CNN article on safety of nuclear plants from attack

[StageLeft]

http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/12/news/economy/nuclear_security/index.htm

I don't find this reassuring. Two main types of attack: Plane & ground assault. For plane they list these reasons why we're safe:
High security: (this reason is not air-tight though and thus not very comforting)
Military alert: (dito; if a hijacking took place 10 minutes from reactor this is meaningless)
Difficult target: meaningless; a good pilot could hit a reactor
Protective Barriers: helpful but shutting it down before hand is meaningless; it assumes that the plant would be notified on time
Time delay: Seems pretty crappy to me and still a catastrophe

Then the ground assault if they really are only training for five people not particularly well armed to attack a place there should be no comfort found there.

 

[heyheybooboo]

I'm less concerned about possible attack than re-licensing of older reactors, use of MOX and on-site storage.

They do some pretty serious security scenarios at the plant next to me - including practice against air assaults (I make that assumption because of what seems like monthly low-flying high-speed aircraft - including rotary - which fly over my house).

They also have a large security training area --- we can hear the automatic weapons firing each week ....

 

[Moonbeam]

I'm less concerned about possible attack than re-licensing of older reactors, use of MOX and on-site storage.

They do some pretty serious security scenarios at the plant next to me - including practice against air assaults (I make that assumption because of what seems like monthly low-flying high-speed aircraft - including rotary - which fly over my house).

They also have a large security training area --- we can hear the automatic weapons firing each week ....

Yup, that's an Al Quaeda infiltrated group that will be doing the assault under the guise of security.

 

[Darwin333]

How many active nuclear sites do we have in the US? Lets just call it 100. Put 50 well trained marines at each one, ground assault problem solved.

Build 4 or 5 towers surrounding the site a mile away from it or so with a few guys with AA missiles. I assume that would be plenty for a commercial jet?

Seriously, can we not figure out how to protect 100 vital installations within our borders? This is a stupid problem to have.

 

[StageLeft]

How many active nuclear sites do we have in the US? Lets just call it 100. Put 50 well trained marines at each one, ground assault problem solved.

Build 4 or 5 towers surrounding the site a mile away from it or so with a few guys with AA missiles. I assume that would be plenty for a commercial jet?

Seriously, can we not figure out how to protect 100 vital installations within our borders? This is a stupid problem to have.

That's a good point.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

How many active nuclear sites do we have in the US? Lets just call it 100. Put 50 well trained marines at each one, ground assault problem solved.

Build 4 or 5 towers surrounding the site a mile away from it or so with a few guys with AA missiles. I assume that would be plenty for a commercial jet?

Seriously, can we not figure out how to protect 100 vital installations within our borders? This is a stupid problem to have.

Biggest problem would be to find 50 well trained marines.

 

[NaughtyGeek]

Having worked several plants, the only realistic scenario I see in the article is the spent fuel pools. These were never designed to be the semi-permanent fixtures they've become. For those worried about how much time it takes to put a reactor into a "safe" state, it's about a second. ;-) Look up SCRAM for more info.

 

[LunarRay]

IF you dig a hole and build the unit in that hole an air attack is very unlikely... to be sure to be sure you could insure that the towers to carry the electricity away are constructed in such a way as to disenable an aircraft from hitting our facility.

Create barriers to any ground attack from vehicles. Build the facility in the middle of our Marine bases...

There should be at least 50 good marines, JOS, among the lot there... heheheheheh

<-------- Our Marines can beat up your marines... My Brad growls at you...

 

[Patranus]

Well, its not like the USA is going to be going "green" with any new nuclear power plants considering the fact that Obummer ended a 30 year 15 billion dollar project to store nuclear waste right after the project is complete.

But that is aside the point.

The terrorists are coming, the terrorists are coming, head for the windmills!

 

[StageLeft]

Well, its not like the USA is going to be going "green" with any new nuclear power plants considering the fact that Obummer ended a 30 year 15 billion dollar project to store nuclear waste right after the project is complete.

But that is aside the point.

The terrorists are coming, the terrorists are coming, head for the windmills!

Yes, it is.

 

[K1052]

Well, its not like the USA is going to be going "green" with any new nuclear power plants considering the fact that Obummer ended a 30 year 15 billion dollar project to store nuclear waste right after the project is complete.

But that is aside the point.

The terrorists are coming, the terrorists are coming, head for the windmills!

Several utilities are actually in the process of adding reactors to their existing sites.

Yucca Mtn. probably isn't the best place for the waste but we do need to put some effort into reprocessing it and sticking it in a better long term geologic vault.

 

[JSt0rm]

I didnt read it but was it "fear fear fear doom doom" or "fear fear doom"?

 

[QuantumPion]

How many active nuclear sites do we have in the US? Lets just call it 100. Put 50 well trained marines at each one, ground assault problem solved.

Build 4 or 5 towers surrounding the site a mile away from it or so with a few guys with AA missiles. I assume that would be plenty for a commercial jet?

Seriously, can we not figure out how to protect 100 vital installations within our borders? This is a stupid problem to have.

"We" have had it figured out since the beginning just fine. It's just the scaremongering media types trolling for attention that want you to think there is a problem.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

IF you dig a hole and build the unit in that hole an air attack is very unlikely... to be sure to be sure you could insure that the towers to carry the electricity away are constructed in such a way as to disenable an aircraft from hitting our facility.

Create barriers to any ground attack from vehicles. Build the facility in the middle of our Marine bases...

There should be at least 50 good marines, JOS, among the lot there... heheheheheh

<-------- Our Marines can beat up your marines... My Brad growls at you...

We don't have marines, we have special units. Kinda like you used to have an exclusive 100 man force taken from every branch and only the best of the best with at least five years of extreme training. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4-tOqLH94)

If you cannot run 30 miles with full packing, you wouldn't make it into the RAF, if you can't run 30 more, you're not going to make it into those that are selected from thousands of soldiers.

You have to be a sniper, an paratrooper, a diver and in very very good shape to become one of those who are even close to be selected, once that is done, the troops are narrowed down to the 12 best and those are the SAS candidates, i get to pick from those into TFB after testing them with what i have.

The first out become what is equal to your special forces.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i don't see the problem.

what are we doing to protect existing nuclear power plants?
have they been attacked by terrorists yet? not that i'm aware of.

what, more reactors means more targets means we're more susceptible? fuck that.
if they wanted to, they would've done it by now.
put up some decent security measures and stop being a pussy held hostage by the thought of being attacked.

 

[Modelworks]

The reactor near me has concrete barriers on all roads. There is a chain link fix with razor wire and plenty of cameras along with two guard towers placed in opposite corners. I would guess there is about 2000ft of flat ground between the fence and the building on all sides. I can't see anyone approaching it unnoticed. First time I saw the place I thought it was a prison. The reactor buildings are square and there are none of the familiar cooling towers, just chimney like stacks.

 

[BrownTown]

Nothing can ever be 100% safe. There are plenty of other facilities with chemicals just as deadly which if breached could result in similar destruction.