In this two-part series, we examine how the nuclear industry ensures the continued safety and security of its plants.
Part 1
It is no exaggeration to say that U.S. nuclear power plants are some of the most fortified facilities in the world. Well-trained personnel, physical barriers, advanced surveillance equipment, diverse and redundant safety systems, rigorous government and industry oversight, detailed operating procedures and many other features ensure the safe operation of these stations each and every day.
Safe
Even during the first steps of plant design, safety and security are the main priorities. Plant designers work with independent scientists to estimate the most powerful natural disasters possible within 200 miles of the facilities. The plant is then built to withstand the estimated worst possible disaster plus an additional margin of severity.
As mentioned in a previous post, nuclear power plants are built to endure tornadoes, fires, earthquakes, floods and a slew of external forces. Click here to read about the strength of the containment buildings, which house the reactor and nuclear fuel. Peer-reviewed analyses conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute revealed these structures would be protected against a release of radiation even if struck by a large commercial jetliner.
The robustness of the plant's physical structures is one of many layers upon layers of protection. Another layer employed to protect the plant are redundant safety and backup systems. These systems include multiple water sources and backup power sources, such as diesel generators and batteries. These systems are designed and constructed under the highest quality standards and are periodically tested to ensure they reliably perform their safety functions.
High standards are also applied to personnel employed at nuclear power plants. Nuclear control room operators spend 20 percent of their time in training throughout their careers. Operators train for more than a year to prepare for meticulous examinations by the NRC before they can qualify for their license. Once licensed, they must continually attend training sessions and renew their license every six years. At McGuire, Catawba and Oconee, reactor operators train in extremely detailed simulators. The simulator, which is a replication of the site's control room, can be programmed for various training scenarios. Weeks after the earthquake in Japan, Duke Energy's control room operators were trained and tested on a scenario modeled on the events at Fukushima.
Each nuclear power plant also has its own fire brigade made up of onsite personnel trained and tested to respond to a fire in less than 10 minutes. Read more about nuclear fire brigades here.
Another element of safety is the government and industry oversight at each plant. The industry is heavily regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent watchdog regulator. The NRC regulates many aspects of work in the nuclear industry, ranging from radiation dose limits, handling of used fuel to security. At all times, NRC resident inspectors are present on site to ensure constant adherence to regulations. In addition to government regulation, nuclear power plants are also subject to industry oversight through the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators (INPO). INPO's mission is to promote the highest levels of safety and reliability in the operation of nuclear power plants. Through plant evaluations, training and accreditation and the sharing of operating experience throughout the industry, INPO helps drive nuclear power plants towards excellence.
INPO helped implement a culture of sharing information among nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants constantly share lessons learned from operating experience with INPO and other plants, so there is constantly collective learning throughout the industry.
Secure
Nuclear power plants employ many methods 24 hours a day, both visible and discreet, for the security of the plant.
Every employee is extensively screened before they can receive a badge to enter the facility. Screening involves FBI criminal history reviews; psychological assessments; work, education and credit history reviews and pre-access and routine drug and alcohol testing.
All personnel must clear metal and explosives detectors, as well as hand geometry/biometric systems that ensure the person entering the protected area is the same person badged to do so. Individuals authorized to work in even more sensitive areas are subject to even greater security measures.
Following the events on September 11, 2001, there was concern among the public, politicians and media that nuclear stations could be the target of sabotage. Since 2001, the nuclear industry has spent more than $1.2 billion in security enhancements in response to advisories and formal orders imposing new security requirements issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NRC has conducted inspections at each plant, as required, to confirm compliance with these advisories and orders. In addition, the industry has increased security forces by 60 percent, added robust vehicle barriers, further tightened plant access controls, moved security perimeters farther from plant structures and added more bullet-resistant enclosures for plant defense.
Not only are plants under constant surveillance, they are surrounded by many physical barriers, such as jersey barriers, barbed-wire fences and large boulders to prevent vehicle and individual intrusion.
Security personnel usually come from a military or police background and are rigorously trained in the art of protecting the plant. Duke Energy's nuclear security programs are evaluated for effectiveness on a regular basis by both the company and the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC tests the readiness of nuclear security teams through a series of Force-on-Force exercises, which simulate a planned attack on the plant. Security officers must prove through these exercises that they can respond to any attack on the plant quickly and effectively.
Even though Duke Energy is confident in the capabilities of its nuclear security teams, the company continually reviews security procedures and implements enhancements based on its own evaluations, peer assessments, recommendation of security experts and industry recommendations and orders from the NRC.
Learn more about security at nuclear power plants in the video below from the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Look for the second part of this series next week.
Further Reading:
- Safety of Nuclear Power Plants (NEI)
- Nuclear Safety and Security (Duke Energy)
- Nuclear Security and Safeguards (NRC)
- Post 9/11 Information, FAQ and Factsheets (NRC)
- Safe and Secure: Protecting Our Nuclear Energy Facilities (NEI) - Video
- Institute of Nuclear Power Operators (INPO)