A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S NUCLEAR MATERIALS PROTECTION, CONTROL AND ACCOUNTING PROGRAM

This paper reviews the cooperative work planned and accomplished by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Russia/Newly Independent States (NIS) Nuclear Material Security Task Force. The Task Force directs the DOE’s Nuclear Material Protection, Control and Accounting (MPC&A) program. Since 1994, DOE and its national laboratories have worked cooperatively with experts in Russia, the NIS, and the Baltics to improve nuclear material security and accountability at 53 identified sites in the region containing weapons-usable material. In addition, this cooperative program is developing MPC&A training and regulatory measures to enhance and ensure the sustainability of these upgrades. In fiscal year 1998, nine sites in Russia began operations of sitewide upgraded MPC&A systems. The program also initiated a cooperative program with MINATOM to develop ministry-level regulations for MPC&A to complement the federal MC&A systems regulations and operated a prototype Russian national nuclear material accounting system. The first graduate level MPC&A Masters degree program at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute Technical University completed its first semester at the end of 1997. Also, the program expanded its cooperative work with the Russian Federation Navy by signing an additional protocol to increase and expand MPC&A work at all identified Navy sites in Russia. In the NIS and Baltics, 2 sites in Kazakhstan and one site in Ukraine completed MPC&A upgrades. As the program expands, while resources and timeframes remain the same, the program has many concerns about post-2002 programmatic sustainability and maintenance.