PERLA: A Laboratory for Training and Performance Assessment of Safeguards Techniques

For the evaluation and improvement of the effectiveness of the implementation of safeguards and fissile materials management techniques in the industrial and inspection reality, an important effort has to be dedicated to the assessment of their performance (in particular for Non-Destructive Assay and Containment and Surveillance) and to the training of the users. An initiative has been taken by the Joint Research Centre at Ispra, by establishing large facilities for the handling of bulk quantities of irradiated and non-irradiated nuclear materials, now being procured. The main objectives of this initiative are: (1) performace tests of instruments and methods; (2) periodic recalibration of instruments; (3) training of international inspectors; (4) new developments. The paper presents the general layout of the facilities, especially designed for safeguards applications as required for EURATOM and IAEA, the progress achieved in the implementation, the ongoing activities and the plan for future actions.