Jury: Worker covered up damage at Ohio nuke plant (worst corrosion ever found at a U.S. reactor)

Source: Associated Press

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Jurors on Tuesday convicted a former nuclear plant engineer of hiding information from government regulators about the worst corrosion ever found at a U.S. reactor.

Prosecutors said Andrew Siemaszko and two other workers lied in 2001 so the Davis-Besse plant along Lake Erie could delay a shutdown for a safety inspection. Months later, inspectors found an acid leak that nearly ate through the reactor's 6-inch-thick steel cap.

Siemaszko covered up the damage to the plant's reactor vessel head and lied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal jury said.

It's not clear how close the plant, midway between Toledo and Cleveland, was to an accident.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080826/D92Q5AAO1.html

because they are so safe and nothing ever goes wrong.

I support nuclear power, but if they're going to be operated by utilities who thumb their noses at inspections, then we're better off if every one gets shut down permanently. Perhaps a NRC with some real authority would be a step toward safe nuke plant operation. The 'Pugs shout 'nuclear power' from the rooftops, but 'safety inspections?' Not so much.

would probably cause a come-to-jesus moment for all nuke operators. Fail to play it straight? You no longer own the facility nor do you have any wealth, and you're lucky if you escape a 5-year term in Leavenworth too.

The reactor lid was 6"thick, the hole the size of a football. In one spot it was down to the reactor vessel's stainless steel liner, 3/8ths of an inch thick and puckered.

Sorry this info is in a pdf format. It's from the Toledo Blade.

http://www.toledoblade.com/news/pdfs/nukegraphic.pdf

Friday's Toledo Blade had a long article about the trial,
it's worth reading the whole thing to the end - especially the part about the pizza.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/NEWS02/808220359/0/NEWS28

Article published Friday, August 22, 2008
Case against Davis-Besse engineer now up to jury
By TOM HENRY
BLADE STAFF WRITER

<snip>

Billie Pirner Garde, recognized by a prosecution witness and others as an attorney with a national reputation for defending nuclear whistleblowers, broke down in tears as she maintained her client’s innocence.

<snip>

The defense team has claimed throughout the trial that Mr. Siemaszko has been set up by the NRC, the Department of Justice, and the utility as a scapegoat for the Ottawa County plant’s near-catastrophe.

<snip>

FirstEnergy has paid a record $33.5 million for its corporate role in the cover-up. Two alleged co-conspirators were tried last year. One was fined $7,500 after being convicted on three of five counts; the other was acquitted of all four charges against him.

<snip>

Everything is just swell here in Ohio. :sarcasm:

Siemaszko's attorneys said the plant's owner set him up as a scapegoat because he spoke out about safety concerns. They will consider an appeal.

"I'm disappointed," Siemaszko said. When asked what message the verdict sends, he said: "Do not go against a big company."

<snip>

Defense attorney Billie Pirner Garde said nuclear workers will be less likely to raise concerns about safety. "This makes the nuclear industry less safe," she said.

The owners should be prosecuted too...

could pretend they were doing something to solve the problem. This pisses me off so bad I can't breathe.

not make these same mistakes." Sadly the coverup mentality comes from the top. This engineer may have hidden the problem, but it was by the direction of his superiors. When employees are treated badly or made to feel their jobs are at stake, they learn to stop pointing out safety issues. "Safety First" is shouted from the rooftops, but the actions are opposite. The NRC is in bed with too many nuclear energy companies to be considered any kind of oversight agency. Merchant plants are the worst. The equipment is run until it becomes faulty and then a band-aid is slapped on in order to save money, yet Outage Managers are given millions of dollars (yes, millions) as a bonus if they can push to get a refueling done within 30 days. Refueling used to last 4+ months and was used as a time to fix everything. It's all about the money. Not all nuclear plants fit this description, but even one is too many.

country.

This is a perfect reason why we should invest in other safer and greener alternatives.

Anybody know?

acidic..

According to the PDF file I linked to in my post above, it's used to control fission.

:hi:

I am proud to report that those DUers are on my ignore list-not for supporting nuke energy but for badgering DUers who are against nuke energy. Senator mCcain wants to 'solve' some of the energy problems in America by adding many many more nuke reactors. Quite a few of these reactors would be built in areas that are prone to hurricanes. Global Warming means that there will be an even greater threat to those areas from hurricanes. The potential for a nuclear catastrophe is mind-numbing and yet mCcain, (and those who think like him) remain oblivious to this fact. They would choose instead to promote Nuke Energy while minimizing or even ignoring the associated problems. IMO, in mCcain's case it is all about who is greasing his palm.

To see one of the damage these new plants could do. BTW, Jimmy Carter went into 3 mile island and was at much greater risk than originally thought. He learned about nuke power in the Navy.

Can anyone guess what other nuke plant was constructed by them?

Everybody have their "Lil yellow boots" on?

SNL 1979 "The Pepsi Syndrome".