US/RUSSIAN PROGRAM IN MATERIALS PROTECTION, CONTROL AND ACCOUNTING AT THE RRC KURCHATOV INSTITUTE: 1997-1998

Year
1998
Author(s)
B. Siskind - Brookhaven National Laboratory
T. E. Sampson - Los Alamos National Laboratory
J.E. Stewart - Los Alarnos National Laboratory
P. Singh - Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Brad Steele - pacific Northwest National Laboratory
John A. Blasy - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Wayne Ruhter - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
V.M. Shmelev - Kurchatov Institute
L.E. Predika - Sandia National Laboratories
Sergei Antipov - Kurchatov Institute
Rob York - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Igor Bryagin - Kurchatov Institute
V. Sukhoruchkin - Russian Research Center of Kurchatov Institute
Eugeni Melkov - Russian Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”
William Abramson - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Abstract
Six US Department of Energy Laboratories are carrying out a program of cooperation with the Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute to improve nuclear material protection, control and accounting (MPC&A) at Kurchatov. In 1997-1998 the primary thrust of this program has been directed to Building 106, which houses a number of test reactors and critical facilities. Substantial improvements in physical protection, upgrades in the physical inventory taking procedures, installation of equipment for the computerized materials accounting system, and installation of nuclear material portal monitors and neutron-based measurement equipment are being carried out at this facility. Software for the computerized accounting system, named KI-MACS, has been developed at Kurchatov and the system has been fully integrated with the bar code printing and reading equipment, electronic scales, and nondestructive assay equipment provided under this program. Additional 1997-1998 activities at Kurchatov include continuation of a tamper indicating device program, vulnerability assessments of several facilities, hosting of a Russian-American Workshop on Fissile Material Control and Accountability at Critical Facilities, and the development of accounting procedures for transfers of nuclear materials between material balance areas.