# Has there Ever Been an Attack on a Nuclear Power Plant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275 "2016-03-26T20:56:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SHARKBITEATTACK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@SHARKBITEATTACK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SHARKBITEATTACK)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/1 "2016-03-26T20:56:40Z")
I came across this article and it got me wondering > **[Belgium Fears Nuclear Plants Are Vulnerable (Published 2016)](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/26/world/europe/belgium-fears-nuclear-plants-are-vulnerable.html?_r=0)** > > Belgian authorities fear that Islamic State militants may try to attack, infiltrate or sabotage nuclear plants or obtain nuclear or radioactive material. Has there ever been a terrorist attack on an NPP? I’m not talking about stuxnet or Babylon either. A breach of the reactor core could be deadly. Even something small like damage to the cooling system could result in a forced outage. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/2 "2016-03-26T21:42:05Z")
Wikipedia has this to say: [QUOTE=wikipedia] After several incidents in Pakistan in which terrorists attacked three of its military nuclear facilities, it became clear that there emerged a serious danger that they would gain access to the country’s nuclear arsenal, according to a journal published by the US Military Academy at West Point.[13] In January 2010, it was revealed that the US army was training a specialised unit “to seal off and snatch back” Pakistani nuclear weapons in the event that militants would obtain a nuclear device or materials that could make one. [/QUOTE] > **[Vulnerability of nuclear plants to attack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_of_nuclear_plants_to_attack)** > > The vulnerability of nuclear plants to deliberate attack is of concern in the area of nuclear safety and security. Nuclear power plants, civilian research reactors, certain naval fuel facilities, uranium enrichment plants, fuel fabrication plants, and even potentially uranium mines are vulnerable to attacks which could lead to widespread radioactive contamination. The attack threat is of several general types: commando-like ground-based attacks on equipment which if disabled could lead to a react... The cite is a Times article that I do not have permission to access. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/3 "2016-03-26T22:22:59Z")
In Britain the Nuclear Police are armed with Glocks and Heckler und Koch Assault Rifles — plus they have 30mm cannon on ships — all thanks to the medium hard left cabinet minister, lover of The People and Loon-for-All-Seasons, the late Tony Benn aka Anthony Wedgewood Benn, _ci-devant_ Viscount Stansgate ( his father was an ennobled Liberal MP before WWII and by all accounts just as tiresome ). We rarely see a cop with a gun, but then again we rarely wander around nuclear installations either. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/4 "2016-03-26T22:44:05Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > In Britain the Nuclear Police are armed with Glocks and Heckler und Koch Assault Rifles — plus they have 30mm cannon on ships — all thanks to the medium hard left cabinet minister, lover of The People and Loon-for-All-Seasons, the late Tony Benn aka Anthony Wedgewood Benn, _ci-devant_ Viscount Stansgate ( his father was an ennobled Liberal MP before WWII and by all accounts just as tiresome ). **Moderator Note** **Claverhouse** , I don’t know why you seem to be unable to post in GQ without unnecessary political commentary. I’m making this a note because it’s not that serious. However, as I have before, I strongly suggest that you either confine yourself to strictly factual posts in this forum or refrain from posting in it at all. If you continue to do this, you will be at risk of losing your posting privileges. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/5 "2016-03-26T23:23:11Z")
Back to facts, [this](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-securtity-nuclear-idUSBRE8711LG20120802) happened a few years ago. Pesky nuns… ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/6 "2016-03-26T23:43:27Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > Back to facts, [this](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-securtity-nuclear-idUSBRE8711LG20120802) happened a few years ago. > > Pesky nuns… How did anyone get into such a plant without being shot many times? > [@](#): > > WSI Oak Ridge, the contractor responsible for protecting the facility at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is owned by the **international security firm G4S** Ah. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/7 "2016-03-27T00:47:41Z")
I don’t know if this counts, but in [2007](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelindaba#Armed_attack_on_the_facility)a group of 4 armed men tried to break into a nuclear plant in south africa and shot a security guard in the process. > **[Ghosts of Pelindaba nuclear site break-in return to haunt South Africa](https://neutronbytes.com/2015/03/01/ghosts-of-pelindaba-nuclear-site-break-in-return-to-haunt-south-africa/)** > > A news report this week says that China was behind the break-in at Pelindaba in 2007 which was an effort to steal pebble bed nuclear reactor technology. The story is full of holes. Here’s why… There is speculation that it was terrorism or an attempt to steal nuclear materials, but there is also speculation that they were [Chinese spies](http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/spy-cables-china-africa-nuclear-break-ins-south-africa-pelindaba-nuclear-guardian-150225131759373.html) trying to steal technology. If the latter, I don’t know if I’d call that terrorism or an attack on a nuclear plant. ---
**Author:** ![ziper1221](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a183cd/32.png) [@ziper1221](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ziper1221)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/8 "2016-03-27T02:02:38Z")
I seem to remember a German or French ecoterrorist who, IIRC, launched a rocket at a European NPP with minor damage. I cannot remember his name or what group he was with. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/9 "2016-03-27T03:50:24Z")
Interestingly, going by the subject hed alone–I can think of only twice that nuclear plants at all were attacked, both pre-fueling and both by Israel. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/10 "2016-03-27T14:55:41Z")
