THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, July 2, 1994                 TAG: 9407020598
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                          LENGTH: Medium:   53 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** In an Associated Press story Saturday about the handling of radioactive uranium, the name of Babcock & Wilcox nuclear processing plant in Lynchburg was misspelled. Correction published Saturday, July 7, 1994. ***************************************************************** WORKERS HANDLED UNSAFE AMOUNT OF URANIUM NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THE NRC IS SENDING A TEAM TO INVESTIGATE.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday that it has sent an inspection team to a Babcox & Wilcox nuclear fuel processing plant to determine why workers handled an unsafe amount of radioactive uranium.

No accident and no injuries occurred. But the NRC said the event, which happened about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, indicated a loss of controls required to prevent the processing of radioactive material above safety limits.

The limits prevent the introduction of uranium in quantities sufficient to cause a momentary burst of radiation, the NRC said. ``Such an event would have no likely adverse consequences on surrounding areas but could have severe adverse consequences to personnel in the immediate vicinity,'' the agency statement said.

The NRC did not say when the inspectors, who arrived Thursday, would be finished with their examination.

Babcox & Wilcox said in its statement that there was no release of radioactive materials and ``there was no danger to the public or the environment at any time.''

There is no nuclear reactor at the Mt. Athos plant near Lynchburg. About 1,800 people work at the plant making nuclear fuel for Navy nuclear reactors. But company spokesman Ron Hite estimated only a half-dozen workers were on the third shift when the event occurred.

Employees in the plant's uranium recovery area 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. The NRC said that is less than the amount needed to achieve a radiation burst but more than the 350-gram safety limit.

The NRC said company officials have taken steps to assure the safety of the area. by CNB