May 2002

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Nuclear Plants Put on Higher Alert. Intelligence Did Not Specify Threat, Spokeswoman Says

Washington Post, May 25, 2002; Page A09

[Posted 27/05/2002]

The government put the nation's nuclear power plants on a heightened state of alert late yesterday because of information gained by the intelligence community, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The intelligence did not specify that there is a threat directed against nuclear power plants or outline any plot, said NRC spokeswoman Beth Hayden.

However, the NRC sent a special advisory to 103 nuclear power plants, urging them to be cautious.

"This advisory is telling them to be on the lookout and to report anything suspicious to the operations center," Hayden said.

Hayden noted that since Sept. 11, nuclear plants have been told to increase their security.

(C) 2002 The Washington Post Company

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