AN investigation by the UK Atomic Energy Authority Police is under way into an act of sabotage at the Sellafield nuclear power plant. British Nuclear Fuels confirmed it had asked for an investigation into the cutting of cables last month on a robotic arm on a maintenance tool which handles nuclear waste.
A spokeswoman for BNFL refused to comment on claims that there was a saboteur among the 10,000 workers. But she said the company took the matter "very seriously".
Six master-slave manipulators were put out of use after cables, which allow machines to be operated from a remote location, were cut.
Meanwhile, serious allegations about the safety record of a company in the running to manage the Atomic Weapons Establishment are due to be aired in BBC's Panorama tonight. The programme will examine three sites in the US, where American defence giant Lockheed Martin has had six accidents in recent years.
The programme comes as the British government is due to make a decision on whether to allow a consortium involving Lockheed Martin, British Nuclear Fuels and another company to run the establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire, from April 1st.