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U.S. Response: Power Blackout Did Not Result in System-Wide Security Increase at Nuclear Plants By Mike Nartker Yesterday, nine nuclear plants in Michigan, New York and Ohio shut down because of power grid instabilities, which were not believed to be terrorism-related, according to reports. All nine plants are in “safe condition” and were using backup diesel generators where appropriate, according to a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission press statement released yesterday. The NRC said today that eight of the plants had declared an “unusual event,” which is the lowest of four emergency levels. An NRC spokesman told GSN today that the unusual events were declared solely because of the blackout and that no “unusual” security measures had been implemented during the blackout. Some of the affected plants, however, did heighten security. Mark Durbin, a spokesman for First Energy, which operates the Perry nuclear power plant in Northeastern Ohio, said emergency teams were activated and would remain in place until the cause of the blackout was determined. Durban refused to provide further details as to specific security measures the plant had implemented. The blackout gave the Perry plant a good opportunity to test security procedures, including an opportunity to determine if appropriate measures were in place and if they would work as had been expected, Durbin said. “That’s a ‘yes’ on both of those counts,” he said. Steven Stamm, a nuclear industry official, said a power blackout, even one caused by a terrorist attack on the power grid, would have little safety impact on a nuclear plant. “Taking out the grid is not the way to get to nuclear plants,” Stamm said.
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