Nuclear Emergencies

WASHINGTON (CN) – Nuclear plants may not have sufficient staff to both operate a plant during an emergency event and respond to and repair the damage of a hostile attack on a nuclear facility, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.     Current regulations require assigning emergency response roles to on-site staff but also demand the same staff maintain operations. The NRC plans to simplify the roles staff are expected to perform, and require on-call staff to augment operational staff during emergency events.      The NRC has been in the process of reviewing all security protocols with nuclear licensees in light of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.