Seven workers at the San Onofre nuclear power plant have been fired or disciplined over problems at the facility involving safety and security, Southern California Edison officials said Tuesday.
"Where the acts were deliberate misconduct, employees were discharged and contract workers were no longer permitted on the property," said company spokesman Gil Alexander. "Where the conduct was determined to be less egregious, alternative disciplinary actions were taken."
On Monday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced it had found five violations of federal regulations at the facility and said it had reached a mediated agreement with Southern California Edison under which the utility will avoid civil penalties by agreeing to a number of changes at the plant.
These include new training for employees and managers, an analysis of why the lapses occurred and development of a "corrective action plan."
Among the violations cited by the NRC: A fire protection specialist on the midnight shift from April 2001 to December 2006 falsified records to indicate hourly fire watch rounds had occurred when they hadn't.
The plant, on the coast about 65 miles south of Los Angeles, is jointly owned by Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and the city of Riverside. It provides enough power for about 2.75 million homes.
