Nuclear Regulatory Commission furloughs 90 percent of workforce

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission furloughed 3,600 of its employees Thursday, roughly 90 percent of its workforce, according to a White House official. 

President Obama was briefed by his senior staff on the current break in appropriations to the federal agencies Thursday. They alerted him of NRC’s actions. 

The nuclear regulator will continue to respond to emergency safety and security matters during the lapse in funding. There will not be a halt in any safety and security protocols. Onsite inspectors will remain on duty. 

But the agency will not be able to approve any non-urgent nuclear reactor licenses, or conduct emergency preparedness exercises. The inspection of nuclear materials and waste licensees will cease, and modifications to all existing nuclear facilities will be suspended. 

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) released a statement Thursday saying NRC oversight at the nuclear reactors would remain unaffected by the shutdown.

“All of the nuclear industry safety measures and regulatory controls will remain in full effect throughout the NRC shutdown,” said Anthony Pietrangelo, chief nuclear officer at Nuclear Energy Institute.

“The NRC staff reduction beginning today will have no impact on the daily oversight of nuclear energy facilities and the resident inspectors assigned to each facility will remain on the job.The industry’s foremost commitment every day is to ensure the operational safety at America’s reactors. That commitment will remain strong during the NRC shutdown.”

NEI noted that in 2012 the nuclear industry received its highest safety marks on record, with .05 safety accidents per 200,000 worker-hours.