The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has severely criticized Hydro Quebec's Gentilly II Nuclear reactor near Trois-Rivières, Que.

In a report prepared late last year, the federal nuclear regulatory body found problems with the plant's quality control system.

Slow in reporting problems

Under CNSC guidelines, the plant has to prepare regular reports when something comes up that doesn't meet safety standards. The CNSC's report says the power plant is sometimes slow in dealing with those problems.

"For example, some of those things were a lack of review of the non-conformities, a lack of quick action to return the status of a particular point into compliance," says François Rinfret, head of the CNSC's Gentilly II office.

Some of the problems mentioned in the report include leaky valves, and corroded wires. Rinfret also says some components weren't installed with the proper paperwork. Rinfret points out, however, that the majority of problems dealt with in the report have little effect on safety.

Most problems dealt with

Hydro Quebec runs the plant and the utility points out that it has dealt with most of the problems mentioned in the report.

It says the CNSC gave the plant full authorization to run, with no restrictions and no safety violations, shortly after the report was prepared.

"I will say that the station is operated in a professional way, it's safe, and it has been judged that way by CNSC when they renew our license," says René Pageau, who is in charge of the refurbishment project at the plant.

The plant has just finished a routine shutdown period, and is now being powered up.