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Trenton,
NJ – Attorney General Anne Milgram
today announced enhanced private security
patrols and a new video monitoring system
at the state’s three nuclear power
plants linked to the New Jersey State Police
Regional Operations and Intelligence Center
(ROIC).
These
most recent security arrangements combined
with extensive enhancements taken by the
plants over the past several years allow
the withdrawal of State Police and New Jersey
National Guard security details that have
patrolled outside the Oyster Creek Nuclear
Generating Station in Forked River and the
Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating
Stations in Salem County since October 2001.
Agreements with AmerGen Energy Company,
which owns the Oyster Creek plant, and PSEG
Nuclear, operator of Salem and Hope Creek
nuclear plants, provide for increased private
security patrols outside the plants and
a new video monitoring system with panning
and zoom cameras that have thermal imaging
capabilities. The new cameras will provide
views of the perimeter and access points
to the nuclear power sites and feed video
images to the ROIC through a secure line.
State Police at the ROIC are able to activate
and view the cameras at any time.
“Security
at our state’s nuclear power plants
is among our highest priorities,’’
Attorney General Milgram said. “We
have evaluated how to more effectively deploy
our resources and utilize state of the art
technology to enhance security arrangements
at the nuclear reactors.”
“Every
nuclear station in the country is required
to have a comprehensive security program
capable of defending the nuclear station
against a specific ‘design basis threat,’
independent of any outside assistance,’’
said Tim Rausch, Oyster Creek Site Vice
President. “These security programs
are continually monitored and evaluated
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission through
daily inspection activity, annual public
safety exercises and force on force evaluations
every three years.’’
“The
new surveillance system further enhances
the efforts of our security force to protect
Salem and Hope Creek,” said Carl Fricker,
PSEG Nuclear Vice President, Operations
Support. “Our force stands ready to
protect and with this new system, the State
of New Jersey can now deploy the National
Guard and State Police where needed while
maintaining the security monitoring and
response capability at our nuclear facilities.”
During
the last seven years, Oyster Creek and Salem/Hope
Creek have spent more than $82 million combined
on capital security improvements. In addition,
the power companies have significantly increased
their operating budgets for security.
The
New Jersey State Police/New Jersey National
Guard security detail was directed by Acting
Gov. Donald DiFrancesco in October 2001
after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon. All
31 states with nuclear power plants took
similar security steps, and all the states
other than New Jersey and New York have
removed state patrols. New York eliminated
National Guard soldiers at four upstate
power plants in May and is also in the process
of redeploying National Guard troops at
the Indian Point power plant, according
to a news report.
In
June 2007, State Police Superintendent Rick
Fuentes and Office of Homeland Security
and Preparedness Director Richard Canas,
in consultation with the National Guard,
prepared a comprehensive report recommending
the withdrawal of the State Police/National
Security detail provided new alternative
and supplemental security measures were
taken by the power plant operators. The
recommendations included the increased security
patrols and the new camera systems.
The
Attorney General, acting upon the recommendations,
entered into memorandums of understanding
with the plant operators earlier this year.
The increased private security patrols are
in effect, and the new camera systems have
been installed, tested and are now operating.
There will also be periodic tests and drills
involving the camera monitoring system.
The plants also must continue to maintain
compliance with all U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission laws, regulations, and orders
related to security systems including periodic
testing by the NRC.
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