After serving as chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for three years, Gregory Jaczko on May 21 announced his resignation, effective upon confirmation of a successor.
Chairman since 2009, Jaczko has had his ups and downs since taking the helm, marked by constant battles with commissioners and other government representatives. While the “drama” seemed to take center stage in the media, it is important to consider the success Jaczko had during his reign.
Jaczko, who consistently reiterated safety, said in his resignation statement that his commitment to safety will continue to be his priority.
During Jaczko’s tenure as chairman, the NRC has faced multiple challenges. In the past year alone, the U.S. nuclear power industry has dealt with flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes. The industry answered the challenges well.
These events all happened in a year in which nuclear power was scrutinized around the world following the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. After the meltdowns at Fukushima, the NRC established a task force to develop recommendations to enhance safety at all nuclear facilities in the U.S.
During his time on the commission, Jaczko said the agency finalized regulations to ensure new reactors are designed to withstand an aircraft impact, completed the development and implementation of a safety culture policy statement, enhanced its focus on openness and transparency and enhanced awareness of and worked to resolve some of the most long-standing issues facing the nuclear industry.
While these responses worked to ensure that nuclear power is safe, Jaczko also cast some eye-opening votes against the so-called “nuclear renaissance” in the U.S. Jaczko was the lone dissenter in both votes to approve combined construction and operating licenses for the Plant Vogtle project in Georgia and the V.C. Summer expansion in South Carolina. After voting against both of these projects, House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders wanted answers from Jaczko, President Obama’s hand-selected leader. The committee cited a National Journal story in which Jaczko said he opposed the new reactors because he did not believe the NRC could properly ensure post-Fukushima requirements.
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY), and Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus (R-IL) wrote to Chairman Jaczko this week, asking him to clarify his opposition to nuclear power and disputing Jaczko’s claims.
“(The article) also implies that the NRC does not have the authority to impose regulatory changes after a license is issued. Yet, the NRC issued Fukushima-related safety enhancements on March 12, 2012, to the licensees currently operating the 104 reactors here in the United States. The analogy you provided to National Journal does not comport with NRC actions and does a disservice to the public by suggesting the NRC is unable to enforce compliance with safety requirements,” the letter from the three lawmakers stated.
The committee said Jaczko opposed both projects that would have provided Americans with clean, reliable power and thousands of jobs.
Just one day after receiving the Energy and Commerce Committee letter, Jaczko addressed the media from the National Press Club in D.C.
“If there are ways I can do (my job) better, I am willing to listen. My focus is on safety, has always been on safety and will continue to be on safety,” Jaczko said. “I believe very strongly that the Commission does need to adopt some type of condition in the license for any of these new reactors. It gives a strong statement to the American people that we will ensure that any nuclear power plant that is built and operates in this country will address the Fukushima issues before it operates.”
The task force assembled by the NRC in April 2011 following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster was brought together to examine the agency’s regulatory requirements, programs, processes, and implementation after the Fukushima Daiichi meltdowns. The task force, made up of six senior managers and staff, made 12 recommendations to the NRC. The recommendations cover the loss of all A/C electrical power at a reactor, or station blackout, reviews of seismic and flooding hazards, emergency equipment and plant staff training.
“By and large, I believe the bulk of those recommendations are things that should be adopted by the new plants as appropriate,” he said.
The Energy and Commerce committee did not agree with his vote against the new reactors.
“In your votes on these new plant licenses, you undermine the collegiality of the Commission by once again portraying yourself as the only commissioner who places public health and safety as the paramount concern,” the letter said.
Jaczko, during an April 20 conference call with reporters, said the inspection of reactors being built under the COLs was a new issue for the commission. While it may be “new,” he said the commission had prepared for many years to complete all inspections successfully.
Commissioners have referred to Jaczko as intimidating and said women working at the NRC felt threatened. An inspector’s general report, according to the Associated Press, said Jaczko intimidated staffers who disagreed with him. The first issue addressed during the media availability in April was Jaczko’s treatment of women.
“Any of these accusations that I specifically target women are categorically untrue. Beyond that, I don’t really have anything else to say about that issue,” he said.
“I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women who work at the NRC. They are some of the most dedicated public servants I have seen in my time in government.”
