14 July 2014
There were 37 security breaches and incidents at nuclear power plants across the UK last year, according to the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA).
That is the highest number in the last three years, and includes the loss or theft of electronic devices, the unauthorised disclosure of secret documents and the compromise of personal data.
CNPA provides heavily-armed police forces at eight nuclear power stations around the coast, as well as at three major nuclear facilities: Dounreay in Caithness, Sellafield in Cumbria and Harwell in Oxfordshire. Its mission is to “deter any attacker whose intent is the theft or sabotage of nuclear material whether static or in transit.”
Its latest annual report, published on 10 July, reveals that there have been 96 “security breaches and security incidents” over the last three years: 34 in 2011-12, 25 in 2012-13 and 37 in 2013-14. Most of the incidents are categorised as “low level”, with no further details being given.
In 2013-14 there were two incidents recorded as “loss or theft of protectively marked electronic equipment, devices or paper documents from outside secured Civil Nuclear Constabulary premises”. Another two were said to involve “unauthorised disclosure through insecure transmission of protectively marked documents” (see table below).
One security breach was “a technical issue involving access controls concerning sickness records and absence management reports” which has been reported to the UK Information Commissioner. All security breaches involving sensitive nuclear information were reported to the appropriate regulatory body, the report says.
Unlike many government bodies, CNPA is expanding, employing 1,381 full-time equivalent staff in 2013-14, compared to 1,294 in the previous year. Its expenditure last year was just under £89 million, nearly all of which it recovered from nuclear site operators.
Security breaches and incidents at UK nuclear plants
Nature of incident / 2011-12 / 2012-13 / 2013-14
Loss of assets, electronic equipment, devices or paper documents from secured Civil Nuclear Constabulary premises / 0 / 1 / 0
Loss or theft of protectively marked electronic equipment, devices or paper documents from outside secured Civil Nuclear Constabulary premises / 4 / 0 / 2
Unauthorised disclosure through insecure transmission of protectively marked documents / 3 / 4 / 2
Compromise of personal data / 0 / 0 / 1
Other low level breaches or incidents / 27 / 20 / 32
Total / 34 / 25 / 37
source: Civil Nuclear Police Authority Annual Report & Accounts 2013-14
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