Federal officials Monday disclosed a variety of lapses at the San Onofre nuclear power plant near San Clemente, including a worker who falsified records for more than five years to show that operators made hourly fire patrols when they had not.
As a result, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ordered Southern California Edison to develop a training program for employees, including ethics courses for managers and contractors as well as classes for plant staff to prevent deliberate misconduct. Some of the corrective actions must be taken by the end of the month.
The commission, which regulates the nation's nuclear power industry, found five violations of federal regulations at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station during the last year.
San Onofre's two reactors produce electricity for about 2.75 million households. The plant is jointly owned by Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and the city of Riverside. Edison owns 75% of the station.
In addition to falsified records, officials uncovered two security lapses, but would not elaborate on them. The other violations involved a radiation worker who did not comply with the conditions of a work permit, and a company failure to properly supervise an unqualified technician, whose work led to the temporary shutdown of a safety system.
"The order contains a comprehensive set of actions designed to improve performance at San Onofre by emphasizing a strong nuclear safety culture," said Elmo E. Collins, a regional administrator for agency. "The NRC depends on a good-faith effort by power plant workers to follow regulations. Willful violations by workers cannot be tolerated."
In a prepared statement, Edison acknowledged the NRC's order and stated that the company was complying with the agency's requirements.
Though the actions of plant workers were deliberate, NRC and Edison officials said the five incidents did not represent a significant threat to the safety of San Onofre. Victor Dricks, an NRC spokesman, said the lapses were what the agency calls "Level 4" violations, or the least serious.
"But I don't want to diminish their importance," Dricks said. "They involve willful misconduct."
Nuclear policy experts from Committee to Bridge the Gap and the Union of Concerned Scientists said the persistent fire patrol problems compromised safety at San Onofre and reflected a lack of resolve by the NRC to enforce regulations that protect the public from catastrophic nuclear plant accidents. They said a hefty fine would have been more appropriate.
