Progress Energy fined $31,500

State labor officials have fined Progress Energy $31,500 for safety violations that contributed to the death of an employee in March at a power plant in Wilmington.

The N.C. Department of Labor cited the Raleigh electric utility for nine serious safety infractions in violation of the state's Occupational Safety and Health Act.

In the accident, technician Corey Rogers, 24, was killed by a hydrogen explosion while performing maintenance at the Sutton coal-fired plant.

"The penalties are in no way designed to make up for loss of life," the labor department said. "Fines are issued to penalize the offending employer, but also to get the attention of other employers with similar work environments."

Progress is evaluating the agency's decision. Within the utility's culture, worker safety is stressed as a top priority.

"We have not yet made a decision on contesting," spokesman Mike Hughes said. "We take these issues very, very seriously."

The labor department found nine violations in the March incident and ranked each of them as "serious." The maximum fine for a serious violation is $7,000; Progress was fined $3,500 for each.

Among the problems discovered, Progress had failed to post warning signs in the area where the explosion occurred, lacked equipment to test for the presence of hydrogen in the area, did not prohibit smoking in the area and left ignition sources nearby, including a golf cart charger and an AC unit.