Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Indian Point Case Study

Introduction: The Importance of Infrastructure Resilience

Ensuring that infrastructure is resilient, secure, and capable of surviving and swiftly recovering from a wide range of occurrences — from minor accidents to severely damaging events such as Hurricane Sandy — is a critical public priority. Practical, planned, and well-coordinated efforts are essential for strengthening and maintaining secure, functional, and flexible critical infrastructure, which includes assets, systems, and networks that are vital to public confidence, the safety of New Yorkers, and their well-being and prosperity. This effort is understood as a shared responsibility among local entities and states, as well as private and public owners and operators of critical infrastructure (The City of New York, 2016).

Indian Point Energy Center: A High-Profile Target

The Indian Point Energy Center serves as the target for this analysis. It is a three-unit nuclear power plant located in Buchanan, New York, just south of Peekskill. The facility sits on the east bank of the Hudson River, approximately 25 miles north of New York City, making it a facility of significant strategic and public safety importance.

Hardening the Target: Security Measures at Nuclear Facilities

The nuclear energy industry maintains a strict security system designed to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing critical equipment or approaching close enough to cause harm to the facility using airborne or land-based explosives. Security measures employed at facilities such as Indian Point include:

• Physical barriers, assessment systems, and electronic detection, as well as illuminated detection zones
• Electronic surveillance and land patrols of interior structures and the land perimeter
• Bullet-resistant protected positions throughout the plant
• Robust barriers securing critical areas
• Access control for employees and thorough background checks
• Well-trained, well-armed security personnel

Concentric Circles of Escalating Security

Security techniques at nuclear facilities depend on concentric perimeters, or circles, with the level of security increasing as distance to the reactor decreases. These zones are structured as follows:

Owner-Controlled Area: The outer perimeter, known as the owner-controlled area, is positioned well away from the reactor and requires only minimal security. Firearms, explosives, and alcohol are prohibited in this section.

Protected Area: Security increases dramatically at the boundary of the protected area, which is typically fenced, guarded with sophisticated security systems, and staffed by well-armed security officers. Individuals granted unescorted access to the protected area must first undergo a background check, drug testing, and psychological evaluation. Once inside, security personnel are subject to behavioral observation and random drug testing. Before entering the plant each day, all personnel must pass through explosive and metal detectors and undergo biometric screening. Visitors must be screened and escorted at all times.

Vital Area: The innermost section, known as the Vital Area, houses the equipment required for the safe deactivation of the reactor and ensures it can be maintained in the safest possible condition. This section contains the control room, the spent fuel pool, security alarm stations, the reactor itself, and associated safety equipment. Entrance to this area is protected by card readers, security locks, and in some cases staffed guard stations.

The nuclear plant site has developed an integrated security and response framework in coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and emergency responders, who can provide assistance in the rare event of a sudden attack.