Nuclear deregulation threatens workers at Pennsylvania plants and nationwide

Paul Gunter and Linda Pentz Gunter authored an oped (with the above headline) published today by the Philadelphia Inquirer, which takes the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to task for, on the one hand, allowing nuclear plant owners to avoid essential safety checks, to extend working hours to 86-hour weeks and to reduce staffing -- all due to the Covid-19 crisis; and, on the other hand, packing nuclear sites with upwards of 1,800 people to conduct refueling operations so closed plants can quickly be brought back on line to eliminate economic losses. Limerick (pictured) in Pennsylvania, was one such plant refueled where workers said they were "terrified" by the overcrowded conditions while the coronavirus continued to spread. The safety of workers and communities should not be compromised to serve a financially failing industry's bottom line, especially in a time of pandemic. Read the full article.