A planned inspection of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant was suspended because Entergy, the company that owns the plant, was not prepared.

The inspection had been scheduled to see if Entergy solved problems that led to four unplanned shutdowns of Indian Point 3 in less than a year. A transformer explosion outside of Indian Point 3 in April caused the fourth shutdown. That led the NRC to change the plant's safety rating from green, the best, to white, which indicates issues which require closer supervision by the agency.

Last week, NRC inspectors began a supplemental on-site inspection due to the shutdowns. The inspection was scheduled because Entergy told regulators it was ready. However, once the inspection began, it became clear the company did not have all the information the inspectors needed. Because of that, the NRC suspended the inspection, for now.

Entergy spokesman Jim Steets says the inspectors wanted information the company's engineers had not anticipated. Steets says he does not know how long it will take for the company to get that information. Failure to be ready for a planned inspection is cause for the NRC to take further action. The NRC has already fined Entergy $130,000 for missing deadlines for its new emergency siren system.