Niagara Mohawk pays civil fine: plant personnel reinstated

Niagara Mohawk has paid civil penalty fines imposed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and has reinstated personnel after both sides made concessions over a dispute following the utility's installation of a lead-brick radiation shield instead of a required lead cave. The NRC fined the utility for making the substitution and deliberately lying. The utility responded that an outside consultant approved the lead brick, which was later enclosed in a shielding cave. Plant personnel conceded that errors were made, but denied that they had compromised their integrity. The NRC took past performance of personnel into account and agreed to the reinstatements