WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a Preliminary Notice of Violation to Washington TRU Solutions (WTS), the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M., for violations of nuclear safety rules and procedures. The violations involve the procurement and associated deficiencies with the fabrication of four stainless steel structures known as "transportainers" designed to serve as secondary containment structures for TRU waste characterization activities.

The violations did not result in actual harm to workers or the public. DOE took this action because, if not corrected, the violations could have resulted in radiological harm to workers and or the public.

DOE also took this action because WTS failed to adequately correct known deficiencies of a similar nature associated with prior procurement of equipment relied upon for radiological protection of workers and the public.

To emphasize the importance of maintaining a quality program for DOE activities, DOE is assessing WTS a civil penalty in the amount of $82,500. Some mitigation of the maximum civil penalty was granted to WTS for recently implemented corrective actions.

The Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 1988 authorized DOE to undertake regulatory actions against contractors for violations of its nuclear safety requirements. The enforcement program is designed to have contractors correct procedural violations to prevent more serious events from occurring.

Additional details on this and other enforcement actions are available on the Internet at http://www.eh.doe.gov/enforce.

Media Contact(s):
Jeff Sherwood, 202-586-5806