British Nuclear Fuels confirmed yesterday that an internal investigation at the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria uncovered 22 incorrect safety checks in the production of mixed-oxide fuel, double the figure previously estimated.
Three employees have been suspended as a result of the investigation, but BNFL would not comment on whether the employees would face criminal charges in the future.
A spokesman for BNFL said the internal investigation was established after information about faked safety checks was passed to the London Independent. The investigation is checking the production of all uranium and plutonium mixedoxide (MOX) fuel rods but there were no plans to widen the investigation to consider the validity of safety checks throughout the plant.