UTEHHATIOHAL SAFEGUARDS VERIFICATION CAPABILITIES AND CONSTRAINTS IN LEU FABRICATION PLAHT

In the light water reactor cycles there are two points of paramount importance for the implementation of the international safeguards: the output of the fabrication plants and the input et the reprocessing plants (dissolution and liquor accountancy). In the latter the information generated in the former has again safeguards relevance. •fill to-day no technical means capable to measure directly the whole assembly content are available; the verification of the relevant nuclear material data, as declared by the operator, is obtained through indirect inspector's activities. One of the possible practical approaches, suggested by the above mentioned situation, is described on the basis of a real case, taken as significative example. Some inspection activities, capable to provide elements of judgement to assess the credibility of the operator's data concerning the fabricated assemblies, have been envisaged. They have been designed in the respect of the limitations imposed by the international safeguards agreement.