Nation : NRC Moves Toward Drug Testing

WASHINGTON —  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission today moved toward adoption of a regulation that would require random drug and alcohol testing of employees at all U.S. nuclear power plants.

The commission heard a briefing by the NRC staff on the proposed rule, which would apply to all utilities operating or building atomic power stations. Brian Grimes, an NRC official, said it was expected that the commission would have a final vote on the regulation within about a month. After that, he said, official publication of the rule would take another month and would be followed by a six-month implementation period.