The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday that tests done on high level waste casks welds in late 2013 were done improperly at the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis, Minn.
The federal watchdog said that two former contracted employees willfully falsified reports after improper tests were conducted on the cask welds. The tests involve using a dye on the welds, then waiting 10 to 15 minutes before inspecting the dye, which could reveal cracks in the welds. The workers on six casks, however, waited for far less time than required – sometimes less than a half a minute – before checking the welds. In their reports, the workers said they waited the required time before checking.
The plant operator, Xcel Energy Inc., in turn, did not properly monitor the contracted workers, the NRC said.
Regional vice president for Xcel Energy Laura McCarten said the casks have been re-examined and found to be safe. They have been placed in a concrete storage facility outside the reactor building. She also said that TriVis Inc., of Birmingham, Ala., the contracted company that employed the workers, is no longer a vendor for Xcel.
Xcel could face “escalated enforcement action,” the NRC said. The actions taken against two unnamed TriVis technicians was not disclosed. Xcel vice president of operations Scott Northard said the company would not be facing criminal charges. The company's apparent neglect has not been labeled willful, the Star Tribune reported.
One of the technicians said he was working fast, because he had heard a manager complain about the slow speed of workers.