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US probes possible threat to Ariz. nuclear plant
Index:
US probes possible threat to Ariz. nuclear plant
Dominion says licenses extended for two Va. nukes
================================
US probes possible threat to Ariz. nuclear plant
WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on
Thursday it was investigating a possible threat against the giant
Palo Verde power plant in Arizona, the nation's largest nuclear
plant.
The plant, located near Phoenix, generates electricity for the entire
Southwestern grid serving California, Nevada and Arizona.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said officials with his
department, the Energy Department, the FBI, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, and state and local police were investigating.
"This is again a coordinated effort among federal agencies with the
great support of the state and locals that we're addressing a very
specific piece of threat information," Ridge told reporters.
The probe began about 48 hours ago, Ridge said. He declined to
discuss any specific information that led officials to think there
might be a threat.
"It was obviously serious enough and deemed to be credible enough
that we got the appropriate federal agencies investigating based on
the threat information," he added.
REPORT OF SLEEPER CELLS
U.S. officials were looking for Iraqi government "sleeper cells" that
might carry out an attack against the Palo Verde plant, the
Washington Times reported on Thursday. The newspaper cited unnamed
sources who said the threat to the plant was included in classified
intelligence reports.
A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, downplayed the
newspaper report that the plant was targetted by Iraqi agents.
On Monday, before U.S. troops began attacking Iraq, the U.S.
government put the nation on the second highest-level of security
alert. The color-coded terror alert level is now "orange," meaning a
"high" possibility of a terror attack.
Some Democrats and activist groups fear that a U.S. nuclear power
plant could be a target of sabotage or attack in response to military
action. Any release of dangerous radioactive material from a plant
could be blown downwind for miles.
All of the nation's 103 nuclear power plants have been on heightened
alert since the deadly Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade
Center and Pentagon. One of the al Qaeda hijackers involved in the
attacks was linked to a private flight school in Arizona, according
to FBI statements last year.
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano said she dispatched National Guard
troops to the Palo Verde plant on Tuesday.
"We are not in a position to comment on any specific threats that may
have been made against the power plant," she said in a statement.
U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, testifying before the Senate
Armed Services Committee, also refused to elaborate on the nature of
the possible threat to the plant. "Any threat that might be posed
will be adequately dealt with," he said.
PLANT OWNED BY 7 FIRMS
The Palo Verde plant, operated by Arizona Public Service Co., has
three reactors capable of generating up to 3,800 megawatts, enough to
run a city of nearly 4 million homes.
A plant spokesman said Palo Verde was operating at a normal level but
with "very much raised" security.
Arizona Public Service is a unit of Pinnacle West Capital Corp.
The plant is jointly owned by Arizona Public Service; Edison
International's Southern California Edison Co; El Paso Electric Co.;
Public Service Co. of New Mexico; the Los Angeles Department of Water
and Power; the Salt River Project; and Southern California Public
Power Authority.
A December study by the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade group, said
that a nuclear plant could withstand a direct hit by a fuel-laden
commercial airliner with no release of deadly radiation. Critics say
another security risk exists with the large amount of spent fuel
stored at most plant sites.
Nuclear power plants generate about one-fifth of the nation's
electricity.
-----------------
Dominion says licenses extended for two Va. nukes
NEW YORK, March 20 (Reuters) - Dominion Resources Inc. said Thursday
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved 20-year
extensions to operating licenses at two working nuclear power plants
in Virginia.
The North Anna nuclear units 1 and 2, each with a capacity of about
921 megawatts, can now operate until 2038 and 2040, respectively,
Dominion said in a statement.
The North Anna units are in Louisa County about 60 miles northwest of
Richmond, Virginia.
The Surry nuclear units 1 and 2, each with a capacity of about 812
MW, can now operate until 2032 and 2033, respectively, Dominion said.
The Surry units are in Surry County across the James River from
Jamestown, Virginia.
One megawatt is roughly enough power to supply 1,000 average homes.
The NRC's approval marked the first time a company has received two
renewals under one license application, Dominion said.
Dominion serves about 5 million electric customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Virginia,
North Carolina and West Virginia.
-------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle
Director, Technical
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100 Extension 2306
Fax:(714) 668-3149
E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/
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