Uneven enforcement suspected at nuclear plants

Uneven enforcement suspected at nuclear plants

BOSTON (AP) - The number of safety violations at U.S. nuclear power plants varies dramatically from region to region, pointing to inconsistent enforcement in an industry now operating mostly beyond its original 40-year licenses, according to a congressional study awaiting release. Nuclear Regulatory Commission figures cited in the Government Accountability Office report show that while the West has the fewest reactors, it had the most lower-level violations from 2000 to 2012 – more than 2 1/2 times the Southeast’s rate per reactor.