NRC: News Release - 2002-018 - NRC Will Order All Nuclear Power Plants and Key Facilities To Enhance Security

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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs	Telephone: 301/415-8200
Washington, DC 20555-0001	E-mail: OPA.Resource@nrc.gov
www.nrc.gov

No. 02-018

February 14, 2002

NRC WILL ORDER ALL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND KEY FACILITIES TO ENHANCE SECURITY
Printable Version

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will shortly issue Orders to all commercial nuclear power plants and other key nuclear facilities to implement interim compensatory security measures for the high-level threat environment.

Some of these requirements formalize a series of security measures that NRC licensees had taken in response to advisories issued by the NRC in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Security enhancements which have emerged from the on-going top-to-bottom security review will be spelled out in the Orders. The Commission has decided to issue Orders to require prudent interim compensatory measures because the generalized high-level threat environment has persisted longer than expected and, as a result, it is appropriate to maintain the security measures within the established regulatory framework.

The details of specific additional security requirements are sensitive, but they include such things as additional personnel access controls; enhanced requirements for guard forces; increased stand-off distances for searches of vehicles approaching nuclear facilities; and heightened coordination with appropriate local, State, and Federal authorities.

Immediately after the September 11 attacks, the NRC advised all 104 nuclear power plants and other key nuclear facilities to go to the highest level of security, which they promptly did. Specific measures were subsequently defined in a number of advisories, and have been subject to audit by NRC security experts. The NRC is coordinating with other Federal and State agencies on protection of a variety of potential infrastructure targets in the United States.

Security against sabotage has long been an important part of NRC's regulatory activities and licensee's responsibilities. Nuclear power plants are among the most formidable structures in existence, and they are guarded by well-trained and well-armed security forces.

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