In a shocking incident that unfolded on November 3, 2023, the Oconee Nuclear Station in South Carolina was subjected to a significant security breach. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has since launched an investigation into the matter, which saw an unidentified individual brazenly ramming his vehicle through the facility’s gate and attacking security personnel.
The incident occurred around 8:05 p.m., when the suspect drove a car through the exit side of the nuclear plant’s gate, facing Highway 183. This audacious act triggered the facility’s security systems, activating pop-up barricades designed to immobilize intruding vehicles. However, the rogue driver managed to reverse his vehicle upon encountering these barricades and proceeded down an adjacent dirt road.
WARNING ⚠️
A Nuclear Power Plant in Oconee County South Carolina was just Attacked
A man rammed security guards attempting to enter, shots were fired and then he fled the scene
This could have been the test run for a group to show up
The FBI also just issued an Emergency… pic.twitter.com/ICD7Gtk8JY
— Patrick Humphrey (@PatrickHumphre) November 3, 2023
Despite the immediate response from Duke Energy’s security personnel, who attempted to block the intruding car, the driver remained undeterred. He escalated the situation by ramming through a fence and attempting to strike the security personnel on-site. In a desperate bid to escape, the driver tried to ram a security member’s truck parked near the exit, before speeding back onto Highway 183.
The reckless rampage continued as the driver diverted to a property on Jones Mill Road. It was at this location that gunshots were reported, although the source remains unconfirmed by the deputies. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, led by Master Deputy Jimmy Watt, is currently on a manhunt for the suspect and the vehicle involved.
Holy Crap! This happened last night at the Oconee Nuclear Power Plant!
👇click on…🤔🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/t5gLGplQ4g— ⚔Dennis⚔ (@clovis1931) November 3, 2023
The vehicle has been identified as a silver 2002 Toyota Camry with an Arkansas license plate bearing the tag number 380VDR. Intriguingly, approximately an hour prior to the incident, the same vehicle and its driver had made an appearance on the premises of the Oconee Nuclear Station. Upon confrontation, the individual was asked to leave, which he did, only to return later for the intrusion.
Law enforcement agencies have issued a plea to the public: anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the driver of the Toyota Camry with Arkansas tag 380VDR is urged to contact 911 immediately. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential threats that our nation’s critical infrastructure faces and the need for robust security measures.
The Oconee Nuclear Station, one of the largest nuclear facilities in the United States, boasts three nuclear reactors. It is operated by Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., and one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company serves 8.2 million customers across six states and employs 28,000 people.
Duke Energy has been executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. However, this incident underscores the need for the company to also focus on enhancing the security of its facilities.
In conclusion, this audacious act of breaching a major nuclear plant’s security should serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders. It is imperative that we reassess and reinforce the security measures at our critical infrastructure sites to prevent such incidents in the future.
