Nuclear Power Plants: Vulnerability to Terrorist Attack

Protection of nuclear power plants from land-based assaults, deliberate aircraft crashes, and other terrorist acts has been a heightened national priority since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC has strengthened its regulations on nuclear reactor security, but critics contend that implementation by the industry has been too slow and that further measures are needed. Several provisions to increase nuclear reactor security were included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed August 8, 2005. The law requires NRC to conduct force-on-force security exercises at nuclear power plants at least once every three years and to revise the design-basis threat that nuclear plant security forces must be able to meet, among other measures. This report will be updated as events warrant.