(Reuters) — Canada’s nuclear regulator is so bad at paperwork that it cannot prove it is properly inspecting nuclear power stations and ensuring operators follow the rules, the country’s official environmental watchdog said.
In an audit, Environment Commissioner Julie Gelfand also highlighted what she said were staff shortages at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC oversees Canada’s 19 nuclear reactors.
Gelfand, who reports directly to Parliament, said the audit had uncovered many cases of inadequate or missing documentation.
The audit examined how the CNSC managed site inspections, not the overall safety of nuclear power plants in Canada.
Gelfand said documentation was so poor that the CNSC could not prove its inspectors always followed correct procedures during site visits or that their reports accurately reflected plant inspections.
