THE EXPANDING USE OF THE NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AND SAFEGUARDS SYSTEM (NMMSS)

The evolution of the NMMSS has led to uses of the system that go beyond those envisioned by its designers in the early to mid- 1960s. Materials management and domestic safeguards continue to be important uses, but use of the system to meet nuclear nonproliferation objectives has increased dramatically since the end of the cold war. Today, the system produces accounting data for reporting to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on selected excess nuclear weapon materials. Also, special accounting reports for imported material from Russia are being designed. Another likely opportunity for expanded NMMSS use is in the implementation of the Euratom agreement signed this past year. That agreement imposes upon the US additional reporting requirements involving the NMMSS, Also, the Secretary of Energy’s openness initiative has imposed increased demands on the historical data on US facility activities. These demands require expanded uses of the NMMSS historical data files. In anticipation of the new uses being made of the system, the international safeguards managers of the DOE and the NRC have taken steps to assure that the NMMSS will be sufficiently responsive to the needs that are foreseen.