Steve Neavling

California Sen. Barbara Boxer is urging the Justice Department to investigate whether the operator of a now-defunct nuclear plant in California intentionally deceived federal regulators, the Associated Press reports.

A small radiation leak forced the closure of the plant between Los Angeles and San Diego in January 12, and it hasn’t operated since. 

Boxer, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, says she’s discovered a 2004 internal memo that indicates Southern California Edison misled the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about design changes to the plant’s generators.