PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF A MIXED OXIDE FUEL FACILITY

One of the fundamental aims of any Physical Protection system in the civil nuclear industry is to ensure the highest practicable standards of security are applied to Special Nuclear Material (SNM). Such is the case the modern fuel manufacturing plant built and commissioned by British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) Sellafield Mixed Oxide Plant (SMP), where the majority of the process involves quantities of SNM in Category I and Category II, and an end product in Category I. This paper sets out the methods BNFL employs to ensure the physical protection systems meet or exceed International and National requirements, and allows the operation of the plant and its processes to take place with as little interference as possible. The paper also explains the interface between Corporate Security Department, Safety Directorate, Plant Operators and the UK Nuclear Security Regulators, and describes in part, the integration of electronic and physical protection systems to enhance the capabilities of the building guard force, the on site response force and the plant operators to enable a high standard of security to be maintained at all times.