Babcock & Wilcox controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2000
Asbestos-related litigation and bankruptcy
B&W faced thousands of claims alleging illness from prolonged exposure to asbestos and asbestos fibers, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. The resulting liabilities contributed to the company's Chapter 11 filing. Its restructuring included a trust intended to compensate eligible claimants.
1979
Three Mile Island reactor accident
Three Mile Island Unit 2 used a B&W-designed pressurized-water reactor. The accident involved a combination of equipment, instrumentation, operator, and procedural problems; a valve-design weakness was identified as an initiating factor. The event caused major scrutiny of B&W's reactor technology and contributed to broad changes in nuclear safety practice and regulation.