ABACC’S EXPERIENCE ON IMPLEMENTING UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION REGIMES

The application of safeguards by ABACC involves a wide range of control activities mainly related with the operation of enrichment facilities, on load reactors including verification of spent fuel transfers to dry storage, light water reactors, conversion and fuel fabrication plants, R&D hot cells and research reactors. ABACC has gained an interesting experience applying unannounced inspections regimes to enrichment facilities and during some special practices at on load reactors. The safeguards approaches implemented by ABACC and the IAEA allow the triggering of the unannounced inspections at any time. The effectiveness of the unannounced inspections, including the timely access of the inspectors to the strategic points and/or operational declarations, is strengthened trough some complementary measures like underwater surveillance, temporary perimeter by special C&S, use of electronic seals and/or mailbox system. ABACC’s experience on the implementation of safeguards approaches using unannounced inspection regimes is summarized. The coordination arrangements required between IAEA, ABACC and the National Authorities are explained. Complementary measures that are applied to preserve the timely access of the inspectors to the strategic points are described and future developments to strength the current approaches are explored. Application of ABACC/IAEA UI system in future integrated safeguards is commented. In addition, ABACC is analyzing an IAEA proposal to implement the concept of “mailbox” and “short notice” inspections in conversion and fuel fabrication plants in Argentina and Brazil. Technical and security analysis to introduce the transmission of the state of health of containment and surveillance systems installed at sensitive facilities are under work. Some of these new challenges could be implemented during the course of the current year.