NRC Fines TVA More Than $600,000 for Discrimination Violations; Cites Two Managers for Their Roles

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: 20-042 August 25, 2020
CONTACT: Scott Burnell, 301-415-8200

NRC Fines TVA More Than $600,000 for Discrimination Violations; Cites Two Managers for Their Roles

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has issued a $606,942 civil penalty to the Tennessee Valley Authority, an order prohibiting a senior TVA executive from NRC-licensed activities for five years, and a Notice of Violation to another TVA manager.

The enforcement actions stem from NRC investigations finding that two former TVA employees were subjected to adverse actions after raising concerns about a chilled work environment in which employees are less likely to report safety issues for fear of reprisal.

The NRC found that TVA’s former vice president of regulatory affairs and former director of corporate nuclear licensing violated the NRC’s employee protection rule and engaged in deliberate misconduct. The NRC is prohibiting the former vice president of regulatory affairs from any involvement in NRC-licensed activities for five years, since he was a decisionmaker for the adverse employee actions. The NRC is issuing a Notice of Violation to the former director of corporate nuclear licensing.

The NRC staff continues to review and inspect work environment issues and TVA’s corrective actions at the utility’s corporate office and its three nuclear power plants (Browns Ferry, Sequoyah and Watts Bar). As stated in the most recent annual assessment of Watts Bar, the NRC staff has determined that TVA has made progress in addressing these issues.

TVA and the two individuals have 30 days to respond to the NRC’s enforcement actions.

20-042.pdf