Feds say NE Ohio plant needs to improve safety

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials say the improvements made at the Perry plant in Lake County aren't enough to resolve all issues. Special inspectors spent months at the plant last year to check on changes made since a 2011 incident that briefly exposed contractors to radiation. They weren't hurt, but officials say the incident could have been avoided with better planning.

Cleveland's Plain Dealer reports (http://bit.ly/Usys4r ) that regulators have told the FirstEnergy Corp.-owned plant that it must make more improvements in worker training and procedures, or face more intensive investigations.

A plant spokeswoman said the plant is well on its way to meeting the goal.

"We have strengthened our safety procedures, trained all of our radiation employees; those who supervise, and those who do the actual work," said Jennifer Young.

The NRC had tagged the plant as one with too many human performance issues. It has said that the staff has made minor mistakes in routine operations over the years, sometimes without identifying and correcting the problem. Issues showed up in work planning, practices and oversight, the NRC has said.