Nuke agency to begin review of US plant safety

[March 21, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nuclear energy regulators are meeting Monday to receive an update on the status of Japan's stricken nuclear complex and begin short-term and long-term reviews of U.S. nuclear safety.

The five-member Nuclear Regulatory Commission will get an update from its staff on the ongoing crisis in Japan and devise a plan to meet President Barack Obama's call for a comprehensive safety review at the 104 U.S. nuclear reactors.

NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said the agency was likely to perform a short-term review of existing nuclear reactors, "and then probably a much longer look" based on information from Japan.

Jaczko promised a "methodical" examination of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant and a thorough review of U.S. practices going forward.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW DALY]

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