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If a plane flew into the reactor, what would happen?

Security assessments have been an integral part of the design development for OPAL.  ANSTO commenced a further review of its security shortly after the events of 11 September 2001.  In November 2001, the CEO of ARPANSA, Dr John Loy, announced that he had asked ANSTO to provide an assessment of potential sabotage or terrorist targets within the proposed replacement reactor facility, and the consequences of successful attacks on these targets.  That assessment was an important component of Dr Loy's deliberations.  Dr Loy concluded that "… even in the unlikely event that such an attack were attempted, the probability of the attack being successful if now is very small indeed."  Further studies undertaken since that time using the latest technology available around the world have confirmed the robustness of the reactor building against such an event. 

It is worth remembering that OPAL is a research reactor not a power reactor (which are hundreds of times larger), and as such its fundamental design greatly limits any risk to community safety.  Specifically, OPAL:

• operates at low temperature and at low pressure;
• contains numerous inherent safety devices, ranging from layers of physical shielding and fail-safe operational procedures and systems, through to extremely rapid shutdown should there be even the slightest departure from normal operation;
• is contained within a strong containment building designed against severe impacts; and 
• has large, very thick, concrete walls enclosing the reactor fuel.