[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69149-69152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31019]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[NRC-2009-0574; Docket Nos. 50-259; 50-260; 50-296; 50-327; 50-328; 50-
390; 50-391; License Nos. DPR-33; DPR-52; DPR-68; DPR-77; DPR-79; NPF-
90; CPPR-92; EA-09-009; EA-09-203]


In the Matter of U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority, Browns Ferry 
Nuclear Plant, Sequoyah Nuclear Plant and Watts Bar Nuclear Plant; 
Confirmatory Order Modifying License (Effective Immediately)

I

    U.S. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA or Licensee) is the holder of 
Operating License Nos. DPR-33; DPR-52; DPR-68; DPR-77; DPR-79; DPR-90; 
and Construction Permit No. CPPR-92 issued by the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) pursuant to 10 CFR Part 50. 
The licenses authorize the operation of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, 
Units 1, 2 and 3 (BFN), Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, and 
Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, Unit 1 and construction activities associated 
with Watts Bar, Unit 2, in accordance with conditions specified 
therein. These facilities are located in Athens, Alabama; Soddy Daisy, 
Tennessee; and Spring City, Tennessee, respectively.
    This Confirmatory Order is the result of an agreement reached 
during an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mediation session 
conducted on December 4, 2009.

II

    Two investigations were initiated by the NRC Office of 
Investigations (OI) to determine if a former contractor in one instance 
and a TVA employee in the other were discriminated against for engaging 
in protected activities.
    On January 6, 2009, the NRC's Office of Investigations (OI) issued 
its investigative report regarding whether a former contracted Senior 
Assessor (SA) hired to work in the Nuclear Assurance (NA) organization, 
in connection with the BFN Unit 1 Restart Project, was the subject of 
employment discrimination in violation of 10 CFR 50.7, ``Employee 
protection.'' In OI Report No. 2-2006-025, OI concluded that a SA was 
discriminated against for raising concerns regarding the independence 
of his manager.
    On July 30, 2009, OI issued its investigative report regarding 
whether a maintenance mechanic (MM) employed by TVA at BFN was the 
subject of employment discrimination in violation of 10 CFR 50.7, 
``Employee protection.'' In OI Report No. 2-2009-003, OI concluded that 
the MM was discriminated against for raising concerns regarding the 
licensee's compliance with its Fitness for Duty program.
    By letter dated October 22, 2009, and by teleconference on November 
24, 2009, the NRC identified to the Licensee two separate apparent 
violations of 10 CFR 50.7, and offered TVA the opportunity to provide a 
written response, attend a pre-decisional enforcement conference, or to 
request ADR in which a neutral mediator with no decision-making 
authority would facilitate discussions between the NRC and TVA and, if 
possible, assist the NRC and TVA in reaching an agreement. TVA chose to 
participate in ADR.

III

    On December 4, 2009, the NRC and TVA met in an ADR session in 
Maryland, mediated by a professional mediator, which was arranged 
through Cornell University's Institute on Conflict Resolution. This 
Confirmatory Order is issued pursuant to the agreement reached during 
the ADR process. The elements of the agreement consisted of the 
following:
    1. The NRC acknowledged that TVA, prior to the ADR session, took 
numerous actions that address the issues underlying the apparent 
violations. These actions include:
    a. Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) management conducts regular 
``Town Hall'' meetings with TVA and contractor employees, which address 
topics of interest to the site, and during which feedback is solicited 
from employees. A regular area of focus is ``Safety Culture'' and the 
related topic of safety conscious work environment (SCWE).
    b. TVA issued ``One Team, One Fleet, One TVA'' pocket-size booklets 
which identify focus areas for site and corporate success. These 
booklets include a discussion of the need for a free flow of 
information where individuals can raise nuclear safety concerns without 
fear of retribution and have confidence that their concerns will be 
addressed. These booklets are widely used and form a key part of daily 
communications.
    c. SCWE-oriented brochures (``How Do I Speak Up for Safety'' and 
``Voice Your Concerns'') are distributed and are placed throughout the 
sites for TVA and contractor employees. These brochures and other 
Concerns Resolution Program (CRP) information are also made available 
to contractor employees through placement in their individual in-
processing packages.
    d. ``Speak Up For Safety'' message pens, which also provide CRP 
contact

