I have posted on this topic a few times since 9/11. The issue has surfaced again recently because it has been learned that the Al Qaeda network initially planned to attack US nuclear plants before deciding on the World Trade Center. The current concern is infiltration by a reporter and his access to the reactor area. Here are some things that will help reduce concerns:
Why the Terrorists did not attack American Nuclear Plants: It is now alleged that the Terrorists were concerned that if they attacked a nuclear plant, that it could get out of control and so they opted to target the WTC. Why? If the Terrorists are so "expert" at knowing how to attack and harm a nuclear plant, then they would also know that the destruction would be limited to the reactor and well contained. I strongly suggest that the Terrorists chose to attack the WTC because it would definitely be damaged in a way that would kill far more people, attract far more media attention, and strike more fear into average American citizens. As my earlier posts detail, American nuclear plants are damn near impossible to get to with any effective attack ... and even if successful, they can be safely shut down before any serious events harm the general public. Since the days of the Iran Hostage crisis, Ayatollah Khomeini, American nuclear plants have also been protected by a paramilitary unit highly trained to monitor anything approaching or affecting the plant.
(The reason for this protection is that American Plants have been the targte of threats for over 20 years.) The media is only now making an issue ... and they are doing so with half truths and sensatinalism.
Concern regarding Infiltrators vs Safety Systems: The current belief in the media is that because a news reporter was able to infiltrate a plant with fake credentials and eventually access what he called the "Reactor Room" has raised new fears that somehow a Terrorist could also gain such access easily and get into or near the reactor, even with limited access, and set up explosives, and then leave and then detonate them ... causing a major nuclear event ... add to this, a "Expert" has now been cited as saying this could be done by attacking the "Colling System" ... and thus, fears are elevated in the collective mind of the general public.
Reality regarding Infiltrators: Obviously, if a reporter was able to get into the plant, then so could a Terrorist. The issue is whether such access could allow a Terrorist the opportunity and ability to harm the plant. He/She would have to bring in major explosives to cause enough damage ... and find a way to get these past the safety checks ... which as far more elaborate than that used at airports. We have several detection systems when going to work everyday. There were the usual metal detectors, followed by explosive detectors, etc. ... and then routine pat downs ...
Let's say all that failed, and a Terrorist was able to bring in a bomb ... and get into the reactor building, and strap the bomb to the "Cooling System" ... and get away to set it off. Assuming all other back up safety systems failed ... and the reactor failed to insert rods and shut down ... then yes, it would eventually melt down ... but it would be contained as designed. A Terrorist would have to bring in a very large bomb that would be capable of damaging the Containment Dome sufficient to cause harm to the general public ... and the likelihood of smuggling that large of a bomb past the para-military checks would be impossible.
Reality regarding Safety Systems: A typical American nuclear reactor has four trains of safety systems fully capable of safely shutting down the plant ... even if the Reactor failed to insert rods. A terrorist would have to know where all those trains are, and know where all the by-passess are ... and he/she would have to set up many bombs to target the entire Safety System ... and the Terrorist would also have to knnow about the secretive thing set-up to get around this ... and they don't know nor would they have that level of access ... and they would nopt be able to set up all the necessary explosive devices needed to accomplish harming the plant.
News Experts: I am shocked that the news media is only selecting "Experts" who are idiots. The one used on Fox News today is an idiot because he revealed that the effective way to attack a nuclear plant if to attack its colling system ... why in the world did he give that information away over the public airwaves? Also, he did not even try to mitigate fears by discussing the back up safety systems nor the paramilitary personnel trained to stop terrorists. I am shocked that the media does nto bring in balanced "Experts" who can at least give the public an accurate picture of what goes on at nuclear plants ... and ...
... who could have also mitigated the issue of the sneaky reporter who got in. Infiltrating into a nuclear plant is not all that hard ... nor is it all that threatening. I am not suggesting that an infiltrator could not accomplish some harm ... but that his/her ability to cause serious damage, or damage that culd harm the public is extremely limited ...
What if IT does happen? What if a Terrorist does get in a big bomb that totally destroys a nuclear plant? IF all the above and all the issues noted in earlier posts are proven to be side-stepped ... and ... If that happens, the public will still be safe to the extent that a nuclear plant cannot blow up like a nuclear bomb. But, depending on its location relative to nearby population, some radioactive particles and gama energy could contaminate people close to the plant ... this would not likely be to the levels of killing them necessarily ... but would make a mess to clean up.
ALSO, if such happened, then I believe that the para-military and security at the plant should be rounded up and tried for felony failure to properly carry out their duty ... and if people did die, then the lax security people should be tried for murder.
I am not personally worried. In fact, I wish that I worked back in a nuclear plant, because of all places I would feel the safest, it would be there ...
Edited by - Amazing on 9 September 2002 9:56:50