Dr. Nancy Kymn Harvin, a manager at the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear plants in New Jersey who was fired after voicing safety concerns to senior management, notified the NRC and UCS in fall 2003 of serious human performance and equipment performance problems at those plants.

The plant’s owner initially denied that either the human performance or equipment performance problems existed, but there was simply too much evidence to the contrary to sustain the denials.

In 2004, the NRC sought to understand the depth of the problems and the fixes needed for them. UCS chimed in loud and often with our views on the matter.

Much work remains to fix all the problems caused by years of poor management. UCS intends to remain engaged at this troubled site until most of that work is in the rear-view mirror instead of on the road ahead.

Dr. Harvin received the 2005 Carl Barus Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) for “bringing to light—and resolution—the safety and work environment issues plaguing the country’s second largest nuclear power plant.” It is a well-deserved honor, but one that came at a very high price to Dr. Harvin and her career.

Nuclear safety is too important to have anything other than a zero tolerance for reprisals against workers voicing safety concerns. The nuclear industry and the NRC have a long way to go towards zero tolerance and UCS will continue pushing as hard as we can.