As reported earlier today, last week’s Virginia quake may have actually exceeded design standards at the North Anna nuclear power plant. The reactors were automatically powered down when the power failed from the quake.

An inspection team from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been dispatched to assist resident inspectors in determining whether design standards were exceeded. Employees are saying that the reactors could be down for six weeks to six months, depending on the results of the analysis.

This is troubling on so many levels.

Dennen provides more troubling background on the history of quakes and the North Anna plant:

The subject of earthquakes and North Anna Power Station goes way back, before construction even began in the early 1970s.

According to stories in The Free Lance-Star, some geologists and environmental groups warned of an active earthquake zone that runs through portions of Central Virginia, including Mineral.

In 1976, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found Dominion power’s predecessor, Virginia Electric and Power Co., guilty of making seven material false statements about geology at the plant. The company was fined $32,500.

Among the statements: That “faulting at the site is neither known or suspected.” Also listed was the company’s failure to tell the NRC staff or Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that it knew a fault existed at the site.

Vepco had appealed the fine, saying that statements it made about the fault “were believed to be true at the time they were made” and that there was no intent to mislead or deceive.

More recently, in February, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League brought up the location’s earthquake history in Dominion’s application for a combined license for third reactor pending before the NRC.

Units 1 and 2 went online in 1978 and 1980, respectively.