University of Texas researchers have found that public and private nuclear reactors lack security measures needed to protect against terrorism attacks similar to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, Reuters reported Thursday.
Timothy Gardner writes the University’s Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project released study findings that show nuclear facilities are vulnerable to theft of compounds used to design weapons that may cause a reactor meltdown.
The report notes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission established mandates calling for plant defense against small-scale attacks.
“That is a good sign of progress, but that does not address the concern we have about nuclear reactors,” said Alan Kuperman, NPPP coordinator and the report’s co-author.
A Nuclear Energy Institute spokesman wrote in a recent blog post that 62 nuclear facilities in the country have trained and armed 9,000 officers for security missions, Reuters reports.
“This new report details something that has concerned me all along – that the United States is inadequately prepared for a terrorist attack on our nuclear plants and there is much more to do to guarantee that our nuclear power plants and facilities are safe and secure,” said Senator Edward Markey.
Researchers recommended that the U.S. government take action to safeguard all power plants in the country, according to the article.
