WASHINGTON (voa) – A U.S. lawmaker says security is so lax at the nation’s nuclear power plants that undetected terrorists may already be working in them.
Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey, a key member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, says the U.S. agency in charge of nuclear reactor security does not know how many foreign nationals are employed at the power plants or if they ever belonged to a terrorist group.
Mr. Markey says current employment background investigations only check on whether a crime has been committed in the United States.
Congressman Markey says it is imperative that security at nuclear plants be upgraded on a permanent basis. Mr. Markey wants to federalize security operations at nuclear plants just like in U.S. airports.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it works hard to protect the 103 operating nuclear power plants scattered across the country. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issues policy and security advisories to companies that run the plants.
But Mr. Markey says in a new report that examination of 100 documents requested from U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission uncovered many so-called “security black holes.”
The report says security exercises at reactors are inadequate and sites that conduct the exercises fail them about half the time.
Mr. Markey blasted the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for waiting six months after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States before beefing up security at nuclear power plants. He also criticized the agency for still failing to undertake permanent changes in security procedures.
