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• Security alert at Swedish nuclear power plant

  Two welders working as contractors at the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in Sweden are being questioned by police following the discovery of traces of explosives on one of the men's bag. The traces of explosives were found during routine entrance controls at the plant. EOn of Germany, the plant's owner, said that the bag did not actually contain any "visible illicit substances", but as traces of explosives were found on the bag the police will examine it further. Part of the plant was sealed off while extensive searches were made. Media reports say that the explosive material was identified by the police as being triacetone triperoxide (TAPT), an extremely unstable material that can be made using household chemicals. The plant's managing director, Lars Thuring, said, "We can establish that our safety routines are working." He added, "Our joint assessment is that the reactor safety was never threatened. We are however taking all necessary measures to verify this, of course." The men were working on one of the plant's three reactors which had been shut down for routine maintenance. The other two units have remained in operation. Posted May 21 2008, 10:55 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: Sweden, security

• Mishearing leads to nuclear plant alert

  [Associated Press, Herald Times, 8 April] A security alert was recently triggered at Point Beach nuclear power plant after a conversation in a convenience store. A 23-year-old man was lost on his way to begin a new job at the plant and stopped at a nearby store to ask directions. On leaving, he told a shop worker he "hoped he wouldn't blow up the place" on his first day. He was later surprised to be questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) while his car was searched and parts of the plant briefly evacuated. The shop worker had apparently misheard the man and, worried he had said he "came to blow up the place", reported him to the police. The man, doing work under contract at the nuclear plant, said he told the shop worker "they don't allow me to push any buttons, anyway," according to a press release from the Two Rivers Police Department. No threats were found and the man will not be charged. Posted Apr 11 2008, 11:56 AM by World Nuclear News Filed under: security, Point Beach