NRC Schedules Predecisional Enforcement Conference with BWXT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission - News Release
No: II-23-020 June 15, 2023
Contact: Dave Gasperson, 404-997-4417 

NRC Schedules Predecisional Enforcement Conference with BWXT

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a predecisional enforcement conference with officials from BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Inc. on June 21 to discuss two preliminary violations of regulatory requirements that occurred at the Lynchburg, Virginia, fuel fabrication facility in January 2023.

 

The conference starts at 10 a.m. Eastern time in Suite 800 at the NRC’s Region II Office, Marquis One Tower, 245 Peachtree Center Avenue, NE, in Atlanta. The NRC staff will be available to answer questions from the public after the formal portion of the meeting.

 

Members of the public can also listen to the meeting by dialing 301-576-2978 and entering the conference number 753930684#.

 

The preliminary violations of NRC requirements were discovered after a January 19 event when a storage tank at BWXT's Uranium Recovery Facility overflowed, spilling uranium solution onto the floor and into a ventilation system. Two safety controls designed to prevent this failed, increasing the risk of an accidental criticality.

 

BWXT took immediate corrective actions in the affected area. The event did not endanger the plant workers, the public, or the environment.

 

A subsequent inspection revealed an apparent breakdown of safety controls designed to prevent an accidental criticality at BWXT's facility. The NRC's inspection findings related to that event are described in a May 5 inspection report.

 

During the conference, BWXT will have the opportunity to provide its perspective or additional information about the apparent violations. The NRC will review the information provided during the meeting and finalize its enforcement decision in a publicly available document.

23-020-ii.pdf