Fire watch specialist skipped rounds, falsified records at nuclear plant
By: CRAIG TENBROECK - Staff Writer
Regulatory agency orders changes to address 'safety culture' issues | ∞
SAN ONOFRE -- A worker trained to watch for fires at the San Onofre nuclear power plant falsified records and skipped hourly rounds on "numerous occasions" for more than five years, federal regulators said Monday.
Officials with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the employee's misconduct -- and several other violations at the plant during the past year -- has prompted the agency to order several changes at San Onofre, including better training.
Southern California Edison --the nuclear plant's majority owner and operator -- has already agreed to the changes, Edison spokesman Gil Alexander said Monday.
Victor Dricks, a spokesman for the federal commission, said the falsified fire logs didn't pose a big safety threat, because San Onofre has a host of other fire-safety measures.
He said the 'deliberate wrongdoing' is the larger problem.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's order, dated Friday and released by the agency Monday, came from a Dec. 3 mediation session between federal officials and plant operators.
The order describes several "substantiated" violations at the nuclear plant in the last year and notes that other incidents are under investigation.
Among the violations:
Alexander said he could not provide the name of the fire watch specialist or say whether the person was still employed by the utility.
But he added that "disciplinary action was taken."
Other fire-safety measures at San Onofre include chemical and water suppression systems, fire alarms, airtight doors and an on-site fire department.
Rochelle Becker, a founding member of the California-based Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility watchdog organization, said she was troubled by the number of years that the fire watch employee was able to falsify records.
"Why should the public feel so comfortable when there's such a lag time because the problem and the NRC's solution to the problem?" she said.
The commission's order requires Edison to take several steps "to strengthen the nuclear safety culture at the plant," Dricks said.
Those steps include hiring an independent contractor to conduct a safety assessment, developing special training to prevent misconduct and expanding the utility's ethics training.
If the utility fails to meet certain benchmarks, Edison could face "further enforcement action," Dricks said.
"We expect full compliance," Dricks said.
The San Onofre nuclear plant is on a seaside patch of Camp Pendleton, about 15 miles north of Oceanside. The plant has 2,160 personnel and generates a little more than 2,000 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power about 1.5 million households.
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. owns a 20 percent stake in the plant.
-- Contact staff writer Craig TenBroeck at (760) 901-4062 or ctenbroeck@nctimes.com.
More Stories
Advertisement
Bo wrote on Jan 14, 2008 8:57 PM:How much does it cost to install check-in stations to ensure security guards / inspectors actually make thier rounds? Pretty much a no-brainer when security is so important!
John wrote on Jan 14, 2008 9:56 PM:This was going on for more than five years? Well I certainly hope that they are not going to refill that position. They obviously don't need someone there, it sounds like a waste of our tax paying money.
Matt wrote on Jan 14, 2008 11:40 PM:I don't get it, why is there such laziness. Those people are getting paid, you mean they want to get paid for doing nothing. Oh, what a horrible thing to say. Wake up people, this is a NUCLEAR FACILITY, there should be no mercy here whatsoever. The safty, and health of millions of residents who live within a few miles all around are at stake. They need to be fired immediately and get some people in there who will not act so lazy. Let's get it done NOW ! !
Come on wrote on Jan 15, 2008 12:17 AM:The falsified logs didn't matter because they have a host of other systems? Then why pay this position? What a scam to the tax payers and rate payers. Maybe this persons paychecks for the last five years need to be falsified too. How hard is it to do the job your paid for?
JSten wrote on Jan 15, 2008 6:28 AM:Oh holier than thou!
Tax Payers?
What part of YOUR taxes goes for the San Onofre Plant? You assume too much.
The person was caught and disciplined.
The system goes like this, the people are well trained and supervised. However is a large staff, there is a statistical reality that SOME people are going to screw up.
There really isn't much of story here except that there is an audit system in place that appears to be working. The laundry list is actually pretty ho-hum in my view. I bet most of those weighing in on this article would find themselves wanting if scrutinized at the level of the Nuke plant.
