Lawyers for Kerry Beal of Lancaster County sent a letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Friday requesting that a new investigation cover Exelon Nuclear's response to Beal's safety violation reports and the retaliation he suffered in bringing his videos before the public.

Between March and August, Beal videotaped 10 of his fellow Wackenhut officers dozing in a secure location of the plant.

Later, a friend of Beal's released his recordings to CBS News, which aired the videos Sept. 24.

In response to the videotapes of officers sleeping on the job, the power station took corrective actions, such as suspending access to the plant for all the guards on Beal's team and terminating its contract with Wackenhut.

On Nov. 1, the plant established its own in-house security force, Exelon Nuclear Security.

Exelon opted not offer Beal a position with Exelon Nuclear Security, saying the former guard didn't meet a minimum of the division's selection criteria.

In their letter to the NRC, Beal's attorneys contended that his suspension from the plant and Peach Bottom's refusal to hire him for its security division ranks as retaliation for bringing forth safety concerns at the power station.

"In other words, Exelon suspended Mr. Beal because he blew the whistle on significant safety violations when his superiors refused to respond to his initial complaints," according to the letter.

Neil Sheehan, a spokesman with NRC, said in a statement that the agency is not yet done with its reviews into the guard inattentiveness at the power station.

"We have already conducted an Augmented Inspection Team review and a follow-up team inspection," he said. "Other reviews are ongoing. Therefore, it would be premature at this point for anyone to draw conclusions with regard to the NRC's ultimate actions on this matter."

Reach Sean Adkins at 771-2047 or sadkins@ydr.com.

Source: York Daily Record