December 29, 2003
Wide open?
Reporters from the Houston Chronicle are apparently on a driving tour of sensitive locations in our area, eyeballing the security arrangements during a period when the nation is on high alert for terrorism. On Christmas Eve they wandered with impunity around the Port of Houston. Now they've been gamboling about the grounds of a nuclear power plant. Appalling, at least on the face of it. What the hell is going on?
The South Texas Project, about an hour's drive from Houston and owned in part by Houston's Centerpoint Energy, is one of the most powerful nuclear plants in the country. In 2001, Unit 1 alone produced 10.8 million megawatts of power -- more than any other reactor in the United States that year.But even while the United States is on a heightened terror alert, a closer look at the nuclear plant reveals little evidence of increased security. Plant officials, however, say just because their security measures aren't readily visible doesn't mean they aren't there.
On Saturday morning, a Houston Chronicle reporter and photographer accompanied a security industry consultant on a tour of the South Texas Project's perimeter. The consultant asked to remain anonymous, fearing that his security criticism could cause clients to reject his business.
This is worse than I have ever seen it," said the security consultant. "It's appalling to think that we have a multibillion-dollar asset vital to the infrastructure to the United States that is being protected by one guard at the front gate and no guards at the back gate in the face of a heightened alert due to a significant terrorist threat."
The consultant suggested the plant should hire more visible, armed guards and use heavy-duty retractable barriers that would stop all vehicular traffic from penetrating the grounds.
According to its website, security at STP is managed by the Wackenhut Corporation.
Posted by Alan at December 29, 2003 07:29 AM