Entergy won’t be cited for Pilgrim worker’s misconduct

By Christine Legere
Posted Jan 24, 2019

PLYMOUTH — Entergy Corp. will not be cited for a violation of regulations concerning an incident of willful misconduct at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station that occurred in October 2017.

The company already had come to a settlement agreement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after a similar incident occurred at Entergy’s Grand Gulf station.

That agreement included an order requiring the company to implement significant fleetwide corrective actions to address incidents of willful misconduct.

The incident at Pilgrim involved a nonlicensed operator who failed to do a required periodic equipment check and instead filled out the necessary paperwork using a previous reading. The action resulted in an alarm later sounding in the control room indicating low voltage in the plant’s electrical supply system. The operator should have spotted the problem during his required round of equipment checks.

Later investigation by the NRC concluded the worker had deliberately failed to follow federal regulations.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Brian Sullivan, Entergy’s vice president of nuclear operations at Pilgrim, the NRC said the incident represented a violation, but the agency was exercising enforcement discretion since the company already had agreed to a plan of action.

https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20190124/entergy-wont-be-cited-for-pilgrim-workers-misconduct