Nuclear Power Industry Urges NRC To Scale Back Oversight
March 26, 2019
The nuclear power industry is pushing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to consider fewer plant inspections.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is weighing a series of changes in oversight requested by the nuclear power industry, according to WRAL.com. These reportedly include replacing some plant inspections with self-reporting by operators and eliminating disclosure to the public regarding “lower-level safety issues.”
According to the article, NRC members appointed by Trump are open to the changes they contend reflect the industry’s improved safety record and its financial difficulties in the face of alternative energy sources. Watchdog groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the anti-nuclear group Beyond Nuclear reportedly are not convinced the deregulation efforts are safe or warranted.
