US/RUSSIA COOPERATION IN MATERIAL PROTECTION, CONTROL, AND ACCOUNTING AT THE SSC-RIAR, DIMITROVGRAD

The State Scientific Center-Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (SSC-RIAR) in Dimitrovgrad was selected as one of the Russian enterprises that would participate with US national laboratories in expanded cooperation aimed at enhancing Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) of weapons usable nuclear material. The SSC-RIAR facilities under consideration for MPC&A enhancements consist of six reactors housed in four buildings, a fuel fabrication building, a radio chemistry building, and a central storage facility (CSF). The long term goal of this project is the completion of a comprehensive implementation plan, and its subsequent execution, addressing key MPC&A elements for all, or as many as possible, facilities at SSC-RIAR containing appreciable amounts of highly enriched uranium and plutonium. This paper describes the nature and scope of the expanded cooperation involving SSC-RIAR and six US national laboratories. The joint project team has been focusing on completion of MPC&A upgrades to the CSF and improving the central alarm station capabilities. The paper will focus on the MPC&A activities completed or underway in support of these facilities, as well as outline plans for upgrades at other facilities.