Members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who have publicly aired their disagreements in recent months, will appear this week before a Senate panel to explain how they are improving safety at nuclear plants in light of Japan's nuclear crisis.

NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko and his four fellow commissioners -- two Republicans and two Democrats -- will testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday about safety upgrades at U.S. reactors.

SPECIAL SERIES

An occasional series looking at the political and policy -- and literal -- fallout from the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan.

The commission for the past year has been discussing how to respond to the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant, triggering explosions, radioactive leaks and evacuations.

The agency Friday issued top-tier safety orders to protect reactors from earthquakes and other natural disasters, ensure spent-fuel pools have appropriate equipment and ensure the reliability of reactor vents.

But Jaczko and his colleagues have also been busy in recent months appearing before Congress to address infighting. Four commissioners sent a letter to the White House last year complaining of the chairman's management style. Although that issue has since died down, lawmakers including Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, the commission's ranking Republican, may quiz the commission members about their working relationships.

Senators are also likely to ask the regulators whether they are moving fast enough in issuing the post-Fukushima safety orders.

Jaczko told House lawmakers last week that NRC is not on pace to make all post-Fukushima safety changes within five years. Democratic Commissioner Bill Magwood, however, thinks that the agency could actually be ahead of schedule and that there has been no delay in responding to the disaster, according to his office.

The entire process began last summer when an internal task force that was charged with reviewing the Japanese disaster released a dozen recommendations for boosting safety at U.S. reactors. NRC staff later prioritized those proposals, which are now being crafted into rules, orders and information requests.

Groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists have also heavily criticized the agency for moving too slowly and released a report last week that found the commission has not addressed the most crucial safety issue -- a possible revamp of its regulatory structure (E&ENews PM, March 6).

Democratic Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts also weighed in last week, criticizing Jaczko's colleagues for failing to acknowledge the seriousness of the Fukushima accident.

"We need the NRC to be an industry watchdog, not an industry lapdog," said Markey, who is also Jaczko's former boss. "It is urgent that the NRC commissioners stop the delays, turn off the soap opera and vote to address the vulnerabilities to America's nuclear fleet that were revealed by the Fukushima meltdowns."

The nuclear power industry and the Nuclear Energy Institute announced at a news conference last week that they have already moved ahead with a $100 million program to purchase hundreds of pieces of emergency backup equipment that will be staged at half-a-dozen regional warehouses around the country.

The Union of Concerned Scientists also criticized that plan, saying it was risky and there was no assurance the equipment would meet federal safety standards. NEI, on the other hand, says the program is pro-active and adds layer upon layer of safety equipment to safeguard reactors during an emergency.

Schedule: The hearing is Thursday, March 15, at 10 a.m. in 406 Dirksen.

Witnesses: NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko and Commissioners Kristine Svinicki, William Magwood, William Ostendorff and George Apostolakis.