[[Page 69150]]

telephone numbers, are regularly handed out to TVA and contractor 
employees.
    e. Additional fleet-wide posters promoting the CRP and encouraging 
the raising of concerns have been placed in strategic areas.
    f. CRP representatives provide regular SCWE-oriented presentations 
to TVA and contractor employees during mid-shift briefings, morning 
turnover meetings, and tailgate meetings.
    g. CRP representatives regularly attend contractor in-processing 
sessions prior to station outages to orient contractors about the 
Program's availability for raising concerns.
    h. Additional ``Drop Boxes'' have been placed in high-traffic areas 
where TVA and contractor employees can identify problems or concerns 
and have the option of doing so anonymously if they wish.
    i. TVA's procedure for the Corrective Action Program has been 
modified to prevent altering problem evaluation report (PER) statements 
initiated by TVA or contractor employees. (Certain non-intent changes 
are permitted such as removing employee names, SSNs, Safeguards 
Information, etc.).
    j. CRP staff conduct periodic ``Pulsings'' of individual TVA and 
contractor employees (approximately 50 individuals per quarter per 
site) in which feedback is sought regarding work environment issues 
including willingness to raise concerns.
    k. Site electronic bulletin boards regularly communicate SCWE-
related messages which encourage raising/voicing problems and concerns.
    l. An online computer-based training course was added which 
discusses the components of a nuclear safety culture, what is meant by 
a SCWE, and the avenues available to raise concerns. The training is 
required annually as a refresher for TVA employees as well as for long-
term contract personnel that re-badge on an annual basis.
    m. Representatives from TVA's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) 
and the CRP completed training for TVA and contractor managers and 
supervisors addressing 10 CFR 50.7 ``Employee Protection'' and 
promoting a safety conscious work environment. The training covered 
managers and supervisory staff (TVA and contractor) on all shifts.
    n. An ``employment flag'' has been placed on the file of the 
contractor manager involved in the case discussed in NRC's letter dated 
October 22, 2009. The employment flag provides, as a condition of being 
hired as an employee, individual TVA contractor, or as an employee of 
any TVA contractor, that the individual be required to attend a 
personal training session with representatives of the TVA OGC and the 
CRP regarding TVA's and NRC's requirements protecting employees who 
raise concerns (TVA Communications Practice 5, ``Expressing Concerns 
and Differing Views'' and 10 CFR 50.7, ``Employee Protection''), as 
well as methods for promoting a safety conscious work environment.
    o. The apparent violations have been entered into TVA's Corrective 
Action Program.
    2. In addition, TVA agreed to take the following actions:
    a. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, TVA shall implement a process to review 
proposed licensee adverse employment actions at TVA's nuclear plant 
sites before actions are taken to determine whether the proposed action 
comports with employee protection regulations, and whether the proposed 
actions could negatively impact the SCWE. Such a process should 
consider actions to mitigate a potential chilling effect if the 
employment action, despite its legitimacy, could be perceived as 
retaliatory by the workforce. By no later than one hundred twenty (120) 
calendar days after the issuance of this Confirmatory Order, TVA shall 
