WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US government will fine the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) $70,000 for failing to properly watch out for fires near the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said in a statement.
“An NRC investigation found that on numerous occasions in October and November 2012, some of TVA’s contract fire watch workers failed to actually walk through certain areas as required and, along with their supervisors, deliberately recorded that those actions had been completed,” the NRC said on Wednesday.
The NRC noted that the TVA has since developed corrective measures to prevent the violation occurring again.
“The potential consequences of missed fire watches concern us,” NRC Region II Administrator Victor McCree said in the statement.
“Although there are other fire protection features, fire watches are an important part of the plant’s overall fire protection strategy, especially in areas where other equipment may be temporarily unavailable,” McCree explained.
The NRC is an independent government body that regulates and ensures the safe use of commercial nuclear power plants and radioactive materials.
