A CONSIDERATION TO SAFEGUARDS EQUIPMENTS FROM OPERATOR'S VIEW POINT

Handling of the more SNM in a facility requires the more inspection activities. For facility operator, plant down time caused by other activities than production is one of the most important issue to be considered. At well advanced automated MOX facility like the Plutonium Fuel Production Facility (PFPF) of PNC, conventional safeguards equipments can not be simply accommodated. Therefore, development of safeguards equipments which have compatibility with automated plant operation is an important subject. In order to facilitate IAEA and domestic (Japan) safeguards, the PFPF has been introducing a various kinds of advanced safeguards equipments with high technology. From early stage of design phases of those equipments, enhancement has been taken to obtain compatibility of safeguards implementation with facility operation by both operator and inspectorate. As a consequence of the cooperation of both parties, the PFPF safeguards equipments have been introduced without losign reliability and effectiveness. Also, those equipments have good matching with plant operation. Some of equipments were set in the process as in -line measurement devices. These equipments bring a lot of advantages and benefit to both parties. This paper summarizes the advantages and benefit which are brought by each safeguards equipments as a consideration from the operator's view points.