ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 5, 1994                   TAG: 9407050085
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                                LENGTH: Short

AGENCY INVESTIGATES NUCLEAR FUEL MISTAKE

An inspection team from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will continue to investigate why workers at a nuclear fuel processing plant handled an unsafe amount of radioactive uranium.

Four NRC inspectors investigated Friday through Sunday. They were expected to return to the plant Wednesday.

The Babcock & Wilcox Naval Nuclear Fuel Division has formed its own inspection team, which worked over the weekend, said company spokesman Ron Hite.

Employees in the plant's uranium recovery area last Wednesday were dissolving the contents of six 2.5-liter bottles containing the radioactive element, the NRC said. They thought the bottles contained 121 grams of uranium. But after processing, they discovered the presence of 694 grams.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB