http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/dec/23/1m23onofre01354-regulators-spot-another-blunder-nu/?zIndex=26831Federal regulators yesterday cited another lapse at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, this time because the plant's staff didn't notice that a backup battery for safety systems was inoperable between 2004 and 2008.
The poorly connected battery is the latest in a string of mistakes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has found at the power plant, which is run by Southern California Edison and includes San Diego Gas & Electric as a minority owner.
Other problems include falsified fire-safety records that the commission made public in January. At the time, Edison officials said they had fired or disciplined seven workers over the past two years for safety and security violations, including one who skipped hourly fire checks for five years.
The most recent misstep stemmed from inadequate maintenance procedures, the commission said. Its inspectors found that a battery used to power safety systems in case of an accident didn't work because of loose electrical connections.
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