Enough uranium accumulated in air filters at a North Carolina nuclear fuel plant earlier this year to pose a risk of criticality, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has determined.
While no one was harmed, regulators announced a $17,500 penalty for the incident Tuesday, a fine Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas has said it will accept. The consortium formed by General Electric, Hitachi and Toshiba reported on March 2 that it discovered an excessive amount of uranium oxide in filter housing.
“There was no actual criticality, though the quantity of material could have posed a criticality threat if other safety features had not been in place,” the NRC said in a release. Had criticality occurred, the NRC noted, it would not have threatened public health but would create a serious risk for workers.
In a statement quoted by WWAY News, GNF said the company has acted to correct the problem. "GNF presented its progress of its corrective actions to the NRC at a public meeting at the end of September and has cooperated fully with the agency. GNF will not contest the civil penalty.”