Year
2009
Abstract
In 2006-2007 US DOE/NNSA developed MSET – an analytical tool for assessing effectiveness of MC&A systems at nuclear facilities. One of the applications of this tool was to assist in allocating human resources and funds in improving MC&A systems as well as in self-assessment by the facilities of operation of their MC&A systems. The primary objective of the MSET tool was to provide an independent, highly reliable and quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of a MC&A system. In 2008, an effort was initiated in the framework of the US-Russian MPC&A cooperative program to study MSET, analyze its applicability to Russian nuclear facilities, and propose modifications necessary for MSET application using a pilot Russian nuclear facility as an example. Several joint technical meetings took place over the last two years; the latest was a workshop conducted in May, 2009 in Oak Ridge, TN, USA at which in-depth technical exercise was conducted by a joint team of Russian and US MC&A experts. The paper presents the status of the joint effort and preliminary results of the MSET assessment by the Russian nuclear and probabilistic risk assessment specialists. In 2007-2008 a group of U.S. experts by request of NNSA/US DOE developed a method of MC&A system effectiveness assessment – MC&A System Assessment Tool (MSET). This method is required due to the need to define priorities for the distribution of human resources and funds, and due to the needs of facilities to assess their own activity in the area of material control & accounting. The designers had the task to develop a method that would allow receiving independent, highly reliable and quantitative assessment of the MC&A system effectiveness from the standpoint of combating internal threats.