Israeli company DSIT Solutions yesterday reported its second deal within a week to guard nuclear reactors in Europe. Its parent company, Acorn Energy, reported to Nasdaq that DSIT would supply advanced systems to protect the canals through which water flows to cool the reactor core used to produce energy. Industry sources estimated the deal at $1 million.
DSIT develops, manufactures, and installs sonar systems for early detection of underwater threats in the vicinity of sensitive facilities, such as oil and natural gas drilling platforms, marine borders, ports, and nuclear reactors. The company's product, AquaShield, is installed near the protected facility capable of remote detection of divers, submarines, and explosive devices. Two weeks ago, DSIT reported another deal to supply its AquaShield sonar-based defense systems for a nuclear reactor in another European country.
The company today declined to disclose particulars about its customers. Nevertheless, informed sources in the sector said that the agreement reported tonight was with a company that operates many other reactors throughout Europe. The sources added that this deal could lead to additional deals in the future for the supply of reactor defense systems, which are currently exposed to terrorist attacks by sea. "We have the ability to detect, monitor, and classify any underwater threat automatically, without any intervention from an operator. The technology is based on sonar similar to that used in ultrasound imaging, but covering a significantly larger area," DSIT VP marketing Dan Ben Dov told "Globes" today. "Canals through which water flows to cool the reactor core constitute an Achilles heel, and our sonar systems can do a good job of closing this breach."
The deals reported by DSIT in recent weeks are the company's first in protection of nuclear reactors used to produce energy. Sonar systems of this type were previously deployed near ports, marine borders, and other sensitive facilities in several countries around the world, including Israel.
DSIT is not the only Israeli company now aiming its activity at the protection of nuclear reactors against the burgeoning threat of global terrorism. Magna BSP, which develops radar systems for detecting and identifying threats, has been operating in the global market for protection of sensitive systems for several years, including nuclear reactors in Japan and Europe. "Extremist terrorist organizations, such as IS, Al Qaeda branches, and others, are surfacing in many countries around the world. It is feared that they will commit terrorist attacks in which they take over a nuclear reactor and cause a major disaster. This threat makes it necessary for countries to prepare for it," Magna BSP CEO Haim Siboni said.
Israeli companies involved in the protection of sensitive facilities say that there are 400-470 nuclear reactors around the world used to produce nuclear energy, the growing threat could cause rising demand for reliable warning systems in the coming years. "The task of protecting reactors located near the sea, lakes, and rivers is a complicated one, and requires capabilities for identification at a very early stage a single individual who has managed to get close to the protected region - whether he is a diver or a swimmer. Any successful attempt at such an attack is liable to cause a catastrophe. The world already understands these threats, and some countries are preparing to deal with them.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 9, 2014
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