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Coalition Demands Solution to Terrorism Vulnerability at Nuclear Reactors!

A coalition of national, regional, and local environmental, public interest, and nuclear watchdog organizations petitioned the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to hold emergency enforcement hearings on a significant structural vulnerability to terrorism existing at 32 of the commercial nuclear power reactors in the US.
Four of them are reactors run by Exelon Corporation in Illinois – Dresden 2&3 (45 miles SW of Chicago near Morris, Illinois) and Quad Cities 1&2 (near Cordova on the Mississippi River). These are General Electric boiling water reactors that possess vulnerable spent fuel pools and reactor containments.
Among the immediate actions requested in the Petition is the establishment of a process that is open, democratic, and inclusive of the public and affected communities. Since September 11, 2001, NRC has unilaterally neglected input from the public interest groups, affected communities and other government agencies, and instead allied itself with nuclear reactor owners. NRC’s response to the 9-11 attacks has been characterized by secrecy, superficial improvements and public relations.

Read our Press Release about this petition

Two Minute No-fly Zones for Cessnas (But the Big Jets Are Still Free to Fly Over)

According to the 9/11 commission final report, al Qaeda strongly considered targeting nuclear plants. The no-fly zones around nukes are 10 nautical miles - about 2 minutes of flight time for general-aviation aircraft like a Beech Bonanza. Its only about one minute of flight time for a 747 or 767, but in spite of 9/11 the no fly zones do not apply to commercial airliners! Still, its probably a good thing to have no fly zones for General Aviation aircraft. Why? Because the largest accumulation of radioactive material at many reactors is the spent fuel storage. As detailed in our report, spent fuel facilities contain most of the radioactive material at commercial reactor sites, and are usually in buildings much weaker than the actual reactors. These buildings are much more vulnerable to terrorist attacks than actual reactors, but pose as much or even more of a contamination danger.

Is the Lowest Bidder Guarding Reactors in Illinois?

Those downwind of nuclear power plants in Illinois may be interested to know that security at all Exelon reactors in Illinois is provided by the Wackenhut corporation. Also known for rape of prison inmates (in some cases female juveniles), harassing activists, and breaking strikes, it turns out that Wackenhut also has a dubious record in providing security at nuclear plants. More information about Wackenhut's record guarding nuclear power plants can be found at the "Eye on Wackenhut" web site, including this report about Wackenhut's performance guarding Nuclear Reactors.

While the NRC refuses to reveal much about their new security regulations - finally issued a year and a half after 9/11 and even coming fully into effect in October, 2004 - a few items have emerged. "Force on force" security drills - which simulate attacks or sabotage by trained and well armed intruders - will be used to test plant security only once every three years. As Public Citizen points out, at the Department of Energy's sensitive nuclear facilities these drills occur every year. But, here's the really fun part. The drills will be conducted by ... Wackenhut. That's right, the NRC is letting Wackenhut check up on its own performance. Will this be like letting Enron check its own books? According to the report entitled Homeland Insecurity, "A US Government report made public in January 2004 shows that Wackenhut cheated on security drills at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee."

More information about the security at nuclear plants can also be found in this press release from Public Citizen.