nuclear-news

How do we assess thre dangers of nuclear power plants in wartime?

For a night on March 3, Russian military forces seized the Zaporizhzhia
nuclear power plant in Ukraine, damaged its infrastructure, and spread fear
of a nuclear catastrophe. Fortunately, the attack did not threaten
sensitive areas of the nuclear power plant, and radiation levels around the
plant did not raise concern.

Still, the crisis underscored the danger posed
by a war that crosses paths with a nuclear power plant. Since this may be a
case of when, not if, the next wartime attack on a nuclear power plant
happens, scholars and policymakers would be wise to revisit concepts for
assessing and protocols for responding to nuclear power plant crises in war
zones.

Here are some unanswered questions that warrant immediate
consideration: How should experts redefine the boundaries between nuclear
security and nuclear safety? How can experts better understand and assess
the dangers of wartime attacks on nuclear power plants? How does war impact
nuclear safety management? How can a wartime nuclear accident lower the
nuclear threshold?

 Bulletin of Atomic Scientists 19th April 2022

Four unanswered questions about the intersection of war and nuclear power

April 23, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, weapons and war