"Nuclear Plant Contractors Faked 10 Months of Inspection Records"

"Contractors at Entergy's Waterford 3 nuclear power plant on the west bank of St. Charles Parish failed to conduct required hourly fire inspections and falsified records for 10 months to show the inspections occurred, according to the results of a 15-month-long investigation announced Wednesday (Dec. 23) by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In a Dec. 14 letter notifying Entergy of its findings, the commission's regulatory staff also said an Entergy Operations Inc. supervisor 'deliberately failed to identify and take corrective actions upon being provided with information of suspected wrongdoing by contract fire watch individuals.'

Further, the agency found that a manager for the contracting firm providing the fire inspection workers 'deliberately provided incomplete and inaccurate information to an access authorization reviewing official regarding the trustworthiness and reliability of a contract fire watch individual.' Entergy identified the company that provided the fire watch workers as GCA Contractors.

The NRC has given Entergy the opportunity of requesting a 'pre-decisional enforcement conference.' Or the company may request 'alternative dispute resolution,' before the commission decides on enforcement penalties."

Mark Schleifstein reports for the New Orleans Times-Picayune December 23, 2015.