I.A.E.A. SAFEGUARDS INSPECTION AT NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES, WEST VALLEY, N. Y.

The \"four reactor agreement\" between the United States of America and the International Atomic Energy Agency (INFCIRC/57) applies inter alia to the Yankee Atomic Power Station. Under this agreement, the produced material in the irradiated fuel elements continues to be subject to safeguards after it has been discharged from the reactor. Such fuel is processed at NFS. It Is an anomaly of the agreement that whereas the pluto- nium Is safeguarded, the uranium itself is only safeguarded insofar as is necessary for the safeguarding of plutonium. Such a restriction of inspection activity is, of course, un- natural and artificial if one considers the broader application of a safeguarding system. The objectives of the I.A.E.A. safeguards operation at NFS were to obtain independently verified data on the quantities of input, output and known waste losses of safeguarded material, and to provide surveillance to ensure that all the Irradiated fuel did enter the process and that plutonium did not leave the plant by other than the official outlets. Inspectors were present at NFS from 27 July till 23 September 1967, the campaign en safeguarded material beginning on 8 August.