The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced Tuesday that the Vogtle nuclear power plant, located near Waynesboro, Georgia, will be subject to increased oversight following a radioactive waste transport violation.
The plant, which is operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Co., was found using incorrect shipping containers to transport radioactive waste.
“The Vogtle plant continues to be operated safely and there was no additional exposure from the use of the improper container,” NRC Region II Administrator Victor McCree said. “However, the NRC container regulations are based on the potential hazard to the public and we expect plants to follow those regulations.”
While the shipping containers used were approved to hold radioactive waste, they were used by workers at the Vogtle plant to move waste with higher radioactive levels than the containers were tested for. Upon review, NRC staff issued a white violation, which means low to moderate safety significance.
The additional oversight, which will include another inspection, is in line with the severity of the violation. It is meant to ensure that the violation has been understood and that the plant’s methods to correct the issue are sufficient.