As the call continued, questions about his treatment of NRC staff continued and Jaczko repeated his prior statement, “I deny any accusations.”
Adding to the controversy, Jaczko was a supporter of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who voiced his opposition to the controversial Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. Reid, who Jaczko served as an aide, objected to the nomination of Kristin Svinicki to a new term on the commission, the only woman serving. After Jaczko’s resignation announcement, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., welcomed the announcement.
“Dr. Jaczko’s troubling behavior as chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had clearly resulted in a hostile work environment for women that ran counter to acceptable norms of workplace equality and that threatened to undermine the mission of the NRC itself,” McConnell said. “I call on the White House to move forward with a replacement for Jaczko and urge the Senate to reconfirm the nomination of Kristine Svinicki as an NRC commissioner before her term expires on June 30.”
McConnell went on to say the only reason Svinicki’s nomination was held up by the White House and the Senate was because she had the courage to stand up to a hostile work environment, and to the bully who was responsible for it.
Reid and Ed Markey (D-Mass) did not agree.
“Greg Jaczko has been one of the finest NRC Chairmen in the history of the Commission,” Reid said. “His shoes will be very hard to fill. Greg’s departure is an immeasurable loss for the Commission.
“He dedicated his tenure to improving the safety of nuclear energy, and his leadership during the Fukushima nuclear crisis protected millions of Americans.”
One thing does seem true for an outsider looking in. Jaczko seemed focused on safety. And conveying the safety message is important to making the public feel comfortable around technology and physics many do not understand. Jaczko always seemed concerned about the safety of the American people. President Obama now has the task of hand-selecting another chairman to lead the charge in a very-watched-over time for the nuclear industry.
White House spokesman Clark Stevens said President Obama appreciated Chairman Jaczko’s service and efforts to further the mission of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“A strong and effective NRC is crucial to protecting public health and safety, promoting defense and security, and protecting the environment, and we intend to nominate a new chairman soon,” Stevens said.
Who will be the new boss of the NRC?
Politico mentioned two names; Allison Macfarlane, a George Mason University professor who was considered in 2005 before Jaczko got the nod, and Dave Lochbaum, the director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' nuclear program.
Speaking of UCS, the Twittersphere has speculated that Jaczko could end up with the nonprofit. Peter Bradford, former member of the NRC, is currently the vice-chair of the UCS Board. While UCS considers itself to be neither pro- or anti-nuclear, the organization does say “nuclear power is an inherently hazardous technology; there's no way to make it perfectly safe. But we can make it safer.”
Jaczko during a May 23 press conference did say, since timing is unclear, he is not at all pursuing outside activities while finishing his term at the NRC.
Upton, Whitfield and Shimkus said they are hopeful that the resignation signals a return of comity and collegialty to the NRC that “has been unfortunately absent over the last three years.”
"We are eager for the NRC to return its focus back to safety and policy and away from personal feuds, internal struggles and controversy,” they said.
Controversy has been rampant. Maybe it is time for change, although in April it did not appear the thought of resigning had even crossed Jaczko’s mind.
“My job is making sure we are successful in doing our job. It is not about the personalities, it is about the working relationship we have, the professionalism, and all of the members of the commission have been focused on their work and their responsibilities to the mission. We do not always agree, If Congress wanted us to all agree they would save the taxpayers a lot of money and only have one person on the commission. Different views are sign of healthy organization,” he said.
Since the Energy and Commerce committee has launched a series of inquiries into the commission’s governance, work environment, and recent votes, the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy and the Subcommittee on Energy and Power have scheduled a hearing on May 31, to question Jaczko and NRC commissioners about the conduct of certain commission actions and policy decisions under his leadership. All five commissioners of the NRC are expected to testify.
“We have been actively monitoring the NRC during these tumultuous times and will continue our oversight. With these latest developments along with numerous outstanding issues, we look forward to hearing directly from all of the NRC commissioners,” said Upton, Shimkus and Whitfield.
Jaczko was set to be up for re-nomination next year, after his term ended in June 2013. Regardless of the day he ends his tenure as chairman of the NRC, it seems clear that the drama will always be attached to his legacy, no matter what good he did for the nuclear industry.
