The security of Belgium's nuclear power reactors has been in the news lately. Terrorists connected to the recent attack in Paris recorded surveillance tapes of a nuclear research official. A security guard for a nuclear power plant was shot a few days ago and his keycard was stolen. There is fear that terrorists are trying to obtain nuclear materials for a dirty bomb or may be planning on sabotaging a nuclear power plant. Belgium apparently has an extensive terrorist network and authorities have been criticized for not doing a better job of breaking it up. There have been problems with nuclear plant security in the past in Belgium.
In 2012, two men who worked at the Doel nuclear power plant in Belgium went to Syria to join ISIS. One was killed and another returned to Belgium. He was arrested and spent some time in jail. Knowledge of Belgium nuclear power plants that both of these men had is troubling to say the least. Such knowledge would be useful to terrorists attacking a nuclear power plant.
In 2013, two people climbed the fence around the Belgian Nuclear Research Center in the city of Mol. They broke into a laboratory and stole equipment.
In 2014, an unknown individual entered Reactor Number 4 at the Doel nuclear power plant and opened a valve which resulted in loss of seventeen thousand gallons of the oil that lubricates the turbines. The damage resulting from this sabotage was so serious that the reactor was shut down for five months. The person responsible was never identified and their motivation is unknown. What is known is that they easily penetrated the plant's security system. And, it illustrated how easy it can be for someone with the right knowledge to wreck havoc in a nuclear power plant.
Another growing concern is the possibility of terrorists cyberattacks against infrastructure such as nuclear power plants. This year, the computers at the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control in Belgium were hacked and had to be shut down briefly.
There is also concern about the security of the highly-enriched uranium that the U.S. provides to Belgium for use in research reactors. These reactor primarily produce radioactive isotopes for medical use. The highly-enriched uranium, the medical isotopes or the radioactive byproducts of their production could all be used to make dirty bombs if stolen by terrorists.
Security analysts say that although terrorists could breach and damage Belgian nuclear power plants, they would not be able to cause a meltdown. Their powerful explosives could breach the containment vessel and damage the reactor but that would cause the reactor to shut down and there would be minimal danger to the public. Critics of such statements point out that with the right expertise, a well trained team and powerful explosives, terrorists might be able to cause a reactor meltdown.
Hopefully, the security at Belgium's nuclear facilities will be strengthened and the Belgian authorities will have more success in apprehending members of the terrorist network.
Logo of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control in Belgium:
