THE FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR U.S. NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS

Year
1980
Author(s)
William J. Dircks - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Abstract
I appreciate this opportunity to discuss nuclear safeguards matters with you, from the regulatory point of view. Meetings of professional groups such as this frequently carry an aura of well-being, almost self-congratulation. I wish I could say today that all is well in the world of safeguards, but I can't. I am uneasy and from my viewpoint, the INMM should not enter into this annual meeting with any false sense of well-being. During the next few minutes, I will try to tell you why I am concerned about safeguards and the prospects for this program in the future. My concerns about the present and future effectiveness of safeguards can be described under two basic headings: (1) the need to develop a program of conclusive accountability for nuclear materials and (2) my perception that applicable lessons of the Three Mile Island reactor accident should have, but may not have yet, been realized and responded to within the safeguards community.