THE U.S. DOE MPC&A ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO UKRAINE

Year
1997
Author(s)
K.A. Thompson - Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc.
Laverne Romesberg - Sandia National Laboratories
Chet Hine - Sandia National Laboratories
E. Chris Horley - Los Alamos National Laboratory
T. Zinneman - Argonne National Laboratory
G. Kuzmycz - Argonne National Laboratory
J. Miranda - Argonne National Laboratory
T. Ewing - Argonne National Laboratory
C. McWilliams - Argonne National Laboratory
A. Olson - Argonne National Laboratory
G. Walters - Argonne National Laboratory
G. Sheppard - Los Alamos National Laboratory
A Olson - Argonne National Laboratory
C. Bingham - Argonne National Laboratory
R. Chen - Los Alamos National Laboratory
R. Ortiz - Argonne National Laboratory
Abstract
The nuclear industry of Ukraine is a vital part of the national economy. In 1995 nuclear power accounted for approximately 37% of the total electricity production. Ukraine has five nuclear power stations with fourteen reactors in commercial operation. Ukraine also has research facilities whose work involves nuclear materials. Improving the security of the nuclear material under its control is an important goal for the Ukrainian nuclear community. Ukraine has requested and is receiving the assistance of several IAEA member states in material protection, control a & accounting (MPC&A). The U.S. DOE is providing assistance in nuclear material safeguards in both material control and accountability (MC&A) and physical protection (PP) to the national regulatory authority and to four facilities in Ukraine. The program is well under way. At the Kiev Institute of Nuclear Research (KINR) a significant upgrade of the PP system has been completed. Similar upgrades are in progress at the Kharkov Institute of Physics & Technology (KIPT), South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP) and Sevastopol Institute of Nuclear Energy & Industry (SINEI). MC&A equipment and software, including computers and NDA instrumentation, have been delivered to the facilities. This paper summarizes accomplishments of the program to date, and future plans.