The Red and Black

In light of Iran and North Korea's recent actions, nuclear energy security and preventing proliferation have become increasingly important topics of discussion.

Since nuclear energy appears to be undergoing a renaissance, every available precaution must be taken to prevent proliferation and no expense should be spared in constructing the safeguards to prevent a terrorist attack.

Only a decade ago, nuclear energy was on the verge of extinction. Profits were low, output was declining and the technology appeared stagnant. Within the past few years however, the market has radically changed.

Around the world, countries have begun to rediscover the benefits of nuclear energy, especially in comparison to current fossil fuel technologies. With the increase in nuclear energy production comes additional security risks at all levels of the supply chain, and the security problems will continue to grow unless proper precautions are taken.

The production of nuclear power involves many steps, all of which present some sort of opportunity for an enterprising terrorist to steal nuclear materials.

First, uranium must be mined and transported to refining locations. After the uranium is refined to the needed grade, it is transported to the nuclear power plants where it is used in fuel rods to power the fission reaction that generates the needed energy. Finally, the spent nuclear fuel rods, still very much radioactive, are disposed of by a variety of different methods.

Though the used nuclear materials are not nearly as fissile as enriched uranium, they still could be used in the production of a radioactive "dirty bomb" if terrorists should acquire them. Any areas where these spent fuel rods and other nuclear wastes are stored must be carefully sealed and guarded.

To adequately guard the nuclear materials at all points of the cycle, a large financial investment in security is necessary. In well-off countries, such as the United States and Great Britain, this is possible, but much riskier in developing nations. In a landmark deal, the U.S. has agreed to assist India in constructing additional reactors; the U.S. now bears the onus of safeguarding these materials.

Currently, the U.S. features some of the most sophisticated, advanced and strict regulations under the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's auspices. Not maintaining a high level of security and vigilance risks a catastrophic attack.

Tomorrow, former Sen. Sam Nunn, Adm. Skip Bowman, Gen. Gene Habiger, Joseph Cirincione and Southern Nuclear CEO J. Barnie Beasley will share their perspectives on nuclear energy and the security risks it poses at the 2006 Richard B. Russell Symposium.

What would the consequences be if terrorists should acquire nuclear material? According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (co-chaired by Nunn), the main threat from rogue fissile material would be not a Weapon of Mass Destruction but a Weapon of Mass Disruption.

A dirty bomb attack, requiring only a relatively small amount of nuclear material, would cost an immense amount in cleanup and decontamination even though it would cause relatively few casualties.

Such a bomb would be relatively easy to construct if enough radioactive material was obtained. If an attack were carried out in a heavily populated area such as Washington D.C. or New York City, entire city blocks could be forcibly evacuated for months as everything, including the soil, would be removed and decontaminated.

Under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, all countries are guaranteed the right to peaceful nuclear energy development, so how can nations keep nuclear material secure? Nunn recently captured headlines worldwide with a proposed a $50 million international nuclear stockpile.

This groundbreaking proposal offers an alternative to the dangerous attempts at uncontrolled proliferation exemplified by Iran and North Korea. At tomorrow's Russell Symposium, a panel of experts from around the nation will gather to discuss all the issues relating to the topic of "Nuclear Energy Renaissance: Implications for National Security." All who wish to learn more about the future of nuclear energy security are encouraged to attend.

- Chris Chiego is a columnist for The Red & Black

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