Operation 'Short Sermon 99', the Navy's three day nuclear submarine accident exercise has been condemned by DIG as unrealistic and seriously flawed. A change in the winds direction simulated during the exercise contradicts previous Navy assertions that only a small sector of the city would be affected by airborne radiation.
The exercise set up this week to test the nuclear accident emergency response to a release of radiation at Devonport Dockyard had an imaginary submarine, 'HMS Tantrum' catch fire in it's diesel engine compartment which eventually led to a release of radiation to the atmosphere from the submarines damaged nuclear reactor.
In 1997, the same exercise at the Navy's nuclear base at Faslane in Scotland followed a similar accident scenario which resulted in the Navy theoretically firing on one of it's own submarines in order to sink it below water level to prevent nearby public areas being irradiated. The Navy claimed that this option was available at Plymouth. But DIG has since learned that the Dockyard and River Tamar is too shallow to completely cover a submarine, which at low tide would be exposed. Instead, in operation 'Short Sermon 99', the Navy had to resort to covering the stricken submarine with tarpaulins while spraying it with water!
"Relying on tarpaulins and hose pipes to avert a nuclear reactor disaster in a city of over 260,000 people is ridiculous and shows that if there was a real nuclear emergency the city would be devastated" DIG spokesperson.
Dig has learned from sources involved in the exercise that from the outset there was poor co-ordination between the various participating agencies and that the police had difficulty controlling the situation from the outset. Official information released on the supposed accident was also conflicting and confusing.
Those orchestrating the exercise altered the direction of the wind during Monday night, causing Torpoint and south east Cornwall to face the radiation cloud.
"The Navy have always insisted that escaping radiation would be blown in a straight line and in a constant direction. By admitting that a changing wind could spread radiation over a wider area the exercise planners have inadvertently shown that public protection would fail. Not only would tens of thousands more be placed at risk by the spread of radiation in different directions, but people are not stupid and will try and get out of the area as soon as the first siren goes off. This would cause absolute chaos and would render their plans useless." DIG spokesperson.
The Navy's nuclear accident document, 'Devonport Dockyard Safety Scheme' states that "grounding and collision are the most likely causes of an accident" - but these scenarios are never tested as they could occur outside the dockyard perimeter. However, several such incidents have been narrowly averted in the approach to Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth Sound and the Hamoaze close to the city centre.
"These exercises fail to acknowledge the consequences of a major nuclear accident at Plymouth by ignoring the real potential of an accident outside the dockyard. The scenarios are contrived and tailored to accommodate the resources at hand so that it appears an accident can be easily dealt with. The public are just being conned." DIG spokesperson.
DIG will be raising these issues with the Ministry of Defence, the Navy and the local authority's Nuclear Emergency Officer.
Plymouth nuclear Dump Information Group