Nuclear Sites May Be Defended With 'Expanded Arsenal'

The nation’s nuclear power plants will now have the option of using an “expanded arsenal” to prevent attacks on fuel storage sites if a proposed new rule goes into effect.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to publish a rule Thursday in the National Register that would allow guards at nuclear sites to carry machine guns and large capacity semi-automatic assault weapons, according to The Hill.

“The proposed action could reduce the risk that public health will be affected by radiological releases because of the increased likelihood of a successful repulsion of an attack,” the commission said in its proposal.

If all 65 of the eligible sites around the country took advantage of the enhanced security rules, the cost would be somewhere between $32 million and $41.6 million, and would be paid for by the nuclear industry.