The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission fined the owners of a Connecticut nuclear power plant $288,000 this week for failing to account for two missing fuel rods (see GSN, May 6).

Northeast Utilities, the former owners of the plant, told the commission in 2000 that two fuel rods from one of the plant’s reactors could not be accounted for, according to Reuters.

The NRC said there are no signs that the fuel rods were stolen, but the commission decided to levy a fine against the current owners of the plant, Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, which has 30 days to respond, according to Reuters.

“Notwithstanding the fact that there was no realistic threat past or present to the public health and safety, the loss of highly radioactive fuel rods is unprecedented and is a very significant violation,” the NRC said in its letter to Dominion (Reuters/Planet Ark, June 27).

Dominion said Tuesday that it does not plan to contest the fine.  Northeast has agreed to reimburse the full amount as part of a 2001 agreement associated with the sale of the plant, known as the Millstone Power Station.

In an investigation in 2000, Northeast concluded that missing fuel rods from the station’s Unit 1 spent fuel pool had been cut into segments in 1979 and shipped with other waste to a low-level radioactive waste facility between 1985 and 1992, according to Dominion.  The NRC, which conducted an independent review, agreed with Northeast’s explanation and determined that Dominion is in control of all the remaining used fuel at Millstone, Dominion said (Dominion release, June 25).

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