National Guard troops won’t guard Plymouth nuclear plant (put in place seven years ago)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1092939

By Associated Press
Friday, May 9, 2008 - Added 1d 2h ago

PLYMOUTH, Mass. - The National Guard will no longer be part of the security contingent protecting the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth.

Homeland Security officials say the drawdown of the 18-person force will begin Sunday under a new security plan developed between plant owner Entergy and state and local officials. The transition will be complete by July.

Juliette Kayyem, undersecretary of the state Homeland Security department, told The Patriot Ledger of Quincy that a modern and more sustainable system was needed to protect the plant.

The new plan includes a direct phone line between plant security employees and state emergency management, state police and Plymouth police.

The troops were put in place seven years ago.

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Information from: The Patriot Ledger, http://www.patriotledger.com

[madokie]

1. I'm pleased to read that the taxpayers are not having to pick up the tab for security any longer

If they go about their own security as the nuclear industry seems to as a whole though, then I'm worried. What were the reports recently about guards falsifying records and sleeping on the job, etc for a couple examples.

Fire watch specialist skipped rounds, falsified records at nuclear plant

Regulatory agency orders changes to address 'safety culture' issues | Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:06 AM PST ∞

18 comment(s) Increase Font Decrease Font email this story print this story SAN ONOFRE -- A worker trained to watch for fires at the San Onofre nuclear power plant falsified records and skipped hourly rounds on "numerous occasions" for more than five years, federal regulators said Monday.

Officials with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the employee's misconduct -- and several other violations at the plant during the past year -- has prompted the agency to order several changes at San Onofre, including better training.

Southern California Edison --the nuclear plant's majority owner and operator -- has already agreed to the changes, Edison spokesman Gil Alexander said Monday.

Victor Dricks, a spokesman for the federal commission, said the falsified fire logs didn't pose a big safety threat, because San Onofre has a host of other fire-safety measures.

He said the 'deliberate wrongdoing' is the larger problem.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/01/15/news/top_stories/1_01_031_14_08.txt

(more at link)