implement a process to review proposed significant adverse employment 
actions by contractors performing services at TVA's nuclear plant sites 
before the actions are taken to determine whether the proposed action 
comports with employee protection regulations, and whether the proposed 
action could negatively impact the SCWE. Such a process will likewise 
consider actions to mitigate a potential chilling effect if the 
employment action, despite its legitimacy, could be perceived as 
retaliatory by the workforce.
    b. By no later than seven (7) calendar days after the issuance of 
the Confirmatory Order, a member of TVA's executive management 
responsible for the licensee's nuclear power plant fleet will, in 
writing, communicate TVA's policy, and the expectations of management, 
regarding the employees' rights to raise concerns without fear of 
retaliation in the context of this Confirmatory Order.
    c. By no later than the end of calendar year 2013, TVA shall 
perform two (2) independent safety culture assessments comparable to 
the independent survey conducted in February 2009. The surveys shall be 
administered in approximately two-year intervals. TVA shall assess and 
evaluate the results compared with the results of the prior years' 
surveys. TVA shall make the results of each survey and the planned 
corrective actions available for NRC review within sixty (60) calendar 
days after the development of the planned corrective actions.
    d. Through the end of calendar year 2013 and on approximately a 
quarterly basis, TVA shall continue to analyze SCWE trends and develop 
planned actions, as appropriate.
    e. By no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the issuance of 
the Confirmatory Order, representatives from the TVA's OGC and Human 
Resources shall conduct a lessons learned training session with the 
manager associated with the apparent violation discussed with TVA on 
November 24, 2009. The training shall be documented and made available 
to the NRC upon request.
    f. Through calendar year 2013, TVA shall conduct ``Town Hall''-type 
meetings at least annually at its nuclear power plants and corporate 
office with TVA and contractor employees which address topics of 
interest, including a discussion on TVA's policy regarding fostering a 
SCWE.
    g. TVA shall incorporate a discussion of NRC's employee protection 
rule in the next revision of the ``One Team, One Fleet, One TVA'' 
booklet. The next revision will be completed by no later than December 
31, 2010.
    h. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
the Confirmatory Order, TVA shall modify its contractor in-processing 
program to ensure that a TVA representative provides a presentation 
regarding the CRP program and the TVA's SCWE policy during the 
contractor in-processing sessions at its nuclear power plants.
    i. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
the Confirmatory Order, TVA shall revise its training program for new 
supervisors to incorporate a classroom discussion of the NRC's employee 
protection rule and the Company's policy on SCWE.
    j. TVA's annual online computer-based training course initiative, 
which discusses the components of a nuclear safety culture, what is 
meant by a SCWE, and the avenues available to raise concerns, shall be 
maintained through calendar year 2013.
    On December 16, 2009, TVA consented to issuing this Confirmatory 
Order with the commitments, as described in Section V below. TVA 
further agreed that this Confirmatory Order is to be effective upon 
issuance and it has waived its right to a hearing.

