The regulatory agency relies heavily on certifications by nuclear utilities that they comply with the standards.

But in several important respects, today's vote, 396 to 17, was nonetheless a victory for nuclear utilities and the companies that supply equipment to them.

It's a sweetheart deal between two nuclear utilities, and the public is getting ripped off.

Money for the cleanup would be provided by the Federal Government and nuclear utilities.

The board includes representatives from the nation's 27 nuclear utilities, plant designers, architect/engineering firms and fuel cycle companies.

Every nuclear utility is now under orders to reassess operations manuals, and many plants are going beyond that.

The federal government needs it to resolve its commercial dispute with the nuclear utilities.

The company has longstanding contracts with nuclear utilities nationwide.

Most nuclear utilities want a transition to free markets that could take as long as a decade.

"We felt it was wrong for our organization to accept money from nuclear utilities and from the tobacco industry."