The Nuclear Regulatory Commission concluded Monday it is impractical for nuclear power plant operators to try to stop terrorists from crashing an airliner into a reactor.
Plant operators instead should focus on limiting radioactive release from any such airborne attack, the agency said in a revised defense plan for America’s nuclear plants.
The agency approved the new defense plan, most of which is secret, by a 5-0 vote at a brief hearing in which it was not discussed in any detail.
"The strength of nuclear power plants against aircraft impacts has been thoroughly analyzed in state-of-the-art computer simulations. These tests have shown that, while plants would sustain damage, sturdy, robust structures that safely contain radioactive materials would not release their contents."
