BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Federal investigators aren’t addressing the fear of reprisal that discouraged employees from reporting sleeping guards at Peach Bottom nuclear plant, six miles from Harford in Pennsylvania, critics say.

“Multiple people had to be aware of this, but none of these people felt compelled to say, ‘Hey, I’m raising a red flag here,’ ” said John Jasinski, a former Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station security director who worked with security guard Kerry Beal to bring the sleeping guards to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s attention.

“Are people afraid to report these types of incidents?” he asked. “They don’t know how to report?”

Reports of sleeping guards had not gotten past shift supervisors — and at least one supervisor discouraged reports, plant manager Joseph Grimes said at a public hearing Monday at the Peach Bottom Inn in Delta near the plant.

“I don’t think you’ve defeated the culture of intimidation and corruption,” said Eric Epstein, of Harrisburg, who represents the Three-Mile Island Alert organization that monitors security at the Susquehanna region’s nuclear plants.

But NRC investigator Dana Caron said individuals had many reasons for not reporting similar incidents.

“Some individuals didn’t report, probably for personal reasons,” he said.

“Others didn’t report because they were discouraged from raising those kind of safety issues. ... They were afraid for their jobs, they were afraid for their advancement, they were afraid of actions by their supervisors.”

David Wachtel, a Washington lawyer representing Beal, said his client still felt threatened by those who lost their jobs because of the investigation.

Caron said the sleeping guards and the failures of the plant’s procedures for reporting problems constituted a threat “potentially greater than green,” referring to the lowest of the color-coded threat levels used by the NRC.

STORY SO FAR

March: John Jasinski sends the Nuclear Regulatory Commission a letter alleging guards are sleeping throughout the nuclear plant in York County, Pa. The NRC refers the concern to plant owner Exelon and security provider Wackenhut.

Sept. 10: WCBS in New York informs the NRC that it has a videotape of guards asleep or nodding off in a “ready room” near the nuclear reactor.

Sept. 21: An NRC inspection confirms only the 10 guards caught on tape were sleeping — only one of four shifts is implicated.

Nov. 1: Exelon terminates its contract with Wackenhut and takes over the plant’s security. Whistle-blower Kerry Beal, on leave during the investigation, is not among the Wackenhut guards rehired by Exelon.

Nov. 5: NRC inspectors follow up at Peach Bottom to ensure Exelon is correcting the problem.

December 2007-2008: NRC pledges to monitor corrective action by Exelon.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com