A Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) document "raises serious questions about whether the government has set security requirements for nuclear plants too low and allowed nuclear plant operators to provide security on the cheap," Time reported.

Even plant guards worry they would be unable to thwart a big terrorist operation, saying they lack the necessary training and weapons, the magazine said. The plants could also be vulnerable to an attack on foot, it said.

"Our training has increased, but I don't think it's increased enough to deal with that," a veteran guard, who was not named, told Time. Another guard said: "We don't have the weapons or training to stop an attack of that magnitude. ... Everyone feels that way. It's a consensus of opinion."

"I don't think they could handle a 9/11-size attack," David Orrik, a senior NRC official who retired in February after a 20-year career probing power-plant vulnerabilities, was quoted as saying.

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, the government has spent one billion dollars to boost nuclear power plant security, compared to 20 billion for aviation security, Time reported.

"The NRC and the nuclear power industry are today where the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] and airlines were on Sept. 10, 2001," a senior US anti-terrorism official was quoted as saying by the magazine.

NRC-commissioned studies say a plant's concrete and steel infrastructure could withstand a suicide airplane attack, making the risks of a major release of radioactivity low.

But other experts, including a recent National Academy of Sciences panel, say the particular design and vulnerabilities of each plant make such blanket assurances meaningless, Time said.

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