ML20140H919
Text
..
a me Q
b b
D 0
July 11, 1984 4
e w
V.
t
, s/
dh I
The Honorable Richard L. Ottinger, Chairman Subcomittee on Energy Conservation and Power Comittee on Energy and Commerce United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C.
20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Enclosed for your infonnation is an announcement that the Nuclear Regulatory Comission staff has proposed a $60,000 civil penalty against Georgia Power Company for alleged violation of NRC security requirements at the Hatch nuclear plant.
It is planned to mail this information to the news media today, July 11, 1984.
Sincerely.
Carlton Kamerer, Director Office of Congressional Affairs
Enclosure:
As stated cc: Rep. Carlos Moorhead
~~
IDENTICAL LETTER SENT T0:
Sen. Simpson/cc: Sen. Hart Rep. Udall/cc: Rep. Lujan Rep. Markey/cc: Rep. Marlenee Sen. Mattingly SEn. Nunn Rep. Rowland Rep. Thomas 8510230205h51004 PDR FOIA JACOBSBS-478 PDR q
k'
~>
......h.
suaa r). D..e.1.M..e..d. i..c. o.. :.1 ac...................
....../.11/.84 7
em) n:c roru m no..o,wcu es' OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
+ uwo mo-ms
f""%
UNITED STATES i g4h/ *i % g,j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20555 No.
84-85 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel. 301/492-7715 (Wednesday, July 11,1984)
NRC STAFF PROPOSES $60,000 FINE AGAINST GEORGIA F0WER The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has proposed a $60,000 civil penalty against Georgia Power Company for alleged violation of NRC security requirements at the Hatch nuclear plant near Baxley, Georgia.
Enforcement action in this case results from an incident on May 22, 1984, when an employee was able to carry a small loaded weapon in her purse into the plant's protected area without being detected.
(NRC regulations define a " protected area" as an area encompassed by physical barriers to which access is controlled.)
Georgia Power security authorities learned of the violation and notified the NRC. A special NRC safeguards inspection was subsequently conducted, and the matter was discussed by NRC and Georgia Power officials during an enforcement conference held on May 31 at the NRC Regional Office in Atlanta.
In a letter to Georgia Power, James P. O'Reilly, NRC Regional Administrator in Atlanta, called the violation " evidence of a security weakness," adding:
"Had the licensee (Georgia Power) devoted sufficient attention to this area, this violation could have been prevented." Mr.
O'Reilly also said in the letter that the base penalty of $50,000 was increased 20 percent because this is the second violation of access control requirements at Hatch within the past year.
Georgia Power has 30 days to pay the civil penalty or to protest it, in whole or in part.
l