How does the NRC investigate incidents or events that happen with their licensees?
Incident investigation is a formal process conducted for the purpose of accident prevention. The NRC Incident Investigation program provides a formal, structured, and appropriately measured NRC investigative response to significant operational events based on their safety significance. This process includes gathering and analyzing information; determining findings and conclusions, which include the causes of a significant operational event; and disseminating the investigation results for NRC, industry, and public review. NRC Management Directive 8.3, NRC Incident Investigation Program provides the details of this process.
