November 5, 1998 Newsweek
originally published on http ://newsweek. coin/nw-srv/issue/19_98b/tnw/today/ps/ps0lth_l. htm
Are America's commercial nuclear power plants more vulnerable to terrorist attack? In the wake of a decision by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to cut funding for its counter-terrorism program, several security experts say the answer is yes. And Congress is worried, thanks to an article in Tuesday's Los Angeles Times describing the program, known as Operational Safeguards Response Evaluations (OSRE).
Consisting of mock "force on force" exercises--simulated attacks on nuclear plants by armed terrorists--the program was meant to reveal weakness in any given plant's security measures. In a memo sent to NRC brass, OSRE's chief and former Navy SEAL, David Orrik, wrote that nearly half of the 55 licensed nuclear plants tested had shown serious security lapses. In one case, a team of intruders "was able to reach and simulate sabotaging enough equipment to cause a core melt," said Orrik.
In the aftermath of the Times story, the NRC issued a release stating that the article was "misleading" because it failed "to account for continuing NRC inspections and required compliance verification programs." But Orrik counters that the existing requirements are woefully inadequate. "We found in 24 of the 26 plants that had weakness, that they were in full compliance with their security plans," Orrik told Newsweek.com.
The issue is now getting attention at the highest levels of the NRC. NRC Chairman Shirley Jackson has recently had "more than one meeting" on this matter and is "getting up to speed on an issue she was not aware of until a few days ago," said William Beecher, director of the agency's public affairs office. She may not be the only one. The House Commerce Committee, which oversees the NRC, is reportedly looking into the matter as well. "The Commerce Committee is concerned about the issue and is keeping a close eye on the NRC and its counter-terrorism program," said a committee spokesman, who would not provide details of their plans but added that he expects it to be an evolving issue in the next Congress. But Orrik wants to make sure the situation gets fixed before something terrible happens: "It is true that we have never had an attack on a nuclear power plant, but we also never had an attack on a government building until Oklahoma City." --Sandy Lawrence Edry
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