Nuclear Materials Control and Accountancy Systems Vulnerability Assessment

Nuclear Materials Control and Accountancy System Vulnerability Assessment is a new tentative tool to assess the effectiveness and reliability of MC&A provisions implemented at facilities. Operators have to study, from a quantity and discovery time point of view, the ability of the installed systems to detect the loss or theft of nuclear material, as well as the possibiliy of tampering with the systems to mask unlawful operations. the paper presents the fram of security studies envisaged in France (regulatory approach, field concerned and Design Basis Threats). The objective of the security studies is explained and the main steps to produce such a studt are detailed. The different strategies to avoid or delay the moment of discovery of a theft are assessed as well as the possibilities to detect it. Finally, we emphasize the possible upgrades of the MC&A systems as a result of the security study.