CHICAGO– April 26, 2024 — We note today is the 38th anniversary of the Chernobyl (Chornobyl in Ukrainian) nuclear disaster – an event that reminds us that, in the words of one Soviet scientist after the event, any fool-proof system can be defeated – by a master fool.
We share this release which came out Tuesday which has direct implications for any state or nation contemplating the expansion of nuclear power into their energy future. Any expansion of nuclear power (in the world in its present state) comes with an enormous increase in security risks that have been largely ignored by nuclear advocates, both in industry and in government.
This is not solely the academic conclusion of some “egghead” institution. On a Pacifica Radio Climate Hour Show debate on nuclear power that occurred on Aug. 15, 2023, Brig. General (retired) Wendell Chris King, former Dean Emeritus, U.S. Army Commander, General Staff College and nuclear advocate whose area of expertise is national security issues made it abundantly clear that,
“…the more [reactors] you got, the harder it is to protect…If there’s a thousand of those scattered around, and someone’s moving them around at their own choosing, that’s a significant threat…That’s very, very risky from a force protection, from a national security standpoint. It would be very difficult to achieve national security goals in that domain.”
These warnings should be given serious consideration and priority discussion as nuclear advocates promote mobile micro-reactors hopping around the country on flat-bed trucks; and as nuclear vendors attempt to sell small modular reactors in war zones like Ukraine and other potential military hotspots – areas where master fools abound.
GWU REPORT: NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS GROW WITH NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY
Drone strikes against Ukraine’s nuclear reactors highlight risks
WASHINGTON, DC – April 23, 2024 – Proliferation of nuclear weapons, nuclear terrorism, sabotage, coercion and military operations – these risks associated with nuclear energy can all be expected to grow as countries seek to implement their new nuclear energy objectives, according to a new report published today by George Washington University’s (GWU) Sharon Squassoni.
The aim of 22 countries to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, announced on the margins of COP-28, was adopted with little thought to the national security implications. The promotion of small modular reactors (SMNRs)– specifically tailored to developing countries – will heighten, not diminish risks.
The report by GW professor Sharon Squassoni, “New Nuclear Energy: Assessing the National Security Risks,” comes as drone strikes against Ukrainian nuclear power plants highlight nuclear reactor vulnerabilities. Other national security risks will accompany significant nuclear growth as renewed interest in nuclear energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions sparks programs across the globe.
Squassoni, a professor at GWU’s Elliott School of International Affairs, now researches risk reduction from nuclear energy and nuclear weapons after serving in the State Department, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Congressional Research Service.
Proliferation and nuclear terrorism are the top two national security risks, but sabotage, coercion and military operations pose other risks. An attempt to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers – a national security risk itself — using nuclear energy could worsen the risk of proliferation by motivating fuel cycle independence.
SMRs are still in development, with few restrictions on designs. Reactors fueled with highly enriched uranium or plutonium will increase risks of proliferation and terrorism because those materials are weapons-usable. Reactors designed to include lifetime cores will build up plutonium over time. Fast reactor designs that require reprocessing, especially continuous recycling of fuel, could ultimately confer latent nuclear weapons capabilities to many more states. In sum, the kinds of reactors now under consideration do nothing to reduce known risks, and some pose heightened risks. There appears to be no attempt to forge agreement among suppliers or governments to restrict reactor choices that pose greater proliferation risks.
If the mass production of small modular reactors lowers barriers to entry into nuclear energy, there will be many more states deploying nuclear power reactors, including those with significant governance challenges. Russian and Chinese programs to promote nuclear energy target many of those states. Cooperation among key states essential to minimize the safety, security and proliferation risks of nuclear energy is at an all-time low. The call to triple nuclear energy coincides with the disintegration of cooperation, the unraveling of norms and the loss of credibility of international institutions that are crucial to the safe and secure operation of nuclear power.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alex Frank at (703) 276-3264 or afrank@hastingsgroupmedia.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The report and a streaming version of the news event are available at bit.ly/NewNuclearSecurityReport.
The Elliott School is one of the world’s leading schools of international affairs. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., its mission is to educate the next generation of international leaders, conduct research that advances understanding of important global issues and engage the policy community in the United States and around the world. For more information visit: https://elliott.gwu.edu.
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