Unless..... wrote on Jan 15, 2008 7:50 AM:Is this guy's name Homer Simpson by any chance?
esteban wrote on Jan 15, 2008 9:32 AM:Relax folks...missing a few rounds isn't gonna cause a disaster. Plus these "violations" are sooooo vague. ...
Warner: wrote on Jan 15, 2008 9:41 AM: This is a demonstration of a lackadaisical attitude from the top down concerning safety in a nuclear plant. I did not see mention of the root cause in the above article. Of course the over all responsibility lies at the top - someone should have known long before now. Their safety system is failing at a time when we should be pressing forward to improve our nuclear energy production methods and their safety measures. There should be some criminal charges and jail sentences some where in the very near future.
to JSten wrote on Jan 15, 2008 9:48 AM:What is your job? It certainly has nothing to do with security I hope. The worker was a liar with no conscience and you call that 'security in place?' Why should we assume 'bad apples' pepper every workplace? Speak for yourself, not those who couldn't even imagine lazing out on the job. So when you next fly, maybe you'll get the one air controller who 'skipped/falsified his rounds' that hour? And of course it would be OK with you as you claim that's normal to have flakes? Oh, yes, of course the worker who caused your plane to crash will indeed be disciplined. ...
to JSten Pt 2 wrote on Jan 15, 2008 11:07 AM:If you don't see anything wrong with someone not doing the job they are being paid to do, how about the fact that this went on for five years?
JSten wrote on Jan 15, 2008 11:50 AM:I dont think it should be all that unusual to find that out of several hundred to a thousand people working steadily over several years, something is not up to spec. That is the reason for the reviews. To see the results in the paper is also what we expect. To think that all people perform at 100% all teh time is rather immature. (ever raise a child?) To believe that just because problems are found indicates that the system is broken is idiotic.
Fred H wrote on Jan 15, 2008 12:04 PM:And this all comes as some sort of surprise to everyone? If our government took charge here, the security guards would earn 125k annually with benefits. Instead, they contract out for 5¢ cheaper. Typically some Congressman's daughter will create a baloney security company that will be 'awarded' the contract. Much like the border fence nonsense. Show me a 20' fence and I will show you a Congressman who owns a fence company & a Mexican selling 21' ladders. WISE UP!
probably sleeping.... wrote on Jan 15, 2008 12:20 PM:you can't expect a guy to stay awake all night. He was probasbly catching some sleep in the back room.
To Fred H wrote on Jan 15, 2008 4:24 PM:You obviously don't have any experience with government employment or government contracts. Government positions almost always pay less than then the same position in the private sector. The only way to get six figures in the government is to have a Doctorate degree and get into upper management.
You did get one thing right...the Government does not "privatize" (contract out) work to save money, they do it to line the pockets of big donors and themselves (can you say (Haliburton, Mr. Cheney?). My neighbors are a perfect example; three oustanding young men that joined the Marines and learned helicopter mechanics. As soon as they were able to they got out of the Marines to work for a local private helicopter maintenance company. They now service the same Marine helicopters but they earn about five times more pay and the company officers are getting rich!
Steve wrote on Jan 15, 2008 4:42 PM:I used to work there. left to be near family. safety is very important there. They have scanners like the supermarket for their rounds. Somebody must have adjusted the record. Don't forget this Paper has been against SONGs since day one
Answer: Build More Nuke Plants wrote on Jan 15, 2008 6:14 PM:Maybe next time they will get it right
Security? wrote on Jan 15, 2008 7:12 PM:I keep seeing reference to security in the above comments but this incident did not involve security. Did I miss something here?
Fred H wrote on Jan 15, 2008 7:41 PM:I just FOIA'd the contract bids for official correspondence by ICE. I just can't figure why they dropped FedEx in favor of DHL when the cost of DHL is roughly 3x's as much. No...here is no corruption in our country, you are right! I am personally acquainted with BP agents making in excess of 100k with night differential/holiday pay/Authorized Uncontrollable Overtime, et al. You don't know squat, my friend. Wake up am smell the wool being pulled over your eyes
Advertisement