[[Page 69151]]

IV

    Since TVA has agreed to take additional actions to address NRC 
concerns, as set forth in Item III above, and NRC has concluded that 
its concerns can be resolved through issuance of this Confirmatory 
Order and thereby has agreed not to issue a Notice of Violation or 
civil penalty in this matter.
    I find that the Licensee's commitments as set forth in Section V 
are acceptable and necessary and conclude that with these commitments 
the public health and safety are reasonably assured. In view of the 
foregoing, I have determined that the public health and safety require 
that the Licensee's commitments be confirmed by this Confirmatory 
Order. Based on the above and the Licensee's consent, this Confirmatory 
Order is immediately effective upon issuance.

V

    Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 103, 161b, 161i, 161o, 182, and 
186 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Commission's 
regulations in 10 CFR 2.202 and 10 CFR Part 50, It is hereby ordered, 
effective immediately, that TVA shall:
    1. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, TVA shall implement a process to review 
proposed licensee adverse employment actions at TVA's nuclear plant 
sites before actions are taken to determine whether the proposed action 
comports with employee protection regulations, and whether the proposed 
actions could negatively impact the SCWE. Such a process should 
consider actions to mitigate a potential chilling effect if the 
employment action, despite its legitimacy, could be perceived as 
retaliatory by the workforce. By no later than one hundred twenty (120) 
calendar days after the issuance of the confirmatory order, TVA shall 
implement a process to review proposed significant adverse employment 
actions by contractors performing services at TVA's nuclear plant sites 
before the actions are taken to determine whether the proposed action 
comports with employee protection regulations, and whether the proposed 
action could negatively impact the SCWE. Such a process will likewise 
consider actions to mitigate a potential chilling effect if the 
employment action, despite its legitimacy, could be perceived as 
retaliatory by the workforce.
    2. By no later than seven (7) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, a member of TVA's executive management 
responsible for the licensee's nuclear power plant fleet will, in 
writing, communicate TVA's policy, and the expectations of management, 
regarding the employees' rights to raise concerns without fear of 
retaliation in the context of this Confirmatory Order.
    3. By no later than the end of calendar year 2013, TVA shall 
perform two (2) independent safety culture assessments comparable to 
the independent survey conducted in February 2009. The surveys shall be 
administered in approximately two-year intervals. TVA shall assess and 
evaluate the results compared with the results of the prior years' 
surveys. TVA shall make the results of each survey and the planned 
corrective actions available for NRC review within sixty (60) calendar 
days after the development of the planned corrective actions.
    4. Through the end of calendar year 2013 and on approximately a 
quarterly basis, TVA shall continue to analyze SCWE trends and develop 
planned actions, as appropriate.
    5. By no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, representatives from the TVA's OGC and Human 
Resources shall conduct a lessons learned training session with the 
manager associated with the apparent violation discussed with TVA on 
November 24, 2009. The training shall be documented and made available 
to the NRC upon request.
    6. Through calendar year 2013, TVA shall conduct ``Town Hall''-type 
meetings at least annually at its nuclear power plants and corporate 
office with TVA and contractor employees which address topics of 
interest, including a discussion on TVA's policy regarding fostering a 
SCWE.
    7. TVA shall incorporate a discussion of NRC's employee protection 
rule in the next revision of the ``One Team, One Fleet, One TVA'' 
booklet. The next revision will be completed by no later than December 
31, 2010.
    8. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, TVA shall modify its contractor in-processing 
program to ensure that a TVA representative provides a presentation 
regarding the CRP program and the TVA's SCWE policy during the 
contractor in-processing sessions.
    9. By no later than ninety (90) calendar days after the issuance of 
this Confirmatory Order, TVA shall revise its training program for new 
supervisors to incorporate a classroom discussion of the NRC's employee 
protection rule and the Company's policy on SCWE.
    10. TVA's annual online computer-based training course initiative, 
which discusses the components of a nuclear safety culture, what is 
meant by a SCWE, and the avenues available to raise concerns, shall be 
maintained through calendar year 2013.
    11. In the event of the transfer of the operating license of a 
facility to another entity, if any, the commitments for such facility 
shall survive any transfer of ownership.
    12. For clarity purposes, TVA's commitments herein are applicable 
to the above-captioned nuclear plants unless otherwise stated.

VI

    Any person adversely affected by this Confirmatory Order, other 
than TVA, may request a hearing within 20 days of its publication in 
the Federal Register. Where good cause is shown, consideration will be 
given to extending the time to request a hearing. A request for 
extension of time must be made in writing to the Director, Office of 
Enforcement, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, 
and include a statement of good cause for the extension.
    All documents filed in NRC adjudicatory proceedings, including a 
request for hearing, a petition for leave to intervene, any motion or 
other document filed in the proceeding prior to the submission of a 
request for hearing or petition to intervene, and documents filed by 
interested governmental entities participating under 10 CFR 2.315(c), 
must be filed in accordance with the NRC E-Filing rule (72 FR 49139, 
August 28, 2007). The E-Filing process requires participants to submit 
and serve all adjudicatory documents over the Internet, or in some 
cases to mail copies on electronic storage media. Participants may not 
submit paper copies of their filings unless they seek an exemption in 
accordance with the procedures described below.
    To comply with the procedural requirements of E-Filing, at least 
ten (10) days prior to the filing deadline, the participant should 
contact the Office of the Secretary by e-mail at 
[email protected], or by telephone at (301) 415-1677, to request 
(1) a digital ID certificate, which allows the participant (or its 
counsel or representative) to digitally sign documents and access the 
E-Submittal server for any proceeding in which it is participating; and 
(2) advise the Secretary that the participant will be submitting a 
request or petition for hearing (even in instances in which the 
participant, or its counsel or

[[Page 69152]]

