Research reactor under scrutiny

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has launched an investigation of the state-funded nuclear reactor housed at the University of Rhode Island. Reactor officials told the federal regulatory agency that an employee was exposed to radiation during an experiment at the research facility.

The incident occurred when a worker went inside a dry gamma exposure room to calibrate a radiation probe. Reactor Assistant Director Jeff Davis says the employee experienced radiation amounts smaller than a typical chest X-ray.

Federal officials say they are looking into the circumstances that led to the employee’s radiation exposure.