The U.S. Program of Technical Assistance in Nuclear Safeguards to Ukraine

Year
1995
Author(s)
E. Arnold Hakkila - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Mark Soo Hoo - Sandia National Laboratories
G.A. Sheppard - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Bruce W. Moran - Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc.
Stephen R. Caudill - U.S. NuclearRegulatoryCommission
Laverne Romesberg - Sandia National Laboratories
T. Zinneman - Argonne National Laboratory
J. Miranda - Argonne National Laboratory
C. Roche - Argonne National Laboratory
T. Ewing - Argonne National Laboratory
G. Walters - Argonne National Laboratory
Chester Hine - Sandia National Laboratories
G. Kuzmvcz - U.S. Department of Energy
Abstract
Several countries have expressed an interest in providing technical assistance to States of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) to improve their systems for control of nuclear materials. Ukraine has signed agreements with the U.S. concerning development of a national system of control, accounting and physical protection of nuclear materials. U.S. DOE is providing assistance in nuclear material safeguards, including: material control & accountancy (MC&A) systems, measurement techniques, Physical Protection Systems (PPS) and related training. Technical Working Group meetings have been held. Training courses on MC&A, PPS and regulatory procedures are being provided to Ukrainian personnel. Three Ukrainian facilities have been selected for upgrades and a fourth is being discussed with Ukrainian authorities. U.S. teams that included both MC&A and PPS experts visited Ukraine and performed site surveys of the Kiev Institute for Nuclear Research (KINR), the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP), and the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) . Areas not conforming with IAEA guidelines were noted and potential upgrades were identified and recommended. Preliminary design packages for upgrades have been completed for KINR and are being prepared for other facilities. Equipment procurement is proceeding and plans are being implemented to install the recommended upgrades. This paper summarizes accomplishments of the program to date, and future plans.