News Release > Independent Investigation Report Commissioned by Entergy Turned Over to Vermont Attorney General

Independent Investigation Report Commissioned by Entergy Turned Over to Vermont Attorney General

02/24/2010

No Intent to Mislead Found, But Some Communication Was Incomplete or Inaccurate
Entergy Disciplines 11 Employees

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) today announced it has provided to Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell the results of its independent internal investigation into alleged contradictory or misleading information provided to the state government by company officials about underground piping at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.

The report, prepared by the law firm of Morgan Lewis and Bockius LLP, did not find that any Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee employees intentionally misled the Vermont Public Service Board, the Department of Public Service, a Public Oversight Panel assessing the plant's reliability as part of its application for renewal of its operating license, or a contracting firm working for the panel, Nuclear Safety Associates.

The report noted that the communications in question were made by Entergy employees in the context of the scope defined by the state's contractor, Nuclear Safety Associates, in performing the reliability assessment. The Entergy responses were limited to only pipes that touch soil (not those encased in concrete), that carry liquid (not gaseous matter) and that are part of whole systems as defined by law.  However, the Entergy employees' failure to specify the context of their communication led to misunderstandings and, taken out of that context, the responses were incomplete and misleading, the report maintained.

As a result of that failure, Entergy has removed five senior Vermont Yankee employees from their positions at Vermont Yankee and placed them on administrative leave. They are the vice president for operations, director of nuclear safety assurance, manager of licensing, technical specialist and senior project manager.

The company also reprimanded an additional six managerial employees.  All the discipline taken had financial consequences for the employees involved.  

Michael Colomb, Entergy Vermont Yankee site vice president, was reprimanded for failure to maintain an organization that adhered to the highest standards of conduct in all actions and communications.

In a statement, Colomb said he was disappointed in how the contradictory or misleading information was given to the state and he, as the lead Entergy official at Vermont Yankee, took responsibility for what happened.

"While there was no intentional wrongdoing, it is not consistent with our expectations at Vermont Yankee or in the nuclear industry, nor is it consistent with our values at Entergy," Colomb said.

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Entergy Corporation's online address is www.entergy.com