"Dominion Virginia Power and federal nuclear regulatory staff members covered up knowledge of geologic faulting at the North Anna Power Station site in 1973, according to a U.S. Justice Department memo."
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The company, then operating as Virginia Electric and Power Co., or Vepco, told the former Atomic Energy Commission in June 1973 that "faulting of rock at the site is neither known nor suspected," even though the company knew about the existence of faulting at North Anna, the 1977 memo said.
Earthquakes occur as a result of movement on faults, and quakes can be powerful enough to damage a nuclear power station. Dominion's two 980-megawatt nuclear reactors at North Anna have been shut down since Aug. 23, when a magnitude-5.8 earthquake hit central Virginia."
Peter Bacqué reports for the Richmond Times-Dispatch November 6, 2011.
SEE ALSO:
"POGO Asks NRC to Release North Anna Nuclear Power Station Records" (Project on Government Oversight)
"North Anna Nuclear Plant Earthquake Risk: 1977 Memo Details Cover-Up Of Seismic Knowledge " (Huffington Post)
"Building a Nuclear Power Plant on a Fault Still Not a Great Idea" (Mother Jones)
May 11, 1977 Justice Department Memo "Recommending Against Prosecution of Virginia Electric Power Company for Failure to Disclose a Geological Fault" (DocumentCloud)
"Nuclear Power Plant Remains Offline After August Earthquake" (Washington Post)
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