representative, already holds an NRC-issued digital ID certificate). 
Based upon this information, the Secretary will establish an electronic 
docket for the hearing in this proceeding if the Secretary has not 
already established an electronic docket.
    Information about applying for a digital ID certificate is 
available on NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals/apply-certificates.html. System requirements for accessing 
the E-Submittal server are detailed in NRC's ``Guidance for Electronic 
Submission,'' which is available on the agency's public Web site at 
http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Participants may 
attempt to use other software not listed on the Web site, but should 
note that the NRC's E-Filing system does not support unlisted software, 
and the NRC Meta System Help Desk will not be able to offer assistance 
in using unlisted software.
    If a participant is electronically submitting a document to the NRC 
in accordance with the E-Filing rule, the participant must file the 
document using the NRC's online, Web-based submission form. In order to 
serve documents through the Electronic Information Exchange (EIE), 
users will be required to install a Web browser plug-in from the NRC 
Web site. Further information on the Web-based submission form, 
including the installation of the Web browser plug-in, is available on 
the NRC's public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html.
    Once a participant has obtained a digital ID certificate and a 
docket has been created, the participant can then submit a request for 
hearing or petition for leave to intervene. Submissions should be in 
Portable Document Format (PDF) in accordance with NRC guidance 
available on the NRC public Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. A filing is considered complete at the time the 
documents are submitted through the NRC's E-Filing system. To be 
timely, an electronic filing must be submitted to the E-Filing system 
no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. Upon receipt of 
a transmission, the E-Filing system time-stamps the document and sends 
the submitter an e-mail notice confirming receipt of the document. The 
E-Filing system also distributes an e-mail notice that provides access 
to the document to the NRC Office of the General Counsel and any others 
who have advised the Office of the Secretary that they wish to 
participate in the proceeding, so that the filer need not serve the 
documents on those participants separately. Therefore, applicants and 
other participants (or their counsel or representative) must apply for 
and receive a digital ID certificate before a hearing request/petition 
to intervene is filed so that they can obtain access to the document 
via the E-Filing system.
    A person filing electronically using the agency's adjudicatory E-
Filing system may seek assistance by contacting the NRC Meta System 
Help Desk through the ``Contact Us'' link located on the NRC Web site 
at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html, by e-mail at 
[email protected], or by a toll-free call at (866) 672-7640. The 
NRC Meta System Help Desk is available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding government holidays.
    Participants who believe that they have a good cause for not 
submitting documents electronically must file an exemption request, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302(g), with their initial paper filing 
requesting authorization to continue to submit documents in paper 
format. Such filings must be submitted by: (1) First-class mail 
addressed to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: 
Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff; or (2) courier, express mail, or 
expedited delivery service to the Office of the Secretary, Sixteenth 
Floor, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
20852, Attention: Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff. Participants 
filing a document in this manner are responsible for serving the 
document on all other participants. Filing is considered complete by 
first-class mail as of the time of deposit in the mail, or by courier, 
express mail, or expedited delivery service upon depositing the 
document with the provider of the service. A presiding officer, having 
granted an exemption request from using E-Filing, may require a 
participant or party to use E-Filing if the presiding officer 
subsequently determines that the reason for granting the exemption from 
use of E-Filing no longer exists.
    Documents submitted in adjudicatory proceedings will appear in 
NRC's electronic hearing docket which is available to the public at 
http://ehd.nrc.gov/EHD_Proceeding/home.asp, unless excluded pursuant 
to an order of the Commission, or the presiding officer. Participants 
are requested not to include personal privacy information, such as 
Social Security numbers, home addresses, or home phone numbers in their 
filings, unless an NRC regulation or other law requires submission of 
such information. With respect to copyrighted works, except for limited 
excerpts that serve the purpose of the adjudicatory filings and would 
constitute a Fair Use application, participants are requested not to 
include copyrighted materials in their submission.
    If a person (other than the Licensee) requests a hearing, that 
person shall set forth with particularity the manner in which his 
interest is adversely affected by this Order and shall address the 
criteria set forth in 10 CFR 2.309(d) and (f).
    If the hearing is requested by a person whose interest is adversely 
affected, the Commission will issue an Order designating the time and 
place of any hearing. If a hearing is held, the issue to be considered 
at such hearing shall be whether this confirmatory order should be 
sustained.
    In the absence of any request for hearing, or written approval of 
an extension of time in which to request a hearing, the provisions 
specified in Section V above shall be final 20 days from the date of 
this Confirmatory Order without further order or proceedings. If an 
extension of time for requesting a hearing has been approved, the 
provisions specified in Section V shall be final when the extension 
expires if a hearing request has not been received.
    A request for hearing shall not stay the immediate effectiveness of 
this order.

    Dated this 22nd day of December 2009.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Roy Zimmerman,
Director, Office of Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E9-31019 Filed 12-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P