U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission study () “Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants” focuses on the possibilities for a nuclear fuel fire in an irradiated fuel storage pond following decommissioning of a nuclear power station.  The report raises relevant post-September 11th security concerns specifically under Section 3.5.2 Aircraft Crashes. For just this reason the report was pulled from public access following the 9/11 attacks only to be returned with the caveat that NRC would not publicize its existence. The study calculates that an irradiated fuel fire could result in tens of thousands of cancer fatalities out to 500 miles of the nuclear facility.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission study () “Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants” Appendix 4 focuses radioactive inventory releases and human health consequences of a zirconium fire in a “spent” fuel storage pond.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission study () “Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants” Appendix focuses on the consequence of an accidental aircraft crash on the nuclear waste storage pond.  Deliberate attack is not calculated. However this section as does Section 3.5.2 notes that the 32 General Electric Mark 1 and 2 Boiling Water Reactors “do not appear to have any significant structures that would reduce the likelihood of penetration” of the spent fuel pool by an aircraft.  The study characterizes a “large aircraft” as weighing 12,000 pounds or 6 tons. The take off weight of a large jumbo commercial aircraft that hit the World Trade Center was on the order of 150 tons.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission study () “Technical Study of Spent Fuel Pool Accident Risk at Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants” cover letter (August 2000) identifying calculated “short term” human health consequence (in cancer deaths and societal dose) of an irradiated fuel fire at a decommissioned nuclear power station. Consequences for a fuel fire at a typical operating nuclear power station in the US today are comparable. Report references “long term consequences” of an irradiated fuel storage pond fire as “unaffected.” These cancer fatalities are contemplated and calculated in the report in the Zirconium Fuel Fire section potentially in excess of 26,000 deaths out to 500 miles.

NRC Security Expert’s “Differing Professional Opinion” noting that 47% of U.S. reactors suffer from serious security deficiences, (, 2797k)