NRC Waives Enforcement of Fire Rules at Nuclear Plants

NRC Waives Enforcement of Fire Rules at Nuclear Plants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is routinely waiving fire rule violations at nearly half the nation's 104 commercial reactors, even though fire presents one of the chief hazards at nuclear plants.

The policy, the result of a series of little-noticed decisions in recent years, is meant to encourage nuclear companies to remedy longstanding fire safety problems. But critics say it is leaving decades-old fire hazards in place as the NRC fails to enforce its own rules.

Fires present a special risk to nuclear plants because they can knock out cables that control-room operators need to safely cool down a reactor. The explosions and fires at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant have shown what can happen when operators can't activate pumps, valves and other equipment needed to prevent damage to the radioactive core.

At the Browns Ferry plant in Alabama, where a devastating cable fire 36 years ago prompted the NRC to adopt tough new fire rules, the plant still doesn't comply with the requirements to protect cables.

http://www.propublica.org/article/nrc-waives-enforcement-of-fire-rules-at-nuclear-plants

If I ever get pulled over for driving without a seat belt (I wear mine so won't happen, but still..) I will just tell the officer I am going to comply eventually and I am sure he/she will just ok :)

Dishonest at best.