The IAEA Remote Monitoring Project

It is the goal of remote monitoring to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of safeguards implementation. It is also expected that the application of remote monitoring at certain facilities will result in reduced inspection costs. In October 1996, the IAEA Department of Safeguards established the Remote Monitoring Project (RMP) to define and develop the necessary infrastructure for implementation of remote monitoring techniques. Accordingly, the RMP team has proposed policy guidelines and criteria for the general implementation of remote monitoring technology by 2000. The policy allows for a reduction in the number of inspections at facilities where remote monitoring is incorporated in the safeguards regime. The RMP team has also prepared safeguards approaches for individual facility types. Based on the preliminary implementation plan, equipment and resource needs have been identified, hardware and software have been specified and the procurement of equipment and services has commenced. Trials have been conducted in USA, Switzerland, South Africa, Japan, Canada , Sweden, Argentina, Finland and Germany to determine the field performance of remote monitoring systems and to prepare necessary inspection procedures and other arrangements. This paper will explain guidelines and criteria proposed for the general implementation of remote monitoring, present an overview of the implementation plan, describe the systems that have been installed and provide preliminary cost estimates for the incorporation of remote monitoring into safeguards inspection regimes.