This is Comforting...

Buried in an otherwise mundane write-up about a federal inspection team giving the San Onofre nuclear plant a thorough inspection after a back up generator failed last month, is this line Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials:

“We don't issue fines anymore unless there was what we call deliberate misconduct involved. . . . There is certainly no indication that happened here,” Dricks said.

That's kind of disturbing.

So, benign neglect, garden variety incompetence, or just plain old mistakes won't draw a sanction from the feds-- just intentional acts. That surely will motivate plant staff to stay on their toes!

I would hope that fines and other penalties would be handed out for the slightest violation-- deliberate or otherwise. I guess not.

Comforting.

Inspectors plan report on Onofre [San Diego Union Tribune]