In the us I suspect they would need either an inside man or seriously heavy weapons to succeed . I would bet that every nuclear plant has a swat team on speed dial for just this eventuality. My biggest fear for nuclear is North Korea selling tech to the highest bidders, either materials to make a dirty bomb or a complete device. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/11 "2016-03-27T15:27:14Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > In the us I suspect they would need either an inside man or seriously heavy weapons to succeed . I would bet that every nuclear plant has a swat team on speed dial for just this eventuality. My biggest fear for nuclear is North Korea selling tech to the highest bidders, either materials to make a dirty bomb or a complete device. The department of energy has a sniper team that, in sniper competitions, can hold its own against delta force and seal team 6’s sniper teams. You aren’t wrong about North Korea. North Korea has sold nuclear technology to Libya, Syria, Myanmar and iran. Possibly other countries. That is a big reason they keep up their nuclear program. Not only is it a security blanket against invasion, it is an opportunity to make billions of dollars and empower the enemies of the US government by giving them nuclear weapons too. > **[North Korea supplying Syria, Iran with prohibited nuclear technology, report...](https://www.haaretz.com/2011-11-28/ty-article/north-korea-supplying-syria-iran-with-prohibited-nuclear-technology-report-says/0000017f-e7aa-dc7e-adff-f7afb8c90000)** > > German newspaper Die Welt reports that Pyongyang has provided the countries with ‘maraging steel,’ used to upgrade missiles and centrifuges. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/10/AR2010121006281.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/10/AR2010121006281.html) > **[Operation Outside the Box](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orchard)** > > Hezbollah–Israel conflict > Gaza–Israel conflict > Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/12 "2016-03-27T16:35:19Z")
I once contracted with a DOE uranium enrichment facility to build a new video recording/editing studio/suite. The uniformed security _I saw_ wore holstered Beretta 9mm pistols and had close at hand either H&K MP5s or M-16A2s. It was a bit odd as the buildings I worked in I had mostly had full access, yet the loading docks were restricted and we had to have an armed escort to watch as we loaded/unloaded our truck. And to accompany us as we were driven across the facility from the building with their old video suite to the building where the new one was going in. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/13 "2016-03-27T16:54:03Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Interestingly, going by the subject hed alone–I can think of only twice that nuclear plants at all were attacked, both pre-fueling and both by Israel. Iraq and Syria I assume? Has Israel ever attacked a NPP in Iran? I know they did some industrial sabotage but I have no idea if they have attacked a plant yet. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/14 "2016-03-27T17:45:09Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > How did anyone get into such a plant without being shot many times? > > Ah. According to published reports the security fence had recently been upgraded and the sensors were too sensitive-animals kept setting it off. So the guards turned off the sensors… They planned to rely on the TV cameras-once they were repaired. The first work orders had been issued six months previously and the work was still waiting to be done. After the intruders got tired of writing on the walls of the building and banging on the walls with hammers, they had to go find a door and bang on that to attract any attention to get let in. Embarrassing all around. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/15 "2016-03-27T17:56:02Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Interestingly, going by the subject hed alone–I can think of only twice that nuclear plants at all were attacked, both pre-fueling and both by Israel. The OP contains the word “terrorist” which isn’t in the thread title, and is rather significant to the question. It’s a bit of a hijack, but the wikipedia article I linked to upthread also has a list of military attacks. > [@](#): > > Nuclear reactors become preferred targets during military conflict and, over the past three decades, have been repeatedly attacked during military air strikes, occupations, invasions and campaigns:[2] > > ``` > In September 1980, Iran bombed the Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex in Iraq, in Operation Scorch Sword, which was a surprise IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) airstrike carried out on 30 September 1980, that damaged an almost complete nuclear reactor 17 km south-east of Baghdad, Iraq.[12] > In June 1981, an Israeli air strike completely destroyed Iraq's Osirak nuclear research facility. > Between 1984 and 1987, Iraq bombed Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant six times. > In 1991, the U.S. bombed three nuclear reactors and an enrichment pilot facility in Iraq. > In 1991, Iraq launched Scud missiles at Israel's Dimona nuclear power plant. > In September 2007, Israel bombed a Syrian reactor under construction.[2] > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/16 "2016-03-27T18:22:46Z")
I test and inspect a few fire suppression systems at a nuclear power plant. In the last few years, security measures have been augmented. It would be very difficult for a group of terrorist to get close enough to the reactor to do any damage ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-an-attack-on-a-nuclear-power-plant/750275/17 "2016-03-27T19:57:40Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > I test and inspect a few fire suppression systems at a nuclear power plant. In the last few years, security measures have been augmented. It would be very difficult for a group of terrorist to get close enough to the reactor to do any damage The huge vulnerability at many nuke plants in the Chicago area are the tanks of jet fuel for the jet engine powered generators that are intended to go to full power very quickly to handle surge demands. Hopefully they’ve hardened them, or at least buried them, post-9/11. A terrorist could potentially set one off with explosive rounds from a distance.