1/4 of U.S. Nuclear Plants Not Reporting Equipment Defects: Report

"More than a quarter of U.S. nuclear plant operators have failed to properly tell regulators about equipment defects that could imperil reactor safety, according to a report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's inspector general.

Operators of U.S. nuclear power plants are supposed to tell the NRC when pieces of equipment 'contain defects that could create a substantial safety hazard,' regulations say.

Although the report doesn't assert that any imminent danger resulted from the lapses, many experts said the lack of communication could make it harder for other nuclear reactor operators to learn about flaws in their own equipment, because many similar parts are used in other reactors."

Steven Mufson and Jia Lynn Yang report for the Washington Post March 24, 2011.