GE Three

In 1976 Gregory Minor, Richard Hubbard, and Dale Bridenbaugh "blew the whistle" on safety problems at nuclear power plants. The three nuclear engineers gained the attention of journalists and their disclosures about the threats of nuclear power had a significant impact.

In recent years there has been considerable talk about the expansion of the nuclear power, and it has been argued that there will be pressure to build and operate nuclear plants faster and cheaper. Some nuclear power plant workers may have to decide whether to blow the whistle on their employer's nuclear safety practices or to be silent out of fear of losing their jobs.

The "GE Three"

On February 2, 1976, Gregory C. Minor, Richard B. Hubbard, and Dale G. Bridenbaugh "blew the whistle" on safety problems at nuclear power plants, and their action has been called "an exemplary instance of whistleblowing".

The three engineers gained the attention of journalists and their disclosures about the threats of nuclear power had a significant impact. They timed their statements to coincide with their resignations from responsible positions in General Electric's nuclear energy division, and later established themselves as consultants on the nuclear power industry for state governments, federal agencies, and overseas governments. The consulting firm they formed, MHB Technical Associates, was technical advisor for the movie, "The China Syndrome." The three engineers participated in Congressional hearings which their disclosures precipitated.

A book chapter which discusses the whistleblowing, written by Vivian Weil, was published in 1983 as "The Browns Ferry Case" in Engineering Professionalism and Ethics, edited by James H. Schaub and Karl Pavlovic, and published by John Wiley & Sons.

Recent trends

From the 1980s until about 2007, there was little political support for building new nuclear power plants in the USA. But now there is considerable talk about the expansion of the nuclear power, and there is "bound to be pressure to build and operate nuclear plants faster and cheaper". Lessons from history tell us that these pressures will most likely lead to a "schedule over safety" culture at some plants, and nuclear workers will be pressured to "cut corners and overlook safety problems in the interest of getting and keeping plants online and profits flowing to shareholders".

Nuclear power plant workers, who serve as the "eyes and ears" of the public, will have to decide whether and how vigorously to blow the whistle on their employer's nuclear safety practices or to be silent out of fear of losing their jobs. It has been argued that these workers, who have a legal duty to report nuclear safety concerns, need to be aware of their legal rights and that nuclear power plants adhere to zero-tolerance policies that prohibit harassment and intimidation made unlawful by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974.

See also

• Nuclear safety in the United States
• Anti-nuclear movement in the United States
• Gerald W. Brown
• George Galatis
• List of nuclear whistleblowers
• David A. Schlissel

External links

• Watching the Watchdogs
• A Nuclear Plant Gets New Equipment and a New Attitude
• List of Nuclear Whistleblowers