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Unidentified Drones Are Spotted Above French Nuclear Plants Unidentified Drones Are Seen Above French Nuclear Plants
(about 5 hours later)
PARIS — Security officials are investigating a mysterious wave of drone flights that have buzzed illegally over more than a dozen nuclear plants across France, raising security concerns around the country’s primary energy source. PARIS — Security officials are investigating a mysterious wave of drone flights that have illegally buzzed over more than a dozen nuclear plants across France, raising security concerns around the country’s primary energy source.
Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 2, guards at 13 nuclear plants, many of which are operated by the French electricity giant EDF, spotted several drones flying over the sites, including in Le Blayais, in southwestern France, and Gravelines in the north.Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 2, guards at 13 nuclear plants, many of which are operated by the French electricity giant EDF, spotted several drones flying over the sites, including in Le Blayais, in southwestern France, and Gravelines in the north.
A French government official said the drones were small and civilian or commercial, not military drones. “Our main concern is that the drones will take photos and video footage of the plants,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss security issues.A French government official said the drones were small and civilian or commercial, not military drones. “Our main concern is that the drones will take photos and video footage of the plants,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss security issues.
“One of our security concerns is to avoid having any precise images’ being taken of the nuclear plant,” the official added.“One of our security concerns is to avoid having any precise images’ being taken of the nuclear plant,” the official added.
On Saturday, the Secretariat General for National Defense and Security, an interministerial body under the authority of the prime minister, issued a statement calling the drone flights an “organized provocation” aimed at “disrupting the surveillance chain and protection of these sites.” On Saturday, the Secretariat-General for National Defense and Security, an interministerial body under the authority of the prime minister, issued a statement calling the drone flights an “organized provocation” aimed at “disrupting the surveillance chain and protection of these sites.”
The tension over the drones mounted recently when Ségolène Royal, the environment minister, said that she did not “have any lead” about who might be piloting the drones.The tension over the drones mounted recently when Ségolène Royal, the environment minister, said that she did not “have any lead” about who might be piloting the drones.
Some immediate suspicion fell on the environmental group Greenpeace, but it denied any involvement and raised the potential vulnerability of the nuclear sites to terrorism.Some immediate suspicion fell on the environmental group Greenpeace, but it denied any involvement and raised the potential vulnerability of the nuclear sites to terrorism.
The government, the group said, had not taken adequate precautions to safeguard the sites, including pools where spent fuel is kept. The sites were vulnerable and did not comply with additional security measures that were supposed to have been put in place after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, it said.The government, the group said, had not taken adequate precautions to safeguard the sites, including pools where spent fuel is kept. The sites were vulnerable and did not comply with additional security measures that were supposed to have been put in place after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, it said.
“Today none of our nuclear plants could resist a plane crash,” Yannick Rousselet, a Greenpeace nuclear campaigner, said on Europe 1 radio. He added that a drone carrying explosives would present “an extremely important security issue.”“Today none of our nuclear plants could resist a plane crash,” Yannick Rousselet, a Greenpeace nuclear campaigner, said on Europe 1 radio. He added that a drone carrying explosives would present “an extremely important security issue.”
The French authorities said the nuclear plants were not vulnerable to the drones, and the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said that measures to “neutralize” the drones were in place.The French authorities said the nuclear plants were not vulnerable to the drones, and the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said that measures to “neutralize” the drones were in place.
But exactly what countermeasures had been taken, he and other officials would not say. Nor would they speculate on who might be behind the flights.But exactly what countermeasures had been taken, he and other officials would not say. Nor would they speculate on who might be behind the flights.
According to the newspaper Le Figaro, which quoted an anonymous government official, police officers are ordered to shoot down any aircraft that could threaten the plants. “And this also applies to the drones,” the official said. According to the newspaper Le Figaro, which quoted an anonymous government official, police officers are ordered to shoot down any aircraft that could threaten the plants.
France has 19 nuclear plants and 58 nuclear reactors that supply nearly 75 percent of the country’s electricity. They are supposed to be built to withstand earthquakes and plane crashes.France has 19 nuclear plants and 58 nuclear reactors that supply nearly 75 percent of the country’s electricity. They are supposed to be built to withstand earthquakes and plane crashes.
Under French law, overflights of nuclear sites are illegal. They are punishable by a year in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros, or about $94,000, if an aircraft flies within a perimeter of five kilometers, or about three miles, around the site and one kilometer above it. Overflights of nuclear sites are illegal in France. They are punishable by a year in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros, or about $94,000, if an aircraft flies within five kilometers, or about three miles, around a site or a kilometer above one.