in the letter by attending a predecisional enforcement conference, participating in an alternative dispute resolution mediation session, or providing a written response before we made our final enforcement decision. Your attorney indicated to an NRC enforcement representative that you do not intend to provide additional information regarding this matter. Since you have not requested a predecisional enforcement conference nor replied in writing, the NRC is proceeding with its enforcement action based on the results of the investigation.

Based on the information developed during the investigation, the NRC concluded that a deliberate violation of NRC requirements occurred. The violation is cited in Enclosure 1, “Notice of Violation” (Notice). The Notice states that you deliberately violated a licensee quality-related procedure when, as an exam proctor, you provided inappropriate assistance to students in the form of verbal and nonverbal cues regarding their selection of exam answers.

Your deliberate actions placed the licensee in violation of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.120, “Training and qualification of nuclear power plant personnel,” and you in violation of 10 CFR 50.5, “Deliberate misconduct.” Enclosure 2 includes a copy of the letter and Notice issued to the licensee. Given the significance of the underlying issue and the deliberate nature of your actions, your violation has been categorized in accordance with the NRC Enforcement Policy at Severity Level Ill. The NRC Enforcement Policy is included on the NRC’s website at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/enforce-pol.html. You should be aware that if you are involved in NRC licensed activities in the future, additional deliberate violations could result in more significant enforcement action or referral to the U.S. Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution……………… Scott A. MorrisRegional Administrator 15 Dec 21
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2134/ML21349B336.pdf