ML25169A377
| ML25169A377 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000754 |
| Issue date: | 06/24/2025 |
| From: | John Monninger NRC/RGN-IV/DRSS |
| To: | Silko T NorthStar Vallecitos |
| References | |
| EAF-RIV-2025-0059 | |
| Download: ML25169A377 (1) | |
Text
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION June 24, 2025 EAF-RIV-2025-0059 Thomas B. Silko, Licensing Manager NorthStar Vallecitos, LLC Vallecitos Nuclear Center 6705 Vallecitos Road Sunol, CA 94586
SUBJECT:
NORTHSTAR VALLECITOS, LLC - NOTICE OF VIOLATION; NRC SECURITY INSPECTION REPORT 070-00754/2025006
Dear Thomas Silko:
This letter refers to the non-routine inspection that was performed from January 13-15, 2025, at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in Sunol, California. The inspection examined activities conducted under your license related to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements for the protection of sensitive information. The inspection consisted of a review of selected procedures, documents, and representative records, walk-downs of relevant areas, and interviews with personnel. The enclosed report presents the results of this inspection.
The inspection and the activities examined all occurred while GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy was the holder of the license. On April 25, 2024, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued an order approving a direct transfer of control of the license to NorthStar Vallecitos (89 FR 35862; May 2, 2024). On March 14, 2025, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and NorthStar completed the transfer of the license and ownership of the Vallecitos Nuclear Center. Because NorthStar is the license holder as of the issuance of this Notice of Violation (Notice), and because the responsibility for compliance and corrective action for any violations lies with the license holder, the NRC is issuing the Notice directly to NorthStar.
A final exit briefing for this inspection was conducted via videoconference with you and members of your staff on April 9, 2025. Details of the inspection and one associated apparent violation were provided to you in the subject inspection report, dated April 16, 2025 (non-publicly available Agencywide Documents Access and Management System [ADAMS] Accession No. ML25091A233 and publicly available ML25107A177).
The enclosures contain Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information. When separated from the enclosures, this cover letter is decontrolled.
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION T. Silko 2
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION On May 28, 2025, a predecisional enforcement conference was conducted at the Region IV office with you and members of your staff to discuss the apparent violation, its significance, the root causes, and your corrective actions.
Based on the information developed during the inspection and the information provided during the conference, the NRC has determined that a violation of NRC requirements occurred. This violation is cited in non-public Enclosure 1, Notice of Violation and the circumstances surrounding it are described in detail in the subject inspection report. The violation involved a failure associated with security requirements. The violation has been categorized in accordance with the NRC Enforcement Policy as escalated enforcement. The NRC Enforcement Policy is available on the NRCs website at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/enforcement/enforce-pol.html. Enclosure 2 (non-public) documents the NRC enforcement basis. In accordance with the NRC Enforcement Policy, a civil penalty is considered for any escalated enforcement violation.
Because your facility has been the subject of escalated enforcement actions within the last two inspections (refer to letter dated December 12, 2024, non-publicly available ADAMS ML24340A249 and publicly available ML24347A238), the NRC considered whether credit was warranted for Identification and Corrective Action in accordance with the civil penalty assessment process in Section 2.3.4 of the Enforcement Policy. The NRC determined that Identification credit is warranted because your staff identified the security issue and took immediate action to restore compliance. The NRC has determined that Corrective Action credit is warranted based on the prompt and comprehensive corrective actions you implemented. Your corrective actions to address the violation are documented in the subject inspection report and were provided at the predecisional enforcement conference on May 28, 2025.
Therefore, to encourage prompt identification and comprehensive correction of violations, I have been authorized, after consultation with the Director, Office of Enforcement, not to propose a civil penalty in this case. However, significant violations in the future could result in a civil penalty. In addition, issuance of this escalated enforcement action may subject you to increased inspection effort.
The NRC has concluded that information regarding: (1) the reason for the violation; (2) the corrective actions that have been taken and the results achieved; and (3) the date when full compliance was achieved is already adequately addressed on the docket in Inspection Report 070-00754/2025006 and the material that you provided during the conference.
Therefore, you are not required to respond to this letter unless the description therein does not accurately reflect your corrective actions or your position. In that case, or if you choose to provide additional information, you should follow the instructions specified in the enclosed Notice.
In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter will be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room and from the NRCs ADAMS, accessible from the NRC website at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
However, the material enclosed herewith contains Security-Related Information in accordance with 10 CFR 2.390(d)(1) and its disclosure to unauthorized individuals could present a security vulnerability. Therefore, the material in the enclosures will not be made available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room or from the NRCs ADAMS.
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION T. Silko 3
OFFICIAL USE ONLY - SECURITY-RELATED INFORMATION Should you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Jesse Rollins, Chief, Physical Security Branch, of my staff at (817) 200-1527.
Sincerely, John D. Monninger Regional Administrator Docket No. 070-00754 License No. SNM-960
Enclosures:
1.
Notice of Violation (Non-Public) 2.
Enforcement Basis (Non-Public)
Miller, Geoffrey signing on behalf of Monninger, John on 06/24/25
- PUBLIC: ML25169A377 Public: Cover Letter (w/o Enclosures)
SUNSI Review: JMR ADAMS Yes No Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Sensitive Keyword:
NRC-002 ADAMS ACCESSION NUMBER - NON-PUBLIC: ML25164A236 Non-Public: Cover Letter
& Enclosures SUNSI Review: JMR ADAMS Yes No Publicly Available Non-Publicly Available Non-Sensitive Sensitive Keyword:
MD 3.4, A.3 OFFICE ES:ACES SPSI:DRSS/PSB C:DRSS/PSB TL:ACES RC OE NAME ARoberts DHolman JRollins BAlferink DCylkowski JPeralta SIGNATURE
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/ E DATE 06/12/25 06/13/25 06/16/25 06/13/25 06/17/25 06/18/25 OFFICE NSIR D:DRSS RA NAME BYip TBloomer JMonninger SIGNATURE
/RA/
/RA/
/RA/
DATE 06/18/25 06/23/25 06/24/25